Problems with 2004 Mazda RX-8 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I bought a 2004 mazda rx8 brand new in early 2005 from the dealer. i have had to have it towed in for repair over 10 times. they have tried to fix it each time. they even had to replace the engine after only 23,000 miles. now looks like i will need another engine. they have had numerous recalls on it. it has stalled on me before but the other day it almost cost me my life. it stalled due to hot weather with on coming traffic. i nearly had a head on collision. after doing some research i find that it has yet more recalls on it for same problem of stalling. this is a very unsafe car. i read on different forums of all the horror stories others are having with same problems. the dealerships are trying to say there is no problem or that its something we did and try to charge us to repair their defects. something has got to be done before people are killed. i now find out that no one wants to take it in on trade for fair value. mazda sold this car before it was ready for production and they should buy it back at fair value. they need to get them off the road before its to late. please help put pressure on them to do what's right. *tr

2004 mazda rx8 with water mixing in with the oil. consumer states that the mechanic stated that water in the oil was normal and how the vehicle vented. there was red antifreeze in the vehicle and green antifreeze should have been used. *kb the dip stick was covered in a hard, crystallized, orange/white substance. the vehicle overheated and steam emitted from the vehicle. after inspecting the vehicle, it was determined that the thermostat had malfunctioned. the consumer was informed that because the wrong anti-freeze had been used, there may be future cooling issues with the vehicle. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. while driving 40-60 mph, the vehicle stalled. the contact waited 30 minutes before the vehicle resumed normal operation. the dealer could not remedy the issue with the engine. the vehicle is currently at the dealer for diagnostic testing. the contact feels that the vehicle is unsafe to drive because it can shut off without warning. the current mileage was 81,206 and failure mileage was 50,000.

The 2004 rx8 has internal seals fail prematurely. this causes the engine to "blow" by a loss of compression in one of the two rotor chambers. the problem being the car with still run with half power. i continued to drive to find help off the highway. the rotor that is not working is dumping gas into the catalytic converter. by the time i parked, i could smell burning fiber and plastic and the exhaust shot out several large chunks of red hot ceramic material. the catalytic converter was bright orange and the entire underside of my car is melted. looking on internet under "2004 rx 8 engine failure" i have seen several other stories with similar results but worse. is it possible that the fuel tank could explode with such heat so near if you continued to drive. this happens anywhere from 12,000 miles to 100,000 miles and beyond. mazda knows of the engine defect and has extended the warranty on the motor as of may 2008. my car is at hancock mazda in dallas. they said damage amounted to $9,500.00 from heat. *tr

I have a 2004 mazda rx 8. the engine had to be replaced at 11,000 miles due to low compression and other issues. 10,000 miles later i am getting the same symptoms in the new engine. my dealer is great, but the car is a lemon. *tr

I am the original owner of a 2004 rx8. my engine floods regularly, i am afraid to valet my car due to this constant problem. my driver's side visor failed, i had to replace out of pocket, now the dealer is saying my car has low compression and suggest i trade it in as soon as possible. they do not want to replace my engine as i am over the warranty period. this is my first and last mazda. *tr

I have a 2004 mazda rx-8. three times within the last six months (since december 2007) i have had to have the car towed to the dealer because although the car would start, it would not "catch" and fire up. the dealer says that it is a problem particular to the 2004 rx-8 (no other year of this model has this problem). they said the engine gets flooded if the car isn't run "hot" for at least 1/2 hour (like it can happen if i just run to the grocery store and back). they said this is a recurring problem with the 2004 rx-8. if this is a huge problem, why hasn't there been a recall to repair it? it costs me over $150 each time it has to go in, not to mention lost hours at work because my car won't start. *tr

1) car often stalls/won't start 2) engine cranks and won't start/ had to take it to a shop many times 3) dealer says "engine flooded" and repaired. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx8. while driving various speeds, the vehicle will stall without warning. he took the vehicle to a local repair shop and a mechanic stated that fuel flooded the engine and causes the vehicle to stall. the engine was completely replaced. in addition, it takes several attempts to start the vehicle in cold weather conditions. the dealer stated that condensation was present and a vacuum needed to be installed, which would prevent water interference. the rear driver's side exterior lighting needed to be replaced due to the water entry. finally, the front passenger side wheel bearing failed, which almost caused the tire to separate from the vehicle. the failure mileage was 32,000 and current mileage was 43,000. updated 020209 *bf the right front wheel bearing was worn. the check engine light illuminated. the front and rear coils were replaced. updated 02/03/09. *jb

