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.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
inappropriate caulking
heh heh
points and laughs
Me and all other RX-8 owners right now…
They mazda do it…
I can hear FailRace fuming in the background (and yes, I know his is a U.K car) xD!
“May deteriorate by the heat from the engine and exhaust pipe”
By “May” they mean will
I’ve owned 4 rx’s a rx3, rx 4 ,rx7 and my current 2006 rx 8 Shinka which I think is the best. As far as reliability my rx 4 had 92000 mile when some kid plowed into it and totaled it. The Rx4, raced it for two seasons converted back to street and drove it 2 more years before selling it and it was still running fine with the original engine. The RX7 was another matter everything seem to go bad on it. Got rid of that one quickly. My RX8 owned since 2007 run it in autocross occasionally and is my daily summer driver . Car is slightly modified with a new ecu ,exhaust and suspension mods and has been trouble free. They do drink a lotta gas , very loud with aftermarket exhaust but if you treat it like a rotary they will last as long or longer then a piston engine. Just my two cents.
Rx3 is one of my dream cars! But i also love the fd3s. Had issues with my first few but learned alot on them and my current one runs perfect at 408bhp.
Thank goodness they addressed this in such a timely fashion.
Literally just got my car from a recall and now this!?
Pretty sure most owners fixed this already by this point in time since RX8s are reaching project car status. If only Toyota recalled all AE86s for defective US bumpers for being too ugly and decided to replace them with JDM bumpers XD