2004 Mazda RX-8 Complaint Log

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM OVERHEATED AND CAUSED UNKNOWN WIRES TO OVERHEAT AND SMOKE. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

THE CLUTCH PEDAL OF THE VEHICLE HAD STARTED SQUEAKING WHILE BEING USED AND STARTED MOVING LATERALLY LEFT AND RIGHT. WHILE DRIVING HOME ON THE FREEWAY THE VEHICLE WAS LOCKED INTO 2ND GEAR AND WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO CHANGE GEARS. I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE HOME IN 2ND GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ROMERO MAZDA AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY HAD SNAPPED. THIS IS WHY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS AND WAS LOCKED INTO 2ND GEAR. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE SERVICE REP HE TOLD ME THAT MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF POCKET. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 MAZDA RX8 TO WORK, EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL SUDDENLY MY CLUTCH PEDAL MADE A *SNAP* NOISE AS I PRESSED TO GET IT OUT OF GEAR. THE CLUTCH PEDAL WENT LOOSE INBACK OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO FREE THE CLUTCH PEDAL BACK UP, BUT I WASN'T ABLE TO PUT IT INTO ANY GEAR. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND VISUALLY INSPECTED THE CLUTCH PEDAL. SOON AFTER I HAD MY CAR TOWED. I FOUND OUT IT WAS A FAULTY CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET. IT IS MADE OF WEAK METAL AND HAS SINGLE SPOT WELDS HOLDING IT TOGETHER. I AM HAVING THE CLUTCH BRACKET TAKEN OUT, RE-WELDED TO MAKE IT MUCH STRONGER THEN ORIGINALLY, THEN REPLACED IN THE CAR. I CAME ACROSS AN AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT PART ONLINE, BUT IT IS OUT OF MY BUDGET. *TR

VERY COMMON PROBLEM. CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET SNAPPED MAKING CLUTCH ALL BUT INOPERABLE. CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE AND IT WAS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. SHOULD BE A RECALL TO FIX A POORLY DESIGNED BRACKET. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, APPROACHING A TURN AND SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR, THE CLUTCH PEDAL FRACTURED. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANEUVER THE CLUTCH SO THAT IT WOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL GEAR IN ORDER TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

OWN A 2004 MAZDA RX8 AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY BROKE WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE READ OF EVIDENCE ONLINE THAT WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS PART IS A DEFECT BY THE MANUFACTURER. I TOOK MY CAR TO PAUL MILLER FORD AND THEY TOLD ME THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY WOULD BE NEEDED TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IT WAS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. THE COST TOTAL IS $440.98 THIS SEEMS RIDICULOUS SINCE I HAVE READ THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE DRIVER TO EXERT TOO MUCH FORCE ON THE PEDAL. THE RESISTANCE IS DETERMINED BY THE CLUTCH, NOT THE DRIVER. I THINK THEIR ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO OWN RX8'S AND EXPERIENCE THIS SAME PROBLEM. HOW CAN IT BE THAT WITH ALL THE ACCOUNTS OF PEOPLE THAT I HAVE REAL ONLINE ALONE THAT A RECALL HAS NOT ALREADY BEEN ISSUED. *TR

FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS, THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON MY CAR HAS SQUEAKED AND GROANED WHEN DEPRESSED. THIS WOULD NOT BE CONSISTENT, AND VERY HARD TO DIAGNOSE. TODAY, WHILE DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE TOWARDS WORK (I LIVE AND WORK ON A MILITARY BASE), A METALLIC "POP" CAME FROM MY CLUTCH PEDAL WHILE BEING DEPRESSED AND NO LONGER DISENGAGED THE CLUTCH. THIS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AS IT WAS "RUSH HOUR." I QUICKLY NOTICED WHILE DRIVING THAT MY CLUTCH PEDAL WAS ALMOST TOUCHING MY BRAKE AS I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN! ALSO, IF I HAD STOPPED MOVING AT ANY POINT, I AND MY CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED AS I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET MY CAR BACK INTO GEAR. UPON INSPECTION AT HOME, IT APPEARS A WELD ON THE RIGHT SIDE THAT HOLDS THE CLUTCH PEDAL MOUNT TO THE FRAME OF THE CAR HAS COME COMPLETELY LOOSE MAKING THE PEDAL LEAN LEFT. THERE ALSO APPEARS TO POSSIBLY BE ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL SPRING AS IT NO LONGER RETURNS THE PEDAL TO THE FULLY DEPRESSED POSITION, AND INSTEAD DEFAULTS TO 3 INCHES DEPRESSED OR FULL UPRIGHT DEPRESSED. THIS FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *TR

CLUTCH BRACKET BROKE IN TRAFFIC WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL ITALIAN ROADS. NEARLY CAUSED TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. CAR RENDERED UNUSABLE. *TR

CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET BROKE ON THE RIGHT SIDE WHILE DRIVING. RESTRICTS VEHICLE FROM BEING ABLE TO GO INTO GEAR. PEDAL WILL NOT COMPRESS ALL THE WAY. *TR

THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY ON 2004 MAZDA RX-8 HAS SPOT WELDS THAT HOLD THE ASSEMBLY TOGETHER. ONE OF THE SPOT WELDS FAILED ON MY CAR, CAUSING LATERAL MOVEMENT IN THE PEDAL, AND METAL FATIGUE (RIPPING) AROUND ONE OF THE MOUNTING BOLTS. THE CLUTCH MOVEMENT WAS ALSO AFFECTED. PUSHING THE PEDAL DOWN, IT WAS LOOSE ABOUT HALF OF THE NORMAL MOVEMENT OF THE PEDAL. ONLY THE SECOND HALF OF PEDAL MOVEMENT OPERATED THE CLUTCH SEPARATION. IT APPEARED THAT OVER TIME THE MOUNTING BRACKET OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY WOULD HAVE COMPLETELY FAILED CAUSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO COME OFF OF THE FIREWALL. DOING A INTERNET SEARCH ON "RX8 CLUTCH PEDAL" REVEALED MANY OTHER TIMES OF THIS HAPPENING AND MAZDA NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I HAVE REPORTED MY INSTANCE TO MAZDA'S CUSTOMER SUPPORT. *TR

IM PRETTY BUMMED OUT, IM AN OWNER OF AN 04 MAZDA RX8 AND ABOUT A MONTH OR SO THE HEART (ENGINE) OF THE CAR SUDDENLY GAVE OUT, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO GET IT CHECKED OUT AND THE NEWS THEY GAVE ME WAS THAT I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE, THEY ASKED ME FOR MAINTENANCE RECORDS WHICH I COULDN'T PROVIDE THEM WITH BECAUSE I DO THE TUNE UPS MYSELF, THEY WANT RECEIPTS BUT LETS BE HONEST ITS HARD TO KEEP TRACK OF THEM, SO THEY SAID NO RECORDS NO RECEIPTS IT WILL COST YOU OVER 3K TO GET THE JOB DONE. I SEE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS AND RECALLS ONLINE FOR THIS VEHICLE AND KNOW THAT MINE FALLS IN THAT CATEGORY ALSO. I HAVE WITNESSES THAT SEE ME DO MY OILCHANGES AND STORE EMPLOYEES THAT KNOW I BUY TUNE UP PRODUCTS FROM THERE STORE. WHAT CAN I DO TO FIGHT FOR MY RIGHTS? *TR

2004 MAZDA RX-8, UNDER 45K MILES. DRIVEN ON A 78 DEGREE DAY FOR 2 HOUR TRIP. STOPPED TO REFUEL AND 30 MIN SHOPPING. GET INTO CAR ONTO HIGHWAY WHERE I NEED MY ENGINE'S SPEED TO ACCELERATE ONTO HIGHWAY. I FEELS LIKE HALF THE POWER IS GONE. IT REMINDS ME OF VAPOR LOCK, IT'S GASPING FOR FUEL OR SPARK. THIS HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED MANY TIMES BEFORE AND NEARLY DANGEROUS WHEN IN BUSY TRAFFIC, AS HAD TO PULL OVER TO BIRM. I KNOW DEALER REPLACED COIL PACKS ONCE OR TWICE SO FAR...ALONG WITH PLUGS. THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS CAR I EVER OWNED. THE MOST RE-CALLED CAR I'VE EVER KNOWN OF. RIGHT NOW IT'S RUNNING FINE, MATTER OF FACT HAS POWER TO SPARE AS COMPARED TO IT'S 'WHIMPING OUT SYNDROME ". THERE MUST BE A CORPORATE SOLUTION FROM MAZDA TO ME. I AM READY FOR A LAWYER. *TR

CLUTCH PEDAL BROKE WHEN SHIFTING TO 4TH GEAR AND DISENGAGING CLUTCH. TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD SNAP WHEN I RELEASED THE CLUTCH. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RE-ENGAGE THE CLUTCH, THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT LATERAL MOVEMENT AND LITTLE TO NO PRESSURE. HAD TO PULL OVER AND COAST TO A GRINDING HALT IN GEAR. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, COMING TO A STOP WHILE IN GEAR ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY WOULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN DECREASING IN SPEED WITHOUT WARNING AND STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE CHECK ENGINE AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,483 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

2004 MAZDA RX-8. THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY BROKE WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. THE CLUTCH WILL NOT ENGAGE THE REVERSE GEAR AND BARELY ENGAGES IN THE FORWARD GEARS. THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY HAS TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE DEALER IS CLAIMING THAT IT IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE EVEN THIS IS A COMMON OCCURANCE FOR THE MODEL. THE OLD DEFECTIVE PART IS AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, HE ENGAGED THE CLUTCH AND THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED AND HE HAD TO PUSH THE VEHICLE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 37,800. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 37,600. UPDATED 06/08/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND OBSTRUCTED HIS VISION. UPDATED 08/11/10

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX8. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CLUTCH PEDAL BROKE AND THE CONTACT COULD NOT SHIFT; HE HAD TO BE ASSISTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET WAS REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE SUN VISOR ALSO BROKE TWICE; THE FIRST TIME, IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE SUN VISOR FAILURE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,728. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,400.

CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET SNAPPED AND CANNOT GO INTO ANY GEAR. GOT STUCK IN A STOP LIGHT UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR IMMEDIATELY...WHEN I WAS ABLE TO (AFTER 1MIN OF TRYING TO GET INTO GEAR), I COULDN'T GET OUT OF IT IMMEDIATELY (TOOK 15SECS)...VERY DANGEROUS CONSIDERING IF I WAS ON A HIGHWAY AND GOT STUCK IN GEAR WHILE EXITING...LUCKILY I WASN'T

2004 MAZDA RX8 MANUAL TRANSMISSION WITH 64500 MILES. CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN NORMALLY ON THE WAY TO WORK WHEN DURING A SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR THE CLUTCH BRACKET BROKE IN HALF ON THE OUTSIDE PORTION OF THE CAR, WHICH CAUSED THE PEDAL TO SHIFT OVER TOWARDS THE BRAKE MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO USE THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CAR IS NOW IS UNABLE TO MOVE BECAUSE IT CANNOT BE PUT INTO GEAR OR DRIVEN SAFELY. THIS IS A PERMANENT FAILURE UNTIL IT IS FIXED. THE CLUTCH BRAKET MUST BE REMOVED AND WELDED OR A ENTIRE PIECE ORDERED AND REASSEMBLED WITH THE EXISTING COMPONENTS FOR AN ESTIMATED PRICE OF ALMOST $500.

I HAVE A 2004 MAZDA RX8 MANUAL WITH 59,000 MILES. THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY BRACKET ATTACHED TO THE FIREWALL SNAPPED WHILE I WAS TRYING TO CHANGE GEAR IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. I ENDED UP WITH ALMOST NO CLUTCH AT ALL. I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRACKET BROKEN INTO PIECES. A NEW CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE INSTALLED TO REPLACE THE BROKEN ONE.

THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON MY MAZDA RX-8 2004 MODEL IS MAKING A STRANGE NOISE EVERYTIME I STEP ON IT. THE CLUTCH DOESN'T FEEL LIKE ITS WORKING RIGHT, AND MYT BREAK SNAP ANYTIME SOON JUST LIKE WHAT ALREADY HAPPEND TO LOTS OF RX-8'S.

I OWN A MAZDA RX8-2004. SINCE PURCHASE IT HAS ALWAYS IDLED ROUGH. ON OCCASION THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START, SUPPOSEDLY FLOODED. NOW JUST YESTERDAY IT WAS IDLING ROUGH AGAIN BUT WHILE MERGING ON TO THE HIGHWAY THE ENGINE CUT OFF IN AN INSTANT. THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND IT DID RESTART. I'M AFRAID TO HAVE MY FAMILY IN THIS CAR ANYMORE. THERE ARE KNOWN ISSUES WITH THE ROTARY ENGINE AND FAILURE IT A BIG PROBLEM. THIS CAR HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THE ENGINE BEFORE BUT PASSED THE MAZDA "TESTS" AND WAS NEVER REPLACED. IT'S BEEN DOCUMENTED BY THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS. THIS ENGINE FAILURE IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE TOYOTA GAS PEDAL PROBLEM THAT IS PUTTING CONSUMERS LIVES AT RISK. THIS PROBLEM IS THE REVERSE, YOU COULD BE CHANGING LANES AND LOOSE ALL POWER AND GET RUN OVER BY A TRACTOR TRAILER. WHY ARE THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VEHICLE BEING IGNORED? IS IT BECAUSE IT'S ONLY ONE MAZDA MODEL AND IT DOESN'T HAVE THAT MANY CARS ON THE ROAD? THIS VEHICLE IS A LEMON AND A DANGER TO DRIVE. I CANNOT BELIEVE MORE DEATHS HAVE NOT OCCURRED AND MAZDA IS ALLOWED TO SWEEP THIS UNDER THE CARPET. I WOULD GET RID OF THIS CAR BUT ALL CAR DEALERS KNOW THE DEAL WITH IT AND WON'T GIVE YOU A PENNY FOR IT THUS I NEED TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS DEATH TRAP. PLEASE HELP US HELPLESS CONSUMERS. MAZDA SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. *TR

