mazda rx-8 2006 Complaints

VISIBILITY

driver side sun visor failure blocks driver's visibility. *nm

Reported in: SACRAMENTO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173160

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

dt*: the contact stated that while going 70 mph in cruise control mode the vehicle back end swerved left and then right. the vehicle was able to be driven after the incident occurred. the vehicle was not taken to the service dealer, however the contact suspects that traccion control system failed.

Reported in: PORT CHARLOTTE FL || Crash: Y || VIN #: JM1FE173140

VISIBILITY

while driving, during normal positioning of sun visor, the visor split and fell down, hanging by the electrical wires and dangling in front of my face. it was difficult to see until i could pull off the road. it was still not possible to remove the visor without tools, making even the ride home dangerous. *nm

Reported in: NASHUA NH || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173X60

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:AIR CONDITIONER

defective air conditioning -will not provide a vehicle until fixed. 2005 mazda rx8. contacted mazda corporation supposedly and they will not help. who should i contact to get assistance? *nm

Reported in: AURORA CO || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173750

VISIBILITY

during drive home on freeway in rush hour traffic, pulled down driver sun visor. visor split at seam. tried to fold visor back up out of the way but would not stay. split further apart and would not stay on rod. dangling in field of vision to front and left side of driver. i drive a stick shift so this was very awkward and scary during rush hour traffic. this occurred within the first two weeks of obtaining car. sealer replaced visor and commented that it was a known issue and did not know of any redesign or recall that may be forth coming. two months later the same visor split again but luckily car was parked at the time and i was putting up a window sunshade. visor had only been used very very minimally due to its lack of integrity. had to remove sun visor prior to driving vehicle. dealer again replaced it. i looked over the sun visor on the passenger side. it is starting to split apart so its just a matter of time before it has to be replaced to. warranty has covered thus far but am concerned that there will be no permanent fix for this problem by the time warranty runs out. sun visors do have to be used for safer driving ability when the sun is at a particular angle. this could cause a major accident not to mention possible law suits due to the known lack of integrity in this sun visor design. i am under the impression from the dealer that this issue is a known problem in all the rx-8 models thus far. *nm

Reported in: GRAPEVINE TX || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173260

VISIBILITY

driver's side sun shade broke. this is a common problem apparently with the mazda rx8. i had the car for only one month with fewer than 1000 miles when this occurred. it wasn't a particularly hot day, and i had barely used the sun shade before it cracked. it became a safety concern as it was hanging in my sight of view, and i had to hold the visor out of the way with my left hand while driving with the other. *nm

Reported in: IRVINE CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

VISIBILITY

sun visors split at the seams, falls down during driving and block my view. this first happened when my car had 1059 miles, even though i rarely use the visors. the drivers visor was replaced at that time due to the condition. it has since happened again at 3725 miles to the driver and passenger visors. my dealer claims this is a common problem and mazda is working on it. it is a safety issue and i think it needs to be dealt with in a timely manner. my new visors have not yet been replaced as they have been on order for several weeks. *jb

Reported in: ALBUQUERQUE NM || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173860

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/LINKAGE

i am a member of a mazda rx8 website. 25% of our members have had their clutch pedals snap off at a weld point. mnao has told all of us that this is not something to worry about and it has already been fixed with a new bracket. the problem is that these new brackets are also snapping at a weld point.*cn

Reported in: SAN JOSE CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

tl*the contact owns a 2006 mazda rx-8. ever since the contact purchased the vehicle, the fourth gear has never worked. the clutch was replaced and the transmission failed. the transmission was rebuilt, but failed again 4,000 miles later. the manufacturer stated that nothing could be done to assist. the vin was unknown. the current mileage was 44,000 and failure mileage was 32,000.

Reported in: SMYRAN TN || Crash: N || VIN #:

VISIBILITY

passenger sun visor split across the top. fell off the hook and hung by the wires.

Reported in: PORT SAINT LUCIE FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2006 mazda rx8 shinka failed clutch pedal while driving in local area. i took it to machinist next door, and he told me that this pedal is unbelievable how weak it is. the metal part which holds clutch pedal is very thin. now i've been charged around $400 to fix it, and it feels like it is mazda's fault. i couldn't go to school yesterday, and my school is private college, so i wasted another $150 missing one day of class.

Reported in: SUWANEE GA || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173460

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

tl*the contact owns a 2006 mazda rx 8. the contact was driving approximately 5 mph when he shifted into first gear and the clutch became stuck. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on two occasions for the identical failure. the vehicle was repaired under the service warranty. the technician stated that the second failure was not covered under the warranty. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and recommended an extended service warranty. the vehicle had not been repaired for the malfunction at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage was 47,000. the current mileage was 56,000.

