2004 MAZDA RX-8 Complaints

MAZDA 2004 RX-8 FLOODED AND FAILED TO START TWICE, EACH TIME IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED WITH NEW PLUGS AND UPDATE PCM. *BF *SC

FAILURE TO START IN COLD WEATHER. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN APPROXIMATLEY 45 MILES, SHUT OFF, PARKED IN THE GARAGE. CAR SAT FOR APPROXIMATELY 24 HOURS, CAR WOULD NOT RESTART, ELECTRICAL APPEARS TO BE IN ORDER. MAZDA TOW TRUCK ARRIVED AND NOTED THE BRAKES WERE FROZEN, CAR WAS FORCEFULLY LOADED ONTO TOW TRUCK. DEALER INSISTS THE PROBLEM IS COMMON AN UPDATE WAS PERFORMED, SPARK PLUGS REPLACED. ONE WEEK LATER THE CAR AGAIN IS NOT STARTING AND IS IN THE DEALERSHIP UNKNOWN TIME OF REPAIR. INCIDENTS REPORTED TO MAZDA AWAITING RESPONSE. *AK

PURCHASED RX8 04/28/04, HAS HAD CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON NEARLY WHOLE TIME OF OWNERSHIP, AFTER 3 TRIPS TO THE DEALER AT 50 MILES ONE WAY, WERE FINALLY TOLD THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS BAD. HAD TO SPECIAL ORDER SO HAVE TO TAKE THE CAR BACK FOR THE 4TH TIME TO GET FIXED. I DON'T SEE HOW A CATALYTIC CONVERTER COULD BE BAD ON A BRAND NEW CAR. *AK

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A MAZDA RX8 6 SPEED (5/11/04). THIS CAR HAS HAD MORE PROBLEMS THAN I CAN EXPLAIN IN A SHORT MESSAGE. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IT WOULDN'T START ONE MORNING. I LATER GOT IT STARTED AND TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER. THEY DID A FLASH UPDATE ON MY PCM AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE AFTER THAT. APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS LATER I BEGAN HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY TRANSMISSION. I WAS ON VACATION IN CARLISLE, AR WHEN THE CAR BROKE DOWN THE FIRST TIME (8/9/2004). MY CAR WAS TOWED IN TO NORTH POINT MAZDA IN NORTH LITTLE ROCK, THEN GOT TOWED TO CRAIN MAZDA IN LITTLE ROCK, WITHOUT EVEN INFORMING ME. AFTER REPLACING APPROXIMATELY 87 PARTS IN THE TRANSMISSION, I GOT MY CAR BACK 40 DAYS LATER (9/18/2004). IMMEDIATELY AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE I KNEW IT WASNT RIGHT. IT WAS MAKING NOISES, WOULDNT SHIFT IN TO 2ND, 3RD OR REVERSE WITHOUT GRINDING. I TOOK MY CAR TO TOWN NORTH MAZDA IN RICHARDSON AS SOON AS I GOT A CHANCE (9/27/2004). I WAS TOLD "2ND AND 3RD GEARS ARE FRIED" AND THEY WOULD REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH. AFTER REPLACING THE CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION I GOT THE CAR BACK 11 DAYS LATER (10/7/2004). I KNEW THE CAR STILL HAD A PROBLEM SO I SCHEDULED TO HAVE THE CAR TAKEN BACK IN ON 10/12/2004. I DROVE ABOUT 2 MILES FROM THE HOUSE ON THE WAY TO THE DEALER WHEN IT WENT OUT AGAIN. THE CAR STILL TO THIS DAY REMAINS IN THE SHOP AGAIN. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIRS FOR 58 DAYS SINCE 8/9/2004. I GOT A CALL ON 10/20/04 FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT HAS MY CAR. THEY TOLD ME MAZDA DECLINES COVERAGE BECUASE OF NEGLECT OR ABUSE. I ABSOLUTELY "BABIED" THAT CAR BECAUSE I KNEW IT WASN'T RIGHT! ANY SUGGESTIONS?*AK