2004. *tr

I bought my 2004 rx-8 used with 48,000 miles on it. one month after purchasing the engine started to run rough, especially noticeable while at a stop light or sitting at an idle. was told i had a compression variance in the engine and that it would have to be replaced. undisclosed to me at the time of purchase was the fact that this car had already had the engine replace previously. i now have a car that is on its 3rd engine in 52,000 miles. *tr

I own a 2004 mazda rx8 with 67,900 miles. the entire engine needs to be replaced because of an internal fault failure. i am being charged 8,500 to have the engine replaced. i am very frustrated with a 3 year old car with mid mileage needing an engine replacement. i am a teacher and don't have the salary to replace a car every 3 years or at 67,900 miles. according to the dealer there is potential for fire. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. while driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalled and shut off. the check engine light illuminated after the stalling occurred. the vehicle was unable to be restarted and was towed to the dealer. on june 24, 2007, the dealer replaced the coil, however, it failed to work and the dealer replaced the engine. this also did not correct the failure and the vehicle was taken to the dealer again. the failure was diagnosed as the coil a second time and the dealer was in the process of replacing the engine approximately one week ago. the engine size, number of cylinders, and a valid vin were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 36,000.

Purchased used vehicle in april 2007, first incident 8/14/2007 engine stalled (engine internal failure) at 45,107 miles engine replaced by mazda dealership. second incident september 2007 power steering goes out (poor connection on engine room harness) connection fixed steering gear replaced; third incident october 2007, steering problem (steering shaft torque sensor malfunction) broken wire repaired--learned that the vehicle had been serviced 15 times prior to my purchase. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx8. while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the engine shut off without warning. the vehicle would not restart and was towed to the dealer. the failure occurred once before and the engine was replaced. the number of cylinders were unknown. the current mileage was 29,000 and failure mileage was 22,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx8. the vehicle would not start and the dealer stated that the failure was due to the rotary engine. the dealer stated that there was no remedy, but advised the contact to press the accelerator pedal before starting and shutting off the engine. the number of cylinders were unknown. the failure mileage was 48,000 and current mileage was 51,200.

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. the contact stated that he took his vehicle in for a recall repair. the dealer and the manufacturer refused to repair his vehicle because he did not have a recall notice present. the contact stated that he never received a recall notice. since that time, his vehicle has experienced a loss of power, excessive air consumption, and poor mileage. the # of cylinders is 0 because the vehicle has a rotary engine. the current mileage is 71,000 and failure mileage was 65,000.

On 1/26/07 i took my car in for the latest recall repair and a tune up, which was supposed to address the power loss problem with this car. prior to this, the car was stalling, losing power and having to down shift in order to maintain its speed while driving on the interstate, and little power when trying to accelerate. the tune up included replacing the spark plugs, air filter, and oil change, in addition to the recall work. the car seemed to run fine after the work was complete, but lasted only about a week. the car exhibits the same problems with power loss again. took it to the dealer, who said my spark plug wires are now the culprit, even though they were okay a couple weeks prior. said the spark plug wires are not covered under the warranty, which is okay, but i don't believe that this is the cause since this problem has been present since shortly after buying the car. my car is almost out of warranty, and they still have not fixed this problem. *nm

Problems with rotary engine starting. usually happens at a temperature below 25 degrees fahrenheit. poor ignition system for colder weather. i have had issues with it each winter i have owned the car(2004 to present day). a trip to the dealer has been necessary each time and while the warranty is still valid, this is an inconvenience but it's after the expiration is when i worry. a recall was noted and repairs were completed the fall of 2006 but the same thing happened yesterday. this recall included spark plug replacement, battery replacement, starter motor replacement, and reprogramming the onboard computer chip for ignition changes. the new starter motor made significant changes to starting time but didn't change it's condition in colder weather. the mazda dealer has been little help in resolving the situation. their remedy has been just treating the symptoms and not figuring on a solution to the ignition problem. they have told me repeatedly that "these cars do not like cold weather" and "these cars do not like short trips". i would figure that if a combustion motor cannot start in temperatures below 25 degrees f, then they should offer a better car/motor replacement. *nm