Reported in: SAN DIEGO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173260

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

i was driving around 35mph on the crossing of dempster and greenwood. as i pressed in the clutch to switch gears the pedal snapped. i did not slam on the clutch pedal or anything. i was unable to switch gears. i had to drive on 2nd gear home which was luckily less than a mile away. i thought this might be a simple defect in my car, however as i did my research i found out that quite a few owners of the mazda rx8 6speed manual have this problem. i called mazda dealership in evanston and asked them to replace it since it is a factory mistake and my car is under warranty. they told me they will not replace it. now i cant drive my car to the mechanic , and the car is sitting in my driveway due to being unable to switch gears and drive.

Reported in: NILES IL || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173560

VISIBILITY

driver & passenger sun visor splitting apart and dangling in the way of the driver and passenger view. the visor in that condition won't stay up you have to remove it until you can order a new one then take it in for repair.

Reported in: LEAKESVILLE MS || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173260

STEERING

i went over to my friends house to swim around 1400 and, at that time, everything was normal. after we were done swimming and i got in the car to leave, i turned the care on and the power steering light came on in the dash. i proceeded to the manual which says it is due to a power steering failure. i've read in many forums that this is a common occurrence with this car model. it has been reported that it is usually the power steering harness or the rack (motor or torque sensor).

Reported in: EAST PALESTINE OH || Crash: N || VIN #:

STEERING

i am having an issue with power steering. it went out while i was driving and became very hard to steer. i pulled over, shut my car off, turned it back on and the power steering was back. then later that day it went out again but this time it never came back on. i took it to mazda and they told me it was the control module. they are wanting to charge me $1400 for a box half the size of a poptart box (couldn't think of anything else haha). i contacted corporate and they refuse to see this as a safety issue. i definitely think there needs to be a recall. i have read all over the internet and forums about other people with the same model and year having this same exact problem. if there is nothing done about this asap i guarantee there will be several accidents down the road. please do something about this.

Reported in: ESTERO FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

STEERING

the electronic assist steering on our rx8 completely failed in 2007/2008 (approx 25,000 miles) the steering rack, steering module, and steering wire harness were replaced by mazda under warranty. within a year, the steering failed again. according to mazda, it was the wire harness which was then replaced or serviced to correct the problem. it has now been 4 years and still the car only has a total of 60,000 miles on it and the steering has failed again. this time though, failure has been intermittent. the assist will turn off and back on as you are driving. this produces very treacherous driving conditions including sudden veering or potential loss of control. driving 10 miles to the dealership, the steering assist turned off & on twice. when this happened the first time, i barely avoided colliding with a vehicle in the next lane after a sudden veer. i was muscling the steering and the assist came back on. a driver not aware of any issue who experiences the problem for the first time could easily make a sudden steering change and it could be fatal. mazda is now saying it is the steering control module yet they will not cover the repair ($1,400) because it is out of warranty. upon searching online, there are 100's of reports of this exact issue of multiple steering failures being reported by other individual rx8 owners as well as other mazda vehicles. mazda continues to ignore the problem for the rx8 yet they have issued a voluntary recall of all 2007-2009 mazda 3 & mazda 5 steering systems. we don't have a choice but to get our car fixed and pay the bill. mazda refused to do anything about it even after i called their corporate office. they filed my complaint then basically said tough luck. this is my daughter's car and she cannot afford to buy another car. i am literally scared to let her drive it. it is an accident waiting to happen.

Reported in: ESTERO FL || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173060

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

tl* the contact owns a 2006 mazda rx8. the contact stated that she smelled a fuel odor after parking the vehicle. the vehicle was taken a dealer for a diagnosis. the dealer stated that they needed to replace the fuel pump. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and they stated that the vehicle was not under recall and that they would contact the dealer. the failure and current mileages were 51,000. . updated 07/27/12 *bf the consumer stated the dealer said that this is a very common problem with these cars. there was a fuel leak noticed at the fuel pump which is located under the back seat of the car. updated 08/02/2012 *js

Reported in: MESA AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173360

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

around 07/04/2013, my clutch start to give me a few problems. the major one was that the clutch pedal would not respond how it normally should. i would stick and eventually made it very hard to shift into first gear and reverse. since it was a holiday weekend, i had to wait till 07/08/2013 until my normal mechanic was open. while inspecting it, he found that the clutch pedal would shift and wiggle side to side, which is very abnormal. when i went to inspect it myself, i heard a "snap!" and the pedal shifted all the way to the brake pedal.upon further inspection, it was found that the pedals braked, connecting it to the car's fire wall had snapped apart. i had heard that this was a known fact by mazda, and they had sent out a recall on the part. i went to the mazda dealership and was informed that there was not a recall, but a warranty extension, and my car is not covered by the extension and i would have to buy a new part, and pay the labor. the car is not drivable now, and i now have to pay for a known problem that mazda refuses to fix. even in the most extreme situations, this part should never break. it is still a very dangerous and possibly fatal defect, that is still known by the maker, and they refuse to fix a problem that is still happening to this type of car.

