2004 MAZDA RX-8 Complaints

TAKATA RECALL I RECEIVED A CALL REGARDING AN 'ESCALATION' OF MY RECALL AND WHEN I CALLED BACK THE INDIVIDUAL ON THE PHONE SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND MY INFORMATION. THE LAST TIME I TRIED TO GET MY RX8 REPAIRED I WAS TOLD I HAVE TO DRIVE THE CAR OVER AN HOUR TO THE SHOP TO GET AIRBAG FIXED - THIS IS AFTER I RECEIVED A VERY GRAPHIC POSTCARD SHOWING AND TELLING ME HOW I WILL BE INJURED OR KILLED IF I DON'T GET MY CAR REPAIRED. I AM TRYING TO GET THIS CAR REPAIRED, HOWEVER I WILL NOT DRIVE THIS CAR OVER AN HOUR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN SOUTH TEXAS HEAT AND HUMIDITY IN ORDER TO MAKE THE REQUIRED 100% COMPLIANCE EASY FOR TAKATA THERE ARE MULTIPLE OTHER RECALLS ON THIS CAR, INCLUDING ON THE ENGINE THAT I HAVE REPLACED 4 TIMES. DEALERS WERE TOLD TO INSTALL THE OLD ENGINES THAT WERE IN THEIR INVENTORY AND NOT INSTALL THE NEW DESIGN. THE OLD ENGINES CONTINUED TO LOOSE COMPRESSION OVER TIME AND EVEN THOUGH MAZDA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 100K ON THE VEHICLE, EVENTUALLY I EXCEEDED 100K - AND THE 4TH ENGINE WENT BAD @102K. MAZDA NEVER REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH AN ENGINE THAT DID NOT HAVE COMPRESSION ISSUES. THE DEALERS USED THE SAME ENGINE AND MAZDA WAITED FOR CONSUMERS TO EXCEED THE 100K MILEAGE AND THEN REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL RX8 THAT IS BASICALLY A ROLLING CHASIS BECAUSE IT WILL NOT RUN, OVERHEATS THE FUEL SYSTEM (CAN EXPLODE OR CATCH FIRE), AND AIRBAGS THAT CAN INJURE OR KILL ME AT ANY MOMENT. I CANT EVEN OPEN THE DOOR ON THIS CAR FOR FEAR OF INJURY OR DEATH. IF THE AIRBAGS WERENT AN ISSUE, I CANT DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THE ENGINE LOOSES COMPRESSION AND POWER AND CAN PUT THE DRIVER IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN TRAFFIC, AND FINALLY IF ALL ELSE WERE FUNCTIONING, THE EXHAUST CAN OVERHEAT THE FUEL TANK CAUSE EXPLOSION AND/OR FIRE. AT ONE POINT THE INTERIOR OF MY TRUNK MELTED. MY CAR HAS ZERO VALUE BECAUSE OF MAZDA AND TAKATA.

AS I PRESSED MY CARS CLUTCH TO CHANGE GEARS (6 SPEED MANUAL ) WHILE DRIVING ON MY REGULAR SUNDAY DRIVE IN A CITY STREET, I HEARD AND FELT A VERY LOUD EXPLOSION AND NOISES OF METAL PIECES EJECTING FROM UNDER MY CAR. I WAS IN THE 60KM/H ZONE SO WAS NOT SPEEDING OR GOING FAST SUCH AS ON A FREEWAY ETC. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY WHILE ROLLING AS THE ENGINE HAD BEEN DISABLED IN THE EXPLOSION. I COULD FEEL MY LEFT FOOT WAS IN EXTREME PAIN. MY CAR WOULD NOT START. I FEARED THAT THE ENGINE HAD BLOWN UP. MY CAR IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND SERVICED REGULARLY WITH NO MODIFICATIONS. WHAT I DISCOVERED WAS THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD DETONATED, THE GEARBOX BELL HOUSING WAS TORN APART (GOT PICTURES TO PROVE IT) AND I FOUND PARTS OF THE CLUTCH IN MANY TINY PIECES ALL OVER THE ROADS. THE CLUTCH WAS REPLACED BY MAZDA 30,000KMS AGO AND AT A MAZDA DEALERSHIP USING OEM CLUTCH KIT. THE FORCE OF THE GEARBOX EXPLOSION WAS SO GREAT THAT THE CLUTCH PEDAL IMPACTED MY LEFT FOOT AND SHATTERED THE BONES OF THE LEFT FOOT IN PIECES (YES I WAS WEARING THICK SOLED SNEAKERS) AND CAUSED SEVERE TRAUMA TO MY FOOT IN GENERAL. AT THE HOSPITAL, THE SURGEONS WORDS WERE " IT LOOKS REALLY BAD". I WAS OPERATED ON AND TITANIUM PLATES AND 4 SCREWS WERE INSERTED TO TRY TO HOLD MY SHATTERED BONES IN PLACE. 8 MONTHS AND A LOT OF HOSPITAL VISITS LATER, I AM STILL RECOVERING FROM THE DAY. I HAD FURTHER SURGERY FEW WEEKS AGO TO PERFORM A BONE GRAFT BECAUSE ONE BREAK WASN'T HEALING. I HAVE APPROACHED MAZDA REGIONAL HEAD OFFICE. INITIALLY MAZDA CONTACTED ME VIA PHONE ASKING FOR DETAILS OF THE CRASH. I SENT THEM PHOTOS VIA EMAIL. I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM SINCE. I THEN ALSO CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP. THEY PROMISED TO RING BACK AND THEY TOO, HAVE STOPPED. IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO FIND A LAWYER WHO CAN SEE THE OBVIOUS PROBLEM, THAT A VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BLOW UP, OR CATCH FIRE ETC NO MATTER WHAT AGE IT IS. HELP!

