2006 MAZDA RX-8 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
74
Owner Complaints
5
Recalls
9
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2006 MAZDA RX-8
The 2006 MAZDA RX-8 has received a total of 74 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 5 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. 9 technical service bulletins have been issued by Mazda Motor Corp. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Air Bags (17 complaints), Visibility (9 complaints), and Power Train (8 complaints).
Recalls for the 2006 MAZDA RX-8
NHTSA has recorded 5 recalls for the 2006 MAZDA RX-8, potentially affecting up to 760,661 vehicles.
Recall 18V402000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 308,591 vehicles affected
Defect: Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 and 2004 MPV vehicles nationwide. Mazda is also recalling 2005-2006 MPV vehicles in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas,...
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018....
View full details →Recall 18V404000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 4,184 vehicles affected
Defect: Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Mazda MPV vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. On July 9, 2019 this recall was expanded to include certain 2005-2009 RX-8...
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018 for MPV vehicles. The recall began July 9, 2019 for RX-8 vehicles. Owners...
View full details →Recall 17V474000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 308,992 vehicles affected
Defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2008 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on September 12,...
View full details →Recall 16V793000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
| 69,447 vehicles affected
Defect: Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RX-8 vehicles manufactured April 10, 2003, to February 18, 2008. The affected vehicles have fuel pump sealing rings that may deteriorate due to exposure to heat from the engine or exhaust pipe.
Consequence: The deteriorated seals may leak fuel, which, in the presence of an ignition source, can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump sealing ring set and add a thermal insulation pad to the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at...
View full details →Recall 17V354000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
| 69,447 vehicles affected
Defect: Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RX-8 vehicles. Heat from the engine and the exhaust may cause the main fuel pump pipe to crack.
Consequence: If the fuel pump pipe cracks, fuel may leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump filter kit, free of charge. The recall began on July 31, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1017E.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2006 MAZDA RX-8
74 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2006 MAZDA RX-8. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuelpropulsion System | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Trainmanual Transmission | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System Gasolinedeliveryfuel Pump | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structurebody | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipmentapplianceair Conditioner | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Trainclutch Assembly | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Trainclutch Assemblypedalhand Levermotorcycle | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
The contact's grandson owns a 2006 Mazda RX-8. The contact stated that while her grandson was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the vehicle had an oil pressure failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
THERE IS A WHITE BUSHING THAT BREAKS AND IS NOT REPLACEABLE. THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN HAS TO BE REPLACED. THE FACT THAT THIS CAR WAS MADE WITH THIS FLAW IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION. THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES VERY LOOSE AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE.
PERRY MAZDA OF SANTA BARBARA CA IS REFUSING TO REPAIR MY RECALL BECAUSE THE FUEL PUMP CURRENTLY INSTALLED IS AN AFTERMARKET PART. I'VE CONTACTED MAZDA, BUT THE REPRESENTATIVE I SPOKE WITH AGREED WITH THE TECHNICIAN THAT THEY CAN'T REPAIR MY RECALL. HE IS LOOKING INTO ANOTHER SOLUTION SO I CAN GET MY REGISTRATION, BUT I'M MAKING SURE THEIR ACTING LEGALLY.
THE BRACKET FOR THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAS BROKEN 4 TIMES. THE MILAGE IS CURRENTLY 81,000. I'VE CONTACTED MAZDA CORP AND THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM NEW. THEY'RE SAYING UNLESS THERE'S A RECALL WE HAVE TO KEEP BUYING A NEW PEDAL/BRACKET ASSEMBLY. THE METAL THEY USED IS SOFT AND WEAK CAUSING YOU TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CLUTCH. PEDAL GETS STUCK TOO. IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AND AT IDLE. DANGEROUS GOING UP OR DOWN HILLS EVEN AT INTERSECTIONS IT'LL DISABLE YOUR ABILITY TO MOVE. WHEN MAZDA DOES A REPAIR THE PUT THE SAME WEAK JUNK NOT BOTHERING TO REINFORCE OR EVEN FIX THEIR PROBLEM. LOOK IT UP ON THE WEB. JUST ABOUT EVERYONE WITH A MANUAL RX8 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.
THE BRACKET FOR THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAS BROKEN 4 TIMES. THE MILAGE IS CURRENTLY 81,000. I'VE CONTACTED MAZDA CORP AND THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM NEW. THEY'RE SAYING UNLESS THERE'S A RECALL WE HAVE TO KEEP BUYING A NEW PEDAL/BRACKET ASSEMBLY. THE METAL THEY USED IS SOFT AND WEAK CAUSING YOU TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CLUTCH. PEDAL GETS STUCK TOO. IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AND AT IDLE. DANGEROUS GOING UP OR DOWN HILLS EVEN AT INTERSECTIONS IT'LL DISABLE YOUR ABILITY TO MOVE. WHEN MAZDA DOES A REPAIR THE PUT THE SAME WEAK JUNK NOT BOTHERING TO REINFORCE OR EVEN FIX THEIR PROBLEM. LOOK IT UP ON THE WEB. JUST ABOUT EVERYONE WITH A MANUAL RX8 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.
Safety Rating for the 2006 MAZDA RX-8
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2006 MAZDA RX-8 in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2006 MAZDA RX-8
Mazda Motor Corp. has issued 9 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2006 MAZDA RX-8. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
00-001-21-3768 — POWER TRAIN
Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create...
09-003-19-3555a — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Some customers may complain of condensation/fog inside the front (headlamp/headlight) or rear (taillamp/taillight) combination lights. The recent new models have been fitted with a clear lens which can cause the symptom to be more noticeable, however, it does not affect the performance of the light. This condensation/fog is a natural...
09-034-18-3430a — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State laws. It is the dealer's responsibility to comply with Federal, State, and local laws concerning odometer and related documentation requirements when providing...
RF-14-11 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
SUMMARY TO BE PROVIDED ON A FUTURE DATE.
0101507 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATED - P0126 SET - THERMOSTAT MONITOR. *KB
0900807 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHT AUTO-LEVELING MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATES. *KB
0501006 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SLIGHT SURGE WHILE DRIVING AT 40-55 MPH. *KB
0500406 — POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
MANUAL TRANSMISSION-CLUTCH HARD TO DISENGAGE. *KB
0103906 — STEERING
MAZDA MODULAR DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM (M-MDS) STEERING WHEEL ANGLE SENSOR MODULE SELF TEST SHOWS FAIL. *KB
NHTSA Investigations for the 2006 MAZDA RX-8
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the MAZDA RX-8
- 2004 MAZDA RX-8 — 624 complaints
- 2005 MAZDA RX-8 — 212 complaints
- 2006 MAZDA RX-8 (current)
- 2007 MAZDA RX-8 — 51 complaints
- 2008 MAZDA RX-8 — 23 complaints
- 2009 MAZDA RX-8 — 9 complaints
- 2010 MAZDA RX-8 — 5 complaints
- 2011 MAZDA RX-8 — 5 complaints
Other MAZDA Models
- MAZDA MAZDA3 — 3,974 total complaints
- MAZDA 626 — 3,877 total complaints
- MAZDA CX-5 — 3,005 total complaints
- MAZDA MAZDA6 — 2,906 total complaints
- MAZDA TRIBUTE — 2,830 total complaints
- MAZDA CX-9 — 1,786 total complaints
- MAZDA CX-7 — 1,539 total complaints
- MAZDA PROTEGE — 1,377 total complaints