72 of the
1,004 complaints filed about the Mazda RX-8
are about the fuel system —
7% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2004.
No worries — here it is trimmed to under 2,000 characters: I am reporting a recurring safety defect on my 2004 Mazda RX-8 (VIN: [XXX] a repair under NHTSA Recall 1017E (Fuel Pump Ring / Discharge Pipe). Recall 1017E was completed on my vehicle on September 19, 2017. The same fuel leak has since recurred, with fuel vapor now entering the passenger cabin. Only a few thousand miles have been driven since the recall repair. The vehicle is currently at Della Mazda, Queensbury, NY at approximately 72,000 miles. On May 8, 2026, I contacted Mazda Customer Experience Center. Mazda confirmed the dealer submitted a pre-authorization request for recall coverage, which Mazda corporate denied, stating the recall was previously completed and further repairs are my responsibility. I have a chat transcript documenting this. A recall remedy that fails to correct the covered defect should not be considered complete. I am requesting NHTSA review whether Recall 1017E has produced recurring failures, direct Mazda to honor the recall remedy, and advise on available consumer reimbursement. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11736604 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2011 Mazda Rx 8. The contact stated after performing NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V744000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) while driving at 35 MPH, the contact smelled the odor of smoke in the vehicle, but no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. While the vehicle was being diagnosed, the vehicle caught on fire and burned. The contact did not have any details of the fire. The vehicle was diagnosed and stated that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 55,000.
NHTSA complaint #11531601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The incident occurred on 02/08/2023. Prior to this, I brought my car to the dealership due to a recall to fix gas mounting rings, recall number . I do not feel comfortable with their repairs and I do not believe that the dealership performed the repairs properly which caused my car to smoke and stall on the road and then caught on fire at their shop. They claimed that their own business insurance fire fixed the damages but I believe that the car is damaged beyond repair. Furthermore, they held the car since February 2023. Until now, July 2023 the Guam dealership is unable to fix my car. To add, the repairs they claim far exceed the market value of the car and the car is at a total loss. I consider it totaled. I do not feel safe driving this car. 2011 Mazda RX-8 Recall Item Affected: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE Date Announced: 09/24/2021Description of Recall: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2011 RX-8 and 2006-2007 MazdaSpeed6 vehicles. Fuel may leak from the fuel pump mounting rings. Action Need To Fix It: Dealers will install new fuel pump mounting rings. Dealers will also add a thermal insulation pad to the fuel tank on RX-8 vehicles. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 23, 2021. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5121I.
NHTSA complaint #11531617 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2004 Mazda RX-8. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, he noticed a strong gasoline odor originating from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump was fractured and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V354000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the recall repair failed to fix the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they would follow up with him. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
NHTSA complaint #11498663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
RECENTLY PURCHASED THE CAR FROM SOMEONE ELSE AND NOTICED THAT THE CABIN SMELLS LIKE FUEL. I THOUGHT MAYBE HE SPILLED SOME INSIDE IT BUT IT'S BEEN A WEEK AND THE SMELL IS STILL THERE. I DON'T KNOW WHY AND I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE CAR CATCHING FIRE OR ME GETTING CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING.