I purchased my vehicle on 12/5/06 at russel mazda in catonsville, md. very satisfied with the look of the vehicle and having no prior knowledge the vehicle i made my decision to purchase. several of my family members own mazda?s and believe in your vehicles but none own the rx-8. on 1/4/07, after moving a short distance to park the vehicle, the vehicle wouldn?t restart 5 minutes later. vehicle had to be towed back to russel mazda in catonsville for service. dealer states ?no start condition. car towed in. customer hears a whining sound from under the hood when trying to star engine. engine does not turn over, ?possible starter?. car flooded, de-flooded car as per bulletin #01-048/06xxb479r1//.3 ? procedure ?a? only. after believing this problem was resolved, i assumed everything was ok. to no avail, on april 4, 2008, due to an emergency, once again i had to drive the vehicle a short distance. after parking vehicle at home for 2 days during a short illness, i went to start vehicle to go to work vehicle wouldn?t start. ?de-javu?! i waited a few minutes and tried to start vehicle again. after that, i had to call out of work advising them of car trouble. i then waited 4 hours to try starting again, still no start. i called the castle ford/mazda in beltsville who advised me to tow vehicle in. once unit arrived, after one week of waiting for results of diagnosis, vehicle was flooded again. the dealer gave me an initial repair estimate of $850.00. i was able to have them lower that amount to $650.00. my trust in mazda?s products has truly been tarnished. *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

Purchased a 2004 mazda rx8 during may 2004. aug. 2004 the car was in for a recall on hard start/ lack of power issues. since then the car has been out of service for 24 days and has required 8 trips to the service dept. for engine related problems. subsequently, the pcm was shipped to mazda usa for a reprogram. this solution did not work and the engine had to be replaced. the symptoms include power loss, hesitation, rough idle, and cel light problems. initially, i was told this was a high speed lean out condition. actually, this vehicle had a defective engine from the day it was purchased. this is confirmed by the fact mazda has extended the warranty on all rx8 rotary engines and there is a recall on all rotary engines for testing to see if the engine needs replacement. unfortunately, this fix may or may not work. other owners have had multiple engine replacements. my car has started to exhibit the same symptoms that led to the first replacement. also, the engines are remanufactured further reducing the resale value of the car. the treatment from the dealer and mazda usa customer mediation is actually "customer no service" and a disgrace. in a press release rx8 owners were guaranteed "white glove treatment". it appears that the only remedy seems to an attorney and/or the lemon law. *nm

Numerous problems with excessive heat in engine compartment. car loses or lacks power. car has died many times. vehicle had to be towed twice to dealer. vehicle has been in the dealer for service over 7 times. vehicle has under 32000 miles. today: 2 nov 2006. car had to be towed to dealer. car died in the middle of the road. i picked up car yesterday from dealer after being repaired from similar (power) problems. i have been without a car too many times. *nm

I own a 2004 mazda rx-8 and have had several random break-downs & the car would not restart. half the time, my car is just parked and will not start up even after sitting for awhile. mazda has replaced the entire engine, battery, and coils. i was without my car for 22 days. i researched this issue and found 11 other mazda rx-8 owners with the exact problems. seems to be a defect in the rotary engine. i wrote mazda consumer compliance and gave all documentation related to my car and they offered an extended warranty and guaranteed my car was fully repaired. they sent me a contract for extended warranty and basically signing the warranty excludes me to ever seek any monetary or justification from mazda again on this vehicle. i did not sign the contract. i picked up my car and 6 days later my car would not start (same as before). i towed it back to the dealer, within 2 days they called me and told me that my undercarriage was completely torn apart and i must of ran over something very recently and it wouldn't be covered under warranty. they are now charging me $250 for a replacement oxygen sensor. i can care less about the $250, it's just obvious they will not admit that their engine is defective by design. i am sure my vin # is flagged at the dealership because of the letter i wrote to the manufacturer, which is unfortunate because the letter was just an opportunity for them before i seek legal council. i guess now they are implying that i am purposely harming my vehicle, which is absurd. i heard that there was a new recall for the mazda rx-8 coming out soon but they are waiting for nhtsa to approve it. i am hoping it's for mazda to buy back the vehicles, especially when they had such a recall for this same vehicle in the past due to false advertising of the horse power of this vehicle. it's unsafe to have your car randomly die on you. i just hope something gets accomplished before someone does get hurt while stranded on the side of the road. *jb

