2006 Mazda Rx-8
The Verdict
The 2006 Mazda Rx-8 has 60 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (18 complaints) and body (17 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 84/100, it earns a "Smooth Ride" rating. If you're shopping for a Mazda Rx-8, consider the 2011 model year which has 93% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2011 has 93% fewer complaints
View the 2011 Mazda Rx-8 dashboard →
Klunk Score: Smooth Ride
This vehicle year has significantly fewer complaints than average. A reliable choice.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
The contact's grandson owns a 2006 Mazda RX-8. The contact stated that while her grandson was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the vehicle had an oil pressure failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
THERE IS A WHITE BUSHING THAT BREAKS AND IS NOT REPLACEABLE. THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN HAS TO BE REPLACED. THE FACT THAT THIS CAR WAS MADE WITH THIS FLAW IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION. THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES VERY LOOSE AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE.
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.
THE BRACKET FOR THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAS BROKEN 4 TIMES. THE MILAGE IS CURRENTLY 81,000. I'VE CONTACTED MAZDA CORP AND THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM NEW. THEY'RE SAYING UNLESS THERE'S A RECALL WE HAVE TO KEEP BUYING A NEW PEDAL/BRACKET ASSEMBLY. THE METAL THEY USED IS SOFT AND WEAK CAUSING YOU TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CLUTCH. PEDAL GETS STUCK TOO. IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AND AT IDLE. DANGEROUS GOING UP OR DOWN HILLS EVEN AT INTERSECTIONS IT'LL DISABLE YOUR ABILITY TO MOVE. WHEN MAZDA DOES A REPAIR THE PUT THE SAME WEAK JUNK NOT BOTHERING TO REINFORCE OR EVEN FIX THEIR PROBLEM. LOOK IT UP ON THE WEB. JUST ABOUT EVERYONE WITH A MANUAL RX8 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.
I'M WRITING TO STATE ON MY RX8 SHINKA 2006 MAZDA HAS A STEERING WHEEL PROBLEM MOST CONCERNING. I HAVE OWNED IT AND MAINTAINED IT. AS I WAS LEAVING MY BANK I NOTICED A WHITE GASKET OF KIND ON THE FLOOR OF THE DRIVERS SIDE. I WENT TO DRIVE MY CAR AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PLAY IN MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL. AT FIRST I TRIED UNLOCKING AND LOCKING THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS WAS NO GOOD. THERE WAS STILL PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. MEANING YOU CAN MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN UP AND DOWN WITH OUTSIDE UNLOCKING THE COLUMN. THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE. IT'S JUST LIKE THE AIR BAG RECALL. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY THAT MY STEERING WHEEL WILL FAIL WHILE DRIVING MY AWESOME CAR!
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 !
THE CLUTCH PEDAL BINDS UP,OR STICKS DURING RELEASING FROM THE FLOOR,WAS REPLACED BEFORE AND STILL HAS THE SAME ISSUE AND MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP DOES NOT WANT TO HEAR THE COMPLAINT,NOW I WILL PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THEIR REPEATED DEFECT!
MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A DEFECT KNOWN TO MAZDA TO THE EXTENT OF THEM ISSUING A RECALL (OR SSP) IN THE CANADIAN MARKET DUE TO USE OF CORROSIVES AND EXCESSIVE WET SEASONS CAUSING BUILD UP ON AND CORROSION OF THE OIL COOLER LINES. MAZDA CLEARLY STATED IN THE CANADIAN SSP (#76) THAT EXTENSIVE CORROSION COULD CAUSE A LEAK AND/OR LOSS OF PRESSURE, AND KNOWING THAT A LOSS OF PRESSURE OR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OIL WHILE THE CAR WAS IN OPERATION WOULD CAUSE DRASTIC MECHANICAL ENGINE FAILURE BY WAY OF BURNING OUT THE SEALS/ROTORS/BEARINGS AND EVENTUAL SEIZURE OR TOTAL LOSS OF COMPRESSION IN THE MOTOR. THE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE DUE TO CORROSION DIRECTLY RESULTING FROM THIS CAUSED MY APEX SEALS TO OVERHEAT AND NO LONGER PROVIDE A SEAL TO ALLOW THE MOTOR TO HOLD COMPRESSION. DUE TO THIS FAILURE DIRECTLY CAUSED BY THE KNOWN DEFECT, AND THE FACT THAT THE ISSUE WAS PUT IN PLACE FOR CANADA DUE TO THEIR HIGH PROPENSITY FOR EXTENDED WET SEASONS AND HIGH USE OF CORROSIVES TO ALLEVIATE WINTERY CONDITIONS ON THE ROADWAYS, MAZDA SHOULD ALSO HAVE ISSUED REGIONAL OR CASE-BY-CASE RECALLS OF VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCE THIS SAME DEFECT IN AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES THAT EXPERIENCE SIMILAR CONDITIONS. HAD I BEEN TRAVELLING ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOT ON A 25MPH CITY ROAD, I COULD HAVE EXPERIENCE A MAJOR ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT BECAUSE OF MY MOTOR FAILURE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER CASES OF THIS DEFECT SHOWING IN AMERICAN VEHICLES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, FROM NEAR ME (IN NEW ENGLAND) TO CALIFORNIA THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED ONLINE. I CAN CONTACT THE LICENSED MECHNIC WHO DEALT WITH THE VEHICLE FOR COPIES OF HIS WORK ORDERS, AND I HAVE RECEIPTS TO PROVE THAT I PURCHASED OIL COOLER LINES AS REPLACEMENTS BEFORE I KNEW OF THE LOSS OF COMPRESSION AND RUINED MOTOR. MAZDA USA WAS OF NO HELP IN ALLEVIATING THE PROBLEM, AND I AM NOW OUT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON A VEHICLE THAT I HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED BEFORE THE EVENT OCCURRED
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE EVENING OF FEBRUARY 21ST. I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN SO I PRESSED ON THE CLUTCH TO GET THE CAR IN GEAR, WHEN I PUSHED DOWN HOWEVER, THE CLUTCH MADE A LARGE SNAPPING SOUND AND MOVED DOWN A LITTLE FURTHER THAN USUAL. I WENT TO PUT THE CAR BACK INTO GEAR ANYWAY AND NOTICED THAT THE CLUTCH WAS MUCH LOOSER THAN BEFORE. IT WAS WIGGLING FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND HAD MUCH MORE DEAD SPACE BEFORE IT CAUGHT ON THE ACTUAL CLUTCH. I ALSO NOTICED IT WAS MUCH MUCH HARDER TO GET MY CAR INTO GEAR. I HAVE TO PUSH AND SLAM THE STICK INTO GEAR IN ORDER TO GET IT TO FIT. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 2004-2007 MAZDA RX-8'S. THE CAR CAN STILL BE DRIVEN, HOWEVER I BELIEVE THE FULL CLUTCH SHAFT COULD SNAP OFF IF PRESSED TO HARD.