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN WITH THE PROBLEM I HAVE HAD WITH MY 2004 MAZDA RX-8. I HAVE OWNED IT SINCE SEPTEMBER 2003 AND IT HAS HAD COUNTLESS ISSUES, PARTS REPLACED AND FAILURES. THE INCIDENT I EXPERIENCED LAST NIGHT PUT ME OVER THE EDGE AND ALMOST COST ME MY LIFE. MY RX-8, WHICH WAS JUST AT THE DEALER 2 WEEKS AGO, HAD AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION WHILE I WAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN MASSACHUSETTS. THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE WENT FROM APPROX 50MPH TO 10MPH IN A MATTER OF A FEW SECONDS. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO MAKE MY WAY TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE WITHOUT INJURING MYSELF OR ANYONE ELSE; HOWEVER, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. EVERY SINGLE PART IN MY RX-8 HAS BEEN REPLACED EXCEPT FOR THE ENGINE MOUNTS AND ENGINE. I HAVE DISHED OUT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ALREADY AND THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 44,000 MILES ON IT. NOT ONLY IS THIS A SAFETY HAZARD TO THOSE OF US DRIVING THE VEHICLE, BUT IT IS ALSO A SAFETY HAZARD TO THOSE AROUND US. HAD THE CAR BEHIND ME NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION MY VEHICLE COULD HAVE CAUSED A DEADLY CAR CRASH IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. I HAVE CONTACTED NUMEROUS DEALERSHIPS, THE BBB, AND AM NOW LOOKING INTO A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. MAZDA NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE MY CAR WAS PURCHASED IN 2003, BBB WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CASE, HOWEVER I HAVE 57 PAGES OF DETAILED REPAIRS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THIS VEHICLE SINCE I OWNED IT, WHICH I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO SEND TO YOU. TONS OF PEOPLE ONLINE HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES; JUST FROM AUTOMOTIVE.COM THERE ARE 30+ EMAIL ADDRESSES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO MINE. PLEASE HELP US GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS FAULTY ENGINE AND MAKE MAZDA OWN UP TO THEIR MISTAKES. PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE IN DANGER AND THIS IS NEITHER ACCEPTABLE NOR ETHICAL. PS- AN EMPLOYEE OF NHTSA HAS BEEN CONTACTED PRIOR REGARDING THIS SITUATION. HER NAME IS [XXX] AND HER CONTACT INFORMATION IS [XXX]EXT #: [XXX]. I RECEIVED THIS FROM THE AUTOMOTIVE.COM FORUM. *TR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I HAVE OWNED A 2004 MAZDA RX7 SINCE OCT 07 SINCE THEN THE ENGINE HAS BEEN REPLACED AT 26,000 MILES 2 SET OF COILS SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, SENSORS, TRANSMISSION, RADIATOR RESERVOIR JUST FOR STARTERS. NOW THE CAR IS STALLING AT LOW RPM'S OR WHEN IT GETS HOT LEAVING ME STRANDED IN INTERSECTIONS AND ON BUSY FREEWAYS. MAZDA HAS A BULLETIN OUT ON THIS CAR BUT BECAUSE THEY DO NOT CONSIDER IT A SAFETY ISSUE THEY WILL NOT RECALL THE CAR. I BEG TO DIFFER!! BEING STRANDED IN AN INTERSECTION OR ON A BUSY HIGHWAY INCREASES MY ODDS GREATLY THAT I AM GOING TO BE HIT BY ANOTHER CAR AND POSSIBLY KILLED. THERE HAS GOT TO BE SOME TYPE OF GOVERNMENT BODY OUT THERE THAT CAN ENFORCE THESE MANY CLAIMS OF ENGINE FAILURE AGAINST MAZDA AND THERE ROTARY ENGINE BECAUSE THE LATEST DIAGNOSIS IS THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AGAIN!! PLEASE HELP! *TR

CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET BROKE WHILE SHIFTING GEARS IN 2004 MAZDA RX 8. CLUTCH PEDAL MOVES SIDE TO SIDE NOW, AND SEEMS LIKELY TO INTERFERE WITH BRAKING. ALSO MAKES SHIFTING GEARS MORE DIFFICULT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 MAZDA RX-8 AND WITHOUT SYMPTOM, MY CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET BROKE. SUBSEQUENTLY, I WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT MY VEHICLE INTO GEAR. I WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, UNABLE TO PULL OVER TO CLEAR TRAFFIC. I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO WESTCOTT MAZDA AND THEY REPLACED THE BRACKET FOR ME. THE OLD PART IS NOT AVAILABLE, BUT I DO HAVE THE RECEIPTS FOR THE TOWING AND THE REPLACEMENT BRACKET FROM WESTCOTT MAZDA. *TR

