Mazda RX-8 Problems and Solutions

trispec · May 2006

Wow. I don't think mine's ever been to 7K on full auto. Hmm. Was your RX-8 2005 made after July 2005?

fishnhard · May 2006

I belive mine was made in Aug of 05. I will double check and let you know.

trispec · May 2006

From the Mazda web site, there still are no recalls on the RX-8 AT made after July 05. I wonder if they are just waiting for more rattle/popcorn/marble folks to come forward. Although there are times, when the rattle/popcorn/marble is less, lower octane fuel fill ups help, the noise never goes away completely in the 2500-3500 RPM range. It's only rarely, once so far, loudly noticeable above 5000 RPM.

I did your other stress test, punching her off the line as hard as she would go in full auto mode. Going up a slight hill stretch, she got to 6500 RPM before she shifted. Going down a slight hill she got to 7000 RPM before the shift. On a flat stretch she also got to 7000 RPM. The shifts were smooth, with no rattle/popcorn/marble that I could tell at least and I was the only passenger. I also had the AC turned off, although I think AC would would let go automatically under heavy take offs like that. I had 93 octane Shell from my favorite station in the gas tank.

I'm gonna still wait for your more long term results before acting. I've got a trip to Maine planned for July. There are some nice road trips up there, with lots of dips and curves that'll let the true sports car nature of the RX-8 shine.

ceej818 · May 2006

I recently ran over a curb... I know, dumb. But I just got my car back and the dealership/insurance company says my car suspension is "within tolerances". The left side is at the bottom end of the tolerance and the right side is at the top end. In other words my car sits with the left rear end lower than the right. They are telling me there is no adjustment needed... But it's obvious to the untrained eye, that it's been wrecked. All they did was replace the wheels and a control bar in the front end. Is there anything I can to do adjust the rear end so it sits level??? Any help would desperately be appreciated. Thanks.

lhess · June 2006

for his new brake job. Hopefully no more screaming to a stop at all the lites and signs. This is supposedly the absolute newest brake kit that Mazda is trying to get these squealers to shut up for good.

Also, my heater control unit has been on back-order (because there's a bunch of them out there screwing up) and it has arrived as well. No more pot luck on whether we're enjoying hot or cold air on any given day!!

murfbear · June 2006

I bought a 2006 RX-8 Shinka 6-SP all options except for NAV, Awesome color in the Copper Red that has been Polished to a blinding shine, and the attractive suade cream color leather seats now has 51 miles, I have looked for a airfilter for the 2006's and can not find any, stock or performance air filter. K&N, Airaid, Green, ETC. I really don't want to install a cold air intake yet, because I don't want to interfer or break up the way the engine covers conceal the engine. Extra H/P would be intersting maybe around an extra 10-15 H/P? Any ideas where to get a simple air filter replacement? By the way I really like this car!

pathstar1 · June 2006

I don't think you'll get more HP with an air filter change (or even with a "cold air intake") but if it makes you -think- you have more HP then that's fine. There is a Mazdaspeed "high flow" air filter, available from the dealers. It's expensive - be warned!

fishnhard · June 2006

You can get a few more HP. Here is the link to show the facts on it http://www.rxtuner.com/farticles/RacingBeatDeliverstheGoods.pdf
The price on the other hand to me is not worth the 10 hp. Then again it is your car. I am waiting till the warranty runs out before I do anything but body mods.

joedirt · June 2006

Hey all.

Just wanted to let all RX-8 owners know that there will soon be a turbo kit available that brings the RX-8 horsepower up to 390.

It was featured in this month's Car & Driver magazine:

http://www.rx8club.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77999

http://www.rx8club.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=78000

mfenton · June 2006

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I have to say that I could not be happier with Customer Relations at Mazda. I just purchased a 2006 Phantom Blue RX-8 AT w/ GT package. I LOVE THIS CAR!!! Well, with not even 450 miles and less than 2 weeks of ownership I ran over something on our lovely Los Angeles freeways and got a flat. Roadside Assistance came right out and plugged the flat, but told me to get to my Mazda dealership and get it repaired properly. Went the next day and when they took the tire off they told me that the damage could not be repaired and that I would need a brand new tire! Of course I was furious and while I know quite a bit about cars, I wasn't sure if I was being taken and because my wife drives the car with our daughter in it I didn't want to take a chance. So of course I dished out the $350.00 for the new tire. I emailed Madza and received a quick response and although the tire is not covered under warranty they are going to reimburse me for the cost of the tire. So as of right now, I am very pleased with they way Mazda takes care of the customers. Just thought I would share.

trispec · June 2006

Yep. I called up Jon Etheridge from the Car and Driver article . He said they were still gathering the various pieces needed for the kit from all over the country and world.

