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2004 Mazda Rx-8 Recalls & Complaints

10

open safety recalls on record

Critical

625 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.28 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical19V781000 Do not drive

Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module

inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy & full details

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 one, free of charge. The recall began December 3, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2618F. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 13V130, 14V362, 14V773 and 15V869.

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2005 MPV, 2004 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Critical18V402000 Do not drive

Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module

inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy & full details

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. Mailing to the affected RX-8 owners began July 6, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2618F. Note: With the addition of the RX-8 vehicles, this recall fully supersedes recall 16V354.

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, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. On July 9, 2019 this recall was expanded to include certain 2004-2011 RX-8 vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-354 but have not yet been repaired. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Critical17V474000 Do not drive

Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module

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 & full details

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, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1417G. Note: This recall supersedes recall 15V-382.

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.

Critical17V354000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump

If the fuel pump pipe cracks, fuel may leak, raises the risk of a fire.

Remedy & full details

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.

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.

Critical16V793000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump

The deteriorated seals may leak fuel, which, in the presence of an ignition source, can raises the risk of a fire.

Remedy & full details

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 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0516J.

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.

Critical05V317000

Engine And Engine Cooling

FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE PARTS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.

IF CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ARE PARKED AND THE ENGINE IS OPERATED AT HIGH RPM'S FOR AN EXCESSIVE LENGTH OF TIME, SOME OF THE PARTS AROUND THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CAN MELT AND PRODUCE A VARIETY OF MALFUNCTIONS. PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILD-UP CAN RANGE FROM INOPERATIVE OXYGEN SENSOR, NEUTRAL SWITCH AND BACK UP LIGHTS, PROBLEMS WITH THE PARKING BRAKES, MALFUNCTIONS OF THE GAS GAUGE AND/OR POSSIBLE FUEL LEAKS RESULTING FROM HEAT DAMAGE TO THE FUEL TANK.

Serious17V355000

Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Arm

If the ball joint separates, steering control may be lost, raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front lower control arms, 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 1117E.

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2004 Mazda RX-8 vehicles. The ball joint socket on the front suspension lower control arm may crack and the ball joint may separate from the socket.

Serious05V325000

Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint

IN SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE BALL MAY SEPARATE FROM THE BALL JOINT SOCKET AND A LOSS OF STEERING MAY OCCUR, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE CONTROL ARMS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER FORGING OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, CRACKS MAY OCCUR IN THE BALL JOINT SOCKET.

Serious04V074000

Air Bags:Frontal

THE AIR BAG WILL NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW WIRING HARNESS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE RECALL BEGAN MARCH 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.

AS A RESULT OF AN NCAP TEST, CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ARE BEING RECALLED FOR IMPROPERLY WIRED FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAGS.

Moderate04V075000

Power Train:Manual Transmission

CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE CAN CAUSE THE INSULATOR TO COME OFF AND COULD POSE A HAZARD TO FOLLOWING VEHICLES.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEAT INSULATOR. THE RECALL BEGAN MARCH 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, THE HEAT INSULATOR MAY BE CRACKED CAUSING ABNORMAL NOISE.

Complaint volume

625 this model-year 6 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

23Crashes
11Fires
24Injuries
0Deaths

Across 625 complaints. Severity Index 0.28.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Steering80 · 13%Power Train · Manual Tran…75 · 12%Air Bags49 · 8%Engine And Engine Cooling46 · 7%Power Train38 · 6%Engine And Engine Cooling…37 · 6%Engine33 · 5%Electrical System27 · 4%
  1. Steering — 80 reports
  2. Power Train:Manual Transmission — 75 reports
  3. Air Bags — 49 reports
  4. Engine And Engine Cooling — 46 reports
  5. Power Train — 38 reports
  6. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 37 reports
  7. Engine — 33 reports
  8. Electrical System — 27 reports
  9. Fuel/Propulsion System — 21 reports
  10. Power Train:Clutch Assembly — 19 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2004 · 2005 (6) · 2006 (5) · 2007 (5) · 2008 (5) · 2009 (4) · 2010 (4) · 2011 (3)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.