27 of the
1,004 complaints filed about the Mazda RX-8
are about the throttle and cruise control —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2004.
27
Complaints
3%
Share of all complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
Acceleration & Cruise Control complaints by model year
CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET BROKEN UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. I WENT TO PUSH THE CLUTCH IN TO DOWNSHIFT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS TO OVER TAKE A SLOWER VEHICLE AND IT SNAPPED WITH AN AUDIBLE "POP" AND I COULDNT SHIFT INTO THE LOWER GEAR AND MY RPMS, WENT TO IDLE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. HAD IT BROKEN AT A DIFFERENT TIME, I COULD HAVE BEEN LOCKED INTO A CERTAIN GEAR AND HA TO BREAK FAST OR CRASH RISKING THE LIVES OF MY OCCUPANTS AND THE OCCUPANTS OF ANOTHER VEHICLE
NHTSA complaint #11109969 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE CLUTCH PEDAL (ALREADY A KNOWN PROBLEM BY MAZDA, BUT NO RECALL HAS YET BEEN ANNOUNCED) CRACKED WHILE I WAS DRIVING LAST YEAR. I WAS ON HWY 13 IN MINNESOTA AND BARELY GOT CONTROL OF MY SPEED (WAS BARELY ABLE TO MAINTAIN USE OF THE CLUTCH) IT SAT UNTIL I COULD GET IT REPAIRED, THE SAME PEDAL IS NOW CRAKING IN ANOTHER SPOT, WORKING ON GETTING IT REPAIRED BEFORE IT BREAKS AGAIN, THIS TIME WILL REINFORCE IT.
NHTSA complaint #10908280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND AS I WAS PUSHING THE CLUTCH IN WITH MY FOOT, I HEARD A LOUD POP. I WASN'T ABLE TO CHANGE GEARS BUT LUCKILY I WAS GOING TO THE OFFRAMP SO I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED AT THE CLUTCH. THE METAL CLUTCH PLATE HAD BROKE.
NHTSA complaint #10693714 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, COMING TO A STOP FROM 65 MPH SPEED BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC AHEAD, AND AS SOON AS I PRESS THE CLUTCH PEDAL IT SNAPS. THE CLUTCH PEDAL NOW MOVES FREELY MAKING THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. HAD TO CALL A FRIEND TO TOW MY CAR WITH HER TRUCK. AND EVEN THOUGH I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY STOP BY PULLING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND STOPPING ON THE SHOULDER, THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE IF I HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP OR ACCELERATE.
NHTSA complaint #10618537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AS I'M DRIVING MY CLUTCH PEDAL GETS STUCK WHEN IT HITS THE FLOOR AND WOULDN'T UP BACK UP ON ITS OWN AND I WOULD HAVE TO USE MY FOOT TO TAP IT UNDER TO GO BACK UP. CLUTCH PEDAL SEEMS TO BE LEAKING OIL ALSO. ALSO AT TIMES WHEN I'M WANTING TO CHANGE GEARS THE SHIFT KNOB WOULD GRIND GEARS. IF I'M GOING AT A FAST SPEED IT OFTEN KEEPS ME FROM SHIFTING TO FIFTH GEAR AND I WOULD HAVE TO JUMP TO SIXTH INSTEAD.
NHTSA complaint #10586448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WAS DRIVING NORMAL CONDITIONS DOWN A 35 MPH ROAD WHEN I WENT TO UPSHIFT GEARS AND DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL, I HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET CRACKED AND POPPED OFF DUE TO POOR QUALITY AND BAD ENGINEERING, IN MY OPINION. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO LOCK UP AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT THROUGH LOSS OF CONTROL. I WAS NOT ABUSING THE VEHICLE/ HAVE NOT ABUSED THE VEHICLE.. THIS ITEM SHOULD NOT BREAK IN THE MANNER IT DID.
NHTSA complaint #10538614 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #10523805 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AND I WAS ABOUT TO SHIFT INTO THIRD BUT I HEARD A POP AND IT WOULD NOT GET INTO GEAR. MY PEDAL STAYED DEPRESSED AND WOULD ONLY COME UP IF I KICKED IT FROM BEHIND. I DID HEAR A FEW CREAKS WHEN I RELEASED THE CLUTCH THE DAY BEFORE AND JUST THOUGHT IT NEEDED OIL. TURNS OUT THE LEFT SPOT WELD BROKE AND THE BRACKET CRACKED ON THE LEFT SIDE.
