Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||||
| 0100704 | 11/22/2005 | 0103005 | 10006385 | A malfunction indicator lamp with diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p0300-0302 (misfire) when running, after the engine has been replaced. after replacing the engine, the eccentric shaft position sensor will remain in the pcm, causing the pcm | 04/30/2004 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||||
| 01-019/08 | 04/18/2008 | 10024868 | Some vehicles may experience a mil with dtc p2070 (ssv stuck open). *nj | 06/03/2008 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| SB-01-016-10 | 02/17/2010 | 10033672 | Mazda: hesitation/idle vibration due to cracked engine mount. on some vehicles with manual transmission may experience deceleration in 3rd gear with engine speed less than 3000 rpm at approx. 30 mph (50km/h), then quickly depressing the a | 09/03/2010 | |
| 01-015/08 | 03/19/2008 | 10024622 | Engine cranks no start. *nj | 04/29/2008 | |
| 01-014/08 | 03/19/2008 | 10024589 | Engine lack of power. *nj | 04/25/2008 | |
| 0101407 | 04/05/2007 | 10021565 | Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) illuminated - p2004 set. *kb | 05/16/2007 | |
| 0100405 | 12/01/2005 | 0100405 | 10018311 | Difficulty starting engine crank. *ts | 12/21/2005 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||||
| 11012005 | 11/01/2005 | 10018515 | P0442, p0455, p0456 set in powertrain control module (pcm). long cranking time to engine start. *tt | 01/04/2006 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | |||
| 03/01/2013 | 103000 | ||
| Noticeable oil leak, scattered all over where the vehicle is normally parked as well as all over the driver's side underbody. oil level drops approximately 1 us quart per 2-3 days, driven only lightly to and from place of employment. 10 miles a day tops. diagnosed by independent ase certified mechanic as substantial leak from the oil cooler lines, due to rust and extreme corrosion. the car is not driven in a harsh climate, and generally not in snow or ice. i see a recall for this in some countries, but not the united states, despite being subjected to the same road conditions. this car is unsafe to drive. | |||
| 09/05/2012 | 145000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx8. the contact was driving approximately 10 mph and smelled gasoline fuel coming from the vehicle. the contact also stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician advised the contact that the oil pan, throttle body assembly, fuel pump assembly, catalytic converter and spark plugs needed to be replaced. the vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions for the same failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised that the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 145,000 and the current mileage was 146,000. the vin was unavailable. | |||
| 09/05/2012 | 145000 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx8. the contact was driving approximately 10 mph and smelled gasoline fuel coming from the vehicle. the contact also stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician advised the contact that the oil pan, throttle body assembly, fuel pump assembly, catalytic converter and spark plugs needed to be replaced. the vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions for the same failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised that the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 145,000 and the current mileage was 146,000. the vin was unavailable. kmj | |||
| 09/05/2012 | 145000 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx8. the contact stated while driving approximately 10 mph the contact smelled fuel coming from the vehicle. the contact also stated the check engine warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnostic testing. the technician stated the oil pan, throttle body assembly, fuel pump assembly, catalytic converter, and spark plugs needed to be replaced. the vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions for the same failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 145,000 and the current mileage was 146,000. the vin number was unavailable. dr | |||
| 08/10/2012 | 74812 | 1 | |
| The engine oil cooler hoses developed an oil leak which was caused by corrosion to the metallic parts of the assembly. *tr | |||
| 08/10/2012 | 74812 | ||
| The engine oil cooler hoses developed an oil leak which was caused by corrosion to the metallic parts of the assembly. | |||
| 06/29/2012 | 80000 | ||
| Driving home from the store, backed into my driveway. got out of the car and saw oil the entire length of the driveway and all under the undercarriage, right driver side suspension, and tire. the oil cooler hose rusted through and dumped oil on the tire. this was the reason i was have extra long stops and pulling to the passengers side during braking. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 03/30/2012 | 139000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. the contact was driving 5-10 mph when the engine stalled with the illumination of the engine coolant warning light. the vehicle was later restarted and taken to the dealer and a private mechanic. the diagnosis from both was that the engine was flooded and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure and the current mileage was 139,000. kmj | |||
| 03/30/2012 | 139000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. the contact was driving low speeds of 5 to 10 mph when the engine stalled. the vehicle later restarted and the engine coolant warning light illuminated prior to the failure. the vehicle was taken to both the dealer and a private mechanic. the diagnosis from both were the engine was flooded and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure and current mileages were 139,000. rds | |||
| 08/18/2011 | 149000 | ||
| The drivers and passengers side oil cooler line connectors are corroded so badly at 7 years of age that it's literally spewing oil whilst the car is running. i've driven cars that were 15+ years old with no such issues. not only is this a mechanical concern, but it coats the tires in oil, and leaves traction on them almost nil. mazda canada has a recall for this exact problem, yet, mazda usa has done nothing, except for quote people anywhere from 1800-2100 dollars to have these lines replaced. i think it's a complete disgrace to an otherwise very reliable car. | |||
| 04/13/2011 | 40000 | ||
| Engine failure, loss of power, multiple episodes. | |||
| 03/01/2011 | 2 | ||
