2004 Mazda RX-8 Air Bags & Restraints Problems

For a year I have responded to every notice for a recall repair (7 total) Mazda has not repaired my vehicle or scheduled its repair. My recall ID is 016742248 and my Campaign Number is 100409. My car has a DO NOT DRIVE status and Mazda tells me I MUST drive the car 2 hours to get it repaired each way. And they refuse to transport y vehicle even thought I have told them in phone conversations about my cars do not drive status. The latest attempt for filing for a repay was 7-21-25 at 9:40am central time.

FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG CRACKED DASH AND PUSHED OUT GLOVE BOX.

ON 10/19/19 THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHEN SWERVING TO AVOID A DEER ON THE ROAD. TWO TREES WERE HIT AND THE VEHICLE WAS FLIPPED ON ITS SIDE. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED DURING THIS ACCIDENT AS I WAS EXPECTED. PICTURES SHOW THE FRONT DAMAGE AND INTERIOR.

THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS AFFECTING THE DASH CAUSING IT TO CRACK. IF THE AIR BAG IS TO DEPLOY THE DASH COULD SPLINTER FROM THE CRACKS AND CAUSE SERIOUS BODILY ENJURY.

TAKATA RECALL I RECEIVED A CALL REGARDING AN 'ESCALATION' OF MY RECALL AND WHEN I CALLED BACK THE INDIVIDUAL ON THE PHONE SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND MY INFORMATION. THE LAST TIME I TRIED TO GET MY RX8 REPAIRED I WAS TOLD I HAVE TO DRIVE THE CAR OVER AN HOUR TO THE SHOP TO GET AIRBAG FIXED - THIS IS AFTER I RECEIVED A VERY GRAPHIC POSTCARD SHOWING AND TELLING ME HOW I WILL BE INJURED OR KILLED IF I DON'T GET MY CAR REPAIRED. I AM TRYING TO GET THIS CAR REPAIRED, HOWEVER I WILL NOT DRIVE THIS CAR OVER AN HOUR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN SOUTH TEXAS HEAT AND HUMIDITY IN ORDER TO MAKE THE REQUIRED 100% COMPLIANCE EASY FOR TAKATA THERE ARE MULTIPLE OTHER RECALLS ON THIS CAR, INCLUDING ON THE ENGINE THAT I HAVE REPLACED 4 TIMES. DEALERS WERE TOLD TO INSTALL THE OLD ENGINES THAT WERE IN THEIR INVENTORY AND NOT INSTALL THE NEW DESIGN. THE OLD ENGINES CONTINUED TO LOOSE COMPRESSION OVER TIME AND EVEN THOUGH MAZDA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 100K ON THE VEHICLE, EVENTUALLY I EXCEEDED 100K - AND THE 4TH ENGINE WENT BAD @102K. MAZDA NEVER REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH AN ENGINE THAT DID NOT HAVE COMPRESSION ISSUES. THE DEALERS USED THE SAME ENGINE AND MAZDA WAITED FOR CONSUMERS TO EXCEED THE 100K MILEAGE AND THEN REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL RX8 THAT IS BASICALLY A ROLLING CHASIS BECAUSE IT WILL NOT RUN, OVERHEATS THE FUEL SYSTEM (CAN EXPLODE OR CATCH FIRE), AND AIRBAGS THAT CAN INJURE OR KILL ME AT ANY MOMENT. I CANT EVEN OPEN THE DOOR ON THIS CAR FOR FEAR OF INJURY OR DEATH. IF THE AIRBAGS WERENT AN ISSUE, I CANT DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THE ENGINE LOOSES COMPRESSION AND POWER AND CAN PUT THE DRIVER IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN TRAFFIC, AND FINALLY IF ALL ELSE WERE FUNCTIONING, THE EXHAUST CAN OVERHEAT THE FUEL TANK CAUSE EXPLOSION AND/OR FIRE. AT ONE POINT THE INTERIOR OF MY TRUNK MELTED. MY CAR HAS ZERO VALUE BECAUSE OF MAZDA AND TAKATA.

TAKATA RECALL AFTER RESPONDING TO NUMEROUS NOTICES REGARDING THIS RECALL AND THE DEADLY DANGER OF THE AIRBAGS, MAZDA STILL INSISTS THAT I DRIVE THE VEHICLE AN HOUR AWAY AND IN HEAVY CITY TRAFFIC TO HAVE THE SERVICE DONE TO CORRECT THE AIRBAG ISSUE. IN ADDITION, FOR YEARS THE ENGINE HAD COMPRESSION ISSUES AND I FOUND OUT THAT AFTER REPLACING THE ENGINE 4 TIMES UNDER WARRANTY, MAZDA WAS REPLACING THE ENGINE WITH THE SAME ENGINE THAT HAS COMPRESSION ISSUES AFTER A TIME. I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD BUY A $7,000 GEN II ENGINE THAT DID NOT HAVE COMPRESSION PROBLEMS, OR TAKE THE REPLACEMENT WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR COMPRESSION ISSUES AS A WARRANTY REPAIR. THEY WERE ABLE TO DEPLETE THEIR STOCK OF BAD ENGINES BY USING THEM AS REPLACEMENTS, AND AS SOON AS MY WARRANTY EXPIRED I STILL HAVE A FAULTY ENGINE WHICH ALSO KEEPS ME FROM SAFELY DRIVING DRIVING FOR SERVICE WORK. THE ENGINE WILL LOOSE COMPRESSION AND POWER IN TRAFFIC AND CAUSE A SAFETY ISSUE. I KEEP MY VEHICLES WELL PAST THE 100K MARK BECAUSE I TAKE CARE OF THEM AND KEEP THEM ON THE ROAD. HOWEVER, THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE WITH THIS CAR, DUE TO A COMBINATION OF MAZDA'S BAD FAITH METHOD OF REPLACING FAULTY ENGINES, AND THE POTENTIALLY FATAL AIRBAG ISSUE. APPARENTLY THE CAR ALSO HAS ISSUES WITH THE EXHAUST OVERHEATING AND CAUSING A FIRE HAZARD, WHICH I HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF. ALTHOUGH A BEAUTIFUL CAR THAT I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE, THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE IN MORE THAN ONE WAY AND HAS A CURRENT VALUE OF $0. IM EVEN AFRAID TO OPEN THE DOOR OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE NOTICES I HAVE RECEIVED, THERE IS NO WAY TO KNOW WHEN OR WHAT MIGHT CAUSE THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. I REALLY CANNOT PUT A SPECIFIC DATE ON WHEN THE ISSUES OCCURRED, OTHER THAN THE SERVICE RECORDS FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENTS UP UNTIL THE 100K MARK. AT 102K MAZDA REFUSED TO REPLACE ANOTHER ENGINE THAT HAD GONE OUT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V382000 (AIR BAGS) AND 16V354000 (AIR BAGS). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 06/13/17*LJ UPDATED 10/11/2017*JS

