Problems with 2004 Mazda RX-8 POWER TRAIN

It was approximately 11:15 in the night, i was on my way back from a late night food run at mcdonald's. the distance from my residence to mcdonald's is approximately 2.2 miles. as i approached a stop sign, one (1) block away from my residence, i depressed my clutch pedal in order to come to a complete stop, and that is when i heard a loud clattery clang. immediately after, the clutch pedal felt extremely soft and i found it very hard to change gears. being that i was so close to home i didn't have time to further examine and evaluate what exactly had happened. hence, i ignored it parked my car and went inside. the next morning on my regular routine i started my car to go to school, again the clutch felt extremely soft and mushy. tried to put the gears in reverse but failed. this is when i finally realized that something was definitely wrong. my first inclination was that the clutch disc that had worn, but after further investigation i found that the clutch pedal bracket had broken.*tr

My 2004 mazda rx8 clutch pedal snap off while i was driving home... *tr

My clutch pedal began squeaking about 4,000 miles ago. just yesterday, i was driving on the highway when i downshifted into 4th gear and the clutch pedal snapped. i was not able to shift gears so i had to stay in 5th until i could safely pull of at an exit. *tr

I was driving and notice my transmission would not shift into reverse. i had to shut off the car to get it in reverse. i then took it to a dealer and they said my slave cylinder was out. so they replaced it. later i received a phone call telling my clutch pedal assembly bracket was also broke. which may have been the result in my slave cylinder to fail. the bracket was broke on the left bottom bolt pattern that connects to the firing wall. i am glad this did not happen or completely brake off while i was driving for this could have been a possible fatal accident. i am putting in for this because apparently i am not the only one having this bracket brake. it seems to be on the same side as everyone else is describing. as the pedal brakes it leans or brakes to the right which heads towards the brake pedal itself. *tr

1) nothing just driving it 2) faulty clutch pedal assembly snapped rendering the clutch useless. 3) not yet corrected. *tr

The bracket for the clutch pedal on my 2004 mazda rx-8 broke while i was driving the vehicle. over the past few weeks, the clutch would squeak a little bit while i was driving it. i noticed that the bracket was loose once, so i tightened the bolt on it, but that didn't change the squeaking. little did i know that the whole bracket was about to fail! i took a close look at the broken bracket, and it appears that a weld broke. it occurred one morning on my way to work. as i downshifted from third to second gear, i heard a 'crack' and then my clutch wouldn't work properly. i looked down, and the clutch pedal was next to (and touching) the brake pedal (it should not be that close). i was able to pull off to the side of the road without the ability to shift. now, i cannot drive the vehicle, as the clutch will not engage with the broken bracket. i believe this is a safety issue, especially in cases like mine when it happened while driving the vehicle. *tr

I was driving 1200 miles from home doing about 45 mph on the local roads, and my clutch pedal started feeling funny, maybe a little loose. then i heard a loud pop as i was trying to change gears and checked it out. the clutch pedal assembly bracket had failed and i called up the dealership as it was under warranty. they offered to replace it at my cost ($600) at which this is a manufacturer's defect so i shouldn't be liable for such damages, even after 59,000 miles. and especially after seeing that so many other people have this same problem, it poses a huge safety risk. i was able to drive it back home, shifting perfectly to match revs but was always difficult to start. sometimes the pedal would be pushed so far back that it would run behind the brake pedal. it worried me so much that i might have had to have it towed so far to get someone to fix it. but this is a real problem! *tr

2004 mazda rx-8 clutch pedal bracket broke off during normal driving. no corrective actions have been taken yet mazda refused to cover it under there new extended warranty. *tr

The clutch pedal bracket of the mazda rx-8 is prone to snapping and breaking during normal use. mazda considers this item to be a "wear item" despite the safety implications that a breakage could pose. a broken clutch pedal could possibly lead to a crash with fatalities if the driver can no longer pull the car out of gear or shift gears. the events leading up to my case were normal. i was driving as i do regularly in the city and the pedal snapped without warning. in my case i was still able to shift gears and was close enough that i could drive home. nothing has yet been done to correct the failure. i am going to have to replace the entire clutch pedal assembly which mazda was asking $415.00 for to replace. *tr