| S10 appropriate handling- letter to the secretary from requesting dot start an investigation similar to toyota' s regarding the engine flooding of the 2004 mazda rx8 *tgw the consumer state the dealer had his vehicle for 10 days. after 10 days of unsuccessfully trying to diagnose what the problem was, their final solution was to flush and clean the engine in hoping to cover-up the unresolved mechanical issue. in doing so, they only made the problem worse. *jb | |||
| 04/01/2005 | |||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. while stopped with pressure being applied to the brakes the vehicle stalled. after repeated attempts he was able to restart the vehicle and continue driving. the failure continued to recur intermittently and he began to notice the failure recurred more frequently when the air conditioning unit was on. he also mentioned the engine lacks power. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on numerous occasions where it was repaired. the failures continued to recur with more frequency. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 42,000. sm. | |||
| 08/18/2010 | 74800 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx8. while driving approximately 50 mph the check engine light illuminated on the dashboard. he drove to a local diagnostic center and then took the vehicle to the dealer. the dealer advised him that the shutter valve needs replacing. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 74,800 and the current mileage was 74,820. vwb | |||
| 06/01/2010 | 95000 | ||
| I slowed to let the car infront turn. when i pressed the acclerator again, a big cloud of white smoke came out the exhaust and the engine completly died. i was able to push in the clutch and coast into a fire department. i tried to restart the car once stopped but ite wouldn't restart. i could smell oil coming from the car while trying to start it which leads me to believe that the oil seal is blown. once towed to pearson mazda, i was told that the car needed two coils and spark plugs. once those where replaced, the car still didn't run correctly so a compression test was done in which it was found that there is no compression on the rear rotor and the motor would have to be replaced. on friday the fourth, three days after the initial incident, i was told that mazda wouldn't cover the motor under warranty because the catalitic converter was hollowed out. now anyone that knows about cars knows that a hollowed cat won't cause an oil seal to go on a motor. it has been documented many places on the internet were these motors last as little as 20,000 miles and have to be replaced. mazda doesn't want to take responsibility for a defective product. it has now been two weeks and mazda still has not responded to my many calls to get this reversed. | |||
| 04/11/2010 | 70000 | ||
| Im pretty bumed out, im an owner of an 04 mazda rx8 and about a month or so the heart (engine) of the car suddently gave out, i took it to the dealer to get it checked out and the news they gave me was that i needed a new engine, they asked me for maintenance records wich i couldnt provide them with because i do the tune ups my self, they want receips but lets be honest its hard to keep track of them, so they said no records no receips it will cost you over 3k to get the job done. i see a lot of complaints and recalls online for this vehichle and know that mine falls in that category also. i have witnesses that see me do my oilchanges and store employees that know i buy tune up products from there store. what can i do to fight for my rights? | |||
| 04/10/2010 | 43123 | ||
| 2004 mazda rx-8, under 45k miles. driven on a 78 degree day for 2 hour trip. stopped to refuel and 30 min shopping. get into car onto highway where i need my engine's speed to accelerate onto highway. i feels like half the power is gone. it reminds me of vapor lock, it's gasping for fuel or spark. this has been experienced many times before and nearly dangerous when in busy traffic, as had to pull over to birm. i know dealer replaced coil packs once or twice so far...along with plugs. this is the most dangerous car i ever owned. the most re-called car i've ever known of. right now it's running fine, matter of fact has power to spare as compared to it's 'whimping out syndrom . there must be a corporate solution from mazda to me. i am ready for a lawyer. | |||
| 03/10/2010 | 1 | ||
| I don't even know where to begin with the problem i have had with my 2004 mazda rx-8. i have owned it since september 2003 and it has had countless issues, parts replaced and failures. the incident i experienced last night put me over the edge and almost cost me my life. my rx-8, which was just at the dealer 2 weeks ago, had an engine malfunction while i was on a major highway in massachusetts. the speed of the vehicle went from approx 50mph to 10mph in a matter of a few seconds. luckily i was able to make my way to the breakdown lane without injuring myself or anyone else; however, this is unacceptable. every single part in my rx-8 has been replaced except for the engine mounts and engine. i have dished out thousands of dollars already and the vehicle only has 44,000 miles on it. not only is this a safety hazard to those of us driving the vehicle, but it is also a safety hazard to those around us. had the car behind me not been paying attention my vehicle could have caused a deadly car crash in the middle of rush hour on a major highway. i have contacted numerous dealerships, the bbb, and am now looking into a class action lawsuit. mazda needs to be held accountable for their actions. unfortunately because my car was purchased in 2003, bbb wouldn't have anything to do with the case, however i have 57 pages of detailed repairs that have been made to this vehicle since i owned it, which i am more than happy to send to you. tons of people online have had similar issues; just from automotive.com there are 30+ email addresses of individuals who have experienced problems similar to mine. please help us get to the bottom of this faulty engine and make mazda own up to their mistakes. people's lives are in danger and this is neither acceptable nor ethical. ps- an employee of nhtsa has been contacted prior regarding this situation. her name is cortney and her contact information is 1-888-327-4236 ext #: 1268. i received this from the automotive.com forum. *tr | |||