OIL COOLER LINES IN FRONT OF VEHICLE RUSTED OUT AFTER 60K MILES. OIL LEAKED ONTO TIRES/BRAKES. *TR

WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO "STICK" OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW DAYS, STEERING WENT FROM WORKING TO NOT WORKING AT ALL. STEERING MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON AND HASN'T GONE OFF SINCE. WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER (ALTHOUGH IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY) AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE EPS MODULE AND TO REPLACE IT WOULD BE ~$1100. PURCHASED THE MODULE AND THAT WASN'T THE ISSUE THEY REALIZED. DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING SYSTEM AT A COST OF $4000! WHAT A JOKE. WHY SHOULD I PAY ANYTHING FOR AN OBVIOUS DEFECT FROM THE FACTORY. I'VE READ TOO MANY POSTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND MAZDA IS TURNING A DEAF EAR. THIS COMPANY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES FOR EVEN ALLOWING SUCH AN ISSUE TO LEAVE THE FACTORY, BUT EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS A FACTORY DEFECT, YOU SHOULD BE IMMEDIATE TO CORRECT IT, BUT YOU AREN'T. I GUESS THAT IT WILL TAKE FOR SOMEONE TO DIE BEFORE YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I TAKE A CHANCE ON DRIVING MY CAR ALONG THE INTERSTATE BECAUSE WHEN I COME TO A CURVE, THE STEERING CAN FREEZE AND I HAVE TO WRESTLE THE CAR AROUND THE TURN. A DANGEROUS SITUATION. MAZDA, DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS OBVIOUS FLAW IN THIS VEHICLE, AMONGST MANY OTHER FLAWS. AN ISSUE WITH STEERING SHOULD BE A NON-ISSUE. ARE YOU SERIOUS MAZDA? A LOT OF OWNERS CAN'T EVEN STEER THEIR VEHICLE WITHOUT CREATING A SWEAT. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED AND DISAPPOINTED IN YOUR SEEMINGLY LACK OF CONCERN WITH THIS MATTER. *TR

1. ABOUT 2 HOURS OF CITY DRIVING. 2. WHILE DRIVING OUR MAZDA RX-8, THE CLUTCH PEDAL SUDDENLY DEVELOPED EXCESSIVE FREE PLAY AND THE CLUTCH WAS HARD TO DISENGAGE. AFTER PARKING THE CAR AND LETTING IT COOL FOR SEVERAL HOURS, THE CLUTCH PEDAL RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE SYMPTOMS WERE EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN MAZDA TSB # 05-004/06 'MANUAL TRANSMISSION - CLUTCH HARD TO DISENGAGE'. THIS TSB DESCRIBES A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHERE ETHANOL USED IN THE CLUTCH RELEASE CYLINDER BOOT CAN VAPORIZE AND INCREASE PRESSURE WITHIN THE BOOT, WHICH THEN CAUSES THE PISTON TO BE PUSHED BACK INTO THE RELEASE CYLINDER BODY. AS A RESULT, A GAP APPEARS BETWEEN THE PISTON AND THE PUSH ROD, RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE FREE PLAY AND THE CLUTCH HARD TO DISENGAGE. THE TSB SAYS THAT THE ETHANOL CAN VAPORIZE 'AT HOT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES OR APPROX. 85 F.' THIS IS SURPRISING, BECAUSE, 85 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT IS A VERY NORMAL TEMPERATURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE TSB SAYS THAT A MASS PRODUCTION CHANGE WAS MADE SINCE WE BOUGHT OUR CAR AND THAT ETHANOL IS NO LONGER USED DURING THE MANUFACTURE OF THE CLUTCH RELEASE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY. THE TSB RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT OF THE AFFECTED PART. THIS SITUATION IS OBVIOUSLY VERY DANGEROUS. WHEN THE CLUTCH BECOMES HARD TO DISENGAGE, THE CAR CAN'T BE DRIVEN SAFELY. WE LIVE IN A CROWDED, URBAN ENVIRONMENT AND MUST BE ABLE TO CHANGE GEARS OR PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL VERY QUICKLY. 3. MAZDA REFUSED TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE CLUTCH RELEASE CYLINDER BECAUSE OUR CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS DURING A LIGHT SHIFT MY CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET SNAPPED. THE PEDAL IS NOW LOOSE AND MOVES EASILY FROM SIDE TO SIDE ONLY WORKING IF PUSHED ON THE CORRECT WAY. IT HAS BEEN SQUEAKING FOR A FEW MONTHS AND SUDDENLY ON AN EASY DRIVE IT JUST SNAPPED. THE PEDAL AND ASSEMBLY HAVE NEVER BEEN ABUSED OR MODIFIED IN ANY WAY NOR HAS THE CAR BEEN DRIVEN PARTICULARLY HARD. *TR