SPORADIC POWER STEERING LOSS, ALMOST GOT INTO 2 ACCIDENTS. WHILE DRIVING I WOULD LOSS POWER STEERING.

ELECTRIC-ASSIST POWER STEERING, RANDOMLY IN THE PARKING LOT THE WHEEL WILL TURN ALL BY ITSELF, ONE WAY TURNS EASIER THAN THE OTHER, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE NO POWER STEERING AND OTHER TIMES YOUR STEERING WHEEL TURNS LIKE BUTTER, I LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH A VERY WINDY AND DANGEROUS ROADS, I'VE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL MECHANICS FINALLY ONE MECHANIC JUST UNPLUG THE WIRING HARNESS SO THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. IT IS VERY SCARY TO DRIVE ESPECIALLY WITH A NEWBORN BABY. THERE ARE A LOT OF CARS ON THE ROAD WITH THIS ISSUE I KNOW 10 DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT HAVE SOME SORT OF POWER STEERING ISSUE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I'M SURPRISED THERE IS NOT A RECALL YET ON IT. I'VE HAD TWO FRIENDS THAT ARE CLOSE TO ME THAT HAVE THIS ISSUE AS WELL, ONE FRIEND WRECKED HIS CAR THE OTHER FRIEND SOLD IT I BELIEVE TO PICK-N-PULL SO IT WOULD NOT HURT ANYONE, PLEASE HELP AND MAYBE HELP SAVE A FEW LIVES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SPEAKING WITH YOU

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE DUE TO THE RACK AND PINION OR AN ELECTRICAL FAULT WITH THE POWER STEERING. THE ELECTRIC CONNECTOR WAS REMOVED, CLEANED, DIELECTRIC GREASE WAS ADDED TO THE CONNECTOR, AND THE CONNECTOR WAS RE-INSTALLED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. KELLY MAZDA (1200 WYOMING AVE, SCRANTON, PA 18509, (570) 342-7831) WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

STEERING WHEEL VIOLENTLY SHAKES UPON TURNING AND NOW ON STRAIGHT-AWAY DRIVING. HAS BEEN SMELLING OF EXCESSIVE GAS FOR OVER 4 YEARS UPON START UP, DESPITE DEALER CORRECTING RECALL ISSUE WITH FUEL PUMP DISCHARGE PIPE.