| 01/08/2009 | 59000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx8. when attempting to turn the ignition the vehicle exhibited a no-start condition. the battery was replaced. the repair did not remedy the failure. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for inspection. the technician was unable to identify the cause of the failure. the vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic on four separate occasions for identical failures, but the failure has not been remedied. the failure mileage as 59,000. the current mileage was 62,000. | |||
| 08/20/2009 | 60000 | 1 | |
| I noticed massive amounts of oil leaking from under my 2004 mazda rx8 onto the driveway of a friend's landlord's driveway. i drove it into the dealership and was told that the oil cooler lines had corroded and needed to be replaced for $1200. mazda does not cover this under warranty but has issued a recall in canada for this very issue but does not recognize it in the u.s.a. leaks can be fairly slow and unnoticeable for quite a while and coat the wheels and brakes with oil, causing loss of handling and trouble braking. *tr | |||
| 09/02/2009 | 98000 | 1 | |
| The vehicle is a 2004 mazda rx-8. the oil lines connecting the engine to the oil cooler ruptured sending oil spewing all over the tires and brakes. the engine lost 100% of it's oil and controlling the car was difficult. this problem is reportedly due to excessive corrosion of the oil lines in cold climates where salt is often on the road. in canada, there is a recall for this issue. there should be one in the us as well. *tr | |||
| 05/18/2009 | 46000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2004 mazda rx8 and i bought it 4 months ago it has 48500 and it keeps stopping in the middle of the road it gets hot and will turn off while running . if i stop at a light it will turn off. it has been sent to 2 different mazda places been put on machines after machine sent to 2 shop and can't find a solution and no body knows what the problem is not even the mazda dealer the dealer put a new converter and said it was fixed but,its been in the shop two more times now the warranty is out and they think it might be, because its not warmed up in the morning ,but do not guarantee it yah right i live in texas. well if the mazda dealer don't know who does? this is very dangerous ,i could have a bad wreck because of this problem .please tell me who to contact. *tr | |||
| 07/01/2008 | 50000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. while driving 40-60 mph, the vehicle stalled. the contact waited 30 minutes before the vehicle resumed normal operation. the dealer could not remedy the issue with the engine. the vehicle is currently at the dealer for diagnostic testing. the contact feels that the vehicle is unsafe to drive because it can shut off without warning. the current mileage was 81,206 and failure mileage was 50,000. | |||
| 11/04/2008 | 38000 | 1 | |
| Mazda has replaced the engine in my 2004 rx8 3 times in the last 700 miles. they keep saying bad rotary engine but this is terrible. how many more engines will it take??? *tr | |||
| 12/01/2008 | 40000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. while driving between 30-40 mph, the vehicle stalled and all the gears lost power. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer to repair the fluid issues and have the spark plugs changed, but the failures persist. the vehicle is currently in the shop. the current and failure mileages were 40,000. | |||
| 11/20/2008 | 51000 | 1 | |
| I'm having problems with my 2004 mazda rx8 i had a replace engine on my car and the car had a engine flooded before and now last night doesn't want 2 start and there's are a few recalls for this car and i want 2 take actions with mazda. *tr | |||
| 07/01/2008 | 1 | 04/01/2006 | |
| 2004 mazda rx8 with water mixing in with the oil. consumer states that the mechanic stated that water in the oil was normal and how the vehicle vented. there was red antifreeze in the vehicle and green antifreeze should have been used. *kb the dip stick was covered in a hard, crystallized, orange/white substance. the vehicle overheated and steam emitted from the vehicle. after inspecting the vehicle, it was determined that the thermostat had malfunctioned. the consumer was informed that because the wrong anti-freeze had been used, there may be future cooling issues with the vehicle. *jb | |||
| 01/04/2007 | 38632 | 2 | 12/05/2006 |
| I purchased my vehicle on 12/5/06 at russel mazda in catonsville, md. very satisfied with the look of the vehicle and having no prior knowledge the vehicle i made my decision to purchase. several of my family members own mazda?s and believe in your vehicles but none own the rx-8. on 1/4/07, after moving a short distance to park the vehicle, the vehicle wouldn?t restart 5 minutes later. vehicle had to be towed back to russel mazda in catonsville for service. dealer states ?no start condition. car towed in. customer hears a whining sound from under the hood when trying to star engine. engine does not turn over, ?possible starter?. car flooded, de-flooded car as per bulletin #01-048/06xxb479r1//.3 ? procedure ?a? only. after believing this problem was resolved, i assumed everything was ok. to no avail, on april 4, 2008, due to an emergency, once again i had to drive the vehicle a short distance. after parking vehicle at home for 2 days during a short illness, i went to start vehicle to go to work vehicle wouldn?t start. ?de-javu?! i waited a few minutes and tried to start vehicle again. after that, i had to call out of work advising them of car trouble. i then waited 4 hours to try starting again, still no start. i called the castle ford/mazda in beltsville who advised me to tow vehicle in. once unit arrived, after one week of waiting for results of diagnosis, vehicle was flooded again. the dealer gave me an initial repair estimate of $850.00. i was able to have them lower that amount to $650.00. my trust in mazda?s products has truly been tarnished. *tr | |||
| 03/13/2008 | 1 | 08/30/2005 | |
| I have a 2004 mazda rx 8. the engine had to be replaced at 11,000 miles due to low compression and other issues. 10,000 miles later i am getting the same symptoms in the new engine. my dealer is great, but the car is a lemon. *tr | |||
| 11/11/2007 | 45000 | 5 | |
| 2004. *tr | |||
| 08/24/2007 | 36000 | 3 | 08/23/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. while driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalled and shut off. the check engine light illuminated after the stalling occurred. the vehicle was unable to be restarted and was towed to the dealer. on june 24, 2007, the dealer replaced the coil, however, it failed to work and the dealer replaced the engine. this also did not correct the failure and the vehicle was taken to the dealer again. the failure was diagnosed as the coil a second time and the dealer was in the process of replacing the engine approximately one week ago. the engine size, number of cylinders, and a valid vin were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 36,000. | |||
