NHTSA Complaint #10354103 — 2004 MAZDA RX-8

ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 5TH @ APPROX 5:30PM, I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD. DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL BEFORE SHIFTING GEARS. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PEDAL WAS FULLY DEPRESSED, I HEARD SOMETHING BREAK. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FROM THAT MOMENT ON, I WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT THE CAR INTO GEAR. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY MYSELF, I HAD FOUND THAT THE METAL BRACKET WHICH SECURES THE CLUTCH PEDAL, HAD SPLIT/CRACKED. THIS MADE THE CLUTCH PEDAL LOOSE AND IT WAS NO LONGER IN PROPER ALIGNMENT (WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE CLUTCH PEDAL WITH MY FOOT OR HAND LATERALLY A FEW INCHES.) DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS FAILURE, I WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN GEAR (EVEN WITH CLUTCH PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED).....THIS MADE THE CAR INOPERABLE. THE ENGINE WOULD START WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY DEPRESSED AND THE IGNITION TURNED TO THE START POSITION, BUT THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO ANY GEAR. *TR