Engine complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
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
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.
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. …
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. …
The contact owns a 2004 Mazda RX-8. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the engine. The dealer determined that the engine had no compression. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Engine naturally wears out especially after 200k miles due to friction in the natural design of the Rotary engine, resulting in losing its overall function such as turning off in the middle of a drive due to loss of compression from worn Apex Seals of the Rotary. The rotary engine requires a replacement of the Apex Seals to continue functioning normally to avoid any unpredictable accidents due to engine failure. An event occurred where my RX-8 went into limp mode in the middle of the freeway as i was commuting due a misfire from poor compression, this is more then likely a common event nowadays for RX-8 owners starting at the S1 2004 models with newer models soon to follow the same incident as me. This is completely unsafe especially traveling at 65 MPH
Related recalls (1)
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Mazda RX-8 years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2004 (139), 2005 (37) and 2006 (7) model years. Engine complaints make up 28% of all complaints for the 2004.
Is there a recall for Mazda RX-8 engine problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 05V-317 (engine and engine cooling, Jul 7, 2005). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Mazda RX-8 engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles; 45% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (45 mentions), followed by the exhaust system (10).
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.