NHTSA complaint #11397284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MAZDA RECALLED ALL 2004-2008 RX8 MODELS FOR FUEL PUMP AND LOCKRING GASKET ASSEMBLY LEAKAGE. MY 2009 RX8 HAS THE SAME ISSUE AND STARTING LEAKING GAS ON 1-02-2020 WHILE PARKED IN A GARAGE. I CALLED MAZDA AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO RECALLS; HOWEVER MY CAR HAS THE SAME PROBLEM THE 2004-2008 MODELS HAD. NOW I HAVE TO PAY CLOSE TO $1,000.00 FOR REPAIR THAT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #11297767 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MULTIPLE TROUBLE CODES ALL AT ONCE AFTER NOT HAVING ANY TROUBLE CODES AFTER A LONG PERIOD. AS OF NOW 56,000 ORIGINAL MILES. TRACTION CONTROL IMPROPERLY FUNCTIONING CAUSING VEHICLE,S MAXIMUM SPEED TO 3 MPH. MULTIPLE MISFIRE,S WITH NEW SPARK PLUG, NEW SPARK PLUG COIL PACKS AND NEW SPARK PLUG WIRES. GASOLINE LEAK NOT YET NARROWED DOWN TO SPECIFIC LOCATION. NO ENGINE POWER AFTER SHIFTING TO 2ND GEAR. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON HOWEVER WILL GO OUT FOR NO MORE THAN 2 DAYS. VERY STRONG GASOLINE ODOR INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AFTER STARTUP. LOSS OF ENGINE COMPRESSION. GOODNESS KNOWS WHAT IS NEXT!!!
NHTSA complaint #11233493 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY,THE POWER STEERING OF THE VEHICLE FAILED SND 2 MADE IT EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER. I'VE HEARD OTHERS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT MAZDA HAS NOT ADDRESSED IT
NHTSA complaint #11209211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PERRY MAZDA OF SANTA BARBARA CA IS REFUSING TO REPAIR MY RECALL BECAUSE THE FUEL PUMP CURRENTLY INSTALLED IS AN AFTERMARKET PART. I'VE CONTACTED MAZDA, BUT THE REPRESENTATIVE I SPOKE WITH AGREED WITH THE TECHNICIAN THAT THEY CAN'T REPAIR MY RECALL. HE IS LOOKING INTO ANOTHER SOLUTION SO I CAN GET MY REGISTRATION, BUT I'M MAKING SURE THEIR ACTING LEGALLY.
NHTSA complaint #11195321 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TAKATA RECALL I RECEIVED A CALL REGARDING AN 'ESCALATION' OF MY RECALL AND WHEN I CALLED BACK THE INDIVIDUAL ON THE PHONE SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND MY INFORMATION. THE LAST TIME I TRIED TO GET MY RX8 REPAIRED I WAS TOLD I HAVE TO DRIVE THE CAR OVER AN HOUR TO THE SHOP TO GET AIRBAG FIXED - THIS IS AFTER I RECEIVED A VERY GRAPHIC POSTCARD SHOWING AND TELLING ME HOW I WILL BE INJURED OR KILLED IF I DON'T GET MY CAR REPAIRED. I AM TRYING TO GET THIS CAR REPAIRED, HOWEVER I WILL NOT DRIVE THIS CAR OVER AN HOUR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN SOUTH TEXAS HEAT AND HUMIDITY IN ORDER TO MAKE THE REQUIRED 100% COMPLIANCE EASY FOR TAKATA THERE ARE MULTIPLE OTHER RECALLS ON THIS CAR, INCLUDING ON THE ENGINE THAT I HAVE REPLACED 4 TIMES. DEALERS WERE TOLD TO INSTALL THE OLD ENGINES THAT WERE IN THEIR INVENTORY AND NOT INSTALL THE NEW DESIGN. THE OLD ENGINES CONTINUED TO LOOSE COMPRESSION OVER TIME AND EVEN THOUGH MAZDA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 100K ON THE VEHICLE, EVENTUALLY I EXCEEDED 100K - AND THE 4TH ENGINE WENT BAD @102K. MAZDA NEVER REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH AN ENGINE THAT DID NOT HAVE COMPRESSION ISSUES. THE DEALERS USED THE SAME ENGINE AND MAZDA WAITED FOR CONSUMERS TO EXCEED THE 100K MILEAGE AND THEN REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL RX8 THAT IS BASICALLY A ROLLING CHASIS BECAUSE IT WILL NOT RUN, OVERHEATS THE FUEL SYSTEM (CAN EXPLODE OR CATCH FIRE), AND AIRBAGS THAT CAN INJURE OR KILL ME AT ANY MOMENT. I CANT EVEN OPEN THE DOOR ON THIS CAR FOR FEAR OF INJURY OR DEATH. IF THE AIRBAGS WERENT AN ISSUE, I CANT DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THE ENGINE LOOSES COMPRESSION AND POWER AND CAN PUT THE DRIVER IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN TRAFFIC, AND FINALLY IF ALL ELSE WERE FUNCTIONING, THE EXHAUST CAN OVERHEAT THE FUEL TANK CAUSE EXPLOSION AND/OR FIRE. AT ONE POINT THE INTERIOR OF MY TRUNK MELTED. MY CAR HAS ZERO VALUE BECAUSE OF MAZDA AND TAKATA.