I bought my rx8 in august of 2004. after the first 16000 miles i started experiencing problems with the car. it started out with chattering coming from the engine when the car was being accelerated. this was followed by a loss of power during acceleration. i first took the car to the dealer on 1/09/06. the dealer performed recall 3305g and told me this would take care of the problem. there was some improvement but loss of power was still occurring. in the morning of 4/17/06 car would not start. dealer was notified and car was towed for repair. dealer attributed problem to power train module (reflashing). on 5/23/06 car was again in the shop for the same problem, dealer performed computer changes. on 5/25/06 the car went back to the dealer for the same problem. this time the pcm module was removed and sent out for repair. on 6/19/06 car exhibited the same problems (vibration, stalling and loss of power). this time i informed the dealer that i needed the car fully repaired or replaced. i called mazda and started a complaint file (#107953120). car is still in the shop and i am driving a rental paid for by the dealer. *jb

I purchased my 2004 rx-8 in austin, texas, 8/19/03. my first problems occurred 2/18/04, pcm and coolant problems. on 3/29/04, i began having recurring problems with the check engine light. i also took my car for service for check engine light problems on 4/12/04, 3/3/06, 3/31/06, 4/3/06 and 4/5/06. on 7/19/04, i took my car for service because the driver''s-side sun visor fell apart. i took it in again on 7/29/04, for more sun visor problems. it is still loose. i took my car for recall services on 1116/04 and 9/1/05. on 7/1/05, i took in my car as it was running very roughly and dying. on 8/9/05, i again took in my car for check engine light problems and the fact that it was continuing to idle roughly and die. i took in my car on 9/1/05, because it was still idling very roughly and dying. on that occasion i was almost ''t-boned'' by another car that managed to swerve at the last moment. during this 22-day-long service visit, at 27,534 miles, my engine was replaced. i took my car for service on 5/22/06, because my car was idling very roughly and died 3 times on the highway. each time i narrowly avoided being rear-ended by traffic behind me. this visit lasted 10 days. on 6/12/06, my car began idling very roughly and died 4 times. again i narrowly avoided being hit by traffic. on 6/13/06, i took my car for service, where it remains, as of 6/16/06. on this site for 2004 rx-8's alone, there are 9 other complaints like mine. when i drive my car, i constantly fear the next instance when the car will die. fortunately, i have escaped serious injury and serious damage to this point. however, i am certain that should this problem continue, as it surely will, that i will not continue to be so fortunate. despite all my complaints mazda continues to do nothing to remedy the problem. they need to buy back my vehicle, as it is quite obviously irreparable. *nm

In june of 2005, i received a recall notice from the mazda north american operations informing me that my vehicle had an inherent safety issue concerning the engine among other things. i took the car for a check and was told that the car checked out fine. in august 2006, mazda north american operations extended the warranty on the car because the inherent defect does not necessarily show up immediately but may show up much later. in my case it showed up in june of 2008. the car started running hot, the engine light would come on and the car would idle high at a stop light. once the car was turned off, the cooling fan would continue for several minutes. i took the car to the mazda dealer who stated that i needed a new engine. the invoice indicated that a new engine was authorized among other things. after that incident, the vehicle ran alright up until the middle of august 2009 when the same issues reappeared. supposedly, they installed an new engine but apparently that was not true. on august 16, 2009, i dropped the car off at the dealership to correct the problem or the give me another car. this car has a serious safety issue. i want mazda to give me another car because i just don't trust driving the one with the defect. *tr