| 11/02/2006 | 7 | 09/04/2003 | |
| Numerous problems with excessive heat in engine compartment. car loses or lacks power. car has died many times. vehicle had to be towed twice to dealer. vehicle has been in the dealer for service over 7 times. vehicle has under 32000 miles. today: 2 nov 2006. car had to be towed to dealer. car died in the middle of the road. i picked up car yesterday from dealer after being repaired from similar (power) problems. i have been without a car too many times. *nm | |||
| 07/23/2005 | 19000 | ||
| Dt*: the contact stated that while trying to accelerate from an intersection, the vehicle lost power, and the engine lost all pickup. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer, where the dealer was unable to specifically determine the problem. the engine was replaced, but the problems continued. | |||
| 09/28/2005 | 1 | 10/28/2003 | |
| 3 months after purchase of 2004 rx-8 battery and spark plugs needed to be replaced. *ts one several occasions the vehicle would not start. the vehicle's battery was replaced twice and had to be charged three times. the spark plugs were replaced three times. the computer was reprogrammed. the engine was replaced to alleviate stalling. the catalytic converter, 02 sensor, amplifier and starter were also replaced. *nm | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 06/13/2011 | 60300 | ||
| I noticed a small oil leak coming from below the driver's side oil cooler. upon taking this apart, i saw that the oil leak was coming from the oil cooler hose and the oil cooler hose fittings were very rusted. i ordered the part to replace the driver side, costing me $350. i haven't recieved the part yet and will be without a vehicle for one week. i have read up on this problem, and i have found that there is a recall affecting my make, model, and year that my car was built, but only for people who reside in canada. mazdausa will not acknowledge this recall. | |||
| 03/01/2010 | 62000 | ||
| Oil cooler lines in front of vehicle rusted out after 60k miles. oil leaked onto tires/brakes. | |||
| 08/25/2010 | 65595 | ||
| I own a 2004 mazda rx-8. i noticed there was oil leaking from the vehicle while it was parked in my driveway. i took it to a mazda dealership to be repaired. the oil hose was badly corroded and rusted, causing it to leak oil onto the tires, brakes, and road. the oil hose and gaskets had to be replaced with new parts, costing over $600.00. mazda canada has re-called the oil hoses on the rx-8 in canada because road salt was tending to cause corrosion of the oil hose. however, mazda usa refuses to re-call. | |||
| 12/12/2009 | 62724 | 1 | |
| 2004 mazda rx8 has a known issue with the external oil cooler. the pipe that transports oil from the engine to the cooler and back is exposed and subject to corrosion from environmental exposure, in particular the aluminum reinforcing material in the pipe is vulnerable to road salt. this problem is known to mazda. in canada they have issued field action number 142-36, which is a recall in which they replace these pipes with a redesigned part that is less susceptible to this defect. they have chosen not to extend this recall to the us because (quoting from the recall document): the mazda rx-8 is sold in the u.s., however through review of field reports and warranty claims where road salt is used, there is very little evidence of this condition in the u.s. mazda has concluded that no field action is required in the u.s. market at this time. the reason i believe this is a safety issue is that in my case, the pipe perforated while the car was in motion, spraying a large amount of engine oil at high pressure into the internal engine compartment, and onto the road behind me. had i not killed the ignition almost immediately, i believe the engine would have voided all of its oil onto the road. i believe this exposed those driving behind me to hazardous conditions, and could have contributed to a serious accident (although none occurred in this case). again quoting from the canadian recall document: the small amount of potential oil seepage will be evidenced to the customer when the vehicle is parked and is not believed to present any risk to safety. clearly i do not agree with their assessment here! *tr | |||
| 11/20/2008 | 51000 | 1 | |
| I'm having problems with my 2004 mazda rx8 i had a replace engine on my car and the car had a engine flooded before and now last night doesn't want 2 start and there's are a few recalls for this car and i want 2 take actions with mazda. *tr | |||
| 08/11/2008 | 112000 | 1 | |
| Drivers side oil cooler lines have metal section and connector as they pass from engine compartment to wheel well. this metal section has corroded through and produced a hole in the metal oil line allowing engine oil to be sprayed onto brake system, front tire and rim, and consequently under rear tire track. this resulted in hard pulling to right (passenger side) under stiff braking, skipping and loss of traction of front left (drivers) tire due to oil soaked condition and loss of traction of left rear tire from tracking in oil pattern. mazda canada has issued special service program (ssp 76) for this issue. mazda europe has initiated a similar program, there is no us recall or ssp as of this date. ssp replaces effected parts and provides for redesigned wheel well liner to protect oil fittings from corrosive road salts and water. *tr | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 11/01/2012 | 3 | ||
| 2004 mazda rx8. consumer writes in regards to several defects in the vehicle. *smd the consumer stated about a year after having the vehicle, the rear tail lights started filling up with water. also, the vehicle stopped running with no warning. the consumer was informed the vehicle needed a catalytic converter. when the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, he was informed the vehicle needed two oxygen sensors. after the oxygen sensors were replaced, the stalling continued. the consumer had the vehicle towed the dealer, where he was informed the vehicle needed a new engine. | |||
| 05/01/2011 | 65000 | ||
| Engine stalls and lack of power. dealer keeps saying its fine. cannot even drive anymore. it started with not starting then after getting it started hesitation and lack of power kept getting worse. became unsafe to drive. | |||