Driving 2004 mazda rx/8 under normal conditions and the clutch pedal bracket broke. the bracket broke at a weld point and through a bolt connection causing the pedal to shift to the right. it did not cause an accident, but could have if i were in a different location when driving. *tr

The clutch pedal bracket on my mazda rx-8 snapped while i was driving and since then have had a lot of difficulty switching gears while driving. i learned how to drive the vehicle like this even though the pedal at times became stuck beneath the break pedal. i hired an mobile mechanic to reweld the pedal bracket although just yesterday it snapped again. my vehicle is a mazda 2004 rx-8 and there is not a single dealership i have found that will acknowledge the problem. *tr

Clutch pedal bracket breaking loose causing clutch engagement to be stuck in current position. this is a risk i am monitoring daily on my car for when the event fails until either a: i have money to weld the weak spotweld to prevent failure. b. mazda administers a recall to replace faulty piece with a stable part. my concern though being part of the rx8forum makes it look like it's an exponential issue. in opposite retrospect, this could be a more broader issue of the total amount of rx-8 solds that just hasn't had a fatality yet. the failing part can be forced to failure i believe by administering repeated use replicating daily wear. i don't look forward to my day this happens, hence i'm filing this form requesting investigation for potential recall.*tr

Clutch pedal in 2004 rx8 failing/breaking at a light on a busy highway. *tr

Regular driving lead the car a 2004 mazda rx-8 6 speed clutch pedal to literally break at 3 of the spot welds, disabling the ability to push the clutch in. luckily i was able to push the car home as it happened down the street. if this happened on the highway during a emergency downshift to slow the car down god knows what could happen. i went to the local exhaust shop and had them do a solid bead all around the mounting bracket fixing the issue. this is a serious problem because you never know when its going to snap off it just does. *tr

While stopped at a light i pressed my clutch pedal and i hear a pop. the clutch now is loose and i'm not able to change gears. after while i was able to get into 1st gear. the shop discovered the clutch pedal bracket snapped. *tr

1. no events, just driving 2.clutch pedal snapped off not allowing me to change gears at highway speeds 3. since mazda didn't want to cover it, i had it rewelded myself. *tr

Complaint is to mazda usa for their weak clutch pedal welds. i've been driving my rx8 (2004) since september 2007 and the first time it snapped was in 2008 late summer. i got it rewelded at a local shop and after about 9 months the bracket broke in half, broke right through the welds and cracked the metal. so i bought a new bracket and an aftermarket reinforcement bracket for about 450$ which should all be covered by mazda. *tr

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) june 4 2009 the clutch pedal begin hard to push. weeks later almost impossible to drive. mazda dealer said is just the pump. they put some oil. just 2 days after the problem started again. worse and worse everyday. then i just parked my car. mazda dealer didn't find an solution. finally after several calls i got tired of it and i decided to see for myself under the dash. i discovered that the clutch pedal metallic base was completely cracked/broken. they said no guarantee will cover that. they said that was my responsibility and asked me about my driving. so, finally in september 26 / 2009 alexandria mazda dealer replaced the whole piece and i paid for that. they charged me: $520.78. ( fe05-41-300c ) clutch pedal assembly broken. i have the invoice. they kept the broken piece with them. months after this incident i found in internet that other people had the same problem with the same piece with the same car model. what is going on ? i feel that is not fair to pay for something that is not my fault. vin [xxx] mazda rx8 - 2004 part: fe05-41-300c - $263.28 labor : $257.50 total: $520.78 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx8. while driving at an unknown speed, the clutch pedal detached from the mounts. the vehicle was unable to move in or out of gear and was towed to a dealer. the contact feels that this is a safety issue because a crash could have occurred. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 85,000.