I OWN A 2004 MAZDA RX-8 AND WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN THE MANUAL CLUTCH PEDAL SHIFTED FROM ITS NORMAL POSITION SO FAR THAT IT GOT STUCK UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT HOME BUT WHEN LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEM, I NOTICED THAT THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY BRACKET HAD BROKEN, ALLOWING THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO MOVE UNDER THE BRAKE. I DID SOME RESEARCH TO FIND THAT APPROXIMATELY 40 OTHER PEOPLE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS BRACKET BREAKING IN THE SAME PLACE ON THE 2004-2008 RX-8. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX8. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE DEALER ADVISED HIM TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST PERFORMED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. UPDATED 02/26/10 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. UPDATED 06/10/10.*JB

I WAS DRIVING MY FRIENDS 2004 MAZDA RX-8 WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL SNAPPED. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT STOPPED AND INTO NEUTRAL. THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET WAS FOUND DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPLACED. *TR

THE CLUTCH BEGAN TO SQUEAK AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THEY FOUND THAT THE CLUTCH BRACKET HAD CRACKED AT ONE OF THE WELDED LOCATION. THIS HAPPENED UNDER NORMAL DAILY DRIVING TO WORK AND BACK. IT COST ME $369.00 TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW ONE. I DON'T THINK THAT THIS SHOULD HAPPEN UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM BECAUSE IF I DID NOT TAKE IT INTO THE DEALER RIGHT AWAY, THE CRACK WOULD HAVE LED TO A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.

DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY DOING POSTED 55 MPH, GO DO DOWNSHIFT FROM 6TH TO 5TH GEAR BECAUSE I WAS EXITING AND WHEN I DEPRESSED MY CLUTCH PEDAL IT SNAPPED OFF CAUSING MY TO NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF GEAR. I HAD TO VEER OFF THE ROAD KILL THE ENGINE AND WAIT FOR AAA TO COME TOW ME TO A LOCAL REPAIR. THIS IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IF I WERE IN TOWN OR RESIDENTIAL AREA COULD OF BEEN TROUBLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND MAKING A TURN HE EXPERIENCED A FAILURE WITH THE POWER STEERING WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.

THIS IS REGARDING A 2004 MAZDA RX-8 WITH ABOUT 65,000 MILES. POWER STEERING ON CAR WORKS OK WHEN CAR FIRST STARTED. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES (AND USUALLY BY THE TIME I HIT THE HIGHWAY) THE CAR WILL JERK ITSELF TO THE LEFT AND BACK TO THE RIGHT VERY SHARPLY, ALMOST CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR ON AT LEAST THREE OCCASIONS. AFTER JERK, STEERING LIGHT WILL LIGHT ON DASHBOARD AND NO POWER STEERING ASSIST IS AVAILABLE. POWER STEERING HAS ALSO GONE OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN, ALSO ALMOST CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. I FOUND OUT THROUGH RX8CLUB.COM THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, AND THE DEALERSHIP WANTS TO CHARGE UPWARD OF $2,000 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR

CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET SNAPPED WHILE SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. CAR HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN TAKEN TO MAZDA DEALERSHIP, WHO INSISTED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE BRACKET. HAD BEEN MAKING A CLICKING NOISE WHEN CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. PEDAL BECAME LOOSE ON THE HORIZONTAL AXIS (E.G. COULD BE MOVED LEFT OR RIGHT WITH LITTLE PRESSURE. COULD STILL BE SHIFTED WITH CAREFUL APPLICATION OF PRESSURE, BUT NOT SAFE FOR CONTINUED DRIVING. *TR

BRAND NEW GOODYEAR TIRE WITH LESS THAN 100 MILES ON IT BLEW WHILE GOING DOWN HIGHWAY. *TR

FOR A WEEK OR SO PRIOR TO FAILURE, I HEARD A SQUEAK COMING FROM THE CLUTCH. HAD CAR IN TO CHANGE TIRES, MECHANIC NOTED CLUTCH PEDAL WAS SOFT AND ADVISED I HAVE IT LOOKED AT THE NEXT DAY. ON THE WAY HOME CLUTCH PEDAL KICKED OVER TO THE RIGHT AND I WASN'T ABLE TO ENGAGE CLUTCH & SHIFT,STUCK IN 2ND GEAR. LUCKY FOR ME I DIDN'T GET IN A COLLISION, WAS ROLLING THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION, WAS ABLE TO GET TO A PARKING LOT AND STALLED AND STOPPED THE CAR. RESET CLUTCH PEDAL RED GREENED IT AND LIMPED IT HOME TILL I HAD IT FIXED A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER. *TR

1. THE EVENTS WERE MOST LIKELY COLD WEATHER, ALABAMA HAS HAD AN UNUSUALLY COLD WINTER DURING THE 2009-2010 PERIOD. 2. THE CLUTCH HAS BROKEN. THE WELD THAT HOLDS IT IN PLACE HAS BROKEN. 3. I AM GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH BRACKET DUE TO ITS BREAKING. *TR