NHTSA complaint #11183115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING WHEEL VIOLENTLY SHAKES UPON TURNING AND NOW ON STRAIGHT-AWAY DRIVING. HAS BEEN SMELLING OF EXCESSIVE GAS FOR OVER 4 YEARS UPON START UP, DESPITE DEALER CORRECTING RECALL ISSUE WITH FUEL PUMP DISCHARGE PIPE.
NHTSA complaint #11154225 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TAKATA RECALL AFTER RESPONDING TO NUMEROUS NOTICES REGARDING THIS RECALL AND THE DEADLY DANGER OF THE AIRBAGS, MAZDA STILL INSISTS THAT I DRIVE THE VEHICLE AN HOUR AWAY AND IN HEAVY CITY TRAFFIC TO HAVE THE SERVICE DONE TO CORRECT THE AIRBAG ISSUE. IN ADDITION, FOR YEARS THE ENGINE HAD COMPRESSION ISSUES AND I FOUND OUT THAT AFTER REPLACING THE ENGINE 4 TIMES UNDER WARRANTY, MAZDA WAS REPLACING THE ENGINE WITH THE SAME ENGINE THAT HAS COMPRESSION ISSUES AFTER A TIME. I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD BUY A $7,000 GEN II ENGINE THAT DID NOT HAVE COMPRESSION PROBLEMS, OR TAKE THE REPLACEMENT WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR COMPRESSION ISSUES AS A WARRANTY REPAIR. THEY WERE ABLE TO DEPLETE THEIR STOCK OF BAD ENGINES BY USING THEM AS REPLACEMENTS, AND AS SOON AS MY WARRANTY EXPIRED I STILL HAVE A FAULTY ENGINE WHICH ALSO KEEPS ME FROM SAFELY DRIVING DRIVING FOR SERVICE WORK. THE ENGINE WILL LOOSE COMPRESSION AND POWER IN TRAFFIC AND CAUSE A SAFETY ISSUE. I KEEP MY VEHICLES WELL PAST THE 100K MARK BECAUSE I TAKE CARE OF THEM AND KEEP THEM ON THE ROAD. HOWEVER, THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE WITH THIS CAR, DUE TO A COMBINATION OF MAZDA'S BAD FAITH METHOD OF REPLACING FAULTY ENGINES, AND THE POTENTIALLY FATAL AIRBAG ISSUE. APPARENTLY THE CAR ALSO HAS ISSUES WITH THE EXHAUST OVERHEATING AND CAUSING A FIRE HAZARD, WHICH I HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF. ALTHOUGH A BEAUTIFUL CAR THAT I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE, THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE IN MORE THAN ONE WAY AND HAS A CURRENT VALUE OF $0. IM EVEN AFRAID TO OPEN THE DOOR OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE NOTICES I HAVE RECEIVED, THERE IS NO WAY TO KNOW WHEN OR WHAT MIGHT CAUSE THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. I REALLY CANNOT PUT A SPECIFIC DATE ON WHEN THE ISSUES OCCURRED, OTHER THAN THE SERVICE RECORDS FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENTS UP UNTIL THE 100K MARK. AT 102K MAZDA REFUSED TO REPLACE ANOTHER ENGINE THAT HAD GONE OUT.
