2004 MAZDA RX-8 Complaints

VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND IT IS HARD TO TURN RIGHT, SOMETIMES THE STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE REPEATEDLY AND SHAKE AND TURN LEFT BY ITSELF. I REPLACED THE STEERING HARNESS WITH A NEW ONE BUT PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *TR

THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY BRACKET MOUNTED TO THE FIRE WALL CRACKED ON BROKE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE UNIT CAUSING THE CLUTCH TO BE UNUSABLE AND UNABLE FOR ANY FORWARD OR REVERSE GEARS TO BE ENGAGED. LUCKILY I WAS PULLING OFF THE ROAD INTO A CONVENIENCE STORE WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND WAS ABLE TO PULL THE TRANSMISSION OUT OF GEAR AND INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT USE OF THE CLUTCH. THIS IS DANGEROUS BEYOND BELIEF AND IS PRESENTLY COVERED BY MAZDA UNDER AN 8 YEAR 100,000 MILE WARRANTY EXTENSION PLAN BUT THIS SHOULD BE A MANDATED SAFETY RECALL REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE OR YEAR. THE FACTORY PART IS MADE OF TIN AS BEST I CAN TELL AND CAN BE BENT AND DEFORMED WITH BARE HANDS AT THE POINT WHERE ITS BOLTED TO THE FIREWALL, A CRITICAL MOUNTING POINT AS EVIDENCED BY THE GROWING NUMBER OF CASES FOR THIS EXACT DEFECT. I WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO PURCHASE THE PART AT MY OWN EXPENSE BUT DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO SINCE THIS IS SUCH A BASIC SAFETY DEFECT THAT COULD HAVE DEADLY RESULTS TO THE DRIVER AND OTHER INNOCENT DRIVERS IN THE VICINITY OF THE AFFECTED MAZDA RX8. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING FAIL TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPAIRED THE STEERING COLUMN WIRE BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING GEAR BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000. UPDATED 09/26/12 *LJ UPDATED 09/27/2012 *JS

THE ENGINE OIL COOLER HOSES DEVELOPED AN OIL LEAK WHICH WAS CAUSED BY CORROSION TO THE METALLIC PARTS OF THE ASSEMBLY. *TR

AT A STOP LIGHT, I DEPRESSED MY CLUTCH PEDAL. I HEARD AN AUDIBLE SNAP AND THE CLUTCH BECAME UNUSABLE. *TR

POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY GOES OUT. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET INDICATES THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR MAZDA YET THERE ARE NO RECALLS TO FIX FAULTY ENGINEERING. THE RADIATOR OVERFLOW LEAKS ONTO THE CONNECTORS FOR THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING CAUSING CORROSION AND SPORADIC CONNECTIONS. *TR

I JUMPED INTO MY 2004 MAZDA RX-8 AFTER WORK STARTED IT UP AND WENT TO DRIVE AND NOTICED IT WAS REALLY HARD TO TURN AND I LOOKED AND NOTICED THAT A LIGHT THAT WAS A STEERING WHEEL WITH AN EXCLAMATION MARK NEXT TO IT SO I DROVE IT HOME NOT EVEN A MILE AWAY AND READ ABOUT IT ONLINE AND FOUND OUT IT HAPPENS A LOT. PROBABLY GOING TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER VERY VERY SOON. *TR

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. *TR

PART NUMBERS FE03-51-21YD (REAR) AND FE03-51-22YC (FRONT). I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER WHEN THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATING CORRECTLY MY DRIVING AREA AT NIGHT. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER TODAY AND I WAS TOLD THAT THESE PARTS ARE NOT COVERED. THERE HAS BEEN A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) ON THIS CAR CONCERNING THIS ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE SENSORS BECAUSE THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE. THEY WERE FAULTY TO BEGIN WITH. IN ADDITION THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME. *TR

CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY FAILURE. CAUSING THE PEDAL TO SHIFT INWARD TOWARDS THE BRAKE PEDAL. *TR