2005 MAZDA RX-8 Electrical System Problems

I HAD MANY RECALLS DONE LAST YEAR. NOW, TODAY, OLIVER AT MAZDA CORPORATE SAID THAT JOE MACHENS DEALERSHIPS AREN'T EQUIPPED TO HAVE DONE THE WORK PROPERLY. RECALLS: 16V793, 17V-354 & 355, FRONT END STEARING FROM INAPPROPRIATE CAULKING OF BALL JOINT , ENGINE REPLACED TWICE, OIL MIXING WITH COOLANT, AGAIN, AND NOW MY ALARM GOES OFF AS SOON AS I START IT. JOE MACHENS TOLD ME TO REMOVE THE BATTERY. A NEW LITHIUM BATTERY IS BEING DEVELOPED BY MAZDA BECAUSE ROTARY ENGINES CAN'T USE A REGULAR BATTERY. THEY HAD MY CAR FOR SIX WEEKS LAST YEAR, AUGUST, AND KEPT YELLING THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE NEW, CORRECT PARTS. MY STEARING IS DIFFICULT AT TIMES AND THEY NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THE RECALL CONCERNING THIS. THE SEALS DETERIORATED MAKING ISSUES. NOW THEY ARE MAKING NEW GASKETS, RINGS, ETC. TO BE HEAT RESISTANT. THEY ARE FIGHTING ME, AGAIN, WHILE THEY HAVE ADMITTED MY...

**RESUBMIT-DIDN'T GO THROUGH** I WAS DRIVING APPROX 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY AND FELT A KICK/JOLT AND HAD A LOSS OF POWER. MY SPEED WENT DOWN10-15 MPH AND ALTHOUGH I TRIED TO ACCELERATE IT WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND TRIED TO EXIT BUT CAR REFUSED TO GO INTO GEAR. EVERY TIME I FORCED IT INTO GEAR, THE CAR WOULD CONSTANTLY STALL AND DIE. I HAD THE IGNITION COIL AND SPARK PLUG REPLACED BUT NOW THE CLUTCH JUST SINKS TO THE FLOOR. I'VE TRIED TO PUMP THE CLUTCH TO GET IT INTO GEAR BUT THIS IS QUITE DANGEROUS ON THE ROAD. MY VEHICLE HAS TROUBLE CONTROLLING ITS SPEED SINCE THERE'S A LAG SWITCHING FROM 3RD TO 4TH, 5TH TO 6TH SINCE I HAVE TO PUMP MY SUNKEN CLUTCH SEVERAL TIMES AND FIDDLE WITH THE SHIFTER TO ACTUALLY KICK MY CAR INTO THE NEXT GEAR. MY CAR...

FAILURE OF CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY. A PLASTIC PLATE CRACKED AND CAUSED AN IRRITATING PLASTIC BINDING NOISE, EVER TIME I RELEASED THE CLUTCH PEDAL. THIS APPARENTLY HAPPENS A LOT, SOMETIMES IT IS FIXABLE BUT IN MY CASE I HAD TO REPLACE MY ENTIRE ASSEMBLY, AS I WAS TOLD IF IT COMPLETELY CRACKED I WOULD LOSE THE FUNCTION OF MY CLUTCH PEDAL. FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER LOCK ACTUATOR. I HAVE READ MANY ACCOUNTS OF THIS PART FAILING. USUALLY BLAMED ON HOT OR COLD CLAIMANT, HOWEVER MINE JUST FAILED EARLIER THIS WEEK, WITH WEATHER IN THE MID 40'S. JUST FROM THE AMOUNT OF POSTINGS I FOUND WHEN THIS HAPPENED TO ME IT NEEDS TO BE REPORTED. *TT

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

THE MAZDA RX-8 IS HAVING AN ISSUE THAT IS COMING UP MORE FREQUENTLY NOW FROM A FAULTY A/C SWITCH OR HEATING SYSTEM FAILURE. THE HEAT DOES NOT COME INTO THE VEHICLE WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON AND ONLY COLD AIR COMES INTO VEHICLE. THE FAILURE HAPPENS IN THE BEGINNING ONLY RANDOMLY UNTIL THE UNIT COMPLETELY FAILS. THE A/C MODULAR IS A ELECTRONIC SWITCH THAT CHANGES VENTS AND A/C OR HEAT. THE VENT MECHANISM STILL FUNCTIONS BUT THE HEAT IS NEVER TRANSFERRED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONSEQUENCES FROM THIS ITEM FAILING, ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER TIME, THE WINDSHIELD CANNOT BE DEFROSTED AND DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WAY HUMAN EXHAUSTION WILL CAUSE THE WINDOW FOG UP IMPAIRING DRIVER'S VISION. AS WELL AS COLD TEMPERATURES WITHIN THE VEHICLE THAT DO NOT SUFFICE WHILE DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER. *TR

I'M GOING IN TODAY FOR THE THIRD TIME BECAUSE MY AC CONTINUES TO MAKE A NOISE WHEN THE FAN IS BLOWING. I CANT EVEN BEGIN TO LIST ALL OF THE PROBLEMS I'VE HAD WITH THIS CAR. JUST TO NAME A FEW I'M ON MY SECOND ENGINE, NEW BRAKES, BATTERY AND TIRES BEFORE 40K MILES AND I WAS TOLD BY THREE DIFFERENT SHOPS THAT SOMETHING IS REALLY WRONG WITH THE BRAKES BUT MAZDA CLAIMS OTHER WISE. I'VE HAD A TWO NEW RADIATORS AND MY DRIVER WINDOW WENT OUT ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE FROM THE VISOR FALLING OFF DURING THE HOT SUMMER BECAUSE IT JUST MELTED. HOW DOES A "SUN VISOR" MELT. I'VE HAD THE SHIFTING PADDLES REPLACED BECAUSE THEY JUST DIDN'T WORK AND I DON'T EVEN REALLY USE THEM, THE GAS CAP LOCK BROKE AND I HAD TO PRY IT OPEN SINCE THE EJECT NO LONGER WORKED... I THINK YOU GET...

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ON THREE OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER EACH TIME WHERE THE BATTERY AND THE STARTER WERE REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 70MPH, THE ANTI-SKID AND CHECK ENGINE LAMPS ILLUMINATED. AFTER THE LAMPS ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE REVVED AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE SPEED DECREASED FROM 70MPH TO 15MPH WITHIN 8 SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD, WERE THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED WITH EASE, BUT THE ENGINE STILL REVVED HIGH AND THE LAMPS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS COMPLETED ON THE VEHICLE HOWEVER THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CAUSE. THE DEALERSHIP PERSONNEL SUGGESTED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE REMAINS AT THE DEALERSHIP WERE ADDITIONAL TESTING IS UNDERWAY.