DURING THE COURSE OF MY MORNING COMMUTE TO WORK THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE CAR WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO A SAFE LOCATION BY USE OF "REV MATCHING" SHIFTING AS DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL WOULD NO LONGER ENGAGE THE CLUTCH AND THE PEDAL NO LONGER RETURNED TO THE PROPER POSITION. THE ASSEMBLY WAS REMOVED, REWELDED, AND REPLACED. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 MAZDA RX 8 HOME FROM WORK WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CLUTCH PEDAL DROPPED AND MY CAR WOULD NOT SWITCH GEARS, LUCKILY I COASTED ACROSS THE INTERSECTION. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A MAZDA DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD ME MY ENTIRE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY WAS DESTROYED TO NOTHING AND MY CLUTCH PEDAL WAS BENT, DUE TO BROKEN BRACKET ON CLUTCH PEDAL. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER THE COST, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS DUE TO A PART THAT WASN'T A WEAR AND TEAR PART. TOTAL COST IS $1490. *TR

DIVING AT 50 MPH AND MY CLUTCH PEDAL BROKE, MOVING SIDE TO SIDE AND UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS. I WAS 3 MILES FROM A MAZDA DEALER AND GOT THERE. WAS TOLD THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PART IN STOCK (IN DEMAND, OF COURSE) AND I HAD TO PAY $25.00 FOR OVER NIGHT SHIPPING TO GET MY CAR FIXED THE NEXT DAY. I WAS GIVEN MY OLD PETAL AND BROKEN PART AND PAID $470 FOR THE FIX. AFTER REVIEWING THIS PROBLEM ON-LINE I SEE THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2004-2008 RX-8'S FROM 20,000-70,000 MILES. HAD MY 18 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER BEEN DRIVING THIS CAR AT THE TIME, THIS WOULD BE A WHOLE DIFFERENT LETTER. PLEASE RECALL THIS CAR AND CORRECT THIS ON GOING DANGEROUS , LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM. MAZDA MECHANIC'S KNOW ALL TO WELL ABOUT THIS, WHY DOESN'T THE PUBLIC. WHY DON'T YOU. *TR

2004 MAZDA RX8 HAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE EXTERNAL OIL COOLER. THE PIPE THAT TRANSPORTS OIL FROM THE ENGINE TO THE COOLER AND BACK IS EXPOSED AND SUBJECT TO CORROSION FROM ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE, IN PARTICULAR THE ALUMINUM REINFORCING MATERIAL IN THE PIPE IS VULNERABLE TO ROAD SALT. THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN TO MAZDA. IN CANADA THEY HAVE ISSUED FIELD ACTION NUMBER 142-36, WHICH IS A RECALL IN WHICH THEY REPLACE THESE PIPES WITH A REDESIGNED PART THAT IS LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS DEFECT. THEY HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO EXTEND THIS RECALL TO THE US BECAUSE (QUOTING FROM THE RECALL DOCUMENT): "THE MAZDA RX-8 IS SOLD IN THE U.S., HOWEVER THROUGH REVIEW OF FIELD REPORTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS WHERE ROAD SALT IS USED, THERE IS VERY LITTLE EVIDENCE OF THIS CONDITION IN THE U.S. MAZDA HAS CONCLUDED THAT NO FIELD ACTION IS REQUIRED IN THE U.S. MARKET AT THIS TIME." THE REASON I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT IN MY CASE, THE PIPE PERFORATED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION, SPRAYING A LARGE AMOUNT OF ENGINE OIL AT HIGH PRESSURE INTO THE INTERNAL ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND ONTO THE ROAD BEHIND ME. HAD I NOT KILLED THE IGNITION ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, I BELIEVE THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE VOIDED ALL OF ITS OIL ONTO THE ROAD. I BELIEVE THIS EXPOSED THOSE DRIVING BEHIND ME TO HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS, AND COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT (ALTHOUGH NONE OCCURRED IN THIS CASE). AGAIN QUOTING FROM THE CANADIAN RECALL DOCUMENT: "THE SMALL AMOUNT OF POTENTIAL OIL SEEPAGE WILL BE EVIDENCED TO THE CUSTOMER WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND IS NOT BELIEVED TO PRESENT ANY RISK TO SAFETY." CLEARLY I DO NOT AGREE WITH THEIR ASSESSMENT HERE! *TR

CLUTCH BRACKET ON MY 2004 MAZDA RX-8 BROKE MAKING THE CAR IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE PROPERLY. *TR