NHTSA complaint #10522492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX8. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH AND SMELLED GASOLINE FUEL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE OIL PAN, THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY, FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY, CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND SPARK PLUGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 146,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10487191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
**RESUBMIT-DIDN'T GO THROUGH** I WAS DRIVING APPROX 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY AND FELT A KICK/JOLT AND HAD A LOSS OF POWER. MY SPEED WENT DOWN10-15 MPH AND ALTHOUGH I TRIED TO ACCELERATE IT WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND TRIED TO EXIT BUT CAR REFUSED TO GO INTO GEAR. EVERY TIME I FORCED IT INTO GEAR, THE CAR WOULD CONSTANTLY STALL AND DIE. I HAD THE IGNITION COIL AND SPARK PLUG REPLACED BUT NOW THE CLUTCH JUST SINKS TO THE FLOOR. I'VE TRIED TO PUMP THE CLUTCH TO GET IT INTO GEAR BUT THIS IS QUITE DANGEROUS ON THE ROAD. MY VEHICLE HAS TROUBLE CONTROLLING ITS SPEED SINCE THERE'S A LAG SWITCHING FROM 3RD TO 4TH, 5TH TO 6TH SINCE I HAVE TO PUMP MY SUNKEN CLUTCH SEVERAL TIMES AND FIDDLE WITH THE SHIFTER TO ACTUALLY KICK MY CAR INTO THE NEXT GEAR. MY CAR IS NOW OVER 100K MILES AND JUST READ ABOUT THE MAZDA RX8 CLUTCH PEDAL RECALL ONLINE. THIS MALFUNCTION/SAFETY ISSUE WAS NEVER ANNOUNCED PROFESSIONALLY BY MY DEALER. MAZDA HAD NO PROBLEMS CONTACTING ME VIA PHONE, EMAIL ,MAIL REGARDING BILLS BUT FOR SOME REASON FAILED TO GIVE ME A NOTICE REGARDING THIS DEFECT. I'VE BEEN ADVISED THAT REPAIRING THIS PROBLEM IS QUITE EXPENSIVE AND SINCE MY CAR ALTHOUGH LESS THAN 8 YEARS OLD HAS PASSED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BASED ON MILEAGE, I'LL BE STUCK DRIVING THIS CAR WITHOUT PROPER REPAIRS? I FEEL MAZDA SHOULD'VE CONTACTED ALL RX8 OWNERS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER ANY FUTURE DISASTERS. WOULD THERE BE ANY CHANCE TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY FOR THE CLUTCH PEDAL BASED ON MILEAGE OVER 120K? I CAN'T AFFORD TO PURCHASE A NEW CAR AT THIS MOMENT BUT NEED TO STILL COMMUTE TO WORK WITHOUT PAYING FOR REPAIRS THAT WOULD COST ME AN ARM AND A LEG AT THE DEALER? IF THIS IS A RECALL ISSUE, I WOULD FEEL MORE SAFE HAVING AN AUTHORIZED DEALER INSPECT THE PROBLEM RATHER THAN A CHEAP AUTO SHOP THAT ISN'T FULLY AWARE OF SPECIFIC DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #10463900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH AND CHANGING GEARS NORMALLY THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC BREAKAGE CAUSING THE CARS TRANSMISSION TO BECOME INOPERABLE. TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE DAMAGED TO BE FORCED INTO NEUTRAL TO COME TO A STOP. CLUTCH PEDAL HAD ALREADY PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPLACED IN 2009 AFTER IDENTICAL INCIDENT OCCURRED. MAZDA NORTH AMERICA HAS REFUSED TO HONOR A WARRANTY REPLACEMENT FOR THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10442729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH PETAL AS IT ATTACHES TO THE FIREWALL UNDER EMERGENCY DECELERATION. THE METAL ATTACHING THE PETAL TO THE FIRE WALL SHEARED ON THE VERTICAL ATTACHMENTS. CAUSED A NEAR ACCIDENT, DANGEROUS CONDITIONS OF A VEHICLE STRANDED IN A TRAVEL LANE, AND SUBSEQUENT TOWING ON THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10425269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2009 RX 8 MAZDA VIN#[XXX] I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND ALL THE SUDDEN THE CRUISE CONTROL SHUT OFF CAUSING THE CAR TO IMMEDIATELY SLOW DOWN BY 10 MILES AN HOUR. THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT RE-ENGAGE. I AM NOW HAVING AN ISSUE WHERE IT FEELS MY ABS IS ENGAGING WHEN I FIRST START DRIVING IN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN THIS CAR TO THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. THEY SIMPLY STATED IT COULD JUST BE THE 100+ DEGREE TEXAS WEATHER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10420920 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1. CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY WOULD MAKE POP NOISE WHEN BEING DEPRESSED AND RELEASED. 2. CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET TO FIREWALL SNAPPED CAUSING CLUTCH PEDAL TO NOT RETURN. COULD NOT CHANGE GEARS OR STOP WITH CAR ON. 3.HAD TO REPLACE WITH FACTORY PEDAL (THE SAME PEDAL THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM).
