Problems · NHTSA complaints

2007 Mazda RX-8 problems

Owners filed 38 complaints about the 2007 Mazda RX-8 with NHTSA between Oct 2007 and Aug 2019. The most-cited component is air bags (16).

Complaints
38
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags16
  2. Power train9
  3. Structure6
  4. Fuel/propulsion system4
  5. Steering4
  6. Engine and engine cooling2
  7. Electrical system2
  8. Visibility/wiper1
  9. Equipment1
  10. Fuel system, gasoline1
  11. Latches/locks/linkages1
  12. Exterior lighting1
  13. Visibility1
  14. Other / unknown2

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
20071
20080
20092
20103
20112
20122
20132
20146
20155
20165
20175
20183
20192

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

Air bags

16 reports2 crashes3 related recalls
“TAKATA RECALL. DUE TO CONSTANT FLORIDIAN SUN EXPOSURE, THERE IS A FUEL LEAK FROM MY CAR. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE LEAK, PARKED IN A MALL PARKING LOT. ALSO, THE AIRBAG IS FAULTY AND DEFECTIVE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 15, 2017Air bags, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11015285

Power train

9 reports
“CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS. ONLY ABLE TO GET CAR INTO GEAR WHILE PUSHING PEDAL DOWN AND TO THE LEFT. COULD HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AT HIGHER SPEEDS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 9, 2019Power trainODI 11242830

Structure

6 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS A STANDING ISSUE; HOWEVER, IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED PER A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V354000 (AIR BAGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 83,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 8, 2016Air bags, StructureODI 10894010

Fuel/propulsion system

4 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V793000(FUEL SYSTEM) ON OCTOBER 31, 2017 BY OPEN ROAD MAZDA (108 RIDGEDALE AVE, MORRISTOWN, NJ). DURING THE REPAIR, THE FUEL PUMP SEALING RING SET WAS REPLACED AND A THERMAL INSULATION PAD WAS ADDED TO THE FUEL TANK, AS INSTRUCTED PER THE RECALL. THE CONTACT KEPT THE VEHICLE PARKED DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. IN MARCH OF 2018, AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, A FUEL LEAK WAS DISCOVERED COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE OPEN ROAD MAZDA DEALER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 23, 2018Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11081103

Steering

4 reports
“I WAS SITTING IN THE CAR IN THE PARKING LOT OF MY JOB AND THE STEERING COLUMN MOVED WHILE IN THE LOCKED POSITION AND I LEFT THE PARKING LOT AND WAS DRIVING HOME AND A PIECE OF THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE AND FELL AND HIT MY RIGHT LEG AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD I CALLED MAZDA USA AND THEY HAD THE CAR PICKED UP AND TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP TO BE DIAGNOSED ON 11-14-2017 I RECEIVED A CALL ON 11-17-17 STATING THAT THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WERE NOT GOING TO FIX THE STEERING ISSUE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD A STEERING COLUMN BREAK ON ANY VEHICLE I'VE EVER OWNED I HAVE A CAR THAT IS 30 YEARS OLD WITH THE ORIGINAL STEERING COLUMN IN IT IT IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN IT'S CURRENT CONDITION”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 17, 2017SteeringODI 11047105

Engine and engine cooling

2 reports
“COOLANT SENSOR IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR TANK IS CONTINUOUSLY SHOWING A WARNING LIGHT. COOLANT LEVELS ARE FINE, OIL LEVELS ARE FINE. THE COOLANT WARNING LIGHT STILL SHOWS IN THE DASH. *JS *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 2, 2013Engine and engine coolingODI 10554378
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.