Reported in: LAFAYETTE LA || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173750

POWER TRAIN

around 07/04/2013, my clutch start to give me a few problems. the major one was that the clutch pedal would not respond how it normally should. i would stick and eventually made it very hard to shift into first gear and reverse. since it was a holiday weekend, i had to wait till 07/08/2013 until my normal mechanic was open. while inspecting it, he found that the clutch pedal would shift and wiggle side to side, which is very abnormal. when i went to inspect it myself, i heard a "snap!" and the pedal shifted all the way to the brake pedal.upon further inspection, it was found that the pedals braked, connecting it to the car's fire wall had snapped apart. i had heard that this was a known fact by mazda, and they had sent out a recall on the part. i went to the mazda dealership and was informed that there was not a recall, but a warranty extension, and my car is not covered by the extension and i would have to buy a new part, and pay the labor. the car is not drivable now, and i now have to pay for a known problem that mazda refuses to fix. even in the most extreme situations, this part should never break. it is still a very dangerous and possibly fatal defect, that is still known by the maker, and they refuse to fix a problem that is still happening to this type of car.

Reported in: LAFAYETTE LA || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173750

AIR BAGS

the dash cover over the passenger side air bag is cracking a lot in all different locations. i talked to the dealer about this and they told me it is a common issue in the rx-8's and that the factory won't cover fixing it. this seems like a serious safety issue with the dash cracking apart right above the air bag. i'm not talking about some minor cracks either. i first noticed the cracks in the dash about a year and a half ago and now they grown and expanded substantially since then. it just really looks like a dangerous situation with it occurring right above the passenger air bag. i would really appreciate it if someone from nhtsa would look into this issue further. thank you

Reported in: TAMPA FL || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173760

STRUCTURE

the dash cover over the passenger side air bag is cracking a lot in all different locations. i talked to the dealer about this and they told me it is a common issue in the rx-8's and that the factory won't cover fixing it. this seems like a serious safety issue with the dash cracking apart right above the air bag. i'm not talking about some minor cracks either. i first noticed the cracks in the dash about a year and a half ago and now they grown and expanded substantially since then. it just really looks like a dangerous situation with it occurring right above the passenger air bag. i would really appreciate it if someone from nhtsa would look into this issue further. thank you

Reported in: TAMPA FL || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173760

AIR BAGS

for almost a year, cracks have started to appear over the passenger side airbag cover. it started off as a 1 cm crack in a single location, but now has progressed to multiple cracks that are up to 8 cm in length. these cracks follow the portions of the passenger airbag cover that would split open during deployment. i have spoken with mechanics and they have advised me that replacement of the passenger side airbag cover requires replacement of the entire passenger airbag system. the dashboard cover and the airbag are constructed as a single unit. i'm concerned that these cracks are destabilizing the safety of the passenger airbag. i would appreciate any insight into the matter.

Reported in: LAKE WORTH FL || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173160

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

the driver and passenger side sun visors have split open and flipped down spontaneously blocking my vision while driving. i've had multiple instances of the driver and passenger side sun visors splitting along the seams, causing them to disrupt my visibility of the road. i had my mazda dealer replace the defective visors while under warranty on multiple occasions, but the defect continues to occur. every single time i was informed that splitting sun visors was a common occurrence on all mazda rx-8s. the lubricant inside the hinge of the visors would solidify during hot weather and cause the spring to expand, thus splitting the plastic sun visor along the seams. since the visors hang in the downward position once the plastic has split, the only way to not obstruct my vision while driving is to completely remove them from their mounts. this, however, causes the added problem of not having any way to block direct sunlight that can shine on your face in the early morning or evening. the only recourse given to me is to continually replace the sun visors at $75 each every few months. i find that this is a potential safety hazard that should be addressed. any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Reported in: LAKE WORTH FL || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173160

VISIBILITY/WIPER

the driver and passenger side sun visors have split open and flipped down spontaneously blocking my vision while driving. i've had multiple instances of the driver and passenger side sun visors splitting along the seams, causing them to disrupt my visibility of the road. i had my mazda dealer replace the defective visors while under warranty on multiple occasions, but the defect continues to occur. every single time i was informed that splitting sun visors was a common occurrence on all mazda rx-8s. the lubricant inside the hinge of the visors would solidify during hot weather and cause the spring to expand, thus splitting the plastic sun visor along the seams. since the visors hang in the downward position once the plastic has split, the only way to not obstruct my vision while driving is to completely remove them from their mounts. this, however, causes the added problem of not having any way to block direct sunlight that can shine on your face in the early morning or evening. the only recourse given to me is to continually replace the sun visors at $75 each every few months. i find that this is a potential safety hazard that should be addressed. any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Reported in: LAKE WORTH FL || Crash: N || VIN #: JM1FE173160