NHTSA complaint #10402902 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA RX8. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNINTENDEDLY TO APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. HE ENGAGED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV VERY HARD. THE CONTACT STATED HE TURNED THE IGNITION OFF TO PREVENT THE ENGINE FROM BLOWING UP. HE THEN PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ENGAGED THE ACCELERATOR FOUR TIMES AND IT RELEASED ITSELF. HE CALLED THE DEALER AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE AND WAS ADVISED BY THEM THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE HAD HAPPEN TWICE. THE CONTACT STATED HE CALLED THE DEALER AGAIN AND HAS AN APPOINTMENT FOR APRIL 22, 2011. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO GET THE VEHICLE IN BEFORE THE 22ND. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,700. VWB
NHTSA complaint #10395522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA RX8. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE FLOOR MAT BECAME STUCK UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE UNTIL THE MATS WERE TAKEN OUT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO TOOK A COMPLAINT BUT OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 34,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 54,000.
NHTSA complaint #10371041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EVERYTHING STARTED FINE. WHILE DRIVING MY CLUTCH PEDAL FAILED ON ME AND I WAS UNABLE TO PROPERLY MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. CLUTCH PEDAL STICKS TO THE GROUND AND THE GEARS GET STUCK AND I HAVE TO RIP THEM OUT. IT HAPPENED ONCE, BECAUSE NOW THE CAR IS INOPERABLE. TO CORRECT THE FAILURE I'M GOING TO REPLACE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY AND POSSIBLY AN NEW CLUTCH ALTOGETHER.
NHTSA complaint #10336379 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX8. THE CONTACT STATED WHENEVER IT WOULD RAIN, WATER WOULD LEAK INTO THE PASSENGERS SIDE TAIL LIGHT. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE AND REPAIRS WOULD BE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD BECOME EXTREMELY RESISTANT TO APPLIED PRESSURE OR WOULD SPORADICALLY LUNGE FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND COULD NOT OFFER A REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,500 THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, DUE TO IT NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY IN 1ST AND GEAR. UPDATED 07/06/10.*JB UPDATED 07/08/10 *BF UPDATED 07/09/10.
NHTSA complaint #10328125 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HWY, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON, I HAD BEEN USING IT FOR ABOUT 20 MILES, OCCASIONALLY BUMPING THE SPEED UP OR DOWN AS CONDITIONS PERMITTED. MY PRIMARY REASON FOR THAT IS ON LONG TRIPS I GET BETTER GAS MILEAGE THAT WAY. THE DIVIDED HIGHWAY CAME TO AN END AND THERE WAS A TRAFFIC LIGHT ABOUT A HALF MILE AHEAD, SO I BUMPED IT DOWN ABOUT 2 MPH, THEN BUMPED IT DOWN A FEW SECONDS LATER ANOTHER 2 OR 3 MPH. THE LIGHT TURNED RED THEN, SO I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES (DOING ABOUT 65 AT THIS POINT). THE ENGINE REVED UP, THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT DISENGAGE SO I STEPPED ON THE CLUTCH. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV UP SO I PRESSED THE CANCEL BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV UP (ABOUT 6K NOW) SO I TOOK THE CAR OUT OF GEAR AND TURNED THE CRUISE CONTOL OFF. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV UP (ABOUT 7K NOW) AND I'M COMPLETELY STOPPED AT THE LIGHT. NO THROTTLE CONTROL AT ALL. I SHUT THE CAR OFF AT THAT POINT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE CAR STARTED FINE AND RAN NORMALLY.
NHTSA complaint #10307542 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.