Mazda Just Recalled Over 100,000 RX-8s

As if life wasn’t stressful enough for RX-8 owners, Mazda has just recalled a huge chunk of the rotary-powered sports cars in the USA.

Two separate issues have led to Mazda issuing recalls for a total of 104,779 cars through the NHTSA. The first concerns a the fuel pump pipe, and covers 69,447 cars made from 2003 to 2008. Over time it “may deteriorate by the heat from the engine and exhaust pipe,” eventually cracking and piddling out fuel. Which could lead to a fire. Not ideal…

Issue number two affects a further 35,332 built from 2003 to 2004, and is arguably even more scary. In this case, “inappropriate caulking of the ball joint” might lead to the ball joint socket of the lower suspension control arm cracking.

If “an abnormally large load” goes through the suspension, the ball joint “may separate from the socket”. In other words, you’ll have no steering.

What’s particularly interesting about the fuel pump pipe recall is - according to the recall document - Mazda first started investigating the issue way back in 2007. The manufacturer closed its investigation in 2009 when it found an “infrequent failure occurrence rate” associated with the problem. It wasn’t until another recall in 2016 exposed that the pipe was indeed faulty, leading to this latest recall.

All owners of affected cars are due to be contacted by the end of July. Cars afflicted with the fuel pipe issue will receive a new fuel pump filter kit, while the ball joint issue cars will be fitted with modified lower control arms.