2004 MAZDA RX8 CLUTCH BRACKET BROKE. MY WIFE JUST GAVE BIRTH AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN USING THE RX8, MUCH CAUSE SHE CAN'T DRIVE, BUT I WANTED TO START IT UP AND TAKE IT OUT FOR A TRIP TO THE STORE BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN SITTING FOR A WEEK. WHEN I WENT TO START IT, THE CLUTCH JUST FELT LIKE IT SNAPPED. THE BRACKET SNAPPED IN HALF ON THE LEFT SIDE. WOW THANK GOD THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE MY WIFE WAS PREGNANT OR WHAT ABOUT WITH MY SON IN THE CAR. SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY MAZDA. I AM SURE THAT WE HAVE THE DRIVER EXPERIENCE AND GOOD ENOUGH DRIVING SKILLS TO HAVE SAFELY AVOIDED DISASTER, BUT I AM VERY HAPPY THAT IT HAPPENED ON JUST A NORMAL STARTUP RATHER THEN AT 70 MPH IN HEAVY ATLANTA TRAFFIC. *TR

THE CLUTCH PEDAL IN THE MAZDA RX8 BEGAN CREAKING DURING USE. AFTER INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE ONLINE, I LEARNED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AMONG MAZDA RX8 OWNERS AND THAT CONTINUED USE OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL WOULD LEAD TO FAILURE WITH THE CREAKING BEING A SIGN THAT THE PEDAL IS PREMATURELY WEARING. SINCE MAZDA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEFECT AND OFFER A RECALL, I REMOVED THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND HAD THE MOUNTING BRACKET REWELDED. I'VE ALSO OBSERVED THAT THE METAL USED FOR THE BRACKET IS INCREDIBLY THIN AND THAT THE SPOT WELDS MADE AT THE FACTORY BY MAZDA ARE WHOLLY INSUFFICIENT TO KEEP THE BRACKET FROM MOVING UNDER STRESS, LEADING TO PERMANENT FAILURE WHEN IT BREAKS. *TR

I FEEL GRINDING WHEN I SHIFT FROM 1 GEAR TO 2. SOMETIMES IS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT TO THE 2 AND 3 GEAR. I BLEED THE CLUTCH LINE, CHANGED TRANSMISSION OIL. IT IS WEIRD BECAUSE THE CAR HAS LOW MILEAGE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY MAZDA RX8 AT 35MPH DOWN A CITY STREET AT NIGHT. I PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO SHIFT GEARS. THERE WAS AN EXTREMELY LOUD POP, THEN THE CLUTCH DROPPED TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO FORCE IT INTO GEAR TO GET IT HOME. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THAT THE CLUTCH PEDAL BENT/COLLAPSED, AND THE CLUTCH BURNED OUT. UP TO THIS POINT THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF CLUTCH WEAR, NO SLIPPAGE OF THE CLUTCH, EVERYTHING OPERATED NORMALLY. I HAVE HAD EVERY SERVICE COMPLETED ON THE CAR, AND HAD IT IN THE SHOP FOR A MAJOR REPAIR ONLY 3 MONTHS (OR LESS) AGO. THE CLUTCH PEDAL SHOULD NOT HAVE BENT, AND WAS THE CAUSE OF THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH. AGAIN, UP TO THIS POINT THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF CLUTCH WEAR, THE CAR WAS OPERATING FINE. I CAN PROVIDE ALL SERVICE RECORDS FOR THE VEHICLE. THIS EXACT PROBLEM HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED SEVERAL TIMES ON RX-8 CLUB THREADS, AND MATCHES IDENTICAL TO THIS VERY THREAD: HTTP://WWW.RX8CLUB.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=132912 AND HTTP://WWW.RX8CLUB.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=182412&HIGHLIGHT=CLUTCH+BRACKET THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT HAD I BEEN TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED OR HAD THE CLUTCH PEDAL FOLDED UNDERNEATH THE BREAK PEDAL. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO FOLD UNDER THE PRESSURE OF MY FOOT, MUCH LESS UNDER NORMAL CLUTCH OPERATING CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE I WAS JUST SHIFTING GEARS. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A DEADLY ACCIDENT! THE DAMAGES TO THE CAR INCURRED AS OF TODAY ARE APPROXIMATELY $1900 BEFORE TAXES. NORMAL CLUTCH DAMAGE WOULD HAVE BEEN INDICATED BY SLIPPAGE OF THE CLUTCH DISC AGAINST THE PRESSURE PLATE. THIS SORT OF DAMAGE COULD HAVE ALSO SEIZED THE ENGINE HAD THE PRESSURE PLATE DECONSTRUCTED IN THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THE PROPERTY DAMAGE I CLAIM IN THIS WAS THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE DONE TO THE VEHICLE ITSELF, NOT ANYONE ELSE'S PROPERTY. THE COSTS FOR REPLACEMENT AND REPAIR ARE OUTLANDISH AND UPSETTING. I WILL PROVIDE ANY DOCUMENTATION ON REQUEST, AS WELL AS PICTURES. *TR