2006 Mazda RX-8: complaints, problems and recalls

DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR FAILURE BLOCKS DRIVER'S VISIBILITY. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 3,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10162790 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE GOING 70 MPH IN CRUISE CONTROL MODE THE VEHICLE BACK END SWERVED LEFT AND THEN RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AFTER THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, HOWEVER THE CONTACT SUSPECTS THAT TRACCION CONTROL SYSTEM FAILED.

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163319 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING, DURING NORMAL POSITIONING OF SUN VISOR, THE VISOR SPLIT AND FELL DOWN, HANGING BY THE ELECTRICAL WIRES AND DANGLING IN FRONT OF MY FACE. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE UNTIL I COULD PULL OFF THE ROAD. IT WAS STILL NOT POSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE VISOR WITHOUT TOOLS, MAKING EVEN THE RIDE HOME DANGEROUS. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 650 miles reported. Look up ODI 10164964 at NHTSA ↗

DEFECTIVE AIR CONDITIONING -WILL NOT PROVIDE A VEHICLE UNTIL FIXED. 2005 MAZDA RX8. CONTACTED MAZDA CORPORATION SUPPOSEDLY AND THEY WILL NOT HELP. WHO SHOULD I CONTACT TO GET ASSISTANCE? *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10165780 at NHTSA ↗

DURING DRIVE HOME ON FREEWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, PULLED DOWN DRIVER SUN VISOR. VISOR SPLIT AT SEAM. TRIED TO FOLD VISOR BACK UP OUT OF THE WAY BUT WOULD NOT STAY. SPLIT FURTHER APART AND WOULD NOT STAY ON ROD. DANGLING IN FIELD OF VISION TO FRONT AND LEFT SIDE OF DRIVER. I DRIVE A STICK SHIFT SO THIS WAS VERY AWKWARD AND SCARY DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THIS OCCURRED WITHIN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF OBTAINING CAR. SEALER REPLACED VISOR AND COMMENTED THAT IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE AND DID NOT KNOW OF ANY REDESIGN OR RECALL THAT MAY BE FORTH COM…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10166141 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVER'S SIDE SUN SHADE BROKE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM APPARENTLY WITH THE MAZDA RX8. I HAD THE CAR FOR ONLY ONE MONTH WITH FEWER THAN 1000 MILES WHEN THIS OCCURRED. IT WASN'T A PARTICULARLY HOT DAY, AND I HAD BARELY USED THE SUN SHADE BEFORE IT CRACKED. IT BECAME A SAFETY CONCERN AS IT WAS HANGING IN MY SIGHT OF VIEW, AND I HAD TO HOLD THE VISOR OUT OF THE WAY WITH MY LEFT HAND WHILE DRIVING WITH THE OTHER. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10168209 at NHTSA ↗

SUN VISORS SPLIT AT THE SEAMS, FALLS DOWN DURING DRIVING AND BLOCK MY VIEW. THIS FIRST HAPPENED WHEN MY CAR HAD 1059 MILES, EVEN THOUGH I RARELY USE THE VISORS. THE DRIVERS VISOR WAS REPLACED AT THAT TIME DUE TO THE CONDITION. IT HAS SINCE HAPPENED AGAIN AT 3725 MILES TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER VISORS. MY DEALER CLAIMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND MAZDA IS WORKING ON IT. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH IN A TIMELY MANNER. MY NEW VISORS HAVE NOT YET BEEN REPLACED AS THEY HAVE BEEN ON ORDER FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,059 miles reported. Look up ODI 10168291 at NHTSA ↗

I AM A MEMBER OF A MAZDA RX8 WEBSITE. 25% OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE HAD THEIR CLUTCH PEDALS SNAP OFF AT A WELD POINT. MNAO HAS TOLD ALL OF US THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO WORRY ABOUT AND IT HAS ALREADY BEEN FIXED WITH A NEW BRACKET. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THESE NEW BRACKETS ARE ALSO SNAPPING AT A WELD POINT.*CN

Owner-reported narrative. 9,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10213523 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2016-10-31 (October 31, 2016)

Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RX-8 vehicles manufactured April 10, 2003, to February 18, 2008. The affected vehicles have fuel pump sealing rings that may deteriorate due to exposure to heat from the engine or exhaust pipe.

Consequence: The deteriorated seals may leak fuel, which, in the presence of an ignition source, can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump sealing ring set and add a thermal insulation pad to the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0516J.

Reported: 2017-06-01 (June 1, 2017)

Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RX-8 vehicles. Heat from the engine and the exhaust may cause the main fuel pump pipe to crack.

Consequence: If the fuel pump pipe cracks, fuel may leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump filter kit, free of charge. The recall began on July 31, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1017E.

Reported: 2017-07-26 (July 26, 2017)

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2008 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on September 12, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1417G. Note: This recall supersedes recall 15V-382.

Reported: 2018-06-15 (June 15, 2018)

Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 and 2004 MPV vehicles nationwide. Mazda is also recalling 2005-2006 MPV vehicles in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. On July 9, 2019 this recall was expanded to include certain 2004-2011 RX-8 vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-354 but have not yet been repaired. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018. Mailing to the affected RX-8 owners began July 6, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2618F. Note: With the addition of the RX-8 vehicles, this recall fully supersedes recall 16V354.

Reported: 2018-06-15 (June 15, 2018)

Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Mazda MPV vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. On July 9, 2019 this recall was expanded to include certain 2005-2009 RX-8 vehicles that were previously recalled under 17V-011 but have not yet been repaired. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018 for MPV vehicles. The recall began July 9, 2019 for RX-8 vehicles. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2618F. Note: With the addition of the RX-8 vehicles, this recall fully supersedes recall 17V-011.