2008 Mazda RX-8: complaints, problems and recalls

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND AS I WAS SHIFTING GEARS I FELT THE CAR DID NOT HAVE ANY ACCELERATION. THE TOP SPEED I GOT TO WAS 55MPH. WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO GET OFF THE CAR, I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND FROM INSIDE WHERE THE SHIFT KNOW IS LOCATED. I CHECKED UNDER THE CAR FOR A POSSIBLY FIRE, AND THERE IT WAS. APPARENTLY THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD CLOGGED UP AND THAT'S WHAT STARTED THE FIRE. ITS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AROUND WITH A CAR THAT BARELY HAS 55,000 AND ALREADY HAS PROBLEMS LIKE A FIRE. WHAT IF I THE CAR CAUGHT IN FIRE WITH MY FAMI…

Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10483668 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR STARTED TO INTERMITTENTLY PULL SLIGHTLY IN ONE DIRECTION. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF THIS, THE POWER STEERING FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY POWER STEERING WAS GONE AS I WAS DOING 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. AS I CONTINUED TO DRIVE, THE CAR WOULD RANDOMLY START TO PULL TO ONE DIRECTION. IT WAS VERY SCARY AND UNSAFE. I LOWERED MY SPEED TO THE MINIMUM OF 55MPH (IN INDIANA, THE 45MPH IN ILLINOIS) AND STILL HAD THE SAME ISSUES FOR THE REST OF THE DRIVE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND THIS PROBLEM IS FAIRLY COMMON …

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10493657 at NHTSA ↗

OIL COOLER LINES ON THE RX 8 WILL RUST AN CORRODE DUE TO SALT ON THE ROADS IN THE WINTER MONTHS IN THE UPPER STATES.. LINES RUST AND CORRODE CAUSING OIL TO SPRAY OVER THE ENGINE BAY ,TIRES AND BRAKES. CAUSING A LOSS TRACTION. AND EVEN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.. OIL OVER THE ROAD.THIS BECOMES A HAZARD TO DRIVERS BEHIND YOU.. MAZDA HAS A RECALL CANADA DUE TO THIS ISSUE.. BUT WILL NOT HONOR THE US AT ALL.. THIS IS SERIOUSLY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY.. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 33,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10567099 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V344000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED TO REMEDY THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10702886 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA RX-8.THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V344000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACTS VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10714486 at NHTSA ↗

THE PLASTIC CASING ON MY DRIVERS SIDE DASHBOARD THAT ENCASES THE AIR BAG IS PUSHING IT'S WAY THROUGH THE DASHBOARD. IT IS THE EXACT SHAPE OF A RECTANGLE WHICH THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IS THE PLASTIC CASING. I FEEL THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE CAR AND ALSO DANGEROUS BUT I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE.

Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10780493 at NHTSA ↗

THE DASH COVER FOR THE DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS IS CRACKING AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY MAZDA.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10839393 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 98,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10898369 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.