CLUTCH PEDAL SNAP OFF ISSUE WITH RX-8 OWNERS CONTINUES TO BE A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN, AS THE WELDS HOLDING THE PEDAL TOGETHER CAN AND WILL SNAP, LEAVING THE DRIVER UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS OR USE THEIR VEHICLE, EVEN IF IN OPERATION AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED WITH MY VEHICLE AS OF 11/20/17. THE WARRANTY MAZDA HAS ISSUED SIMPLY IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH, AS THE WARRANTY SIMPLY REPLACES THE BROKEN CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET WITH ONE OF THE SAME DESIGN & FLAW THAT WILL LEAD TO THE SAME FAILURE. MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND I WAS ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE GEARS ACCELERATING WHEN THIS OCCURRED.
TAKATA RECALL. MY 2006 MAZDA RX8 HAS HAD TWO RECALLS DONE ON IT. THE 2ND OWNER HAD IT DONE AND AFTERWARDS A SMALL CRACK STARTED FROM ONE POINT WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. WE HAD IT DONE IN GAINESVILLE AGAIN AND BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION. THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING EXCEPT TO BUY A NEW DASH. THE CRACKS HAVE CONTINUED TO SPREAD AND I'M CONCERNED THAT IF THE AIR BAG INFLATES PERSONAL INJURY COULD BE DONE TO THE PASSENGER FROM PARTS OF THE DASH EXPLODING. I WILL NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO RIDE IT THE PASSENGERS SEAT BECAUSE OF THIS. THIS CONTINUES TO GET WORSE OVER TIME NOT ON A CERTAIN DAY. WE KEEP A SUNSHADE IN THE WINDOW HOPING THAT WILL SLOW IT DOWN BUT TO NOW AVAIL. THIS IS A PLEASURE CAR AND ONLY AS LESS THAN 36000 MILES ON IT AND IT NOT ABUSED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT NOTICED A FUEL ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MOFFITT VOLKSWAGEN INC. (1960 OLD MINDEN ROAD P.O. BOX 5855 BOSSIER CITY, LA 71111), AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FUEL ODOR. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE DE-FLOODED DUE TO A BLOCKAGE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE CONTACT DECLINED THE REPAIR AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DE-FLOODED. A WEEK LATER, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE ODOR INTENSIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAKAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE MOFFITT VOLKSWAGEN INC. DEALER AND WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V793000 (FUEL SYSTEM,GASOLINE). AFTER THE REPAIR, THE ENGINE INDICATOR CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE ODOR PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,700.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V793000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
AIRBAG RECALL
PASSENGER AIRBAG COVER IS CRACKED ALL OVER, WAS TOLD IT WAS FROM THE AIRBAG. DOING THE RECALL FOR THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND WAITING ON THE FUEL TANK RECALL.
THE VEHICLE IS LEAKING GAS FROM THE FUEL PUMP. IT SMELLS REALLY BAD SCARED TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE GAS SMELL STAY IN THE CABIN. PEOPLE WHEN I PARK NEXT TO THEM SAY YOU HAVE A BAD GAS LEAK . BUT IT'S JUST DRIPPING FROM THE FUEL PUMP TO WHERE THE FUEL LINE CONNECTS AND I JUST NEED HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE IF PEOPLE CAN TELL ME I HAVE A BAD GAS LEAK JUST BY PARKING RIGHT NEXT TO ME ALSO SEEM LIKE IT LEAKS WHILE CAR IS OFF ALSO IT IS HIGHLY IMPORTANT THAT A PERSON IS NOT TO INHALE GAS FUMES ALL DAY PLEASE HELP THANK YOU *TR
THE PASSENGER AIRBAG COVER IS CRACKED REALLY BAD. I'VE GOT A NOTICE SAYING THERE WAS A RECALL FOR AIRBAGS. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE INFLATORS ONLY LEAVING THE OLD AIRBAG IN THERE.
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 *TR
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V382000 (AIR BAGS). HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASH BOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V382000 (AIR BAG). THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED FOR THEIR SAFETY DUE TO THE AIR BAG BEING EXPOSED AND THE AIR BAG MAY DEPLOY DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.
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