I purchased my 2004 mazda rx-8 in march 2005 and problems with the check engine light coming on did not start until april 2006. at that time the car had approximately 26,000 miles on it (i have a long commute 90% of which is freeway). the first several times back to the dealer minor things were adjusted or cleaned such as the spark plugs and a small valve a kit to a butterfly valve in a carburetor engine. eventually the valve was replaced, but the light still came back on. in fact, on one occasion the car was pulled out of the shop doors pronounced fixed and upon my starting it again the light was back on. eventually mazda approved that the intake manifold be replaced, which it was. the check engine light has stayed off since that replacement (about 3-months) , but other problems have arisen. first, either the intake or exhaust heads were not sealed correctly since the engine sounds like it is coming through the dash. this has been pointed out but never properly repaired. now, as of august 3, 2007 the car's electrical system completely shuts down. this has happened on 3 occasions where without any warning the car shuts down. the needles in the dials on the dash bounce wildly back and forth while a clicking sound is coming from the fuse box in the engine. needless to say the car is back in for it's 10th visit to the mazda dealership in cleveland. i have started the buy back procedure with mazda. *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 am currently in the process of trying to resolve an on-going engine startup /vehicle stall problems with my 2004 rx-8. this car has only 15,000+ miles and has been driven for short, daily runs to work and recreational drives. the rotary engine has a required engine warm-up procedure before shutting it off. a deflooding procedure is also required if engine fails to start in the manufacturers manual. mazda has already had a recall on the fuel system computer with update software. the car had to be towed from my garage to the dealer to have this done because of a nonstart situation. the problem seemed to be corrected by them although a stalling while a red lights or no startup after refueling at gas stations problems recurred. the car again had to be towed from my garage to the dealer to be checked for the nonstart-up issue. a replacement of battery, altenator and spark plugs were done. the problem seemingly cleared for half the day until a trip for fuel caused another nonstart incidence(stuck at the pump) in a $34,000 car! it finally restarted after 10 min and was driven back to the dealer the next afternoon where the problem then recurred in their garage. the dealer has now told me i must wait longer after the manufacturer's required engine warm-up time to shut off the car and not to restart engine in short periods of time. is this insane or what! this explanation didn't fly with me, so the car has been now rechecked and ok'd to drive again by their technicians with no changes made. they wished me "good luck!" *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving in normal conditions and no particular speed, the engine vibrates. the vehicle was taken to the local dealership for inspection. the dealer discovered two motor mounts were broken. the repair parts are on back order and no repairs were made.

I received 2 safety recall notices on my rx8. i took the car to the dealer where i leased the vehicle and i thought they corrected and/or inspected the problem. over the course of the past 60 days, the service i have received has been unsatisfactory and i have been lead to believe that the dealer may not have addressed the safety recall issues. (cracked ball joint and heat insulation). i have a check engine light problem and i think they don't know what to do, to the point they will replace the engine. this will inevitably cause my vehicle to lose value. *jb

I purchased a 2004 mazda rx-8 in may 2004. in nov 2005, the first cold day, the engine flooded. the same weekend i received a letter from mazda warning me of the problem and to bring it in for a recall. i was advised to let the car warm up before during it off. i made up a warning sign for the attendants at the parking lot, since then the car has flooded two times at the worst possible times; airport parking lot after long long flights. i am pretty upset about mazda's attitude towards this problem. a letter to mazda resulted in them sending me instructions on how to "de-choke" the engine which can and has killed the battery and has never worked. this is my first experience with mazda and my last. i am the owner of the car and i am embarrassed about the whole thing. i just can't imagine how mazda can leave their customers literally, "out in the cold". *nm

I purchased the car in march 2004. during the time span of july 2004-october 2005 the car has been in the service dept. for failure to start and engine failure during driving the car. october 5, 2005 the dealership told me to pick up the car that it was fixed. i went and picked up the car and started home in the car the car quit running on the interstate at 70 miles per hour and myself and two children were almost hit by two big trucks. *jb

3 months after purchase of 2004 rx-8 battery and spark plugs needed to be replaced. *ts one several occasions the vehicle would not start. the vehicle's battery was replaced twice and had to be charged three times. the spark plugs were replaced three times. the computer was reprogrammed. the engine was replaced to alleviate stalling. the catalytic converter, 02 sensor, amplifier and starter were also replaced. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated that while trying to accelerate from an intersection, the vehicle lost power, and the engine lost all pickup. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer, where the dealer was unable to specifically determine the problem. the engine was replaced, but the problems continued.

