Mazda RX-8 won't start problems

Filed Feb 7, 2019 · Transmission · 112,000 miles · CA · crash · 1 injury

As I pressed my cars clutch to change gears (6 speed manual ) while driving on my regular sunday drive in a city street, I heard and felt a very loud explosion and noises of metal pieces ejecting from under my car. I was in the 60km/h zone so was not speeding or going fast such as on a freeway etc. I was able to pull over safely while rolling as the engine had been disabled in the explosion. I could feel my left foot was in extreme pain. My car would not start. I feared that the engine had blown up. My car is very well maintained and serviced regularly with no modifications. What I discovered was that the transmission had detonated, the gearbox bell housing was torn apart (got pictures to prove it) and I found parts of the clutch in many tiny pieces all over the roads. The clutch was replaced by mazda 30,000kms ago and at a mazda dealership using oem clutch kit. The force of the gearbox explosion was so great that the clutch pedal impacted my left foot and shattered the bones of the left foot in pieces (yes I was wearing thick soled sneakers) and caused severe trauma to my foot in general. At the hospital, the surgeons words were " it looks really bad". I was operated on and titanium plates and 4 screws were inserted to try to hold my shattered bones in place. 8 months and a lot of hospital visits later, I am still recovering from the day. I had further surgery few weeks ago to perform a bone graft because one break wasn't healing. I have approached mazda regional head office. Initially mazda contacted me via phone asking for details of the crash. I sent them photos via email. I have not heard from them since. I then also contacted the dealership. They promised to ring back and they too, have stopped. It's been difficult to find a lawyer who can see the obvious problem, that a vehicle should not blow up, or catch fire etc no matter what age it is. Help!

Filed Nov 7, 2018 · Engine · 95,000 miles · PA

Takata recall the vehicle was stuttering as I was driving home it wasn't hot or overheating or low on oil, I drove it home and shut it off I then later tried to start it it wouldn't start it just cranked and cranked it wouldn't even start or try to , the apex seals on this car went out which is due to the loss of compression which ultimately caused the sputtering, mazda is well aware of this issue as it was recalled almost a year ago but I didn't have the issue so I didn't see a need to get it replaced ! This issue is unacceptable as now I'm without a car please help me out !

Filed Apr 18, 2016 · Airbags, Engine · 63,545 miles · NJ

I purchased/financed my vehicle on october 9, 2015 at hilltop nissan (258 route 10, east hanover, nj 07936) at 59,201 miles. On april 7, 2016, I went to start the vehicle and the vehicle would not start. I had it towed to mazda of lodi, so the service department can take a look at the vehicle. The service department contacted me and said it was the engine and the vehicle needs a new engine. The vehicle has only 63,545 miles on it, and since then, I drove only 4,344 miles in the six months. I asked the dealer, finance department for a warranty/extended warranty and the finance manager said, there are no warranties. I did not receive a white (square) piece of paper or booklet for warranty information or "as is" information. Now, I am paying $8500.00 for a new engine. Then, I searched online for any safety issues or recalls on vinrcl.safecar.gov. I found out that this vehicle has a devastating safety recall involving the airbags. (there was also a recall many years ago involving the engine, and that mazda rx-8 owners can return the vehicle, by choice, for a full refund??) the dealer, hilltop nissan, did not notify me about this recall. They sold me a used car with a serious safety airbag recall. (also: recalls on a engine) issue: I have a serious defect involving airbags that dispense shrapnel. I wonder what other serious safety issues involving the engine/vehicle that were not disclosed? Thank you

Filed Oct 21, 2015 · Engine · 123,000 miles · FL

There is a flaw in the mazda rx8 engine. It is why they stopped making them in 2011. The engines have bad apex seals. As a result - the seals blow around 70 thousand miles and the engine is useless. Mazda replaced my engine in 2011. However - it does not solve the problem. The engine still shuts down in traffic. This is extremely dangerous. When you are coming to a stop or slowing down the engine will just shut off. It has also shut off when I attempted to pass in the left lane while accelerating on the highway. It also has something called a hot non-start - this means - it will not start when the engine is hot. You have to wait 20 minutes for the car to cool before it can start. If there is no emergency lane when your car shuts down - you are in trouble and in a very dangerous situation,. I have been stuck numerous times in traffic and then the car unable to start. Also as a result of this hot non-start- you have to fuel your car with it running or you will have to sit and wait at the gas pump for 20 minutes before it can start. This has occurred before they replaced my engine from 2009 thru 2011 and now with a new engine from 2012 thru 2015 they also need to be investigated for fraud. I leased my car for 3 years. I then purchased it and financed it for 5 years in 2008. Mazda knew these engines were flawed - but they were still selling them to people when this engine issue has been around since 2005. The car is dangerous to drive. Also - the apex seals can blow when you are driving the which means the car will shut down in traffic as well. I am not alone - search mazda rx8 engine issues on google - everyone has the problem.