| 02/10/2011 | 65000 | ||
| I bought my 2004 mazda rx-8 at 52,000 miles. at 65,000 miles i was on my way back from malibu when my check engine light came on. roadside service towed my car to the nearest mazda dealer in thousand oaks. there they told me that my car needed to have the coils and spark plugs replaced costing $880. after they finished the job, i went back to pick up my car from the lot. i turn my car on and the check engine light came on yet again, wasting my 2 hr. trip. after further diagnosis they informed me that my wiring harness, oxygen sensor, radiator sensor, and fuel pump needed to be replaced. all this costing around $2600 which amounts my total expenses to approximately $3500. after checking for recalls on my car on nhtsa, i found a recall for engine and engine cooling problems which, if not fixed, resulted in all the same problems that i currently have right now. i was also informed that my car was still under the 100,000 miles or 10 year engine warranty. when i notified the dealer about the recalls and the warranty, they refused to offer me any help, stating that my car had already had the recall performed and that the warranty only specifically covered the 1.3 renesis rotary engine and not its related components. they refuse to take responsibility for the problems they caused by selling a faulty product. when the dealer couldn't offer me any help i decided to contact mazda customer service. they also refused to help me in any way. the price that they are demanding is ridiculous as well seeing as how a brand new motor costs $2200 and with labor would amount close to what i now have to pay. since mazda remains firmly resolved on the issue, i have no choice but to helplessly pay the money that they ask for. my last resort is to file this complaint to nhtsa and hope that you may help me retrieve the money that rightfully belongs to me and to force mazda to take full responsibility for the lemon product that they are selling. | |||
| 03/06/2010 | 103000 | ||
| I have owned a 2004 mazda rx7 since oct 07 since then the engline has been replaced at 26,000 miles 2 set of coils spark plugs and wires, sensors, transmission, radiator resivoir just for starters. now the car is stalling at low rpm's or when it gets hot leaving me stranded in intersections and on busy freeways. mazda has a bullentin out on this car but because they do not consider it a safety issue they will not recall the car. i beg to differ!! being stranded in an intersection or on a busy highway increases my odds greatly that i am going to be hit by another car and possibley killed. there has got to be some type of government body out there that can enforce these many claims of engine failure against mazda and there rotary engine because the latest diagnosis is that i need to replace the engine again!! please help! | |||
| 06/10/2006 | 26625 | 1 | |
| In june of 2005, i received a recall notice from the mazda north american operations informing me that my vehicle had an inherent safety issue concerning the engine among other things. i took the car for a check and was told that the car checked out fine. in august 2006, mazda north american operations extended the warranty on the car because the inherent defect does not necessarily show up immediately but may show up much later. in my case it showed up in june of 2008. the car started running hot, the engine light would come on and the car would idle high at a stop light. once the car was turned off, the cooling fan would continue for several minutes. i took the car to the mazda dealer who stated that i needed a new engine. the invoice indicated that a new engine was authorized among other things. after that incident, the vehicle ran alright up until the middle of august 2009 when the same issues reappeared. supposedly, they installed an new engine but apparently that was not true. on august 16, 2009, i dropped the car off at the dealership to correct the problem or the give me another car. this car has a serious safety issue. i want mazda to give me another car because i just don't trust driving the one with the defect. *tr | |||
| 10/14/2008 | 40000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. when the contact attempted to stop the engine, the motor would kick, but the engine would not stop. a mechanic stated that the fuel pump was faulty and made the replacement. the repair only lasted one week. he took the vehicle to a mazda dealer and they stated that there was a flooding issue. the dealer repaired the vehicle for free, but the failure recurred a month later. the mechanic stated that the outer grip on the fly wheel was loose. the mechanic repaired the vehicle, but the engine still would not start. the failure mileage was 40,000 and current mileage was 42,000. | |||
| 04/29/2009 | 56200 | 1 | |
| I was driving my 2004 mazda rx-8 on the highway at approximately 60mph and went to shift from 5th gear into 4th gear when i felt a pop at which point my clutch fell to the floor and i no longer had any ability to accelerate. fortunately traffic was light and i was able to coast off onto the next exit ramp and pulled to the side of the road. i called mazda roadside assistance who towed the car to mazda bedford. i was told that the clutch was blown and needed to be completely replaced. the mazda forum is full of similar episodes and i was encouraged to file a complaint. *tr | |||
| 01/31/2009 | 71000 | 1 | |
| I would like to report the substandard performance of a car that will soon be know as the living coffin. the mazda rx8 is in my opinion a death trap. while in houston , my car was always in the shop because it would stop on me in busy traffic. now i am in austin and the car started stalling again. what does mazda do to remedy this problem, they sent out a dvd, that tells you how to start the car when it stops. while, i was in dallas, i met people on line that also have these mazda rx8's. they too are disgusted. this car is very unsafe, and will stop on you at the drop of a hat. mazda has been secretly replacing engines, and all of a sudden the warranty is now at 100,000 miles. now the catch: you take the car in and what you thought would be under warranty ends up costing you money. i have 70,000 miles on my 2004 rx8, and it has been a nightmare. i have also talked to people, that are upside down, and then other dealers are aware of this crap of a car. i have contacted your agency once before, and nothing has been done, my next course of action is a complaint with the justice department. all i need is a email address for someone in your agency, and i will have many stories. today, my car stopped just as i crossed lake travis, and again as i attempted to clime a hill. we rx8 owners need help. you people only react only after someone has died. it is obvious there is a problem. this has been going on for years, and mazda is doing nothing. i need help and i need it now. *tr | |||