Around the middle of june i started noticing strange behavior in the performance of my engine in my mazda rx-8. while maintaining a highway speed of roughly 65mph i would hear a rattling noise in the engine, like marbles bouncing around inside. this would be followed by a significant loss of power in any gear. at no time did the temp gauge notify me of overheating. the problem would go away when i eased off the gas to a dangerously slow highway speed. once getting off the highway, the car would accelerate, but with noticeably reduced performance. after the third occurrence of this problem in mid july, i decided to take the car in for a diagnosis. while explaining the problems to one of the servicemen, i was told that there was a recall on the fuel tank of which i was unaware. i was also told that the engine problem i described was a serious issue that they just started hearing about on many of the rx-8''s, and there was no known fix. he mentioned that my car could be there for several days, not the one day i was expecting, and that there were a large number of cars with the same ''mystery'' engine problem, and that one car had already been there for 35 days. this concerned me, but i was assured that mazda engineers were working on a fix so it wouldn''t be a long wait about 2 weeks later i received a phone call from sandra, my service rep, informing me that my car was ready. she told me that the knocking i was hearing in the engine is due to using the wrong gas. i told her that i have always used 93 octane and nothing lower, and that the noise was not the regular knocking you get from bad gas. she told me she would have to call mazda corp back to find out more about my problem. the next day she called me back and told me that mazda was going to replace my engine. from what she told me, no one really knew what was causing this problem, but that replacing the engine should fix it. i was told that my car wouldn''t be ready for ''a couple of weeks''.

Dt: the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx8. the contact states that while driving with cruise control set and hitting the brakes to slow down or stop , and if pressing the resume button ,the car will actually set itself 5 mph more than what originally had the speed set for. once the car goes to 5 mph over the speed the car was set for the car will act as if it was trying to make itself go back down to the speed that was originally set ,and the vehicle will jerk violently. the contact was taking the vehicle to the dealership on thursday to see if they could diagnose the problem because this has been occurring for a couple of months. the only way to make this problem stop is to turn off the cruise control and reset it and then it will stop. this problem with the vehicle at highway speeds will happen at about 60% of the time that the cruise control is set. also, the engine fan will stay on all the time. the dealership is unable to duplicate the problem. therefore , it cannot be fixed at this time. the electric fan will actually stay on while the vehicle is turned off. then by turning the ignition back on and off it the vehicle will stop running. this mostly occurs if the vehicle is driven for about 30 minutes. *ak

I just bought a 2004 mazda rx8 and a piece of road debris hit my ac condenser causing all the freon to leak out. this happened due to the gaping hole in the front air dam of my vehicle. i live in southern texas where temps can climb well over 100 degrees. (higher inside the car) i worry my 3yr old son is at risk of heat stroke or worse from the temps. mazda will not cover this in their warranty yet they do nothing to protect the highly vulnerable condenser, oil cooler, and radiator from being pelted from road debris. as a matter of fact the air dam is so poorly designed that it actually funnels rocks into the ac condenser itself. i am now worried that a piece of ''road debris'' may hit my oil cooler and spill oil all over the highway. that is definitely not considered safe under any circumstances. many people online i have spoken to have had this same problem and the service person at the dealership stated, ''we see cars in here for this all the time''. the total repair cost is over 800$. even having to pay my deductible is asking a lot for this type of ''malfunction''. mazda advertises this car as a 4-door coupe and sells the car on its ''practicality''. how practical is it to have ''road debris'' destroy your ac a week after purchase? i purchased the car from ingram park auto center here in san antonio, tx. from a gentleman named juan leon. they were of no help in the matter.

My 2004 mazda rx8 was purchased in october of 2003. since the time of purchase, the engine has made loud knocking noises on acceleration and other unacceptable noises when in idle. the check engine light has come on numerous times, and on checking the car on at least 5 occasions, the mazda service department has made only minor repairs or done nothing at all. this problem has worsened over time and recently the car stalled at a busy highway intersection and would not restart for 20 minutes - this was a highly dangerous situation not only for my daughter who was driving and stranded in the car with vehicles speeding by and barely missing hitting her, but for those vehicles approaching from behind. mazda suddenly determined that the problem is the oil pump - specifically "code p209 post catalyst fuel pump trim too lean." this code has come up on the diagnostic previously, without repair. the car is now just over 50,000 miles and therefore, mazda refuses to honor the warranty - despite the on-going nature of this problem. i believe mazda has acted fraudulently in this manner. they have been aware of the problem since near the time of the purchase date, found nothing wrong with the car, and when out of warranty, suddenly accurately diagnose the problem and refuse to pay. in addition, i was informed by mazda that the fuel pump which is needed to repair the problem is on backorder with the manufacturer and unavailable. i have to wonder if the demand is exceeding the supply of this particular fuel pump because an enormous number of rx8 owners are also being affected by the same problem. *nm