Filed Apr 26, 2013 · Electrical, Engine · 57,000 miles · NC

I purchased my 2004 automatic rx8 in september of 2011. It began giving me trouble with the type of gas it took. I finally figured out that bp premium seemed to keep it from "coughing". I thought that I had fixed the issues and it drove fine for a good while. I changed the oil religiously at about 3000 miles or less. It would display the oil light after only about 1500-2000miles. I had a dealership look at it and they said the oil level was fine and they didn't understand why it had the light on. The oil light now comes on at just 300miles into the last oil change. In feb of this year is when the car started deteriorating at a rapid pace, and I was completely dumbfounded till I began doing some research and saw that many others have had the exact same issues I have had. For one- the AC never works correctly. I have to play with the knob for a bit to make it cool, and still even then it does not work. I am not able to drive it to and from the store now because I am worried it will not start back up. I always make sure the engine is warmed up and sometimes just leave it running instead of taking the chance of turning it off. The engine light also comes on and random times, and I was told that it was because the gas cap was not on tight enough. That is a lie, I always make sure to tighten it, and why would the engine light come on after the oil light everytime if it was human error. The car whines when at a stoplight or sitting for a brief period of time. It sounds as if it is coming from the front left side of the engine if you are sitting in it. No one knows what that noise is either. This faulty car should come with a warning on the front windshield. I am scared to drive it, I am scared to put my family in it, and I am disgusted with the way mazda decided to treat me when I called them to inquire about certain recalls.

Filed Feb 14, 2013 · Engine · 49,814 miles · NY

I went to start my rx8 and it would not start. I called aaa to have it jumped, thinking it was a battery problem. The aaa employee sent to jump the car could not jump it and I had to tow it to my mechanic the next day. My personal mechanic looked at it and said it was a specific problem with the engine that was covered by an "extended warranty" mazda issued because the 2005 rx8s had so many complaints about this particular problem. Instead of doing a recall, mazda does extended warranties. They did the same thing with the clutch pedal bracket, which I had to jump through hoops to get the dealership to take care of it at no cost to me. They always want to charge, even when it is something covered by a warranty. So, my husband had the car towed to the nearby dealership. Automatically, they tell us we have to replace the battery because they need to do a diagnostic test to find out the problem. Battery $185 with labor and $150 for a diagnostic test. Then, we are told that only if they are able to prove that it was a specific problem covered in the warranty that mazda would cover it under the warranty. If they find it is not that specific part, we will have to pay out of pocket. I was told by my personal mechanic it was that particular issue which is covered by the warranty, but of course, mazda wants to do their own tests. My car has less than 50,000 miles on it and it is ridiculous that I would have to replace the engine for $4,000 when a quick online search shows that this is a very common problem with this specific car. I think mazda should have their feet held to the fire and do right by their customer.

Filed Jul 15, 2010 · Engine · 30,000 miles · IL

I own a mazda rx8 and I have had so many problems with it, I would come to a stop and it will stall, can't start it back up and have to have it towed to the shop. I will drive it to the store and come back out to leave and it will not start, have to have it towed. Have had the engine replaced one time already and it still has all the same problems. I can not drive it now because it is completely dead and will not start it has been in this condition for almost a month. Mazda most of the time says they can not duplicate the problem and as soon as I leave my car would break down on the way home. If you go to the web site http://forums.automotive.com/70/6305605/mazda/rx-8-lawsuit/page4.html you will see that this car is just a death trap and so many people are having all the same problems with this car that I am. Please do something about this. I am not a wealthy person and can not afford to be taken advantage of like this. I paid $23,000 for this car and it is costing me an arm and a leg to keep it running. I do not own another car.

Filed Mar 16, 2010 · Engine · 45,000 miles · IL

I own a 2004 mazda rx8 and have never had more problems with a car in my life. Shortly after buying it, it would not start, had it towed to dealer, they could not find a problem. Have had to have it towed 8 times now because it stalls when coming to a stop or when taking off. It has sat all winter due to not starting. My had sweat just thinking about driving this car and I will only take back roads, one near miss on the highway was enough for me to stay off and stay on back roads, at least then I have some chance of getting it to the side of the road. My car has been in the shop so many times I have lost count although I have all of the repair orders. They did replace the engine, but it still runs rough, now the engine lite is on again!!!! This is the only car I have to drive and I can not trade it in because all the dealers know about the car and will not give me even one half of what I paid for it. I have seen so many complaints on this car for so many reasons and can not believe the car itself has not been recalled. They should buy them all back for what we paid for them mine was $23,000. Why aren't you doing what you have done to toyota??????? I am going to die in this car!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You ask for approximate incident date, well I have about 20 of them and you only allow one.

Filed Mar 12, 2010 · Engine · 47,000 miles · CT

I own a mazda rx8-2004. Since purchase it has always idled rough. On occasion the vehicle will not start, supposedly flooded. Now just yesterday it was idling rough again but while merging on to the highway the engine cut off in an instant. The car lost all power. I was able to pull over to the side of the road and it did restart. I'm afraid to have my family in this car anymore. There are known issues with the rotary engine and failure it a big problem. This car has been recalled for the engine before but passed the mazda "tests" and was never replaced. It's been documented by thousands of consumers. This engine failure is no different than the toyota gas pedal problem that is putting consumers lives at risk. This problem is the reverse, you could be changing lanes and loose all power and get run over by a tractor trailer. Why are the complaints about this vehicle being ignored? Is it because it's only one mazda model and it doesn't have that many cars on the road? This vehicle is a lemon and a danger to drive. I cannot believe more deaths have not occurred and mazda is allowed to sweep this under the carpet. I would get rid of this car but all car dealers know the deal with it and won't give you a penny for it thus I need to continue to drive this death trap. Please help us helpless consumers. Mazda should not be able to allow this to happen.

Filed Oct 28, 2009 · Engine · 59,000 miles · OH

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mazda rx8. When attempting to turn the ignition the vehicle exhibited a no-start condition. The battery was replaced. The repair did not remedy the failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for inspection. The technician was unable to identify the cause of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic on four separate occasions for identical failures, but the failure has not been remedied. The failure mileage as 59,000. The current mileage was 62,000.