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES PER HOUR ON A RURAL ROAD, THE FRONT PASSENGER BALL JOINT SEPARATED FROM THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, CAUSING THE CONTROL ARM TO FIRST DROP ONTO THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL AND THEN ONTO THE GROUND AS THE WHEEL MOVED OUT OF ITS NORMAL POSITION. IN THE PROCESS, THE PASSENGER SIDE INNER TIE ROD WAS SEVERELY BENT, THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE WHEEL WAS BADLY SCORED, THE TIRE SURFACE (WHICH CONTACTED THE FENDER) WAS DAMAGED, AND THE PASSENGER FRONT FENDER WAS BENT WHEN THE TIRE CONTACTED IT. I SPOKE WITH MAZDA USA, WHO PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH A LOCAL DEALER. I TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND DROPPED IT OFF. THEY HAVE REPLACED BOTH CONTROL ARMS (PER THE RECALL) AS WELL AS THE BENT TIE ROD AND PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL BEARING. THEY ALSO PERFORMED AN ALIGNMENT. MECHANICALLY, THEY HAVE REPAIRED THE CAR. HOWEVER, MAZDA IS REFUSING TO REMEDY THE DAMAGED WHEEL OR TIRE OR THE FENDER. SINCE THE CAR HAS BEEN LOWERED, THEIR CLAIM IS THAT THE FENDER MAY NOT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED ON A STOCK CAR AT STOCK RIDE HEIGHT. THEY MAY BE RIGHT, AND THE FENDER DAMAGE IS MINOR, SO I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT. HOWEVER, SINCE A STOCK VEHICLE WOULD LIKELY HAVE SUFFERED THE SAME WHEEL/TIRE DAMAGE, I WAS TOLD THAT IF THE VEHICLE HAD A STOCK WHEEL & TIRE THEY WOULD REPLACE THE WHEEL & TIRE SINCE THEY WERE BOTH DAMAGED. I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHAT "STOCK TIRE" MEANS ON A 14-YEAR-OLD CAR SINCE ANY CAR WILL HAVE HAD THE TIRES REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE THEN, BUT AFTERMARKET OR NOT THE FAILURE OF THE RECALLED PART CAUSED DAMAGE TO THESE PARTS. BESIDES, WITH DAMAGE TO THE TREAD SURFACE OF THE TIRE, IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE SAFETY OF THE TIRE HAS BEEN COMPROMISED (OR, AT THE VERY LEAST, THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF WHAT IS A NEARLY NEW TIRE HAS BEEN SEVERELY REDUCED).

MY POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I STARTED MY CAR. TOO HARD TO STEER MY CAR WHEN I DRIVE.

I BOUGHT A CAR THAT HAD A RECALL OF THE AIR BAG THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG HAD BEEN DEPLOYED WAS TOLD BY DEALER IT WAS UNDER RECALL.AFTER CHECKING WITH THE DEALER THE SIDE SEAT AIR BAG WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL WAS NOT REPLACED OR EVEN LOOKED AT .SO WE TOOK THE SEAT OUT TO SEE ANT OBVIOUS ISSUES AND WE FOUND ALL THE WIRES THAT PLUG INTO SEAT ALL WAY TO UNDER CARPET AGAINST FRAME ALL THE WIRES WERE MELTED.WITCH IS AN OBVIOUS MANAFATURING PROBLEM.WE HAVE READ MUPLTILE FORUMS WHERE TONS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM BUT YET NO RECALL WE COULD FIND ON THIS ISSUE.MY MOTHER IS ON OXYGEN AND IF MY CAR CATCHES FIRE TO DO THIS AND NO ONE LOOKING INTO THIS IT CAN BE FAR WORSE.THIER IS ANOTHER RECALL ON FRONT END SUSPSION THAT THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO REPLACE AT THIS TIME.THEY TELL ME THEY ARE WAITING TO SEE IF THEY COME UP WITH A BETTER SOLUTION TO FIX IT.IM GOING TO MAZDA DEALER TOMORROW MORNING TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT I'M EXPLAIN TO YOU AND SINCE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IF THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING I'M TURNING THIS OVER TO LAWYER.I FEEL WHEN I MENTIONED IT TO THEM THE FIRST TIME AND THEY DID NOTHING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE ISSUE WAS THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF FIGURING THIS OUT BUT I WILL TRY AGAIN.THE AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND THE PERSON SAID THEY WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD.THATS HOW I KNEW ABOUT AIR BAG RECALL .WHEN I TOOK CAR TO BE FIXED THE TECH TOLD ME IT DIDN'T COVER MY SEAT. AND NEVER BOTHERED CHECKING IT.

THE COOLANT OVERFLOW HOSE IS ABOVE POWER STEERING HARNESS. THE FLUID LEAKS ON THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING HARNESS CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTINUITY AND GROUND,CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT START UP AND WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS FAULTY ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING UNIT AND POWER STEERING MODULE WILL RESULT IN INJURY AND OR DEATH.