2004 MAZDA RX-8 Complaints

LOSS OF POWER STEERING. RESTART ENGINE OK. HAPPENED TWICE AGAIN SINCE THEN, SAME SOLUTION. *TR

CURRENTLY THERE IS A CRACK THAT IS FORMING AROUND MY DASH BOARD WHERE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS LOCATED. I'VE SEEN SEVERAL OTHER FORUM POSTS ABOUT THIS EVENTUALLY FORMING AN OUTLINE AROUND WHERE THE AIRBAG IS. I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL AFFECT THE AIRBAG FROM EITHER OPENING OR OPENING WHEN IT SHOULDN'T. ANOTHER CONCERN OF MINE IS A PROBLEM THAT ALL RX8 OWNERS HAVE AND THAT IS THE FISHBOWL TAILLIGHTS. OUR TAILLIGHTS GET SO MUCH WATER IN THEM THAT THEY TURN INTO FISHBOWLS. I HAVE REPLACED THE GASKETS ON MINE 3 TIMES ALREADY. THIS TO ME IS AN ELECTRICAL HAZARD NOT TO MENTION A DRIVING SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING HAS REPEATEDLY FAILED. THE MAZDA DEALER SAID THE PROBABLE CAUSE WAS THE STEERING CONTROL MODULE, HOWEVER THEY WOULD NOT GUARANTEE CHANGING THE PART ( $1600 DOLLARS PARTS AND LABOR ) WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT IN THESE CARS. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN OCTOBER 2010. *TR

FIRST INDICATIONS, THE FAILURE WARNING LIGHT UPON STARTING. USED ANOTHER CAR THAT DAY. NEXT DAY, NO WARNING LIGHT, HOWEVER, ON THE WAY HOME, THE STEERING ABRUPTLY MADE A *FULL* TURN TO THE RIGHT VERY QUICKLY (GOING ABOUT 30MPH ON A DIRT ROAD). I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BEFORE IT RAN OFF THE ROAD - NO FAILURE WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH. SINCE THEN THE FAILURE LIGHT HAS APPEARED IN INCREASING FREQUENCY TO THE POINT IT IS MOSTLY ON. WHEN THE WARNING LIGHT IS ON, THE STEERING IS ESSENTIALLY MANUAL, BUT WORKABLE. THE WORST CASE IS WHEN IT IS OFF, AND SUDDENLY GOES INTO A FAILURE MODE WITHOUT *ANY* INDICATION (I.E. THE WARNING LIGHT STAYS OFF). IT HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES, EVEN WHEN AT A FULL STOP AND THE WHEEL TURNS BY ITSELF TO THE RIGHT. PRETTY DISCONCERTING. THE FULL SYMPTOM DESCRIPTION IS THAT IT BECOMES EXTREMELY EASY TO TURN CLOCKWISE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO TURN COUNTER-CLOCKWISE. I'D RATHER IT WAS IN FAILURE MODE AND HARD TO STEER THAN INDICATING EVERYTHING IS FINE AND THEN SUDDENLY DECIDE IT WANTS TO GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION - ALWAYS TO THE RIGHT IN MY CASE. REVIEWING THE OTHER COMPLAINTS HERE MAKES IT SEEM LIKE A FLAW IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OR PROBABLY THE SELECTED PART(S) MAZDA USED, BUT WORSE EVEN, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT FAILURE MODES, ONE MAKING IT HARD TO STEER, BUT AT LEAST CONSISTENT, AND THE OTHER MODE LEAVING THE DRIVER GUESSING AS TO WHAT DIRECTION THE CAR WILL TRAVEL AND WHEN IT MAY DECIDE TO DO THAT. I'M HAVING IT REPAIRED AND WILL RETAIN THE FAILED COMPONENTS. WHEN IT DOES INDICATE FAILURE IT REMAINS THAT WAY UNTIL THE ENGINE IS SHUT DOWN. WHEN IT INDICATES EVERYTHING IS FINE, IT MAY FAIL ANYTIME, BUT NEVER INDICATES FAILURE. I'M SUBMITTING THIS IN HOPES THAT SOMETHING CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT YET EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM. THE FIRST CASE FOR ME WAS ON A DIRT ROAD - IF IT WAS ON A HIGHWAY ... OUCH. *TT

MY HUSBAND DROVE ME TO THE GROCERY STORE AND WE HEARD A LOUD POP. THE CAR BARELY WENT INTO FIRST GEAR AND STARTED GRINDING WHEN IT WENT INTO SECOND. WE BARELY MADE IT HOME!! IT STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF US TURNING INTO OUR ROAD AND WE ALMOST GOT HIT. WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT AFTER WE( LUCKILY) MADE IT HOME. THE ENTIRE CLUTCH PEDAL MOVED AND ANGLED TO THE RIGHT WHEN DEPRESSED AND WENT BACK TO REGULAR POSITION WHEN WE LET GO OF IT. *TR

MY CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN CREAKING NOW AND SHAKING NOW FOR QUITE SOME TIME. ORIGINALLY (A YEAR OR SO AGO) WHEN I ASKED TO RECEIVE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON IT FROM MAZDA THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT "BAD" ENOUGH BUT WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WAIT FOR IT TO FAIL ON THE ROAD SO I HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT REPLACED AND A TOW TRUCK? I HAVE A 2004 AND THE WARRANTY FOR EVERYTHING IS NOW OVER BASED ON TIME. *TT

AS I TURNED ON MY CAR ONE TIME, THE POWER STEERING JUST DIDN'T COME ON. I THEN SHUT IT OFF, AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT WORKED. AFTER THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THE POWER STEERING CEASED TO TURN ON AT ALL. IT WASN'T AS IF THE MOTOR FOR THE ELECTRIC STEERING WAS SLOWLY GOING OUT; IT WAS EITHER NIGHT OR DAY. *TR

MY MAZDA RX8 HAD POWER STEERING FAIL WHILE DRIVING MY CHILD HOME FROM SCHOOL. SO NOT COOL. *TR

POWER STEERING ISSUES, FAILING, ELECTRICAL ISSUES WHERE COOLANT OVERFLOW IS LOCATED NOT COVERED IN WARRANTY. *TR

MY ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING IS GOING IN AND OUT CAUSING ME TO LOSE POWER STEERING. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT MANY 2004 RX-8 OWNERS ARE DISCUSSING ONLINE AND IN FORUMS. DEALERS AND MECHANICS KNOW OF THE PROBLEM WITH CONNECTORS AND RACKS GOING BAD BUT MAZDA HAS REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE CHRONIC PROBLEM. IT IS DANGEROUS AND COSTLY, I AM ON MY SECOND REPAIR OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PUSH MAZDA TO STEP UP AND ADDRESS THIS GROWING AND CHRONIC PROBLEM. *TR