Pathstar posted enough cautions for me to wait and see, although the low end and midrange 80% torque increase looks mighty fine. Fine enough to think about some of those super wide tires.

grinnin · June 2006

I frequently do the same thing trispec. Rev to 3000-3500 for a few seconds and kill the engine as the revs wind down. My dad had a 79 RX-7 when I was a kid (one of the first two shipped to Milwaukee) and he always did the same thing with that car. I have not had a single starting issue here in New England with my 2004 6-sp.

shannonk374 · July 2006

I just bought a rx8 and it seems to have really squeaky brakes it only has 4000 miles on it but i think someone may have scraped a curb real good judging by the look of the rims! I also seem to hear a rattle but unsure of where it is comong from...did you ever solve the question?

trispec · July 2006

Break squeak is normal, but there is a service procedure that supposedly fixes it.

As for the gurgle/popcorn/rattle sound that I still hear at lower RPM ranges when accelerating, I've concluded that it's part of the exhaust systems explosive detonation of the remaining gases as left over from the engine.

I've only registered the issue with Mazda as there are no other problems like check engine lite, loss of power or engine roughness.

The noise seems to be less and less noticed however and so hopefully, it's just a continuing break in issue, like the limited slip differential vibration. Do you have the limited slip differential issue?

pathstar1 · July 2006

Brake noise is caused by hard pads (performance type usually). The Mazda RX-8 pads are known for this. They have new pads that are supposed to be quieter, and they -may- change them for you under warrenty.

If the rims were damaged, check the tire sidewalls carefully. If there is evidence of damage on the sidewalls, I'd be tempted to have the tire pulled off the rim and inspected internally. It is possible to damage a tire sidewall by scraping it hard on a curb - and you don't want it blowing out at 75+ MPH! If there is no damage evident on the sidewalls then the tires are probably ok.

The exhaust can cause rattles - the most common cause is loose heat shields. I've even seen gravel between the heat shield and the exhaust pipe cause rattling.

trispec · July 2006

Wow, totally missed that he was asking about a real rattle. Funny though, I remember the heat shield on my '87 RX-7 rattled.

fishnhard · July 2006

Hi again all,
Yes the brake squeak can be fixed under warranty. There is an updated brake pad and shim kit that Mazda has out. It fixed mine. As far as my rattle noise, mine has still to be fixed. I have had the computer removed and re calibrated and flashed. Still have the rattle, even changed fuel brand as per the tech line request. No change. Mine goes back in again on July 3rd. If this doesn't fix it then I will be talking to the Mazda regional manager of my area about them replacing the car.
In fact I was out car shoping yesterday, the most any dealer will give me for an 05 RX-8 sport with 7200 miles is 19,000. That was even from Mazda. The retail is 25,000+.

trispec · July 2006

Ouch. But I thought there was a noticed performance increase for your RX-8 AT after the rebuild on your PCM.

I still hear the gurgle/popcorn/rattle but only after the car has warmed up. I believe there is less of the noise as well, but I could be less sensitive to hearing it at this point.

PathStar seems fairly sure that's the normal explosive exhaust burning up left over gas. My gas millage is unchanged.

I have registered the issue with Mazda USA.

lhess · July 2006

i just got my squeaky brakes fixed. I mentioned it in the service dept at the Mazda place when i was in for an oil change. they told me my brakes were fine and showing normal wear = no problems.

When I got home to the internet, I looked up the TSB's for the car and saw there was one. I called them back and told them there was a TSB for squeaky brakes and they ordered me a new brake kit immediately. I still have a squeak from time to time (not nearly as bad as the squeeling demon sound they were making), but I'm satisfied with the fix.

Those TSB's were listed on a Mazda dealer website and I'll be happy to post a link here if I can find it again.