Clutch pedal stopped working in the middle of the road of my 2004 mazda rx-8. everytime i switched gears it squeaked until it snapped and car stalled. consequence is that i couldn't drive my car anymore and had to tow it to the dealership. dealership had to replace the clutch pedal assembly according to paperwork. *tr

Only a partial failure occurred, but had i not taken preventive measures, a full failure would certainly have occurred. noticed bizarre squeaking from clutch pedal under normal use. removed pedal assembly and noticed metal had torn halfway through on bracket. had use continued, metal would have torn completely through, rendering the clutch pedal useless without repair. had a full failure occurred while driving, it could have caused a car accident, endangering life and property. to correct the problem, i had the clutch bracket seam-welded in the existing problem area and in all potential problem areas. *tr

While driving my 2004 mazda rx8 the clutch pedal snapped and went to the floor and wouldn't come back up. i was not able to change gears and had to coast to the side of the road. there was no accident but if i had been on the freeway and traveling at a higher rate of speed it could have been very dangerous. after inspecting the clutch pedal i determined that a weld joint on the bracket that holds the clutch pedal complete broke off. clearly this is the result of poor design, poor welds and poor metal thickness. mazda claims this part is not under warranty so i proceeded to remove the bracket and repair the welds myself. from what i've read on the forums this is a very common issue and i would think it is only a matter of time before a serious accident occurs. mazda wants over $500 to make the repair which is not acceptable. *tr

I was driving my 2004 mazda rx-8 on the highway at approximately 60mph and went to shift from 5th gear into 4th gear when i felt a "pop" at which point my clutch fell to the floor and i no longer had any ability to accelerate. fortunately traffic was light and i was able to coast off onto the next exit ramp and pulled to the side of the road. i called mazda roadside assistance who towed the car to mazda bedford. i was told that the clutch was "blown" and needed to be completely replaced. the mazda forum is full of similar episodes and i was encouraged to file a complaint. *tr

The clutch pedal bracket broke while driving, rendering me unable to shift i was able to safely stop the car, but on the highway or in heavy traffic this could have been extremely dangerous. *tr

Clutch pedal bracket broke while shifting gears on freeway. could barely get car into and out of gear to remove car from traffic and safely in parking lot. *tr

During normal driving on the freeway, the clutch bracket of my mazda rx-8 snapped during shifting and the clutch became inoperable. this made changing gears impossible and caused a serious hazard. apparently, the cause of the problem was the usage of weak materials and poor quality spot welds. upon some investigation, it turns out this is a very common problem as the following discussion thread shows: http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=132912 to fix the problem, the clutch bracket was replaced. it is apparently also possible to weld the broken parts or to install a reinforcement bracket to prevent the failure. i did not keep the broken (replaced) bracket, so the old part is not available. *tr

Clutch pedal bracket weld broke off, when driving. unable to shift in or out of gears and car needs to be tow. *tr

Clutch bracket breaks off while switching gears in the middle of the highway @ 60 mph happens to a lot of mazda rx8s 2004-2008. *tr

One night when i was leaving work i tried to reverse out of my parking space and my car would not go into reverse. after trying over and over the clutch finally engaged and i was able to back out. a few blocks later i was at a stoplight trying to get the car into first gear and same thing happened. i finally got home and took a look underneath the driver side dash and looked up to see one of the welds on the clutch plate holding the clutch pedal in place had broken. i am waiting to see if a friend who is a professional welder can re-weld it because the mazda dealership where i live does not weld anything and will only replace the whole unit, which i cannot afford. *tr

I have been reading articles on the rx8club website regarding clutch pedal breaking. i took my car in to get clutch replaced and on the way into repair shop, clutch pedal broke. had the car towed to repair shop, to have clutch and clutch pedal repaired. *tr

