2004 MAZDA RX-8 Complaints

MY ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING HAS BEEN ACTING LIKE IT IS SHORTING OUT. IT STARTED OFF AS SOMETHING THAT FELT WEIRD BUT GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. AS I WOULD TURN AROUND A CORNER THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD FEEL LIKE IT WAS BOUNCING BACK OR FIGHTING BACK, YOU COULD FORCE IT PAST THE JOLTING BUT IT WOULD MAKE CORNING VERY AWKWARD AND CONCERNING. AT FIRST IT WOULD HAPPEN MAYBE EVERY FEW TIMES I DROVE BUT IT GOT MORE AND MORE TO EVERY TIME I DROVE THE CAR. I EVENTUALLY JUST UNPLUGGED THE POWER STEERING AND HAVE BEEN DRIVING WITHOUT IT SINCE.

ENGINE LOSES COMBUSTION. INITIAL ONSET CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, INCLUDING WHILE DRIVING. MAZDA REPLACED ENGINE 4 TIMES USING ORIGINAL STYLE ENGINE THAT LOSES COMBUSTION, AND EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 100,000 MILES. AT 100,000 MILES THE 5TH ENGINE WENT OUT AND MAZDA WOULD NOT REPLACE THE ENGINE. NOTE: MAZDA REPLACED THESE ENGINES WITH THE EXACT SAME ENGINE WITH THE EXACT SAME LOSS OF COMPRESSION ISSUES. FOR ABOUT $8,000 THEY WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH THE GEN II ENGINE THAT HAS BEEN REDONE AND DOES NOT HAVE THE COMPRESSION ISSUES. THIS CAR NOW HAS $0 VALUE. I CANNOT EVEN DRIVE IT TO HAVE THE AIRBAG AND OTHER RECALL WORK DONE ON IT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE, WITH NO SOLUTION TO FIX THE PROBLEM, JUST PATCHED IT WITH ANOTHER FAULTY ENGINE. MAZDA WAS ABLE TO DEPLETE THEIR STOCK OF FAULTY ENGINES, CLAIM THE RECALL WORK HOURS AND PARTS, AND STILL ANYONE WITH THIS FAULTY ENGINE ENDS UP WITH A CAR THAT DOESN'T WORK AND IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN TRAFFIC BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE ENGINE WILL GO OUT - YOU ONLY KNOW THAT IT WILL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, A BURNING ODOR ENTERED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE, LIFTED THE HOOD, AND NOTICED SMOKE. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE WIRES UNDERNEATH THE HOOD WERE MELTED. THE CONTACT ALSO SMELLED FUEL COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS HAD MELTED DUE TO A FAULTY ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,777. UPDATED 10/17/17*LJ *TR

ENGINES WERE RECALLED FOR LOSS OF POWER AND COMPRESSION AND WAS NOT COMPLETED ON THE CAR I OWN. CAUSES CAR TO STALL AND WILL NOT RESTART UNTIL COOLED DOWN, POTENTIALLY CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN TRAFFIC. KNOWN DEFECT THAT WAS NOT ADDRESSED ON THE CAR I OWN. CAR LOSES POWER AFTER IT HEATS UP.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (SOUTH MOTORS MAZDA, LOCATED AT 18010 S DIXIE HWY MIAMI, FL 33157 305-234-5500) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000. ...UPDATED 11/21/17 *BF *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT'S NEIGHBOR NOTICED A STRONG FUEL ODOR EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LIBERTY MAZDA (91 W SERVICE RD, HARTFORD, CT 06120), BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE OF THE DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE, BUT WOULD CHARGE FOR LABOR BECAUSE THE REAR CROSS MEMBER WOULD NEED TO BE REMOVED TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD CALL BACK TO ASSIST IN SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V793000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND 17V354000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,800.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V793000 (FUEL SYSTEM). THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE LOCAL DEALER (KOONS MAZDA OF SILVER SPRING, 3111 AUTOMOTIVE BLVD, SILVER SPRING, MD 20904) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND I WENT TO SLOW DOWN AT A LIGHT AND WHEN I PRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE I HEARD A POP AND MY CLUTCH FELT LIKE IT WAS SHIFTING TO THE SIDE AND IT BARELY CUTS OFF ENOUGH TO COME OUT OF GEAR. I INSPECTED THE THE ASSEMBLY BY LOOKING UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AND I FOUND THAT A WELD HAD SNAPPED.

CAR EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE. ENGINE RECEIVED PROPER CARE AND OIL CHANGES EVERY 3000 MILES. CERTIFIED MAZDA MECHANIC DETERMINED THE ISSUE WAS DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FAULTY APEX SEALS. BECAUSE OF THIS THE CAR IMMEDIATELY LOST ENGINE POWER AND COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. WAS REQUIRED TO BUY NEW ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT THE TIME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MAZDA OF GEORGETOWN TO BE REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V793000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), THE CONTACT NOTICED A LACK OF ACCELERATION. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V354000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO O'REILLY AUTO PARTS WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE'S SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,523. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.