| 10/17/2008 | 26000 | 1 | |
| Owner of an 2004 rx-8. the vehicle had 8,000 miles at time of purchase. within 2,000 miles of driving the vehicle, while driving down the interstate the engine shut down. mazda replaced the sensor system. they stated that the key became unprogrammed while driving? the car was worked on at prebel mazda in georgia. my car now has 26,000 miles. i take very particular car with the maintenance of the car. last friday night, i shut my car off and it wouldn't restart. after some research, i have found that most all rx-8 mazda's have this similar issue. i am currently paying out of pocket, to have test run to determine the problem. there is a big chance that the vehicle will need it's engine replaced. due to a recall compression issue by mazda. i am very upset that i have a vehicle with major manufacturer defaults. *tr | |||
| 08/12/2008 | 28512 | 1 | |
| Driving home when making a left turn the vehicle stopped dead in the oncoming lane. this has happened at least 3 times before with no indication from the dealer as to the cause or solution to this problem. according to reports on the internet many complaints have indicated that around 28,000 miles the engine was replace due to lack of compression. *tr | |||
| 12/27/2007 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2004 mazda rx-8. three times within the last six months (since december 2007) i have had to have the car towed to the dealer because although the car would start, it would not catch and fire up. the dealer says that it is a problem particular to the 2004 rx-8 (no other year of this model has this problem). they said the engine gets flooded if the car isn't run hot for at least 1/2 hour (like it can happen if i just run to the grocery store and back). they said this is a recurring problem with the 2004 rx-8. if this is a huge problem, why hasn't there been a recall to repair it? it costs me over $150 each time it has to go in, not to mention lost hours at work because my car won't start. *tr | |||
| 10/25/2007 | 49000 | 1 | |
| I bought my 2004 rx-8 used with 48,000 miles on it. one month after purchasing the engine started to run rough, especially noticeable while at a stop light or sitting at an idle. was told i had a compression variance in the engine and that it would have to be replaced. undisclosed to me at the time of purchase was the fact that this car had already had the engine replace previously. i now have a car that is on its 3rd engine in 52,000 miles. *tr | |||
| 01/04/2007 | 38632 | 2 | 12/05/2006 |
| I purchased my vehicle on 12/5/06 at russel mazda in catonsville, md. very satisfied with the look of the vehicle and having no prior knowledge the vehicle i made my decision to purchase. several of my family members own mazda?s and believe in your vehicles but none own the rx-8. on 1/4/07, after moving a short distance to park the vehicle, the vehicle wouldn?t restart 5 minutes later. vehicle had to be towed back to russel mazda in catonsville for service. dealer states ?no start condition. car towed in. customer hears a whining sound from under the hood when trying to star engine. engine does not turn over, ?possible starter?. car flooded, de-flooded car as per bulletin #01-048/06xxb479r1//.3 ? procedure ?a? only. after believing this problem was resolved, i assumed everything was ok. to no avail, on april 4, 2008, due to an emergency, once again i had to drive the vehicle a short distance. after parking vehicle at home for 2 days during a short illness, i went to start vehicle to go to work vehicle wouldn?t start. ?de-javu?! i waited a few minutes and tried to start vehicle again. after that, i had to call out of work advising them of car trouble. i then waited 4 hours to try starting again, still no start. i called the castle ford/mazda in beltsville who advised me to tow vehicle in. once unit arrived, after one week of waiting for results of diagnosis, vehicle was flooded again. the dealer gave me an initial repair estimate of $850.00. i was able to have them lower that amount to $650.00. my trust in mazda?s products has truly been tarnished. *tr | |||
| 12/03/2007 | 2 | 04/23/2004 | |
| 1) car often stalls/won't start 2) engine cranks and won't start/ had to take it to a shop many times 3) dealer says engine flooded and repaired. *tr | |||
| 03/01/2004 | 10 | 60 | 02/01/2004 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. while driving between 5 and 70 mph, the engine stalled. there were no warning indicator lights illuminated. the vehicle would restart intermittently. the dealer replaced the rotary engine, starter, fuel injection system, and the battery, however, the failure persists. the number of cylinders and powertrain were unknown. the failure mileage was 10 and current mileage was 44,000. | |||
| 03/31/2006 | 16000 | 7 | 03/11/2006 |
| Engine failure, purchased car 3/11/2006, a couple of weeks later the car started idling roughly, then stalling, the computer module has been replaced twice, the engine once, i still have problems with acceleration, the last incident happened last week 7/29/2007, i was in the center lane pulling out into the passing lane and the car lost all power but did not stall my head was slammed forward almost hitting the stirring wheel and a few seconds later shot off like a rocket slamming my head back against the drivers seat, causing my neck to whip lash i have had a bad headache since, and i was almost hit by a big diesel truck. the car is in the shop again getting the oil and tires changed, and also getting checked for this problem but they are saying they could not find anything on the road test. well it happens to me quite often when i go to pass someone on the interstate, it hesitates before it kicks in and someone is going to get killed. i am paying for a car that spends more time in the shop than out. i bought it 3/11/06 it stayed in the shop almost continually until 7/18/2006, and i was making payments. now it is starting all over again with the rough idle and hesitation. i am getting to the point that i want my money back and i'll give them the car back. i am getting to scared to drive it. now i find out today about other recalls the control arm i was not aware of, i guess that is why my car is starting to pull hard to the right, now i have to have that taken care of. i have moved 350 miles away and i can't leave until my car gets fixed and out of the shop, this is starting to be bull!!! someone needs to do something i have a friend who also has an rx8 we purchased ours on the same day and she is having the same problems and hers is a 2006 where mine is a 2004, so mazda hasn't fixed the problem.*jb | |||