PS Both front sway bar links were also popped out of socket and they fixed those during the bake job.

lhess · July 2006

hope this isn't a repost or against the rules here, but here's the site where I got my info:

http://www.finishlineperformance.com/rx8/bulletins_index.html

northfoot · July 2006

My RX8 (2005, purchased in June of that year) had been running fine until one week ago. At that time (warm weather and warmed up engine) the engine warning light came on, and shortly after this, the car stalled out whenever I tried to accelerate. Car has been at dealer for 1 week. First, spark plugs were replaced to a hotter burning version. Also the cars computer was flashed. No improvement. Now, the dealership thinks it may be the ignition coils, which need replacing. Any ideas as to if they are on the right track?
Thanks

xfree143 · July 2006

I parked my RX8 (2005)last night and today it will not start. It turns over but acts like it has no fire at all. I will have to towed to the dealer Monday but does anyone have any ideas? Is this a common problem? :mad: :sick:

pathstar1 · July 2006

The ignition coils can fail. In hot weather they can actually go into thermal runaway. Ask the dealer to show you the ones they removed. If you see any bulging/cracking they are suspect. They have a transistor inside as well as the coil and poor heatsinking. Should be warrenty.

pathstar1 · July 2006

Sounds like it was flooded. There are two possible ways to get it started.

First, hold the accel. pedal to the floor and crank the engine, 10 sec. cranking, 30 sec. cool down. Do not release the accel. pedal until it starts to fire! Holding the accel. pedal to the floor shuts off the fuel injectors so you don't add even more fuel to a flooded engine. It usually takes up to five minutes of this to get it started. You may need to recharge the battery if it was flooded too badly. Note that once it starts it will smoke a bit due to the excess fuel inside the engine. DO NOT shut it off until it warms up!

If this doesn't work and if you are a little mechanically inclined, remove the spark plugs (note which location each was removed from - there are two different types and you want to put them back in the same location - leading and trailing plugs). Inject a squirt of oil into the front and rear rotor housings leaving the plugs out. Turn over the motor - this will eject some oil and fuel (hold the accel. pedal to the floor so it will not inject any more fuel into the engine). Once you've done this, you can reinstall the plugs (check them to see if they are clean and clean them if not - if they were soaked with fuel they need to be cleaned or replaced). Then you can start the engine (do not touch the accel. pedal). Note that it will smoke a bit from the excess fuel and oil inside so don't panic. Don't shut it off until it warms up.

It is still possible to flood an RX-8 but it has become less common these days with the newer flash in the PCM. You should always let the engine warm up before shutting it off (wait until the temp gauge starts to move off the lower peg).

fishnhard · July 2006

Ok all we got out car back from the dealer yet again. Now the tech line is saying that the rattle/popcorn noise is a normal condition. My wife drove another 05 A/T which is the same as ours and it did as well, but was about 1/4 of what ours is doing. I know a few guys that have M/T and they dont have this noise. I am thinking that they dont know what it is so they are now at the point of well must be normal. I have had the computer undated now twice in under 2 months, changed fuel brand, and still it rattles. It got worse after the first flash so we will see. :confuse:

trispec · July 2006

The many popcorn/rattle conversations we've had with helpful folks here, especially PathStar, have built my confidence that the condition is normal. The popcorn/rattle is there, but much less than before. I use to be able to hear the noise in the cab with the windows rolled just sitting in the drive way after a cold start. Now I'm only able to hear it with the windows rolled down, after the engine has been completely warmed up under a strong take off.

My 2005 RX-8 AT has 13K miles. She appears to be burning the same amount of gas (13.5 city/23 highway), but oil consumption seems to be less. Driving around in the heat of summer for the first time, seems to really be breaking in the engine and tranny much more than the previous cooler fall, winter and spring temps. The engine seems much livelier, idles smoother, and the Lim Slip Dif vibrates less on corner take offs.

heeno · July 2006

As a owner of 93 RX7...love/hate I'm considering a new 2006 RX8, 6 speed. Anything I should know about t his car, any packages or options I should consider or stay away from. Thanks

nucmed · July 2006

:sick: I purchased a 2004 Mazda RX8 in March of 05. I hadn't had any major problems with it until about a month ago. As I was driving down the highway, the car wouldn't accelerate. When I proceeded to get of the highway, I took it out of gear to downshift and the car shut off. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and they said it was a program that needed to be downloaded. So apparently the problem was solved. Then this past weekend it happened again. Is this a common problem? or is this an indication that i bought a :lemon: It is so frustrating, I don't know what to do. :sick:

pathstar1 · July 2006

There are many possibilities re causes for this problem. The MAF connection is the first one I would check. It may have gotten wet and corroded.