I BOUGHT THE 2004 RX8 USED. IT ONLY HAD 16,000 MILES BUT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD BROKE THE REAR DEFROST BUTTON AND THE DEALER SENT ME A NEW ONE IN THE MAIL. I HAVE REMOVER A MILLION INTERIORS AND STEREOS BEFORE SO I WAS DOING IT MYSELF. IN ORDER TO PUT THE NEW CONTROLS IN YOU HAVE TO SLIDE OUT THE ENTIRE FACE PLATE WHICH CONNECTS TO THE RADIO, CD PLAYER, AND AIR CONTROLS. ONCE I PUT IT BACK IN AND HOOKED EVERYTHING BACK CORRECTLY, IT WOULD NOT WORK. I HAVE REMOVED IT SEVERAL TIMES AND THE ENTIRE CONTROL PANEL DOES NOT WORK. ALL THE PRONGS ARE GOOD THE FUSES IN THE CAR ARE ALL GOOD BUT IT STILL DOESN'T WORK. THE BLOWER MOTOR, THE ASHTRAY LIGHT AND THE SEAT WARMERS ALL WORK BUT THE SCREEN THAT DISPLAYS THE TIME OF DAY, THE OUTSIDE TEMP AND ALL THE RADIO AND AIR EQUIPMENT STILL DOESN'T LIGHT UP. I JUST WONDER IF THE RADIO HAS GONE INTO ANTI-THEFT MODE AND SHUT DOWN. I USED TO OWN AN ACURA AND IT CAME WITH A CODE TO PUNCH IN IF YOUR RADIO EVER SHUT DOWN. I JUST WANT IT FIXED. ANY SUGGESTIONS??*AK

THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH HE LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE. NONE OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOED ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *JB *NM

THE DRIVERS SUN VISOR BROKE WHEN PUT DOWN AND THE RESULT WAS A VISOR HANGING DOWN IN FRONT OF THE DRIVERS TO TOTALLY BLOCK HER VISION. FORTUNATELY CAR WAS NOT IN A TURN OR STOPPING FOR TRAFFIC AS THIS WOULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. THIS WAS A SUDDEN AND DISCONCERTING FAILURE. OTHER SUCH FAILURES HAVE BEEN REPORTED ON THE WWW.RX8CLUB.COM WEBSITE. I RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO CALLED THE MANUFACTURES REPRESENTATIVE WHO REFUSED TO REPLACE THE VISOR EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAS 5800 MILES ON IT AND IS ONLY 11 MONTHS OLD AND COVERED UNDER A 4 YEAR WARRANTY. I SUGGEST STRONGLY THAT A RECALL BE MADE ON THE VISORS BEFORE SOMEONE GET KILLED DUE TO LOST OF VISION. ALSO I AM NOT ABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR SAFELY BECAUSE OF THE VISOR HANGING DOWN. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED IN 10068252 ALSO.*AK

VEH. BEING OPERATED ON THE NJ TURNPIKE AT 65 MPH WHEN CLUTCH FAILED. TOWED TO DEALER AT OWN EXPENSE. DEALER STATED FAILURE DUE TO ABUSE, BECAUSE OF TIRE WEAR. ADVISED TWO DAYS LATER THAT STARTER CRACIKED AND BELL HOUSING HAD HOLE FROM CLUTCH BREAKING APART. FAILED TO WARRANTY, COST$2,700.00 PARTS IN MY POSSESSION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUTCH FAILED. DEALER INDICATED THE CLUTCH WAS MISUSED. *NM

DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR CRACKED AND SEPARATED FROM POST. IT WAS HANGING AND WOULD NOT STAY UP, OUT OF FIELD OF VISION. THE DEALER REMOVED THE VISOR WHILE WAITING FOR THE REPLACEMENT PART. AFTER STARTING THE CAR LATER THE SAME DAY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CENTRAL DISPLAY AND DOOR LOCKS DID NOT WORK. WHILE DROPPING OFF PASSENGER BEFORE RETURNING TO THE DEALER, PASSENGER FOLDED DOWN PASSENGER-SIDE SUN VISOR, WHICH ALSO CRACKED AND SEPARATED FROM THE POST. TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALER, WHO IS TRYING TO SAY THIS IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, AND HAS CALLED MAZDA REP TO EXAMINE BUT IS KEEPING MY CAR. SEVERAL REPORTS OF THIS ON EDMUNDS AND OTHER AUTO CONSUMER SITES. I MERELY WANT VISORS REPLACED AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIXED UNDER WARRANTY.*AK