Transmission complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
2009 RX 8 Mazda VIN#[redacted] I was driving down the freeway and all the sudden the cruise control shut off causing the car to immediately slow down by 10 miles an hour. The cruise control would not re-engage. I am now having an issue where it feels my ABS is engaging when I first start driving in first and second gear. I have taken this car to the Mazda dealership where they said they could not recreate the problem. They simply stated it could just be the 100+ degree texas weather.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Mazda RX-8. While driving approximately 20 MPH, the clutch pedal became unresponsive without warning. The contact stopped at a red light and the gear did not immediately shift into first gear. The failure recurred and the vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer (garden city Mazda in garden city, ny) where it was diagnosed that the clutch pedal failed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. The failure was not repaired. The contact did not receive notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 16V793000 (fuel system, gasoline) and 17V354000 (fuel system, gasoline). The failure mileage was approximately 90,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
I was driving on i4, and went to shift from 4th gear to 5th gear; I heard a snap and the clutch pedal went to the floor. I then had about 2 inches of travel in my clutch pedal. The clutch pedal breaking is a known issue with Mazda rx8s. No, I do not have a heavy duty clutch.
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.
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.
The steering wheel sometimes its hard to control sometimes its normal and when going fast the steering is so loose like there's a gaps that you need your two hands on the steering all time and the weels Weigel at high speed 60mph. its hard drive the car on the freeway And everyday use i already spend $2800 at the dealership get fix but never get fix The car no accident to be like that. Car has 80k mileage
Clutch pedal bracket broken under normal conditions. I went to push the clutch in to downshift at highway speeds to over take a slower vehicle and it snapped with an audible "pop" and I couldnt shift into the lower gear and my rpms, went to idle at highway speed. Had it broken at a different time, I could have been locked into a certain gear and ha to break fast or crash risking the lives of my occupants and the occupants of another vehicle
As I pressed my cars clutch to change gears (6 speed manual ) while driving on my regular Sunday drive in a city street, I heard and felt a very loud explosion and noises of metal pieces ejecting from under my car. I was in the 60km/h zone so was not speeding or going fast such as on a freeway etc. I was able to pull over safely while rolling as the engine had been disabled in the explosion. I could feel my left foot was in extreme pain. My car would not start. I feared that the engine had blown up. My car is very well maintained and serviced regularly with no modifications. What I discovered was that the transmission had detonated, the gearbox bell housing was torn apart (got pictures to prove it) and I found parts of the clutch in many tiny pieces all over the roads. The clutch was replaced by Mazda 30,000kms ago and at a Mazda dealership using OEM clutch kit. …
Related recalls (1)
Power train › Manual transmission
On certain passenger vehicles with manual transmissions, the heat insulator May be cracked causing abnormal noise.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the heat insulator. The recall began March 5, 2004. Owners should contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500.
NHTSA investigations
Clutch pedal bracket failure
On September 23, 2009, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation to investigate allegations of the clutch pedal bracket failures in MY 2004 - 2006 Mazda RX8 vehicles.In response to an information request letter sent by ODI, Mazda stated that the failure mechanism may be related to an improper fastener attachment sequence to the body.The improper sequence may create a distortion of the…
Frequently asked questions
Which Mazda RX-8 years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2004 (154), 2005 (54), 2006 (13) and 2007 (9) model years. Transmission complaints make up 31% of all complaints for the 2004.
Is there a recall for Mazda RX-8 transmission problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 04V-075 (manual transmission, Feb 17, 2004). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Mazda RX-8 transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 68,000 miles; 22% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the manual transmission (104 mentions), followed by the clutch assembly (28).
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.