northfoot · July 2006

I just got my car back from service after repeated stalling (2 weeks repairs). Multiple services performed (hotter spark plugs, PCM flash, recalibration of eccentric shaft position plate, new plug wires, new ignition coils and new fuel pump). All this done under warranty. Point of story is many possible causes for stalling out. Many thanks to Pathstar fo his advice. Questions:
1. Would driving at higher shift points near redline help prevent these problems, at least in part?
2. Could using a brushless car wash have caused water to get in and cause these problems?
Thanks

nucmed · July 2006

Well got a phone call today from the dealer. He said they will be replacing the entire engine. He said something about the combustor not working.

pathstar1 · July 2006

1. Driving at higher shift points helps keep carbon buildup to a minimum in the combustion chambers and exhaust. It may also help to keep the spark plugs burned clean, but that is debateable. The spark plugs are in little chambers of their own, to protect them from the apex seals. There are small holes in the chamber to the inside of the rotor housing (one is about 1/4" in dia. and the other about 3/16"). I think they way it works is turbulance injects the air/fuel into the spark plug chambers, and when the plugs fire the gas in there ignites and the flame front advances through the small hole, so higher revs. etc. would probably have minimal effect on the plug heating.
2. If you're talking of the brushless carwash you drive thru, no. The hood is closed. Jets of water would have a very difficult time getting to anything sensitive. If you used a high pressure washer on the engine bay, then yes.

nannerhut · July 2006

Took my RX-8 2004 back to the dealership. My husband loves this car, and used to own a RX-7...but we've been have so many little problems lately that it's really become a thorn in my side. I just took it back to the dealer for sqeeky brakes, and the craziest thing happened. My passenger-side sun visor totally broke and won't fold up.. I just got in the car and saw it in the down position (which is odd since we don't use it..ever) and tried to put it back up and it wouldn't go. We probably have had it flipped up and down less than 6 times! The plastic just literally shredded apart. After inspecting the drive side..it looks like it's about to break too. Mazda said this has been a problem and the new ones should hold up better. We are no longer under warranty and it's going to cost us almost $150 per visor. We have had the car flood on us once (we are so careful now) but even with the new starter, it doesn't work all that well. Having my a/c checked for the millionth time, and even with the a/c amplifier my car still does not cool down properly. It get's "cool" at best. I am now too noticing the popcorn sound..not so much a major problem..just very annoying. And two weeks ago I noticed the gear shifter starting to have superfical cracks. The car is only 2 1/2 years old. I know this things are minor...but all of these little things keep adding up. It's really driving me crazy.

slingshot80 · July 2006

Its unbelievable that there are so many problems with this car and poor mileage to boot. You could live with the mileage if it was reliable. The flooding issue is a real safety issue in my mind. What if it doesn't start and you are in a dicey neighborhood? They don't even advertise them anymore in Boston. CR also rates the 6 as having major problems.

I had been thinking of getting one due to my good luck with my 2002 Millenia S. I finally did have a mechanical problem with it. At 87,000 miles the passenger side front wheel bearing went. I replaced the brakes at 55,000 miles which is maintenance. Needed an adjustment to the gas tank lid and the air bag light came on. Problem was moisture in a wire under the driver's seat. Probably due to me sloshing coffee around in the car. Problems with tires due to bad potholes. That's it for problems in almost 4 years.

pathstar1 · July 2006

Please provide proof that it "has so many problems". So far, I've only see perhaps 50 owners with problems reporting. Out of at least 10,000 units sold. Most owners I've talked to are very happy. They even take the mileage without complaint - "you have to pay if you want to play".

As far as flooding, the car doesn't flood unless you try really hard to make it. Most owners haven't seen a flood, and probably never will.

