NHTSA Complaint #10328133 — 2004 MAZDA RX-8

FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS, THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON MY CAR HAS SQUEAKED AND GROANED WHEN DEPRESSED. THIS WOULD NOT BE CONSISTENT, AND VERY HARD TO DIAGNOSE. TODAY, WHILE DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE TOWARDS WORK (I LIVE AND WORK ON A MILITARY BASE), A METALLIC "POP" CAME FROM MY CLUTCH PEDAL WHILE BEING DEPRESSED AND NO LONGER DISENGAGED THE CLUTCH. THIS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AS IT WAS "RUSH HOUR." I QUICKLY NOTICED WHILE DRIVING THAT MY CLUTCH PEDAL WAS ALMOST TOUCHING MY BRAKE AS I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN! ALSO, IF I HAD STOPPED MOVING AT ANY POINT, I AND MY CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED AS I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET MY CAR BACK INTO GEAR. UPON INSPECTION AT HOME, IT APPEARS A WELD ON THE RIGHT SIDE THAT HOLDS THE CLUTCH PEDAL MOUNT TO THE FRAME OF THE CAR HAS COME COMPLETELY LOOSE MAKING THE PEDAL LEAN LEFT. THERE ALSO APPEARS TO POSSIBLY BE ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL SPRING AS IT NO LONGER RETURNS THE PEDAL TO THE FULLY DEPRESSED POSITION, AND INSTEAD DEFAULTS TO 3 INCHES DEPRESSED OR FULL UPRIGHT DEPRESSED. THIS FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *TR