| 05/01/2007 | 65000 | 1 | 05/01/2004 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. the contact stated that he took his vehicle in for a recall repair. the dealer and the manufacturer refused to repair his vehicle because he did not have a recall notice present. the contact stated that he never received a recall notice. since that time, his vehicle has experienced a loss of power, excessive air consumption, and poor mileage. the # of cylinders is 0 because the vehicle has a rotary engine. the current mileage is 71,000 and failure mileage was 65,000. | |||
| 01/29/2006 | 8 | 01/01/2004 | |
| I am currently in the process of trying to resolve an on-going engine startup /vehicle stall problems with my 2004 rx-8. this car has only 15,000+ miles and has been driven for short, daily runs to work and recreational drives. the rotary engine has a required engine warm-up procedure before shutting it off. a deflooding procedure is also required if engine fails to start in the manufacturers manual. mazda has already had a recall on the fuel system computer with update software. the car had to be towed from my garage to the dealer to have this done because of a nonstart situation. the problem seemed to be corrected by them although a stalling while a red lights or no startup after refueling at gas stations problems recurred. the car again had to be towed from my garage to the dealer to be checked for the nonstart-up issue. a replacement of battery, altenator and spark plugs were done. the problem seemingly cleared for half the day until a trip for fuel caused another nonstart incidence(stuck at the pump) in a $34,000 car! it finally restarted after 10 min and was driven back to the dealer the next afternoon where the problem then recurred in their garage. the dealer has now told me i must wait longer after the manufacturer's required engine warm-up time to shut off the car and not to restart engine in short periods of time. is this insane or what! this explanation didn't fly with me, so the car has been now rechecked and ok'd to drive again by their technicians with no changes made. they wished me good luck! *nm | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 10/15/2007 | 67900 | 1 | 05/09/2004 |
| I own a 2004 mazda rx8 with 67,900 miles. the entire engine needs to be replaced because of an internal fault failure. i am being charged 8,500 to have the engine replaced. i am very frustrated with a 3 year old car with mid mileage needing an engine replacement. i am a teacher and don't have the salary to replace a car every 3 years or at 67,900 miles. according to the dealer there is potential for fire. *jb | |||
| 04/01/2006 | 26000 | 10 | 03/20/2005 |
| I purchased my 2004 mazda rx-8 in march 2005 and problems with the check engine light coming on did not start until april 2006. at that time the car had approximately 26,000 miles on it (i have a long commute 90% of which is freeway). the first several times back to the dealer minor things were adjusted or cleaned such as the spark plugs and a small valve a kit to a butterfly valve in a carburetor engine. eventually the valve was replaced, but the light still came back on. in fact, on one occasion the car was pulled out of the shop doors pronounced fixed and upon my starting it again the light was back on. eventually mazda approved that the intake manifold be replaced, which it was. the check engine light has stayed off since that replacement (about 3-months) , but other problems have arisen. first, either the intake or exhaust heads were not sealed correctly since the engine sounds like it is coming through the dash. this has been pointed out but never properly repaired. now, as of august 3, 2007 the car's electrical system completely shuts down. this has happened on 3 occasions where without any warning the car shuts down. the needles in the dials on the dash bounce wildly back and forth while a clicking sound is coming from the fuse box in the engine. needless to say the car is back in for it's 10th visit to the mazda dealership in cleveland. i have started the buy back procedure with mazda. *jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 11/15/2010 | 97000 | ||
| The faulty oil injector releases excess oil and as a result drowns the catalytic converter and spark plugs. because of this the car eats through spark plugs and when running at a low rpm the car will shut down which has happened on numerous occasions and in the middle of traffic. with this knowledge mazda put out a recall (4206f) to replace the spark plugs, catalytic converter, and perhaps even the engine. my car was tested and the local dealership found that it falls within the recall. mazda headquarters isn't honoring the recall or the dealer's findings and is saying that it is a maintenance issue and will therefore not replace or repair anything. | |||
| 08/25/2010 | 119000 | ||
| Driving down the highway and vehicle lost engine compression in traffic. almost was rearended. | |||
| 09/20/2009 | 45000 | ||
| I own a 2004 mazda rx8 and have never had more problems with a car in my life. shortly after buying it, it would not start, had it towed to dealer, they could not find a problem. have had to have it towed 8 times now because it stalls when coming to a stop or when taking off. it has sat all winter due to not starting. my had sweat just thinking about driving this car and i will only take back roads, one near miss on the highway was enough for me to stay off and stay on back roads, at least then i have some chance of getting it to the side of the road. my car has been in the shop so many times i have lost count although i have all of the repair oders. they did replace the engine, but it still runs rough, now the engine lite is on again!!!! this is the only car i have to drive and i can not trade it in because all the dealers know about the car and will not give me even one half of what i paid for it. i have seen so many complaints on this car for so many reasons and can not believe the car itself has not been recalled. they should buy them all back for what we paid for them mine was $23,000. why arn't you doing what you have done to toyota!!!!! i am doing to die in this car!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you ask for approximate incident date, well i have about 20 of them and you only allow one. | |||