Don't base your opinions on what you read here. Here you only find the owners with problems reporting.

trispec · July 2006

Yep, this forum has a tendency to vastly enhance statistically insignificant issues. There are no where near enough forum members contributing to see the real picture good or bad. Judging by my own posts, along with a few others, the popcorn/rattle noise would seem to be a massive problem. But really, 99% of RX-8 AT owners never even hear it.

fishnhard · July 2006

Ok not to sound like a smart a** but the name of the forum us problem and solutions! So for the most part you are going to hear about people with problems looking for a solution. That is why I started to use this. I know trispec and I have given each other info over the last several months. To update you with my rattle problem, I have had it back for just over 2 weeks now and so far the noise it gone. My dealer did another flash, I am assuming it must be the latest one. We will see how it goes. As for any of you who dont know what I am talking about, a brief recap. I bought an 05 RX-8 in Feb of 06. Had the brake squeak issue, and my dealer fixed it after I pushed the issue of ceramic pads and they called the tech line and found out about the updated pads and shims. No other problems there. Then the rattle/popcorn noise started. Had the computer removed and sent to CA for an update and flash, still rattles, changed fuel, still happened, took it in for the last time, flashed the PCM and so far fixed. I hope so. I can understand the frustrations of owners having small things go wrong, it makes you question the quality and the longevity of the vehicle. Others I drive with have not had the problems I have had. So you are correct in saying it is a very small % that are having problems. The bad part is that is all it takes to give a car a bad name is just a few to complain and bad mouth it. Don't get me wrong I have given Mazda a piece of my mind more than once. I have even tried to trade the car in, owe too much to do that right now. :P

Take care all and enjoy the drive!

trispec · July 2006

Absolutely agree with you, "...all it takes to give a car a bad name is just a few...." Bad news travels fast and fast is pretty dang close to the speed of light these days.

I just don't think any forum exists anywhere where a significantly large enough number of RX-8 AT owners can get together. Significantly large would only need to be 2-3% of RX-8 owners in total, but that would be a 100 times more than the current crowd here, as far as I can tell.

Mazda would listen and do a recall for sure, but the concerned activists here are you and me with PathStar as our unofficial advisor and mentor. This forum, as with most forums elsewhere on the internet, are not regarded with any kind of real respect. Every corporation on the planet makes absolutely sure that their online forums have no power.

As for my popcorn/rattle, what is your pure city MPG. I'm at 13-14MPG if I paddle shift at 3500RPM minimum, 15-16MPG if I light foot it on full auto.

yellowrx8 · July 2006

I have a yellow 2004 RX-8 AT. Have not had the popcorn noise at all. Did have the brake squeal, but took in postings from here and got it all covered. Brakes perfect since the last dealer visit.

Overall mpg in summer i would say is close to 20mpg. Winter months that may drop down to 17mpg.

Have really had few problems with the car....

pathstar1 · July 2006

And not dissing anyone, but brake sqeal is not really a "problem". It's caused by performance pads. Put "ordinary" pads in there and you get less brake performance (which you wouldn't notice on the street) and no sqeal. Some owners aren't bothered by a little sqeal, some are. Mazda was building a "performance" car, that would be reasonably good on the track. Hence the sqeal. Perhaps they went too far, perhaps they should have let those few owners who want to track their RX-8 put in track pads themselves. I haven't checked to see if the Mazdaspeed 6 got the track pads too, but wouldn't be surprized.

nannerhut · July 2006

the squeal of the breaks not really a problem? Are you serious?! I just spent $356 to have my rotars smoothed out and brake pads replaced and in a typical slowing at a stop light of about 10 seconds 8 of those seconds are spent squeeking so loud all cars and pedestrians around me stare. I can even hear it through my car stereo. Maybe you're ok with this, however I am not. Mazda was the one who convinced me to get the ceramic brake pads saying that they perform better and are of a higher quality. Are you telling me that it's typical for performance cars on a race track squeek and they break? My air conditioning problem is a big one. I'm a bit bothered that you dismiss a lot of problems and acting like everyone here complains. This is a problem site so I am voicing my problems. However, I have a small child that is in a car seat in the back and I can't get out of this vehical without either of us having sweat up and down our backs with the a/c going constantly. My air conditioner not working is a major concern. I still love this car, however just because I'm an RX-7 and RX-8 fan does not mean I should have to sit quietly by when I have so many problems with my vehicle. Mazda should fix these problems whether or not I am one person complaining, or the majority.

pathstar1 · July 2006

Yes, I'm saying that race cars on a race track have sqealing brakes. Until they warm up. On a race track the brakes are usually very warm due to heavy use so you don't usually notice the sqealing if you are watching the race.

