2004 MAZDA RX-8 Complaints

CRACKS IN THE DASH IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WHICH IS CURRENTLY A RECALL ISSUE. IT SEEMS THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF RX8 EXPERIENCE CRACKING IN THE SAME SPOT ON THE DASH, GENERALLY FOLLOWING AN "H" SHAPE. REPORTS ARE THAT THE CRACKS FOLLOW THE AIRBAG MODULE ASSEMBLY UNDERNEATH THE DASH, AND THE CRACKS FOLLOW THE SEAM THAT WOULD BE CREATED IN AN IMPACT FOR THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. IN MY CASE IT BEGAN WITH A 4" LEFT TO RIGHT CRACK. IN 2015 A RECALL WAS PERFORMED INVOLVING A TEMPORARY AIRBAG FIX UNTIL A PERMANENT FIX COULD BE DESIGNED. AFTER THIS INTERIM AIRBAG RECALL WAS PERFORMED, THE CRACKS INTENSIFIED. JUST RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE THAT THE "FINAL" AIRBAG FIX IS READY TO BE PERFORMED AT THE DEALER WHICH WITH ALL THE REMOVAL AND JOSTLING OF THE DASH TO MAKE THE FINAL AIRBAG REPAIR, WILL PROBABLY CREATE MORE CRACKS. THE RECALL WAS DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT AIRBAG PARTS COULD BECOME PROJECTILES AND CAUSE INJURY. WOULD NOT A POORLY DESIGNED DASH SIMPLY BREAK INTO PIECES UPON AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND BECOME PROJECTILES AND INJURY? NUMEROUS RX8 OWNERS ARE SEEING NEARLY IDENTICAL H SHAPED CRACKS.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8 . THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V382000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

RECALL 15V382: RECEIVED LETTER FROM MAZDA DEC 2015 INSTRUCTING TO MAKE APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE AIRBAG. CONTACTED DEALER 12-28-15, TOLD THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BE RECEIVED. FOLLOWED UP BY CALLING MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE 800 NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THAT PARTS BEGAN BEING SHIPPED TO DEALERS SINCE NOV 2015; HOWEVER, NOT YET TO ILLINOIS REGION. I ASKED THE REPRESENTATIVE IF THEY KNEW OF OTHER DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREA WHICH HAD THE PART OR AN ESTIMATED DATE OF WHEN THE PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE. MAZDA REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO CALL BACK IN MID JAN TO FOLLOW UP WITH AN ESTIMATED DATE OF PART AVAILABILITY. SO WHY WAS I CONTACTED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE THIS LIFE THREATENING DEFECT CORRECTED IF THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE?! FURTHERMORE HOW CAN THE COMPANY, OR ITS DEALERSHIPS, NOT EVEN HAVE INFORMATION TO GIVE AN ESTIMATE FOR WHEN THE RECALL CAN BE ADMINISTERED?

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V345000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V345000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V382000 (AIR BAGS), HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V773000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, 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 MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V382000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 02/05/16*LJ

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG AREA WAS DETERIORATING. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V345000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V382000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME TO RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS NOT ABLE TO SUPPLY A PERMANENT REMEDY FOR THE FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE AIR BAG FAILURE AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PART MIGHT BECOME AVAILABLE FOR THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V345000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

THIS INVOLVES THE ELECTRICALLY ASSISTED STEERING. WHILE HAVING AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT COVERED THE PART THE DEALER KEPT SAYING THAT THERE WASN'T AN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING, EVEN AFTER I HAD SHOWED THEM HOW TO MANUALLY DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE; AND THAT THEY WOULDN'T BE PAYING FOR IT BUT THE WARRANTY WOULD. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT KEEPS GETTING WORSE THE STEERING INDICATOR LIGHT IS ON AND THE ISSUE IS CONSTANT. WHETHER AT A STAND STILL, DRIVING, OR TURNING. THE WHEEL LITERALLY LOCKS UP AND REQUIRES YOU TO USE FORCE TO BRAKE IT FREE, WHEN THIS HAPPENS YOU HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY COUNTER ACT THE EXTREME BREAKING FORCE (ROTATIONAL) THAT YOU APPLIED SO YOU DON'T SIDE SWIPE ANOTHER CAR. (THIS IS NOT JUST FROM THE ELECTRICAL ASSIST NOT WORKING BUT THE RACK ITSELF) WHEN YOU DO COUNTER THE FORCE, NOW YOUR GOING THE OTHER WAY DEPENDING ON THE ORIGINAL FORCE. THIS CAN AND MAKES IT SEEM TO YOU AND OTHERS THAT YOU SNAPPING THE CAR, EXTREMELY QUICKLY IN YOUR LANE FOR NO REASON. BUT ALSO DUE TO THE FORCE AND SPEED MAKES THE CAR WANT TO BREAK TRACTION AND SPIN OUT. ANOTHER INSTANCE IS WHERE YOU HAVE LITTLE (STILL MANUAL) FORCE ON THE WHEEL AND THEN THE TEETH OF THE GEAR SEEM TO JUMP OR BOUNCE FROM 1 TO THE OTHER WHICH LEADS TO A QUICK SWAYING OF THE CAR NOT QUITE SNAPPING. AND FINALLY NOW AND RECENTLY THE ELECTRICAL ASSIST SEEMS TO BE KICKING IN AND ADDING MORE TURN TO THE WHEEL. SO WHEN YOU THINK YOU'VE FIXED THE SWAYING FORCES THE ELECTRICAL ASSIST ADDS MORE FORCE AND IT THROWS YOU OFF ON HOW MUCH OR LESS FORCE YOU HAVE TO USE SO THAT YOU DON'T TAKE OUT ANOTHER VEHICLE THESE KINDS OF THINGS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING AND NEED TO BE FIXED, SO THAT NO ONE GETS HURT. I HAVE HAD MANY CLOSE INSTANCES NOT HITTING PPLS ALSO I AM UNABLE TO GET MY STATE INSPECTION OR A PROPER ALIGNMENT OF THE VEHICLE SO THIS IS PUTTING WEAR ON MY TIRES AND I AM UNABLE TO SELL THE VEHICLE