NHTSA complaint #11092422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
"TAKATA RECALL"-CAR STARTS WHEN COLD,THEN IT DIES IN THE TRAFFIC,GOT ENGERYS PUSHING CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC,LIKE CAR BUT IT HAS LOTS OF RECALLS AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED RIGHT AWAY.WON'T DRIVE MADZA 2004 AFTER THIS HAPPENED. *TT THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUSH THE CAR OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, AFTER IT DIED, HE LOST HIS GRIP AND WAS DRAGGED BEHIND THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #11081385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V793000(FUEL SYSTEM) ON OCTOBER 31, 2017 BY OPEN ROAD MAZDA (108 RIDGEDALE AVE, MORRISTOWN, NJ). DURING THE REPAIR, THE FUEL PUMP SEALING RING SET WAS REPLACED AND A THERMAL INSULATION PAD WAS ADDED TO THE FUEL TANK, AS INSTRUCTED PER THE RECALL. THE CONTACT KEPT THE VEHICLE PARKED DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. IN MARCH OF 2018, AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, A FUEL LEAK WAS DISCOVERED COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE OPEN ROAD MAZDA DEALER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
NHTSA complaint #11081103 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A FUEL ODOR EMITTED THROUGH THE VENTS OF THE VEHICLE. THE FUEL ODOR WAS ALL AROUND THE VEHICLE WHILE PARKED AND FUEL LEAKED UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KUHN MAZDA (3934 W KENNEDY BLVD, TAMPA, FL 33609, PHONE: (877) 225-9956), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE TAKEN DOWN TO FIND WHERE THE FAILURE WAS COMING FROM AND THERE WOULD BE A FEE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR FEES. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V793000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,466.
NHTSA complaint #11055247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HELLO. HOW ARE YOU? I HOPE EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL FOR YOU. I AM AN OWNER OF 2005 MAZDA RX8. I WAS A FACULTY OF ONE UNIVERSITY AT TEXAS BY 2016. HOWEVER, I LEFT USA LAST FALL AND CURRENTLY SETTLED DOWN IN KOREA. I ALSO TOOK MY CAR (2005 MAZDA RX8) FROM USA TO KOREA. IN TERMS OF SAFETY RECALL NOTICES, I ASKED MAZDA USA TO SOLVE TWO SAFETY RECALL ISSUES (MAZDA RECALL #: 1017E—FUEL TANK LEAK AS WELL AS 9416E—TAKATA RECALL) FOR MY CAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE NO MAZDA DEALER SHOPS IN KOREA, SO I ASKED TO MAZDA USA TO SEND THE PARTS VIA THE MAIL TO REPLACE BAD PARTS FOR MY CAR. HOWEVER, THEY REJECTED MY REQUESTS AND THEY SAID ONLY MAZDA (CERTIFIED) MECHANIC SHOULD COMPLETE THE REPAIRS. I AM WONDERING IF I CAN SOLVE THESE SERIOUS SAFETY RECALL ISSUES. AM I NOT A CUSTOMER OF MAZDA BECAUSE IM NOT STAYING IN THE US ANYMORE? SHOULD I JUST WAIT AND SEE MY CAR RESULTS IN FIRE AND SERIOUS DAMAGE FROM TAKATA AIRBAG? VIRTUALLY, MY MAZDA RX8 HAS CURRENTLY FUEL TANK LEAKING ISSUE (PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED PHOTO). I REALIZE THAT MY REQUEST MAY BE AN IMPOSITION GIVEN YOUR OTHER COMMITMENTS, BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH IF YOU CAN HELP ME SOLVE THESE TWO SAFETY RECALL ISSUES. ALTHOUGH IM NOT STAYING IN THE US ANYMORE, I STILL BELIEVE IM A CUSTOMER OF MAZDA. IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, I WOULD BE GLAD TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION (E.G., MY AUTO INSURANCE RECORDS IN THE US, ETC.). IM LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NHTSA complaint #11051395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.