As I said, some owners aren't bothered, some are.

I haven't "dismissed" the weak AC unit, or any other "problem". You can call it a problem if you like, but it does work, just not well enough for where you live. The one I have experience with works just fine where I live. Have you addressed the A/C issue with Mazda? They have a "fix". It has helped some owners. Others still aren't cool enough.

What I said was the car was NOT plagued with problems as the original poster claimed - and he didn't even own the vehicle. Like any complex mechanical contrivance, there are bound to be some things that fail, some that are underengineered, and some that are just plain wrong!

jlawrence · July 2006

My question is why even buy an RX8 with an AT? They had to tune down the engine just to get it to work right, and is sounds like it didn't help! I have an 2004 MT RX8 and not one problem yet, no noises, no ac problems, nothing but pure enjoyment! My advice is if your going to buy a sports car, (especially a rotary engine) then get the 6 speed MT! why in the world would you get an automatic anyway?

trispec · July 2006

Sweat Yellow! As far as I can tell, there's only one Yellow RX-8 in the entire Boston metro area. Now that's a rare beauty. I've yet to actaully see one up close.

How is the glasre looking out over that bright color when driving. I test drove a pearl white RX-8 and decided I couldn't deal with the brightness of the hood.

The popcorn/rattle can be heard when driving up against a jersey barrior when the RPM range is low 2-3K. After idling in traffic, for a long period, the popcorn/rattle is quite pronounced. Boston traffic creates this situation everyday.

I think that in traffic idle conditions, the rotary apex seal is not as good at completely sealing and so gas simply can't burn completely in the engine. The gas ends up being ejected and burning in the exhaust system.

yellowrx8 · July 2006

I love it (the glare). It gets alot of looks and thumbs up from other drivers as well.

yellowrx8 · July 2006

how do you post a picture on this site of the cars?

Claires · July 2006

how do you post a picture on this site of the cars?

You could always open your own CarSpace and post a whole gallery for us to see :-)

nannerhut · July 2006

i have addressed the a/c problem with mazda mulitple times. I even have the a/c amplifier. It still gets cool, just not cold. Mazda said this is how all of their air conditioners are, and if they replaced it, it would probably perform the exact same as what I have now. I live in north Los Angeles county and last saturday our temperatures reached 115 degrees. I drive into downtown los angeles monday thru friday and put about 120 miles on the car every day. And after driving an hour and a half to work, my brakes still squeek. I believe them to be "warmed up" by then. I'm getting them check right now to see what else can be done.

i really don't mean to "diss" the car. I do love it. Even with these problems, I still love it. I just am getting a bit warn down from going to the dealership constantly and now that I'm over 50,000 miles and out of a warrenty it's bothersome that every time i get it back its rarely below $350. They gave me a loaner car while my 04 RX-8 manual transmission was in the shop and my loaner Ford Focus air conditioner was more than double the cold and power output as my car...it just doesn't make sense.

and I do appreciate all the advise from this forum. It has really helped us trouble shoot and understand our vehicle better. We knew buying this car we'd be using it as a commuter car and we do put a lot of miles on it. We love the fact that the engine gets "better" with time.

pathstar1 · July 2006

There are lots of reports that the A/C is weak in this car, even after the amplifier. Perhaps you could try "ceramic window tinting". The big name in this is Huper Optik. It's supposed to be wavelength tuned to reject more infrared while still passing a reasonable amount of visible light (so you can still see

). I've just recently read several reports of how good it is from new customers on other forums.

You did sound frustrated! Hope you get the problems resolved.

trispec · July 2006

OK. I can't imagine 115F. That is hot you know. In fact, anywhere in the world, 115F would qualify as hot. My sister was in Saudi for five years where the princes drove Rolls with 120F AC capable cars.

My wife drove her boss's Infinity G35 Coupe today in 85F Boston heat (we call that hot at least). Her comment was that the AC was really weak. She never complains about her Saturn LW200 auto AC, but she was appalled at the G35 AC. She also said my RX-8 has a much smoother ride.

Mazda RX-8 Problems and Solutions

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles