Mazda RX-8 Starting and Stalling Problems
mmonterosa
Member Posts: 1
Hello, Everyone! I have 2005 Rx8 and a few days ago weather changed (it got cooler) and Rx 8 wouldn't start. At the time it sounded like the battery, because engine turned very slowly. Since, I've changed battery, checked all fuses, and engine still doesn't start (though it engine turns fine). Would you please assist me with any info which will help me to determine what's wrong. I'm mechanically inclined but just don't have much experience with rotary engines..
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Also, while driving, RMPs are not allowed to drop below 2500 as this seem to keep the engine clear of carbon build up.
Here in Boston, the winter has arrived with an uncharacteristic punch. Engine starts have been no problem at all for my 2005 RX-8 AT.
Now that I'm done venting. Can anyone give advice as to how to get the thing to start? Batt is good, replaced and checked all relay's, control modules and fuses that are related to the problem.
Oh! The ac issue we all seem to share..........there is no fix for it. We've had it in the shop for three years with mulitple issues, including the ac prob. and as of yet there is not a fix. Mazda has produced a lemon with this one. I would advise any rx8 owner to get the extened warranty...YOUR GONNA NEED IT!
they tell me that its something different every time i have had a new engine,new coils, new tail lights, new cd player, several new batteries also problems with the a/c
they assure me every time that the problem is fixed my warranty is about to run out. i had no idea there are so many people with the same problems i have had. I asked for the dealership to make this right and trade it in on another vehicle(not a mazda they have 3 different dealerships) i went with hopes of them doing that, talk about adding insult to injury i would lose the 12,500.00 downpayment and over 2 years of payments they wanted to pay off the car and give me 1,500.00 to put down on another car and start all over with payments. this just cant be right!
In addition to the aforementioned problems. The interior components such as the hardware is faulty, loose, rattles, etc. The car is basically falling apart before our eyes in only 4 years. We are VERY good at taking care of our vehicles. Oil changes once a month for example. A little extreme but in my little mind it's the life of the engine.
If you keep your car you better get the extended warranty! We are currently car shopping. Nissan, BMW and Altima is along the line of car's I'm exploring now.
Can't wait to get rid of this piece of junk RX8...does the R stand for rottin'? :mad: :lemon:
Just to let everyone know.. I had my 2004 Mazda RX-8 in the shop on Saturday because it wouldnt start..My car has 42,000 miles on it.. As it turned out.. The dealership told me I needed updated Plugs as well as a starter.. The starter is much stronger than the original one that was in the car.. SUre enough.. once they put the updated plugs in there as well as the updated starter.. it was easy to start..Mazda paid for everything being that theres a 4 yr 50,000 mile warranty on that particular car.. they also did some AC work for free as well as my car wasnt cooling sufficiently.. PLease call your dealership and schedule an appt... By the way.. Mazda gave me great service on the day I came in around 12:30 on SAt... I Didnt have an appt but they worked on my car and had me out of there by 5pm .. I was impressed as it was a very busy service day and I was expecting them to tell me that they couldnt get to it.My email is tlang60736@aol.com if you have any other questions.
While the RX-8 is one of the purest sports cars on the road, the Crossfire is more of a GT car. Although it's undeniably a fine car, I don't think the Crossfire really compares to the RX-8 from a sporting point of view - plus, it doesn't have a back seat.
Trust me....it's so solid & fun to drive.....with the lifetime powertrain warranty....it's a keeper! My guess is there are less than a 1000 new ones left (worldwide) & most of those are automatics......
I have this same exact problem with my 2006 AT. My original dealer gaves me the same BS line about it. I went to another dealer, and they replaced my engine mounts. That worked for a little while, but then it came back. I have now gone through 7 sets of engine mounts in 15K miles, and now there isn't any difference after I get the engine mounts - the problem still exists and seems to get worse with time. The problem was worse when my AC was turned on, so once they replaced my mass air flow sensor and that problem was solved, but not the overall problem. My car also "stumbles" from time to time when I put it back in gear from neutral at a light. Try puting your car in neutral at the light - the vibration should stop or be barely noticeable. Mazda had a regional rep come out to look at my car, and his solution was to give me my 7th set of motor mounts. The vibration was a little better for about 10 feet, then it was back and worse than ever. One of the service managers at the dealership confessed that certain 8's do that and they don't know why - others are fixed by relacing the engine mounts. It is maddening to me.
Sorry I don't have a solution, as my car was never fixed. I also had a slew of other problems, so my solution ended being to sue under my states "lemon law". I am in the process of settling with Mazda now.
The trailing plugs and coil were replaced along with the leading plugs 2 weeks ago and has not helped to negate the loud vibration. I only feel it when stopped.
Any ideal's or recommendations of RX8 dealer's in N.Cal. bay area ?
Doug H.
1) Don't use the full automatic in city driving. 2) For 20MPH use only 1st gear. 3) For 35MPH use only 2nd. 4) For 45MPH use only 3rd gear.) If you are traveling highway speeds above 65MPH full automatic is OK.
