Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Mazda RX-8 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 116 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 116, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS STARTED AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED, THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS ACTIVATED AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY BRACKET SNAPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
MY CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN CREAKING NOW AND SHAKING NOW FOR QUITE SOME TIME. ORIGINALLY (A YEAR OR SO AGO) WHEN I ASKED TO RECEIVE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON IT FROM MAZDA THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT "BAD" ENOUGH BUT WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WAIT FOR IT TO FAIL ON THE ROAD SO I HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT REPLACED AND A TOW TRUCK? I HAVE A 2004 AND THE WARRANTY FOR EVERYTHING IS NOW OVER BASED ON TIME. *TT
THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS STARTING TO SQUEAK A LOT AND WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL. HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T FAIL WHILE I AM DRIVING. *TR
THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON MY 2004 MAZDA RX8 STARTED MAKING A NOTICEABLE SQUEAKING NOISE CONSTANTLY FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS. AT ONE POINT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AROUND 50 MPH, IT MADE A LOUD CRACKING SOUND AND I NOTICED THE CLUTCH PEDAL BECAME IMMEDIATELY LOOSE WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE GEARS. IT CAUSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO STOP WORKING AND THUS IMPEDING MY ABILITY TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND CONTROL ITS SPEED. THE CONSEQUENCE OF THIS FAILURE COULD OF CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IF THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGHER SPEED AND/OR ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX8. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH HE DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH AND HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE BEFORE STOPPING THE VEHICLE. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE FROM THE STOP POSITION HE REALIZED THAT HE HAD TO DEPRESS THE CLUTCH ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR IN ORDER FOR IT TO ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HER RESIDENCE WHERE HE NOTICED THAT THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAD DETACHED FROM ITS HINGE. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE, AND IT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 51,500.
MY 2004 MAZDA RX-8'S CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET HAS BROKEN. I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP FOR SOME CLUTCH PROBLEMS I HAVE BEEN HAVING WITH THE CLUTCH NOT ENGAGING OR DISENGAGING PROPERLY AND THE FIRST THING THEY LOOKED AT WAS MY CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET. IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS IS WHAT WAS CAUSING ALL OF MY PROBLEMS. THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO THE FIREWALL BROKE ALONG THE WELDS FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE TECH TOLD ME IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 04 RX-8'S AND IT IS USUALLY MISDIAGNOSED AS A CLUTCH FAILURE. THIS IS A REALLY BIG PROBLEM AS THE BRACKET BRAKING CAUSES THE CLUTCH TO NOT FULLY ENGAGE OR DISENGAGE WHICH LEADS TO PREMATURE CLUTCH FAILURE AND CAN ALSO BE AS EXTREME AS THE CLUTCH PEDAL COMPLETELY BREAKING OFF AND OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. I HAD TO HAVE MY CLUTCH REPLACED AS WELL DUE TO THE EXTRA WEAR CAUSE BY NOT FULLY ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING. MY CAR HAS EVEN STALLED IN INTERSECTIONS AFTER A LIGHT TURNS GREEN BECAUSE THE CLUTCH WOULD FULLY ENGAGE TO SHIFT INTO 1ST PROPERLY. *TR
MY 2004 MAZDA, HAS 60K MILES ON IT. ALREADY HAVE HAD ENGINE FAILURE, LEAVING ME STRANDED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH THE HEAT SHIELD AND SENSORS. NOW MY CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET IS APPARENTLY BROKEN, IT STARTED OFF SQUEAKING LOUDLY AND EMBARRASSINGLY. SOUNDED LIKE IT NEEDED SOME WD40 OR SOMETHING, ALSO LEANING INWARD TOWARD THE BRAKE, CAUSING ME TO SOMETIMES INADVERTENTLY DEPRESS THE BRAKE ALONG WITH THE CLUTCH. IT SOON AFTER COMPLETELY BROKE, DEPRESSING NEARLY TO THE FLOOR AND LEAVING ME STRANDED ONCE AGAIN ON THE EXPRESSWAY. I KNOW I'M NOT DRIVING A BMW/AUDI/MERCEDES ETC. BUT I'M ALSO NOT DRIVING A KIA, YET MY ROOMMATES KIA HAS FAR LESS PROBLEMS AND ISN'T LEFT WITHOUT A CAR NEARLY AS OFTEN AS I AM. *TR
I WAS PULLING OUT ON A MAIN STRETCH OF ROAD WITH BUSY TRAFFIC AS I PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH ON MY 2004 MAZDA RX8 THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY BROKE AND I COULD NOT GET THE CAR INTO GEAR. I PAID 400+ DOLLARS TO GET THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY REPLACED AND RAN FOR ABOUT 20,000 MILES AND NOW THE TRANNY WILL NOT ENGAGE AGAIN. *TR
I WENT TO START MY VEHICLE AS I PUSHED THE CLUTCH PEDAL IN AND TURNED THE KEY IT STARTED BUT WHEN I RELEASED THE PEDAL IT STAYED HALF WAY DOWN AND MOVED TOWARDS THE RIGHT, RESULTING IN POOR SHIFT QUALITY AND A WEAK CLUTCH. *TR
THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY STAR MAKING NOISE WHEN YOU DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH. CAUSING THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY BROKE AND MAKE DON'T ENGAGE . *TR
ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 5TH @ APPROX 5:30PM, I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD. DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL BEFORE SHIFTING GEARS. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PEDAL WAS FULLY DEPRESSED, I HEARD SOMETHING BREAK. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FROM THAT MOMENT ON, I WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT THE CAR INTO GEAR. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY MYSELF, I HAD FOUND THAT THE METAL BRACKET WHICH SECURES THE CLUTCH PEDAL, HAD SPLIT/CRACKED. THIS MADE THE CLUTCH PEDAL LOOSE AND IT WAS NO LONGER IN PROPER ALIGNMENT (WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE CLUTCH PEDAL WITH MY FOOT OR HAND LATERALLY A FEW INCHES.) DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS FAILURE, I WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN GEAR (EVEN WITH CLUTCH PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED).....THIS MADE THE CAR INOPERABLE. THE ENGINE WOULD START WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY DEPRESSED AND THE IGNITION TURNED TO THE START POSITION, BUT THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO ANY GEAR. *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
I OWN A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. AS I WAS TURNING RIGHT IN SECOND GEAR, I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND THEN HEARD A LOUD SNAP. THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY IS NOW VERY LOOSE AND NOT WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER STRUCTURALLY SOUND. WHEN I GOT HOME, I NOTICED THAT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET HAD SNAPPED. THIS HAS CAUSED THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO EASILY MOVE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. *TR
CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY SNAPPED OFF AT ONE OF THE WELD POINTS. THE WELDS ARE TOO WEAK AND THE METAL IS TOO THIN. THIS IS HAPPENING TO EVERYONE WHO OWNS AN RX8. MY CAR IS A 2004 WITH 56K MILES. I AM AN OLDER MALE AND MY CAR IS DRIVEN VERY SENSIBLY AND WITH NO ABUSE. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED BEFORE MAZDA IS REQUIRED TO RECALL AND PROPERLY UPGRADE THESE CLUTCH PEDALS. I HAD TWO SMALL KIDS IN THE CAR AND THANKFULLY WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF HARMS WAY WHEN THE PEDAL SNAPPED. *TR
DURING A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, I TRIED TO ENGAGE INTO 1ST GEAR, STEPPING ON THE CLUTCH AS USUAL, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HEARD A LOUD "POP" COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE CLUTCH, AND ALSO FELT THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAS DROPPED TO THE FLOOR AND I COULD NOT ENGAGE INTO ANY GEAR, I PUT MY HAZARD LIGHTS AND FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO FORCE IT INTO 1ST GEAR AND MANAGE TO DRIVE HOME, THE PART HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED AS IT WAS JUST HAPPENED ON AUG 20 AROUND 11:00 PM. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY FRIENDS 2004 MAZDA RX-8 WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL SNAPPED. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT STOPPED AND INTO NEUTRAL. THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET WAS FOUND DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPLACED. *TR
1. NORMAL DAILY DRIVING RESULTED IN CLUTCH FAILURE. 2. HEARD A "POP" WHILE DEPRESSING CLUTCH PEDAL AND CLUTCH BECAME "SPONGY". SINCE THEN IT AS CONSTANTLY OCCURRED AND NOW THE CLUTCH WILL NOT RELEASE. IT HAS ALSO BEEN DIFFICULT TO GET THE SHIFTER INTO GEAR. CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET HAS COME APART AT ONE OF THE WELDS. 3. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, BUT I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY WITH A REINFORCED ONE TO FIX THE ISSUE. *TR
I HAVE A MAZDA RX-8 2004 I DISCOVERED THAT MY CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET HAD BROKEN AWAY FROM FIREWALL AND HAS CAUSED A SAFETY ISSUE AS SUCH IF IM DECELERATING I CANNOT TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR THUS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OPPOSITE FOR ACCELERATING AND THE INABILITY TO GO INTO ANY GEAR OR REVERSE. IM IN THE MILITARY AND UPON MY SUPERIORS ORDERS AM NO LONGER ALLOWED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL REPAIR WHICH IS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION. THIS IS NOT PART OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE. *TR
FOR A WEEK OR SO PRIOR TO FAILURE, I HEARD A SQUEAK COMING FROM THE CLUTCH. HAD CAR IN TO CHANGE TIRES, MECHANIC NOTED CLUTCH PEDAL WAS SOFT AND ADVISED I HAVE IT LOOKED AT THE NEXT DAY. ON THE WAY HOME CLUTCH PEDAL KICKED OVER TO THE RIGHT AND I WASN'T ABLE TO ENGAGE CLUTCH & SHIFT,STUCK IN 2ND GEAR. LUCKY FOR ME I DIDN'T GET IN A COLLISION, WAS ROLLING THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION, WAS ABLE TO GET TO A PARKING LOT AND STALLED AND STOPPED THE CAR. RESET CLUTCH PEDAL RED GREENED IT AND LIMPED IT HOME TILL I HAD IT FIXED A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER. *TR
CLUTCH PEDAL BROKEN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. ASSEMBLY SNAPPED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. *TR
UPON NORMAL CLUTCH OPERATION WHILE DRIVING, A LOUD SNAP WAS HEARD AND THEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL STOPPED FUNCTIONING CAUSING ME TO BE UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS. ONCE STOPPED, THE CAR WOULD START AGAIN BUT THE CLUTCH PEDAL WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO PUT THE CAR IN GEAR. THE PEDAL WAS NOW MOVING TOWARDS THE RIGHT WHEN STEPPED ON. UPON INSPECTION IT APPEARS THAT PART OF THE PEDAL BRACKET HAD SNAPPED AND CAUSED THE CLUTCH TO MALFUNCTION. I HAD TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND PUT IT IN FIRST GEAR, THEN RESTART THE CAR IN ORDER TO DRIVE IT. I GOT IT HOME SAFE AND THEN TOWED IT TO THE NEAREST MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND SPENT $310 ON A NEW CLUTCH PEDAL. IF I WAS ON A BUSY ROAD I WOULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE THE BAD PART IF YOU WANT IT FOR INSPECTION! *TR
THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY HAS BROKEN CAUSING THE CLUTCH TO BE COMPLETELY DEPRESSED FOR THE CLUTCH TO ENGAGE. THIS HAPPENED AFTER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE REPAIR CONSISTED OF INSTALLATION OF A NEW ASSEMBLY. IF THE ASSEMBLY FAILED WHEN BROKEN THE CAR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE PUT IN GEAR RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR
THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET BROKE WHEN DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. *TR
MAZDA 2004 RX-8. CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET SNAPPED. LUCKILY I WAS STARTING THE CAR WHEN IT BROKE. HAD THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS MOVING, I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SLOW DOWN SINCE THE CLUTCH PEDAL NOW MOVES SIDEWAYS AND CAN INTERFERE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL. *TR
MY 2004 MAZDA RX-8 ONLY HAS 53,000 MILES ON IT AND IS AGAIN IN THE SHOP DUE TO MANUFACTURER-RELATED ENGINE FAILURE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN 1 YEAR I'VE BEEN LEFT STRANDED IN HAZARDOUS CIRCUMSTANCES BECAUSE OF ENGINE FAILURE. I'VE ALSO EXPERIENCED POWER STEERING FAILURE AND LOSS OF ENGINE COMPRESSION/ENGINE MISFIRES WHILE DRIVING ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. AS A RESULT, I'M BECOMING INCREASINGLY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY, AS WELL AS FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS WHO OWN/OPERATE THIS TYPE OF MAZDA VEHICLE. PLEASE CONSIDER ORGANIZING A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST MAZDA TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR PUTTING MANY VALUABLE LIVES AT RISK. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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