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. while stopped with his foot on the brake pedal, the contact stated that the vehicle suddenly stalled. after several repeated attempts, he was able to restart the vehicle. the failure occurred intermittently and more frequently when the air conditioner was turned on. the contact also noticed that the engine lacked power. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where it was repaired (repair details were not given). the failure continued and progressed. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was approximately 42,000. updated 01/13/11*bf updated 01/24/11

This is the second complaint in 3 months regarding my new 2004 mazda rx-8. in december 2004, it would not crank due to the engine coolant problem. supposedly, this issue was taken care of for the second time. now, today, 3/21/05, the car sitting in the garage with 55 degree weather will not crank again. i would advice anyone interesting in purchasing this car - don't. after talking with the dealership where i purchased it as well as the mazda corporation - i get no where except to say they will send a book to tell me the correct way to crank it. i have been driving different vehicles for 26 years - i don't need a book telling me this.*ak

2004 mazda rx-8 failed to start twice due to the engine flooding.*mr *nm

Failure to start in cold weather. vehicle was driven approximatley 45 miles, shut off, parked in the garage. car sat for approximately 24 hours, car would not restart, electrical appears to be in order. mazda tow truck arrived and noted the brakes were frozen, car was forcefully loaded onto tow truck. dealer insists the problem is common an update was performed, spark plugs replaced. one week later the car again is not starting and is in the dealership unknown time of repair. incidents reported to mazda awaiting response. *ak

My mazda rx8 has been burning oil since it was new. i don"t have it anymore. do i have any recourse against mazda corporation? *tr

Vehicle was bought new,2004. i have every oil change, every 2,900-3,000 miles and vehicle is perfectly maintained by the dealership ( harrelson mazda -charlotte,nc ). once 30,000 miles were put on the vehicle, engine began to fail ( stopped at red lights, stopped while on the highway,etc.). after about 5 return visits to the dealership technicians, my engine was finally 'replaced' under warranty. now my new engine has failed again at about 40,000 miles for the same reason as originally: mazda specifically advises 10w-20 oil in this vehicle. but this is only to satisfy u.s. epa standards. everywhere else in the world, mazda strictly advises 10w-30 oil, because anything less will allow engine to overheat and fail. i was never warned this. i was never advised this. i serviced vehicle by every recommendation of mazda, the owners manual, and my mazda authorized dealership/technicians. my safety has been placed in jeopardy, solely at the fault of mazda, for not notifying buyers that the engine had incorrect maintenance specifications,etc. feel free to contact me anytime for further information, receipts of service,maintenance, and technician testimony. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Purchased rx8 04/28/04, has had check engine light on nearly whole time of ownership, after 3 trips to the dealer at 50 miles one way, were finally told that the catalytic converter was bad. had to special order so have to take the car back for the 4th time to get fixed. i don't see how a catalytic converter could be bad on a brand new car. *ak

There is contamination in the oil. so much so that it is impossible to check the oil. i've gone 3000 miles and never been able to check the oil. even after wiping the dipstick, simply putting it back recoats the dipstick, so that the oil level cannot be read. the dealer simply changed the oil, but did not fix the problem. they said mazda knows about this, but won't do anything about it. all letters to mazda-usa are ignored. why does mazda ignore such a potentially serious hazard? this could be a major safety hazard if the engine were to seize on the highway because of lack of oil. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx-8. while driving between 5 and 70 mph, the engine stalled. there were no warning indicator lights illuminated. the vehicle would restart intermittently. the dealer replaced the rotary engine, starter, fuel injection system, and the battery, however, the failure persists. the number of cylinders and powertrain were unknown. the failure mileage was 10 and current mileage was 44,000.

If the car stalls after a cold start, it is either very difficult or impossible to restart. using the procedure in the owners manual for this situation will work, if the battery does not fail first. i have had this happen twice, once the car was towed. the second time, the battery died while attempting a restart per the owners manual, but the car was in the garage and i recharged the battery and eventually got the car started.*ak