Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Mazda RX-8 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My steering wheel is turning to the left on its own and it is difficult to turn to the right. I have researched online and I'm not the only one having the problem. I don't feel safe driving my vehicle and I am disappointed in the quality of parts. Issue 2: after the first recall on my vehicle, my motor is giving me issues again after being replaced 40,000 miles later. It turns off at idle and has problems starting. I fear this might be a safety issue.
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. …
I purchased a used 2005 Mazda RX-8 from a dealer. Signed a warranty although there were not a buyers guide or a used car sticker displayed anywhere on the vehicle. The vehicle originally belonged to Mazda bommarito as evidenced by the faded residual imprint of the bommarito lettering that had beem removed likely due to being unwanted inventory. I knew ahead of time that this particular vehicle has a rotary engine that requires standard maintenance and care which I have been performing and documenting along with all recalls. These include- let the engine warm up, regularly topped off all fluids decarbed and cleaned sensors etc internal maintenance care/break in period and replaced spark plugs/ leads with factory genuine OEM first hand. After owning it less than a year, with only 50K miles on it, it began to run very poorly. …
The external oil lines and connection fittings for the rotory engine lubrication points and cooling have corroded away form road salt in minnesota. Driving causes engine oil to be sprayed on front wheel and brakes causing front brake failure and possible engine fire problems. The corrosion was so bad that each attempt to fix an oil leak ended up braking more corroded oil fittings off. The total repair in 2017 ended being over $1,000 dollars for just parts plus labor. Mazda has previously paid to fix all Mazda RX-8s sold to people in Canada because of road salt corrosion failures of these same oil lines. Why doesn't the USA have consumer protection like canadian citizens have! I paid a repair shop by me $1,037.81 for the repairs. The mechanic lost about another $1,000 in after market fittings and hoses plus time, but each fix broke more fittings. …
Hi, I purchased my 2005 rx8 new in December of 2005. I have 38000 miles at present time. My vehicle has been towed three times due to stalling. I have had my vehicle in for all recalls and it has passed all test. I am still having problems with engine stalling while driving. My vehicle also back fires at times blowing black smoke from tail pipes. I have serious concerns over the safety of my vehicle due to the known fires caused by the rotary engine. I have phoned and visited many dealers to see if Mazda has issued a buy back or trade due to issues with the rx8 and they have all replied with "sorry, but we can sell you a different Mazda at retail". I have had my vehicle to the Mazda repair shop so many times that I no longer even bother to take it in because I always get the same answer. I really just want my car fixed or something else to drive that is safe. …
Dt: the consumer purchased a new Mazda rx8. The vehicle experienced what the consumer suspected was a problem that occurred while in park and the rpms increased, causing excessive heat buildup which affected the oxygen sensors as well as the ability to drive the vehicle. This could also lead to a fuel tank leak and ultimately a fire. Vehicle would not restart and had to be towed to the Mazda dealer. The Mazda dealer notified the consumer about a recall of a similar nature concerning the fuel tank. The Mazda dealer from where the vehicle was purchased informed the consumer at the time of purchase or afterwards about the recall. The dealer who performed the repair was completing the recall service as instructed, but the consumer was upset that she was not notified of the recall while purchasing the vehicle. Recall repairs began in August 2005 the same month of vehicle purchase. …
I'm going in today for the third time because my ac continues to make a noise when the fan is blowing. I cant even begin to list all of the problems I've had with this car. Just to name a few I'm on my second engine, new brakes, battery and tires before 40K miles and I was told by three different shops that something is really wrong with the brakes but Mazda claims other wise. I've had a two new radiators and my driver window went out along with everything else from the visor falling off during the hot summer because it just melted. How does a "sun visor" melt. I've had the shifting paddles replaced because they just didn't work and I don't even really use them, the gas cap lock broke and I had to pry it open since the eject no longer worked... I think you get the point and I didn't even mention some of the bi items. I've never had so many problems with a car in my life. …
2005 RX-8 leaking oil cooler line faults breaks car veered off the road onto right side grass under heavy breaking due to suddenly slowing traffic. Normally, car breaks very well, linearly, and straight. After checking what caused this, I found the entire left underside sprayed with engine oil. Oil came from rusted engine cooler lines located right next to the front left wheel well. About a 10 second engine run showed a stream of oil spraying towards the tire through a crack in the rusted cooling line. Underbody, left front tire, and breaks were covered with oil. There was no collision only because the area where car was pulled off to the side had no obstacles. Lucky me! Car is obviously not drivable as engine oil is visibly leaking and breaks are compromised with greasy oil residue. …
My 2005 rx8 continually leaked oil to the point of the engine oil light coming on. Since rx8's consume oil in the combustion process, at first this seemed somewhat normal. After a few days of adding oil only to have the light come back on, I took my car to the dealer. The mechanic brought me out to the car to show me that the oil cooling lines had been rusted out and as he put it "were spraying oil". Aside from the fact that Mazda used parts that don't resist corrosion, this is a safety issue as the lines were literally spraying oil and had the potential to spray oil onto the wheels/brakes creating a hazardous situation. Mazda is now charging an exorbitant amount to repair something that shouldn't be occurring in the first place. This exact problem has LED to a recall in Canada, but Mazda claims there aren't enough occurrences in the USA. …
I own a 2005 Mazda rx8 6 speed. The vehicle has 14,000 miles. On 5/30/06 the engine began to stall, sputter and make a clicking noise at over 4500 RPM. I brought the vehicle into a nearby Mazda dealer. I was told by service personnel that 4 other rx8's were currently in the shop due to the same problems. I was told that the problem is heat related and more prevalent in hot climates. Service personnel added that the ECU would need to be sent to Mazda to be reflashed. If that did not cure the problem the motor May need to be replaced. I called a Mazda dealer in las vegas in order to see if they were experiencing the same issues. They confirmed that they were. I confronted local management and asked if they were informing potential and/or new buyers about the motor problem. He stated no and added that he was not required to do so. The car was returned to me on 6/8/06 symptom free. …
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling
If certain passenger vehicles are parked and the engine is operated at high RPM's for an excessive length of time, some of the parts around the exhaust system can melt and produce a variety of malfunctions.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace parts. The recall began on August 30, 2005. Owners May contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500.
Engine complaints in other RX-8 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2005 Mazda RX-8?
NHTSA has 37 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2005 Mazda RX-8, 23% of the model year's 162 complaints. The component named most often is engine (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Mazda RX-8 engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 05V-317 (engine and engine cooling, Jul 7, 2005). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2005 Mazda RX-8 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 21% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.