The above strategy keeps the RPM level around 3000. After the first year of driving I began to notice that full automatic in city driving would constantly dive into 3rd or 4th gear, clearly lugging the engine creating a jerkiness in the over drive gearing. With the engine seeking the lowest gear at the first opportunity, I also noticed dramatically rougher idle. The rough idle appeared to go away after driving a long highway trip where RPM tended to remain above 3000 for long periods.
I believe there are two things going on with the RX-8 AT. The engines simply need to run at least at 3000RPM to keep everything clean and clear. Second, the electronics have a bit of fuzzy logic which will attempts to over optimize at low RPM speeds, producing more idle vibrations. The fuzzy logic controller remembers ten of thousands of previous gear shift behaviors, so it takes a while for the electronics to be retrained to new behaviors. Or just re-flash the PCM.
Just make sure it is really warmed up before you do this. At the very least don't drive it hard until the coolant temp gauge has reached the normal range. I also have an aftermarket oil temp gauge installed, and the oil doesn't get above 120 degrees until a few minutes after the coolant temp reaches the normal level on the gauge. I'm not sure at what temp the oil is safe to run hard, but I wait until that needle moves some.
Just wondering if anyone else is in the same boat as me . I love my car but cant find anyone to find out whats wrong with it , that is if there is anything wrong with it ... mabey thats just the way the car is
If someone can offer any info that would be awesome , i just want my baby to run right :P
The common element: They all bought manuals, and drive them hard and fast, the way the rotary was meant to be utilized.
The best thing you can do to a rotary is redline it. The worst thing you can do is lug it. If you're spending most of your time above 4000 RPM, your 8 will thank you.
Make sure you redline it a couple times a day.
Can you help me trouble shoot this?
Throttle Control valve and gasket needs to be replaced. ($436 just for the parts)
The same thing happen to my mazda rx-8.I have only 27,000 mile.
Like when I came to a stop light the car tendes to bog and then pick up speed and then it stops.i took it the the dealership and the clean the carbon out and it will run good for awhile and start doing it again ..In a week I will take it back to the dealer and get it check out again its a never ending story.the is a problem in the motor and someting is going on with it
There is a problem with the stock starter. and dealer replace my starter with a high torque starter from mazda is your car still under warranty and does you car wont start when its cold.
let me know
my name is Gary and i am about to purchase a used '04 RX8. i am getting scared though of all these customer reviews with all these horror stories about flooding engines and broken this and broken that and A/C not keeping the cabin cool enough. I just read your post about how you have to keep the car above 4000rpm most of the time. So, does this mean I have to drive the car fast all the time or can i just drive in lower gears? Because if I start getting a lot of speeding tickets my wife will kill me. LOL.
I only work 7 miles from home and it isn't a "fast" road. so i can't speed on it, plus cops are always patrolling the road. Any suggestions as to what i should do? I really want this car but I don't want it in the shop all the time like all these other idiots! LOL
So, again, would it be ok to ride it in lower gears for that higher RPM?
Also, is it true...you shouldn't turn the car on and then turn it right back off? you should let it warm up a bit? what about winters? is it hard to start if it has been sitting in my parking lot at work for 3-4 hours in 25 degree weather?
thank you for ANY advice you can give me!
if you want, you can email me at gsteinberg@hotmail.com with anything you have to offer for advice. i want to keep this car pristine!
Gary
If you disconnect the battey and reinstall a new battery auto matic you computer will reset itself..and then out have to do thid
1) turn on the ingition turn your wheel clockwise all the way and then turn it counterclock wise and that should reset you steering
let me know okay
Took Jeff Haas Mazda some time to trouble shoot, but here was the problem - the rubber hoses to the automatic transmission were weak and when they got hot, they would basically close up when coming to a halt and the torque converter would not have full pressure - the car would go from 800 RPM to 400 RPM because it was still trying to go a little and then die.
New hoses - problem solved. The way to trouble shoot according to the dealership was to watch the engine temperature and the transmission fluid temperature. Once the hose started to collapse - the transmission got hotter - and when you stopped, the fluid did not go through the lines as it should - causing the engine to labor and then quit.
Mazda covered all of the repairs under warranty - at least for this situation right after a new engine.
Hope this helps others!
mike
I've been trying top help him with the flooding problem. He knows all the tricks to shutting it off but I have an idea. It seems like the fuel is still being injected when the car is shut off.
Do you think that putting a fuel shutoff valve in line with the fuel pump might eliminate the problems of flooding? Here's how it would work. Instead of shutting the car off with the ignition/start key, turn off the fuel to the car off and that would result in burning off any fuel left in the system. Then..................after the engine stops, turn off the ignition key. What do you guys think?
steventerri what part did you change or anybody please and suggestion.
plus, my AC is running with no stop, on technical booklet says it case stalling too,
any idea and suggestion please,
Thanks,