2004 Mazda RX-8 engine and engine cooling problems

“RUSTED OIL COOLER LINES AND FITTINGS ON MY RX8 DRIVEN IN OHIO WHERE ROAD SALTING IS PREVALENT IN SNOW MONTHS. FILING THIS COMPLAINT SINCE THERE IS A RECALL ISSUED FOR MY SAME MODEL YEAR IN CANADA (SPECIAL PROGRAM 76) FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE DUE TO SNOW AND SALT. MODIFIED LINES ARE AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS ISSUE BUT MAZDA IS NOT EXTENDING RECALL COVERAGE TO U.S. REPAIR COST AT DEALER ABOVE $1K. *TR”

“2004 MAZDA RX8. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SEVERAL DEFECTS IN THE VEHICLE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ABOUT A YEAR AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE, THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS STARTED FILLING UP WITH WATER. ALSO, THE VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING WITH NO WARNING. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A CATALYTIC CONVERTER. WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, HE WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE NEEDED TWO OXYGEN SENSORS. AFTER THE OXYGEN SENSORS WERE REPLACED, THE STALLING CONTINUED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED THE DEALER, WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5-10 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ENGINE COOLANT WARNING LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER RESTARTED AND TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE DIAGNOSIS FROM BOTH WAS THAT THE ENGINE WAS FLOODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 139,000.”

“THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO AN ENGINE RECALL, AFTER THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY THE DEALER INFORMED ME OF LARGE OIL LEAKS. LEAKS ARE VISIBLE AND ARE COVERING PARTS OF THE WHEELS AND JOINTS WITH OIL. MAZDA HAS ADMITTED TO THIS DEFECT IN CANADA (FIELD ACTION NUMBER 142-36) AND ARE PROVIDING CANADIAN CUSTOMERS WITH A RECALL ON THIS FAULTY AND DANGEROUS PART BUT US CUSTOMERS HAVE YET TO RECEIVE SUCH TREATMENT. MY CAR IS A 2004 MODEL AND IT SHOULD NOT HAVE SUCH ISSUES. THIS IS A HAZARD TO BOTH MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS ON THE ROAD DUE TO THE AMOUNTS OF OIL THAT THE CAR IS LEAKING DUE TO POOR ENGINEERING AND BAD DESIGN. THE MAZDA DEALERSHIPS ARE CHARGING CUSTOMER AN UPWARD OF 1,600 DOLLARS TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE WHICH SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE TO BEGIN WITH IF THIS CAR WAS DESIGNED IN A RELIABLE WAY. *TR”

“VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW,2004. I HAVE EVERY OIL CHANGE, EVERY 2,900-3,000 MILES AND VEHICLE IS PERFECTLY MAINTAINED BY THE DEALERSHIP ( HARRELSON MAZDA -CHARLOTTE,NC ). ONCE 30,000 MILES WERE PUT ON THE VEHICLE, ENGINE BEGAN TO FAIL ( STOPPED AT RED LIGHTS, STOPPED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY,ETC.). AFTER ABOUT 5 RETURN VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP TECHNICIANS, MY ENGINE WAS FINALLY 'REPLACED' UNDER WARRANTY. NOW MY NEW ENGINE HAS FAILED AGAIN AT ABOUT 40,000 MILES FOR THE SAME REASON AS ORIGINALLY: MAZDA SPECIFICALLY ADVISES 10W-20 OIL IN THIS VEHICLE. BUT THIS IS ONLY TO SATISFY U.S. EPA STANDARDS. EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD, MAZDA STRICTLY ADVISES 10W-30 OIL, BECAUSE ANYTHING LESS WILL ALLOW ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND FAIL. I WAS NEVER WARNED THIS. I WAS NEVER ADVISED THIS. I SERVICED VEHICLE BY EVERY RECOMMENDATION OF MAZDA, THE OWNERS MANUAL, AND MY MAZDA AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP/TECHNICIANS. MY SAFETY HAS BEEN PLACED IN JEOPARDY, SOLELY AT THE FAULT OF MAZDA, FOR NOT NOTIFYING BUYERS THAT THE ENGINE HAD INCORRECT MAINTENANCE SPECIFICATIONS,ETC. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME ANYTIME FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, RECEIPTS OF SERVICE,MAINTENANCE, AND TECHNICIAN TESTIMONY. [XXX] *TR”

“ENGINE STALLS AND LACK OF POWER. DEALER KEEPS SAYING ITS FINE. CANNOT EVEN DRIVE ANYMORE. IT STARTED WITH NOT STARTING THEN AFTER GETTING IT STARTED HESITATION AND LACK OF POWER KEPT GETTING WORSE. BECAME UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR”