2005 Mazda RX-8 engine and engine cooling problems

“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”

“VEHICLE ENGINE LOSES POWER AND STALLS AFTER DRIVING AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE IN HOT WEATHER. FAILURE SYMPTOMS ARE MOST NOTICEABLE AFTER DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, AND WILL PRESENT AS A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF POWER FOLLOWED BY STALLING AS THE VEHICLE DECELERATES. MANUFACTURER HAS EXTENDED THE ENGINE WARRANTY TO 100,000 MILES AND WILL DE-CARBON THE ENGINE AND REPLACE SPARK PLUGS WHEN REPORTED. HOWEVER, THIS SOLUTION IS NOT A PERMANENT REPAIR, AND SYMPTOMS RETURN UPON DRIVING WITHIN TWELVE MONTHS. *TR”

“THE ROTARY ENGINE RX8 (MY 2005) CONTINUES TO HAVE STARTING PROBLEMS. I HAVE JUST OVER 100,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE. I'VE REPLACED THE STARTER THREE TIMES NOW, THE SPARK PLUGS AT LEAST TWICE, THREE BATTERIES. IT IS AN UNRELIABLE VEHICLE AND HAS HAD TO BE TOWED SIX TIMES NOW. OBVIOUSLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN THAT YOU DON'T KNOW IF THE CAR STALLS IF OR WHEN YOU CAN RESTART THE VEHICLE. *KB”

“2005 RX-8 LEAKING OIL COOLER LINE FAULTS BREAKS CAR VEERED OFF THE ROAD ONTO RIGHT SIDE GRASS UNDER HEAVY BREAKING DUE TO SUDDENLY SLOWING TRAFFIC. NORMALLY, CAR BREAKS VERY WELL, LINEARLY, AND STRAIGHT. AFTER CHECKING WHAT CAUSED THIS, I FOUND THE ENTIRE LEFT UNDERSIDE SPRAYED WITH ENGINE OIL. OIL CAME FROM RUSTED ENGINE COOLER LINES LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL WELL. ABOUT A 10 SECOND ENGINE RUN SHOWED A STREAM OF OIL SPRAYING TOWARDS THE TIRE THROUGH A CRACK IN THE RUSTED COOLING LINE. UNDERBODY, LEFT FRONT TIRE, AND BREAKS WERE COVERED WITH OIL. THERE WAS NO COLLISION ONLY BECAUSE THE AREA WHERE CAR WAS PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE HAD NO OBSTACLES. LUCKY ME! CAR IS OBVIOUSLY NOT DRIVABLE AS ENGINE OIL IS VISIBLY LEAKING AND BREAKS ARE COMPROMISED WITH GREASY OIL RESIDUE. APPARENTLY CANADA HAS A RECALL FOR THESE FAULTY COOLING LINES - 'RX-8 OIL COOLER HOSE ' SPECIAL SERVICE PROGRAM (SSP) 76' ' SEEMS UTTERLY APPROPRIATE AS IN AN UNLUCKY SITUATION THIS COULD TURN OUT FATAL! *TT”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THE EHICLE STALLED WHEN THE RPMS INCREASED TO APPROXIMATELY 1000. THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. SEVERAL DEALERS WERE NOTIFIED; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA RX8. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS AND TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED OR INSPECTED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,206 AND THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.”