Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Mazda RX-8 problems

Owners filed 168 complaints about the 2005 Mazda RX-8 with NHTSA between Mar 2005 and Oct 2023. The most-cited component is power train (55).

Complaints
168
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train55
  2. Engine and engine cooling28
  3. Air bags22
  4. Steering17
  5. Vehicle speed control13
  6. Fuel/propulsion system12
  7. Engine9
  8. Electrical system9
  9. Equipment7
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic6
  11. Service brakes4
  12. Fuel system, gasoline4
  13. Exterior lighting4
  14. Visibility4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20059
20068
200710
20088
200922
201032
201113
20124
20139
20147
20158
201611
201714
20184
20194
20200
20213
20221
20231

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

55 reports
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 18, 2021Steering, Power trainODI 11421371

Engine and engine cooling

28 reports1 related recall
“OIL COOLER COUPLING SEVERELY ROTTED TO THE POINT OF FAILURE (HOSES LOOKED FINE JUST THE COUPLING AREAS). WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER PARTS AND MAZDA HAS RECALLED IN CANADA (SPECIAL SERVICE #76), WHICH IS 30 MILES FROM MY HOME BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME IN THE STATES. REPAIR COST IS OVER $1300 FOR NEW LINES. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 22, 2014Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10627632

Air bags

22 reports4 crashes3 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE JUNK YARD. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION AND SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, PELVIC, AND RIBS. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 12, 2019Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11186152

Steering

17 reports
“MY STEERING WHEEL TURNS ON ITS OWN WHILE IN MOTION ON THE BELTWAY AND SOMETIMES IT DIFFICULT TO STEER AT ALL WHILE IN MOTION IN TRAFFIC. I PURCHASED NEW TIRES THINKING THAT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT IT DIDN'T.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 12, 2019SteeringODI 11176448

Vehicle speed control

13 reports1 crash
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 7, 2018Power train, Vehicle speed control, Unknown or otherODI 11109969

Fuel/propulsion system

12 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A FUEL ODOR EMITTED THROUGH THE VENTS OF THE VEHICLE. THE FUEL ODOR WAS ALL AROUND THE VEHICLE WHILE PARKED AND FUEL LEAKED UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KUHN MAZDA (3934 W KENNEDY BLVD, TAMPA, FL 33609, PHONE: (877) 225-9956), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE TAKEN DOWN TO FIND WHERE THE FAILURE WAS COMING FROM AND THERE WOULD BE A FEE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR FEES. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V793000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,466.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 18, 2017Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11055247
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.