Most common 2008 Mazda RX-8 problems
Share of the 17 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mazda RX-8 complaints by model year
Best RX-8 years: 2011, 2010, 2009. Years to avoid: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007. Compare all years →
2008 Mazda RX-8 recalls (5)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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,…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Mazda MPV vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington,…
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018 for MPV vehicles.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
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…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
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.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump filter kit, free of charge. The recall began on July 31, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
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.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump sealing ring set and add a thermal insulation pad to the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2017.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2008 Mazda RX-8:
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
What 2008 Mazda RX-8 owners say
Air bags
Takata recall, my car suddenly stopped on the side, of the 101 freeway off the west lake village exit going south, and would not turn on. I had my car towed to the Mazda dealership after finding out of the recall on the fuel pump and air bags on the Mazda website. After 3 days at the dealership and being charged 3 hours of $115.00 hour they were not able to repair my car or replace the recall. They suggested for me to buy a new engine that would cost me $7000.00
The dashboard that covers the passenger airbag has been cracking in the outline of the airbag since prior to 10/4/2012. Mazda said they would not cover the replacement. I've attached my 10/4/2012 request for an estimate of repair, but I did not get it repaired. I believe they should be paying for this defect. I've also attached a picture of the dashboard as of today. I am afraid it is going to burst open and injure or kill someone.
Steering
While driving to work on day during a turn the power steering partially went out making the turn very difficult to hold and to straighten out after. Upon leaving work the steering worked fine until the next day when making a turn on my way home the same thing happened with the power steering but still no light indicating a problem. I then decided to take the car in but the whole drive to the dealership it would creak and not always want to turn completely making the trip take longer trying to avoid highways and to many sharp turns in fear of it locking up. This is very dangerous aspecialy coming out of winter season and going into spring with all the rain. This should be a recal in the us since it is a recal in other parts of the world.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Mazda RX-8. While driving 45 MPH making a left or right turn, the steering wheel seized and became difficult to maneuver. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, but not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.
Engine & cooling
I took my RX in to get power steering issues fixed just to find out that the oil cooler lines were rusting out which is also a recall in other parts of the world but not the us. In the upper states this can be a massive problem if oil starts spraying all over the motor and the ground it could cause environmental, and safety hazards to other people on the road. If gone unnoticed it could easily cause engine failure and potential fires from the motor while on the road which no one wants, there's no reason this recall should not apply to the us, atleast the northernmost states.
Takata recall, my car suddenly stopped on the side, of the 101 freeway off the west lake village exit going south, and would not turn on. I had my car towed to the Mazda dealership after finding out of the recall on the fuel pump and air bags on the Mazda website. After 3 days at the dealership and being charged 3 hours of $115.00 hour they were not able to repair my car or replace the recall. They suggested for me to buy a new engine that would cost me $7000.00
2008 Mazda RX-8 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3L 2-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
| 1.3L 2-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Mazda RX-8 a good car?
Based on 17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 RX-8 rates better than average: 52% fewer complaints than a typical year of the RX-8 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Mazda RX-8?
The air bags — 8 complaints, 47% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the steering (4) and engine & cooling (3).
How many recalls does the 2008 Mazda RX-8 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2008 Mazda RX-8, the most recent from June 15, 2018 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mazda RX-8?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2010 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. See the full Mazda RX-8 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Mazda RX-8 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 73,000 miles; 33% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 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.