I was luckily pulling up to a stop sign and pressed the clutch and heard a loud snap. i then put it in first gear, went to shift to second and the clutch pedal was gone. i pulled over and got out and found the clutch pedal stuck behind the brake pedal. i was extremely angry afterwards realizing how dangerous this could have been. what if i was making a left hand turn and could not find the clutch?? i am also upset that mazda told me that i yes me! had to pay $470 to get this problem that should never happen fixed. i have never heard of this ever, no matter how old a car is this should not happen!!! i cannot afford $470 to fix things like this that should never break. please investigate this matter as i have found on rx8club.com this is a very common issue with this car!! unacceptable!~ *tr

My vehicle has been in and out of the dealership for recalls ect. last night i started my vehicle and started to leave, backing out of parking lot and the throttle started to surge. i stop turned it off and it stopped. i pulled out onto the highway and when shifted into 2nd gear the throttle stuck and was racing between 3500 and 4000 rpms. i put the clutch in and it pegged out on the rpm gauge, i managed to not hit anyone or anything and pulled off highway called mazda for assistance, i shut vehicle off and started it back up after a few min to see if it reset itself, started it back up and it just surged and stuck between 3000 and 4000 rpms. i've had numerous problems with this vehicle but nothing like this and frankly i was very lucky. i would greatly appreciate any input or inquiry on this matter, needless to say i don't trust my car anymore. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx8. while driving 50 mph, the clutch pedal began squeaking. the clutch pedal brace failed and would not shift into gear at all. the dealer stated that the clutch pedal was bent, not broken and they could replace or weld the part. the failure and current mileages were 37,700.

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.*jb

I have a 2004 mazda rx8 with only 51,000 miles on the car. i recently, within the last month or two, noticed a squeaking noise coming from the pedal area. i thought i just need some lube or wd40 down there to stop the noise. this was not the case! yesterday, while at a traffic light, i go to engage the clutch to put into first gear and take off, and i hear a pop. i couldn't go anywhere, i couldn't get the car in gear or move at all. something had happened and i didn't know what. while in the middle of a huge intersection i am in a stationary position while cars are passing me. i was lucky enough to have someone stop and help me push the car down the street, where a local mazda dealership was. mazda tech's take a look at it and tell me my clutch bracket is broke! i then proceeded to ask them to see it for myself because i couldn't believe a car with so little miles on it could have this happen. it was true, i saw for myself that it has snapped off and was not stable. now i have to pay nearly 700 dollars to replace this faulty part! this is a huge safety matter for the mazda rx8 and this needs to be addressed by mazda and fixed immediately! i was lucky enough to be at a stand still while in the car and to find someone to help me off the road. this may not be the case for others if mazda does not fix this faulty part. i will be contacting mazda corp as well, but could please look into this situation and try to have mazda address this asap. thank you! *tr

Clutch pedal support bracket failed. *tr

Clutch pedal became somewhat loose and start making loud squeaking noises on my mazda 2004 rx-8 6sp manual with approx ~37k miles. clutch bracket assembly was replaced under warranty in march 2007. now at 50k miles i have similar symptoms again! *tr

Clutch pedal started squeaking, clutch pedal brace broke and car won't go into gear at all, ordering a new clutch pedal. *tr

My clutch pedal bracket broke at the welds with 60k miles on my car. my car is bone stock. *tr

Driving on hiway at 65mph i was pushing in clutch petal to change gears and heard loud pop come from clutch petal. i was still able to change gears but after inspecting the petal the mounting bracket on the left side had broke off and the petal bends to the right side. *cn

