10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
66,141 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2004 Mazda RX-8 engine problems

engine problem

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2004 Mazda RX-8 Owner Comments (Page 2 of 2)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #13

Aug 142013

RX-8

  • 90,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Horrible in 2004 years of this vehicle air bag light popped up suddenly for no apperant reason.

- Los Santos, CA, USA

problem #12

May 212013

RX-8

  • 108,000 miles
I purchased the car in 5/14/2013 after a week or so it started to lose power and misfiring, popping noise, transmission warms up. The gear that I hold and shift just warms up all the time it feels like it might fire up. Then I took the car to a mechanic they couldn't do anything. I took it to Mazda mechanic they charged around 900$. then it didn't fix anything I went another one and they told me loss compression it was 115 that time. I kept driving it and they said I need to rebuild the transmission too.. I paid this car 6500. And now it S all bad. And apparently I need to buy new engine and transmission. I believe it will cost me about 6000$.now its on 129,000miles.

- Hobart, WI, USA

problem #11

Feb 092012

RX-8

  • miles
On 2/9/12 my 2004 Mazda Rx-8 was brought in for engine replacement as part of a recall. Since the engine replacement the clutch is engaging at different places or sticking to the floor. On 3/30/12 the car was taken back to dick edwards manhattan for "...when clutch is engaged there is a funny noise coming from transmission & there is a vibration." It was misdiagnosed and not fixed. The car was taken back to the dealership on 6/26/12 because "when using clutch that the first half of the pedal is empty and the second half engages but if you try to shift in the middle it will get stuck and not come out." It was misdiagnosed & not fixed. On 10/26/12 it was taken to overland park Mazda & it was found that "clutch was sticking to the ground and traced to the master and slave cylinder..." it was misdiagnosed & not fixed. On 11/9/12 the car was brought to overland park Mazda to "bleed clutch and adjust free play from clutch pedal push rod to make clutch pedal more responsive." The problem was still not fixed. In 8/13 I bought the car in Kansas City, mo. Since then I had the clutch diagnosed at rick's performance in California who found "play in the engine crankshaft - the flywheel is moving back and forth over 1/2 inch" & concluded that the engine replaced in the recall on 2/9/12 at dick edwards manhattan was defective and that a part had been left out of the engine during assembly. I took the car to ken harvey's dublin Mazda in dublin, ca and they confirmed the diagnosis by rick's performance & recommended Mazda replace the engine as it shows signs of internal damage. However, Mazda refused to replace the engine as it is outside of the 1 year/12,000 mile warranty even though it had been brought in for service 4 times within the warranty but was never fixed. Also, only 9K miles have been put on the car in that time frame.

- Livermore, CA, USA

problem #10

Nov 152013

RX-8

  • 85,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2004 Mazda RX8. The contact stated that the vehicle sporadically stalled without warning. The failure was recurring. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop where it was diagnosed that the motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85000.

- Marengo, OH, USA

problem #9

Feb 202014

RX-8

  • miles
Power steering stopped working when I was turning on to the high way. Making it stiff and hard to turn. Clutch peddle collapsed making it had to shift gears and the clutch ratio is off,

- Windsor , CO, USA

problem #8

Oct 162013

RX-8

  • 111,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Mazda Rx-8. the contact stated that while driving 45 mph, the engine stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 111,000.

- Salem, MA, USA

problem #7

Sep 022013

RX-8

  • 91,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Was driving normal conditions down a 35 mph road when I went to upshift gears and depressed the clutch pedal, I heard a loud pop and the pedal went to the floor. The clutch pedal bracket cracked and popped off due to poor quality and bad engineering, in my opinion. This could have caused the transmission to lock up and cause an accident through loss of control. I was not abusing the vehicle/ have not abused the vehicle.. this item should not break in the manner it did.

- Manahawkin, NJ, USA

problem #6

May 252013

RX-8

  • 93,700 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Mazda Rx-8. the contact stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle started to shake and jerk forward. The contact accelerated and the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact restarted the engine but black smoke was seen from exhaust. The vehicle was unable to be driven. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local mechanic, who stated that the engine had experienced an internal fire. The mechanic advised the contact that the entire engine needed to be rebuilt. The contact reported the failure to the manufacturer but they provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 93,700.

- Lexington , KY, USA

problem #5

Feb 062013

RX-8

  • 57,000 miles
I purchased my 2004 automatic RX8 in September of 2011. It began giving me trouble with the type of gas it took. I finally figured out that bp premium seemed to keep it from "coughing". I thought that I had fixed the issues and it drove fine for a good while. I changed the oil religiously at about 3000 miles or less. It would display the oil light after only about 1500-2000miles. I had a dealership look at it and they said the oil level was fine and they didn't understand why it had the light on. The oil light now comes on at just 300miles into the last oil change. In Feb of this year is when the car started deteriorating at a rapid pace, and I was completely dumbfounded till I began doing some research and saw that many others have had the exact same issues I have had. For one- the ac never works correctly. I have to play with the knob for a bit to make it cool, and still even then it does not work. I am not able to drive it to and from the store now because I am worried it will not start back up. I always make sure the engine is warmed up and sometimes just leave it running instead of taking the chance of turning it off. The engine light also comes on and random times, and I was told that it was because the gas cap was not on tight enough. That is a lie, I always make sure to tighten it, and why would the engine light come on after the oil light everytime if it was human error. The car whines when at a stoplight or sitting for a brief period of time. It sounds as if it is coming from the front left side of the engine if you are sitting in it. No one knows what that noise is either. This faulty car should come with a warning on the front windshield. I am scared to drive it, I am scared to put my family in it, and I am disgusted with the way Mazda decided to treat me when I called them to inquire about certain recalls.

- Clemmons, NC, USA

problem #4

Mar 012013

RX-8

  • 103,000 miles
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.

- York, PA, USA

problem #3

Sep 052012

RX-8

  • 145,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Campbell, CA, USA

problem #2

Aug 102012

RX-8

  • 74,812 miles
The engine oil cooler hoses developed an oil leak which was caused by corrosion to the metallic parts of the assembly.

- Endicott, NY, USA

problem #1

Jun 292012

RX-8

  • 80,000 miles
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.

- New Haven, CT, USA

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