2004 Mazda Rx-8 Problems

Severe Issues

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Mazda Rx-8.

< older2005
Complaints
624
Crashes
23
Fires
11
Injuries
24
Fatalities
Recalls
6

Worst 2004 Mazda Rx-8 Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#180 complaints

STEERING

Avg mileage:82,117 mi
Crash-related:8
#275 complaints

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Avg mileage:72,571 mi
#349 complaints

AIR BAGS

Avg mileage:79,650 mi
Crash-related:7
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2004 Mazda Rx-8.

STEERING
80
complaints
Crashes
8
Fires
Avg Miles
82,117
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
75
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
72,571
AIR BAGS
49
complaints
Crashes
7
Fires
Avg Miles
79,650
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
46
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
3
Avg Miles
47,533
POWER TRAIN
38
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
86,735
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
37
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
41,450
ENGINE
33
complaints
Crashes
Fires
2
Avg Miles
83,948
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
27
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
67,238
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
20
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
100,360
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
19
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
73,693
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
18
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
67,253
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
15
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
71,053
VISIBILITY
12
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
38,216
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
75,520
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
3
Avg Miles
73,794
STRUCTURE
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
58,438
STRUCTURE:BODY
9
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
84,167
SUSPENSION
9
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
79,735
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
93,874
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
26,900
EQUIPMENT
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
38,500
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
68,936
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
43,300
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
26,583
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
54,577
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
63,100
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
51,000
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
81,500
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
20,750
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
2,322

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2004 Mazda Rx-8. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2004 Mazda Rx-8

6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~838,815 vehicles.

19V781000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~47,006 affected

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2005 MPV, 2004 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

18V402000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~308,591 affected

Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 and 2004 MPV vehicles nationwide. Mazda is also recalling 2005-2006 MPV vehicles in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. On July 9, 2019 this recall was expanded to include certain 2004-2011 RX-8 vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-354 but have not yet been repaired. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

17V474000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~308,992 affected

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2008 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

17V355000SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
~35,332 affected

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2004 Mazda RX-8 vehicles. The ball joint socket on the front suspension lower control arm may crack and the ball joint may separate from the socket.

17V354000FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
~69,447 affected

Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RX-8 vehicles. Heat from the engine and the exhaust may cause the main fuel pump pipe to crack.

16V793000FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
~69,447 affected

Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RX-8 vehicles manufactured April 10, 2003, to February 18, 2008. The affected vehicles have fuel pump sealing rings that may deteriorate due to exposure to heat from the engine or exhaust pipe.

Other Mazda Rx-8 Years

Wider context: See the full Mazda Rx-8 reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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