| 01/12/2009 | 55000 | 1 | |
| I'm very upset, i bough my car rx8 2004 on january 2009 from a mazda dealer and my car just died 3 month after buying the car, they won't replace my engine because of and aftermarket headers. now i understand that aftermarket parts will void the warranty of the car but the first month i bought the car went to the dealer 5 times and i have the record of that, the knew the car was damage and they never replace my engine now that i put my headers and they saw them they don't want to replace it and pretty much i lost 13k on a car that last me only 3 month and i'm still paying the car a month i don't have money to repair the car just because they knowing that this cars have problems and still don't want to help if i don't have car i probably can lose my job and trust me i don't want that but i can even buy a nother car because i'm still paying this car i need my car fix and i want someone to take action on this, i will really want to reports this issue to the local news papers and let everyone knows about this please help me here i can afford to lose my job my wife doesn't work and my son is only 2y and 5 month please someone help me...!!!! *tr | |||
| 12/08/2008 | 37250 | 1 | |
| Engine light came on with no noticeable problems. called dealer who advised bringing it in. on way to dealership, approx. 4 miles, car began to misfire, producing smoke from exhaust pipes. by the time i pulled into the dealership, smoke was coming from every area of underside of car, as well as interior. wife following said flames were coming from both exhaust pipes. car only has 37,000 miles, and all dealer servicing were done since purchase of vehicle. after 2 weeks of contact with home office, mazda has agreed to pay for repairs of exhaust system, but i am liable for physical damage to car which includes melted carpeting, spark plugs, etc. was told both coils were the cause of problem. *tr | |||
| 11/28/2008 | 55000 | 1 | |
| My 2004 mazda rx-8 catalytic converter went out twice in less than 1 year. my personal mechanics said to take it back to the dealer and that blogs on line said the engine would loose compression and the engine would go out completely. i read several complaints online about that very same thing. the dealer said they would replace the catalytic converter again. i said what about the low compression and engine failure down the road. and the service manager said that what the 100k warranty is for. i don't think that's right they should buy the car back from me. it is not dependable. it is at mazda city of orange park, fl. phone # 904-7790600. *tr | |||
| 07/02/2008 | 78900 | 1 | |
| I bought a 2004 mazda rx8 brand new in early 2005 from the dealer. i have had to have it towed in for repair over 10 times. they have tried to fix it each time. they even had to replace the engine after only 23,000 miles. now looks like i will need another engine. they have had numerous recalls on it. it has stalled on me before but the other day it almost cost me my life. it stalled due to hot weather with on coming traffic. i nearly had a head on collision. after doing some research i find that it has yet more recalls on it for same problem of stalling. this is a very unsafe car. i read on different forums of all the horror stories others are having with same problems. the dealerships are trying to say there is no problem or that its something we did and try to charge us to repair their defects. something has got to be done before people are killed. i now find out that no one wants to take it in on trade for fair value. mazda sold this car before it was ready for production and they should buy it back at fair value. they need to get them off the road before its to late. please help put pressure on them to do what's right. *tr | |||
| 05/30/2008 | 105000 | 1 | |
| The 2004 rx8 has internal seals fail prematurely. this causes the engine to blow by a loss of compression in one of the two rotor chambers. the problem being the car with still run with half power. i continued to drive to find help off the highway. the rotor that is not working is dumping gas into the catalytic converter. by the time i parked, i could smell burning fiber and plastic and the exhaust shot out several large chunks of red hot ceramic material. the catalytic converter was bright orange and the entire underside of my car is melted. looking on internet under 2004 rx 8 engine failure i have seen several other stories with similar results but worse. is it possible that the fuel tank could explode with such heat so near if you continued to drive. this happens anywhere from 12,000 miles to 100,000 miles and beyond. mazda knows of the engine defect and has extended the warranty on the motor as of may 2008. my car is at hancock mazda in dallas. they said damage amounted to $9,500.00 from heat. *tr | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | |||
| 11/01/2012 | 3 | ||
| 2004 mazda rx8. consumer writes in regards to several defects in the vehicle. *smd the consumer stated about a year after having the vehicle, the rear tail lights started filling up with water. also, the vehicle stopped running with no warning. the consumer was informed the vehicle needed a catalytic converter. when the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, he was informed the vehicle needed two oxygen sensors. after the oxygen sensors were replaced, the stalling continued. the consumer had the vehicle towed the dealer, where he was informed the vehicle needed a new engine. | |||
| 10/18/2009 | 101000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. he stated the vehicle hesitated to start and that while driving it failed to operate at minimal speed. he also stated the vehicle would not accelerate properly. the check engine warning light illuminated and he noticed smoke coming from under the hood and the middle interior console. an independent mechanic stated that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. the manufacturer stated that there was a previous campaign pertaining to the same failures; however, the repairs were made with the original owner. the contact is responsible for paying the repair cost. the contact stated the part was reprogrammed but not replaced as relayed to him by the manufacturer. no repairs had been made. the failure and current mileages were under 101,000. | |||