Vehicle's clutch bracket assembly broke at two separate weld points making the vehicle inoperable. prior to christmas, 07, i began noticing a very loud squeak upon depressing the clutch pedal. in researching this, it appears that this was symptomatic of the first weld spot failing. i began noticing an inability to pull the car out of gear. the shifter would not budge, even with the clutch pedal fully depressed to the floor board. this problem was most severe at vehicle start up. upon starting the car, it was impossible to put the car into any gear. to make the car drivable, the vehicle had to be started with the clutch pedal depressed, and the car already in 1st gear (with the vehicle off, it was very simple to get the car into any gear). i took the vehicle into my local mazda dealer two days after the problem began. they advised me that my problem sounded as if it was due to failure in the hydraulic system. i had advised them that i had read about problems with the clutch bracket, and the clutch pedal alignment. i questioned whether i had too much free play, and not enough clutch stroke. they had the vehicle for the day and advised me by phone that the hydraulic system was fully functional. my clutch pedal alignment was off and they made adjustments. with regards to the noise i was hearing upon depressing the pedal, they said it was normal. upon receiving my car, all the problems appeared to have been resolved. the noise was gone, the car was shifting like it has since owning the car. a night later, less than 20 miles later, upon making a shift from 1st to 2nd gear, i heard a very loud snap and the clutch pedal disappeared from beneath my foot. the clutch bracket had snapped (a breakage at a second weld spot) and now was no longer attached to the car. the car returned to having the same difficulties with regards to shifting. mazda would not cover the repair as a safety defect, insisting that it was driving abuse and not a design flaw. *tr

2004. *tr

Clutch bracket failure; (1) of the 3 welding points failed, causing the bracket to separate at the weld, bending, and separating the plate into 2 pieces, making shifting in and out of gears difficult during operation. the service rep. at gainesville mazda laughed at me when i asked if they would give me a discount on a new bracket. gainesville mazda is at 2600 n main street gainesville, fl 32609 (352) 505-9459. *tr

Clutch pedal bracket broken twice! the clutch pedal broke about 2 months ago, so i took it to mazda and they fixed it. about a month later, it broke again. i heard the tell signs because it started squeaking again as it did the first time and now its squeaking again! *tr

I have a 2004 mazda rx8 which i purchased new on october 13, 2005. the car has 21,420 miles on it ... all 'babied' as i'm 52 years old ... and all service has been done by the dealer. the car is still under the factory warranty plus i have a high-priced extended warranty on top of it! two days ago i noticed the clutch was slipping so i called my dealer. they wanted me to wait a week to bring it in; i decided it wouldn't be moving on it's own in a week and dropped by the dealer the same day. today they phoned me to say the clutch assembly needed replacing. further, this wouldn't be covered under either the factory warranty or the extended warranty; instead, i would be liable for the $1480.00 replacement cost! a car with only 21k miles on it that has babied since day one should not be having clutch problems (i've driven manual transmissions for almost 40 years) not should i be liable for this exorbitant cost! upon some research, i found the parts i need are only available from the dealer; therefore, i don't even have the option of having someone else doing the repairs without paying an astronomical fee for a throw-out bearing and plate ($497.00)! *tr

Engine failure, after driving short distances engine does not always want to restart; during times of sitting in traffic, car will idle roughly and sputter, sometimes die and won't immediately restart; car has died while attempting to start out into traffic; transmission doesn't change gears properly... i have had my car since feb. 04 and it has been serviced over a dozen times for engine failure and transmission issues alone. it has had a new transmission, linkage, gear box, starter, battery, and they are currently putting in the 2nd replacement engine. no one seems to know why these cars have so much trouble, but i wouldn't have another one if it was given to me. *nm

Mazda rx-8's have several documented cases of what the dealerships refer to as "exploding clutches". it seems a manufacturers defect causes the clutches to fail prematurely (5-20k miles) locking the transmission in gear. this has happened to a few individuals at highway speeds where the inability to shift the transmission can be fatal. mazda and its dealers have ignored consumer complaints about this matter. i'm have compiled and continue to compile documentation indicating that this is far from a few isolated events. *jb