PASSENGER SIDE DASH NEAR AIRBAG AREA (ABOVE GLOVE BOX VISUALLY) IS CRACKING HORIZONTALLY AND VERTICALLY. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY OF THE PASSENGER, PREMATURE RUPTURE OF AIRBAG, RANDOM DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG. GARAGE KEPT CAR. CRACK HORIZONTAL HAS OVER TIME PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. VERTICAL CRACK BEGAN 12.13.16. IN GARAGE. HAVE APPOINTMENT WITH MAZDA DEALERSHIP TO REPAIR 16V-354-BUT RECALL PAPERWORK DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE AREA(S) OF DASH INCLUDED WITH REPAIR THAT WILL RESOLVE ISSUE AND POTENTIAL HAZARDS-INCLUDING ENCASEMENT OF AIRBAG. RECALL NOTICE DOES NOT ARTICULATE POTENTIAL PARTS ASSOCIATED. "PASSENGER FRONTAL AIR BAG INFLATOR" IS ALL DESCRIBED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V362000 (AIR BAGS). AFTER THE REPAIR, THE DASHBOARD BEGAN TO CRACK IN THE LOCATION WHERE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASHBOARD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V354000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V354000 (AIR BAGS) AND 16V7963000 (FUEL SYSTEM). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT AND VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V382000 (AIR BAGS) AND 16V354000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

TAKATA RECALL. TRAFFIC CAME TO A HALT ON THE FREEWAY. I STOPPED AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REAR ENDED AT HIGH SPEED CAUSING THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. EITHER THE AIR BAG ITSELF OR A PROJECTILE INJURED MY EYE. THE SKIN ON MY EYELID WAS TORN REQUIRING 7 STITCHES. THIS WAS EXTREMELY TRAUMATIC AND I WANTED TO BE SURE THIS INCIDENT WAS INCLUDED IN THE INVESTIGATION.

RECALL 15V382: RECEIVED LETTER FROM MAZDA DEC 2015 INSTRUCTING TO MAKE APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE AIRBAG. CONTACTED DEALER 12-28-15, TOLD THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BE RECEIVED. FOLLOWED UP BY CALLING MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE 800 NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THAT PARTS BEGAN BEING SHIPPED TO DEALERS SINCE NOV 2015; HOWEVER, NOT YET TO ILLINOIS REGION. I ASKED THE REPRESENTATIVE IF THEY KNEW OF OTHER DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREA WHICH HAD THE PART OR AN ESTIMATED DATE OF WHEN THE PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE. MAZDA REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO CALL BACK IN MID JAN TO FOLLOW UP WITH AN ESTIMATED DATE OF PART AVAILABILITY. SO WHY WAS I CONTACTED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE THIS LIFE THREATENING DEFECT CORRECTED IF THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE?! FURTHERMORE HOW CAN THE COMPANY, OR ITS DEALERSHIPS, NOT EVEN HAVE INFORMATION TO GIVE AN ESTIMATE FOR WHEN THE RECALL CAN BE ADMINISTERED?

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG AREA WAS DETERIORATING. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V345000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V382000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME TO RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS NOT ABLE TO SUPPLY A PERMANENT REMEDY FOR THE FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE AIR BAG FAILURE AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PART MIGHT BECOME AVAILABLE FOR THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NECK AND BACK PAIN THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED AND WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AFTER THE CRASH. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V345000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V382000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,400.

I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL NOTICES FROM MAZDA REGARDING REPAIRS NEEDED TO AIR BAGS. I HAVE CALLED TWO DEALERSHIPS. ONE WOULDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECALL AND THE OTHER WOULD NEVER CALL ME BACK FOR AN APPOINTMENT. I CALLED MAZDA AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD CALL ME BACK WITHIN 2 BUSINESS DAYS, BUT THEY NEVER CALLED. THERE REFERENCE NUMBER IS 1154493396

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V345000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V382000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

2004 MAZDA RX-8. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PARTS NOT AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE AIR BAG INFLATOR RECALL NOTICE. *SMD

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8 . THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V382000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.