2004 Mazda RX-8: problems, recalls and reliability
10 recalls and 489 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is power train (29% of complaints); the 2005 and 2006 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Oct 2019
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 489 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“For a year I have responded to every notice for a recall repair (7 total) Mazda has not repaired my vehicle or scheduled its repair. My recall ID is 016742248 and my Campaign Number is 100409. My car has a DO NOT DRIVE status and Mazda tells me I MUST drive the car 2 hours to get it repaired each way. And they refuse to transport y vehicle even thought I have told them in phone conversations about my cars do not drive status. The latest attempt for filing for a repay was 7-21-25 at 9:40am central time.”Owner report · Air Bags · Jul 2025
“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.”Owner report · Engine · May 2024
“The electric power steering randomly pulls hard to one side while driving. There are brief spasms of forceful jerks each jerk is 1-2 seconds the series of jerks lasts 10-20 seconds and usually stops with power steering failure all while driving.”Owner report · Steering · Feb 2024
Show 7 more owner reports
“Recently purchased the car from someone else and noticed that the cabin smells like fuel. I thought maybe he spilled some inside it but it's been a week and the smell is still there. I don't know why and I'm worried about the car catching fire or me getting carbon monoxide poisoning.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jan 2021
“I now have replacedclutch pedal the forth time. Im writing this to see ifi can still get one factory repair of the part the pedal will break in weld spot regardless of my trying not put to much pressure.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Aug 2020
“Passenger dash cover has lost integrity/cracked along the lines where the airbag deploys and am concerned that the force of potential airbag deployment could be affected and not work as designed or deploy with too much force to cause injury or death to the occupant if the airbag cover should fly off upon deployment. This is an issue with the dash of many mazda vehicles and should at a minimum be reviewed. The car has not been in any accidents and the airbags recall has recently been performed by a mazda dealer.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Nov 2019
“On 10/19/19 the vehicle was involved in a crash when swerving to avoid a deer on the road. Two trees were hit and the vehicle was flipped on its side. No airbags deployed during this accident as I was expected. Pictures show the front damage and interior.”Owner report · Air Bags · Oct 2019
“My power steering intermittently goes out from time to time. I have taken it to the shop 4 times. There is something seriously wrong with this design and the vehicle is very dangerous.”Owner report · Steering · Sep 2019
“While driving my 2004, mazda rx8 the electric power steering module failed, and jerked the car aggressively to the left into the oncoming lane of traffic. The force was so strong that it caused momentary loss of control. Fortunately, there wasn't any oncoming traffic at that moment on that particular stretch of road. When reviewing the mazda forum there were several other owners that experienced the same loss of control or failure. Additionally, mazda had power steering assist recalls for the same problems, ref. Mazda3/mazda5 power steering recall notification 6010h.”Owner report · Steering · Aug 2019
“I sent my mazda in to the dealership to fix recalls and make a key. In excellent shape. One area with slight body damage. On 3/16/2018 was returned a car that doesn't run. With. Cracked dashboard, torn seats, multiple dents, charged 345 dollars on 6/10 2019. I was sent a tow bill as notification to pick it up.”Owner report · Engine · May 2019
When filing, owners marked a crash in 17 of these complaints and injuries in 15 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 10 campaigns
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2005 MPV, 2004 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
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 one, free of charge. The recall began December 3, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2618F. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 13V130, 14V362, 14V773 and 15V869.
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. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0516J.
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, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. On July 9, 2019 this recall was expanded to include certain 2004-2011 RX-8 vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-354 but have not yet been repaired. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
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. The recall began July 6, 2018. Mailing to the affected RX-8 owners began July 6, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2618F. Note: With the addition of the RX-8 vehicles, this recall fully supersedes recall 16V354.
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. Mazda's number for this recall is 1017E.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2004 Mazda RX-8 vehicles. The ball joint socket on the front suspension lower control arm may crack and the ball joint may separate from the socket.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front lower control arms, free of charge. The recall began on July 31, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1117E.
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 time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
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. The recall began on September 12, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1417G. Note: This recall supersedes recall 15V-382.
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. PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILD-UP CAN RANGE FROM INOPERATIVE OXYGEN SENSOR, NEUTRAL SWITCH AND BACK UP LIGHTS, PROBLEMS WITH THE PARKING BRAKES, MALFUNCTIONS OF THE GAS GAUGE AND/OR POSSIBLE FUEL LEAKS RESULTING FROM HEAT DAMAGE TO THE FUEL TANK.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE PARTS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER FORGING OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, CRACKS MAY OCCUR IN THE BALL JOINT SOCKET.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE CONTROL ARMS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.
AS A RESULT OF AN NCAP TEST, CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ARE BEING RECALLED FOR IMPROPERLY WIRED FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAGS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW WIRING HARNESS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE RECALL BEGAN MARCH 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.
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.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2004 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact RX-8 by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Mazda RX-8 reliable?
NHTSA has 489 owner complaints and 10 recall campaigns on record for the 2004 Mazda RX-8. The most complained-about area is power train (29% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2004 Mazda RX-8 problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 68,950 miles or less.
Does the 2004 Mazda RX-8 have open recalls?
10 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.