Engine failure, purchased car 3/11/2006, a couple of weeks later the car started idling roughly, then stalling, the computer module has been replaced twice, the engine once, i still have problems with acceleration, the last incident happened last week 7/29/2007, i was in the center lane pulling out into the passing lane and the car lost all power but did not stall my head was slammed forward almost hitting the stirring wheel and a few seconds later shot off like a rocket slamming my head back against the drivers seat, causing my neck to whip lash i have had a bad headache since, and i was almost hit by a big diesel truck. the car is in the shop again getting the oil and tires changed, and also getting checked for this problem but they are saying they could not find anything on the road test. well it happens to me quite often when i go to pass someone on the interstate, it hesitates before it kicks in and someone is going to get killed. i am paying for a car that spends more time in the shop than out. i bought it 3/11/06 it stayed in the shop almost continually until 7/18/2006, and i was making payments. now it is starting all over again with the rough idle and hesitation. i am getting to the point that i want my money back and i'll give them the car back. i am getting to scared to drive it. now i find out today about other recalls the control arm i was not aware of, i guess that is why my car is starting to pull hard to the right, now i have to have that taken care of. i have moved 350 miles away and i can't leave until my car gets fixed and out of the shop, this is starting to be bull!!! someone needs to do something i have a friend who also has an rx8 we purchased ours on the same day and she is having the same problems and hers is a 2006 where mine is a 2004, so mazda hasn't fixed the problem.*jb

I own a 2004 mazda rx8. i have 24,700+ miles & no problems until now. 8 months ago, i came to marin, ca. to work on contract. as this contract is long term , i brought my vehicle for transportation. 2 months later, i began to notice the odor of clutch burn, rarely & with no reason. i was due for an oil change, so i made an appt. with marin mazda. this was when i met john lauster, marin mazda's svc. mgr. during my 1st visit they were unable to find a problem, and said everything was operating. 3 months later, i experienced it again and brought it in. again, they couldn't find anything. on sept. 20 '05, it happened again. the clutch began to slip a little, & within 20 minutes the slippage was to the point where i couldn't drive it without possibly damaging the trans. i called marin service to bring it in, & towed to the dealer. john called me friday stating they would have to replace clutch, bearings, flywheel, & that my transmission warranty had expired, so cost would be passed to me. $1300.00. he put in for appeal to the factory rep for coverage due to extenuating circumstances & told me he would call me back with the decision. i contacted mazda usa- i went through the motions, thinking that they would cover it as the problem was obvious & related to a recent recall involving thermal damage. i got the call from john. he stated the factory rep claimed it as "normal wear" & mazda would not cover it. i told john that this problem was brought up 6 months ago. he stated mazda had made its decision. i did research online- & was shocked by the number of similar events i found with mazda products. all experienced what i am going through initially- the dealer & manufacturer would not recognize this as an item they were responsible for, & pushed the cost on the consumer. i called john back. but he was firm; mazda factory rep's decision was final. *jb

I recently purchased a mazda rx8 6 speed (5/11/04). this car has had more problems than i can explain in a short message. about a month after purchasing the vehicle it wouldn't start one morning. i later got it started and took it in to the dealer. they did a flash update on my pcm and everything was fine after that. approximately three months later i began having trouble with my transmission. i was on vacation in carlisle, ar when the car broke down the first time (8/9/2004). my car was towed in to north point mazda in north little rock, then got towed to crain mazda in little rock, without even informing me. after replacing approximately 87 parts in the transmission, i got my car back 40 days later (9/18/2004). immediately after driving the vehicle i knew it wasn_x0019_t right. it was making noises, wouldn_x0019_t shift in to 2nd, 3rd or reverse without grinding. i took my car to town north mazda in richardson as soon as i got a chance (9/27/2004). i was told "2nd and 3rd gears are fried" and they would replace the transmission and clutch. after replacing the clutch and transmission i got the car back 11 days later (10/7/2004). i knew the car still had a problem so i scheduled to have the car taken back in on 10/12/2004. i drove about 2 miles from the house on the way to the dealer when it went out again. the car still to this day remains in the shop again. my car has been in for repairs for 58 days since 8/9/2004. i got a call on 10/20/04 from the dealership that has my car. they told me mazda declines coverage becuase of neglect or abuse. i absolutely "babied" that car because i knew it wasn't right! any suggestions?*ak