This may already exist, sorry for posting if it does, i'm on a VERY slow connection and can't search though many threads right now. So if it does exist, can you just please post a link to it in here.

I'm looking for a list of all the problems that people who already own RX8s have seen. I would like to make this list either a FAQ or at least a sticky for people to post in.

I have been looking at buying an RX8 for a while and things keep pushing me back from buying...i really just want to buy it dang it!! Any hoo, when i do buy it, i want to make sure I know all of the things that people have seen go wrong so i can be on the look out for them, and how to get them fixed if i do see them. Here are the ones I know of:

Oil light
AC Cycling
I have head of an ECU problem, but I don't really know what it is.
Heard of someone AC compressor blowing completely while looking around recently.
The guy getting his seat belt stuck and it ISN'T covered under warenty

These are really the only common ones i know of. So if people do post, can you post the problem, a detailed description of it, wheather you got it fixed or not, if you did, was it covered under warenty, etc.

It would also be nice if some one know if these things are being fixed on the production line now that the cars have been out for 3-4 months now. (I saw another post about this, but if anyone has concrete details, that would be great to post here)

So, moderators/admins, can you decide where this theard should go first of all, then post to here if you move it and then close the thread? Thanks to everyone who gives their feedback. I think this will be helpful for everyone, either owner, or future owner.

Thanks!
serff

 

Don't forget to add the shifting problem where some of the guys have had their clutch replaced.

 

I know of 3 others besides myself that have had engines replaced due to a bad seal. The first symptom is engine coolent (nice green color) on the garage floor.

Fortunately, the good folks at Mazda have reacted quickly and when they replaced my engine they did so with a full block (even including wiring harness).

 

AFAIK, there was ONE guy who's AC compressor failed. Similarly, there is only ONE bonehead () who managed to get his seatbelts confused. Those would hardly qualify as common problems!

There isn't an ECU problem, just that Mazda had to retune the ECU for emissions reasons which resulted in a small power and fuel economy loss.

Regards,
Gordon

 

Also, I believe there is the rattling issue when you first start the car and the clutch is not depressed while sitting in neutral.

 

for the most part problems seem isolated. I am the ONE whose AC compressor failed.

That though isn't necessarily a problem for RX8's as far as we know at this time.

Naturally the engine replacement stories are frightening but that info seems to jump all over the place as to the # of such occurances. It COULD happen and MAY have - dunno.

 

As for the engine replacements - I've seen 8 unique people on this forum post that theirs has been replaced (I am one). I have seen estimates in this forum that the numbers run as high as 160 (using extremely non-scientific extrapolations).

I think it is realistic to think there are at least a couple of dozen across North America, but wouldn't place much money on it being higher at this point in time.

And the good news is that they fixed it!

 

WW, at what mileage did yours fail? I know Canzoomer and DBAR had failures, could you guys chime in with your mileage when they failed.

 

Does anyone's car shudder at idle when just parked while in neutral? I thought it could be A/C cycling causing a load on the engine, but it happens with A/C off too. I don't think there's any problem, but I just want to know what might be causing it. The cabin is smooth and vibration free for a few seconds, then it shudders (vibrates). Gets smooth again, then vibrates again. Anyone have any ideas?

 

Wanted to bump this to see if anyone else's 8 shudders at idle (see above post).

 

I would take your car into the dealer and have them look at it. I wouldn't think it should be doing that. Anyway, thanks for the bump.

Anyone else having new problems? How many people are getting the CEL? When i did my test drive the car i drove had the engine light on. Just want to know how common it is.

 

HA

Haven't been on here for a while. I actually got on here to see if anyone is having trouble with rough idling. I find that the car idles smoothly when cold after it gets itself settled down from the startup, but later when the engine is at normal operating temp it idles almost with an occasional miss and shuddering. I wen to the dealer today and they said it was idling smoothly. I was sitting in the car and feeling the shudder while they held the door to feel the engine - have an appointment Tues.

I read that some have had the plugs replaced with higher temp ones.

Any takes on this??

 

I have noticed this but it was just a slight vibration. I thought I would give it more time and check into it when I took the car in for its first oil change at around 3,000 miles.

 

My roommates does that shudder when at idle. It doesn't seem to do it all the time, but I really notice it at stoplights.

 

my RX-8 has the shudder at idle, it only has 300 miles on it so i havent even ripped into it yet, so i'm hopin it will run smoother after the breakin period. i always though it was because i was in alot of stop go traffic, cause i know my old GTI used to shudder if i idle it long periods of time, but the rx-8 is like instant when you stop at the lights.... hmmm.... hope this isnt a problem that keeps...

 

Yeah, this is true.

I went into a dealer recently to get a couple accessories, and the parts guy told me that they had just starting getting in a $115 spark plug kit as an upgrade for the RX 8. He thought that it was a fix for the flooding problem that some people had been towed in for, but my car has started to develop a rough idle as described above, and it feels like fouled plugs to me. I asked him what justified $115 (their cost $90 according to him), and he said that the plugs both looked funky and apparently had both platinum and irridium in them. I don't know how much he actually knew, but there is an upgrade plug floating around out there.

 

Those are the spark plugs to power the Flux Capacitor... All that irridium makes you car glow too. hehe

I don't see why they are charging for them if they are a fix for the flooding problem. they should give them to everyone for free...especially if new ones are coming with them.

 

I don't know if they are charging for them. That's just the retail price.

 

Oh, the indignity of it all...