NHTSA Complaint #10289927 — 2004 MAZDA RX-8

1. CLUTCH PEDAL FELT ABOUT A 1/2" LOW (AS IF HYDRAULIC FLUID HAD AN AIR POCKET AND NEEDED BLEEDING) ABOUT TWO BLOCKS BEFORE FAILURE. 2. I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT BEHIND 3 CARS IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE, SHIFTED INTO FIRST WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN; ACCELERATED VERY SLOWLY AND TRIED SHIFTING TO SECOND GEAR BUT THE PEDAL MADE A SNAPPING SOUND AND WENT TO THE FLOOR, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS STUCK IN FIRST UNTIL I LET THE CAR ROLL BACK A LITTLE AND GOT IT IN NEUTRAL. I WAS STUCK IN A MAJOR INTERSECTION AND THERE WAS GRIDLOCK, LOTS OF HONKING AND YELLING AND A FEW CARS CAME VERY CLOSE TO HAVING ACCIDENTS. I PUSHED MY CAR TO THE EDGE OF THE INTERSECTION AND WAITED FOR THE TOW TRUCK. THE TOW TRUCK HAD TO HAVE SMALLER PICKUP BROUGHT IN TO WINCH MY CAR OUT OF THE INTERSECTION BECAUSE HE SAID IT WAS UNSAFE TO SET UP THE TOW RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. 3. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND AFTER INSPECTION HE SAID IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN TO A NEW PEDAL FROM MAZDA. HE WAS SURPRISED IT LASTED FOR 60K MILES. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I ORDERED A REINFORCED CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY FROM HERE: HTTP://WWW.FLUIDMOTORSPORTS.COM/P-188-TRANSMISSION-AND-ACCESSORIES.ASPX TURNS OUT HERE ARE THREE AFTERMARKET COMPANIES MANUFACTURING REINFORCEMENTS, MAZSPORT, BHR AND RACE ROOTS; EACH HAS THEIR OWN DESIGN AND THEY ARE SELLING HUNDREDS OF THEM BECAUSE ALL THE PEDALS FAIL IN 40 - 80K MILES. *TR