There are 50 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2005 Mazda RX-8in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY BRACKET BREAKS AT THE SPOTWELDS WHICH ALSO BREAKS THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER AND LUKILY THIS BROKE WHILE STARTING THE CAR
CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET BROKEN UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. I WENT TO PUSH THE CLUTCH IN TO DOWNSHIFT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS TO OVER TAKE A SLOWER VEHICLE AND IT SNAPPED WITH AN AUDIBLE "POP" AND I COULDNT SHIFT INTO THE LOWER GEAR AND MY RPMS, WENT TO IDLE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. HAD IT BROKEN AT A DIFFERENT TIME, I COULD HAVE BEEN LOCKED INTO A CERTAIN GEAR AND HA TO BREAK FAST OR CRASH RISKING THE LIVES OF MY OCCUPANTS AND THE OCCUPANTS OF ANOTHER VEHICLE
DRIVING MY MAZDA RX8 LAST NIGHT ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY SHIFTING FROM FIFTH TO SIXTH GEAR THE CLUTCH PEDAL GAVE WAY AND DOING 65MPH AND STUCK ITSELF UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO SHUT THE CAR OFF AND HIT THE E BRAKE TO STOP. LUCKY IM NOT DEAD.
I WAS ON MY WAY TO BUY SOME FOOD SUPPLIES FOR WEEKEND. I WAS LOOKING FOR A PARKING LOT AT LOW SPEED, SO WHEN I STEPPED ONTO THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO PUT BACK TO NEUTRAL AND PARKED SUDDENLY I HEARD A CRACK. AT THAT TIME I DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS UNTIL 30 MINUTES OF SHOPPING LATER, I STARTED THE ENGINE AND FELT A LITTLE ODD ABOUT THE PEDAL CLUTCH. THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS FUNCTION A LITTLE ODD WHEN I STEPPED INTO THE PEDAL, I FELT LIKE IT DIDN'T RELEASE COMPLETELY. FORTUNATELY, I MADE A THE WAY HOME AND CHECKED. WHEN I GOT HOME AND IT SNAPPED OFF. *TR
AS I WAS SHIFTING INTO 4TH GEAR, MY CLUTCH PEDAL MAD AN ODD LOUD "CRACKING" SOUNDS AND EVER SINCE THEN, MY PEDAL IS VERY LOOSE AND HAS A LOT OF PLAY AND ENGAGES VERY LOW TO THE FLOOR. IT ALSO HAS VERY LITTLE PRESSURE NOW. *TR
AS I WAS PRESSING MY CLUTCH PEDAL TO PLACE MY CAR INTO FIRST GEAR, I HEARD AND FELT A SNAP IN THE CLUTCH. I THEN NOTICED THAT MY CLUTCH WOULD NOT FULLY DISENGAGE AND I HAD TROUBLE PLACING MY CAR INTO GEARS AND OUT OF THEM. ONCE I ARRIVED HOME I EXAMINED MY CLUTCH AND NOTICED THAT THE BRACKET HAD SNAPPED. I CONTACTED THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD MY CAR WAS NO LONGER COVERED BY THE WARRANTY AND I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE PART OUT OF POCKET FOR A FLAW THAT MAZDA CREATED. *TR
THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT ALLOW A SHIFT INTO GEAR, CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY BROKE. *TR
THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET IN MY 2005 MAZDA RX-8 HAS BROKEN AND AS A RESULT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CHANGE GEARS. *TR
THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ON MY '05 RX8 BROKE. IT HAD BEEN SQUEAKING FOR SOME TIME BUT I DID NOT RECOGNIZE IT WAS UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE LEFT SIDE SPOT WELD FAILED AND THE MOUNTING EAR SHEARED OFF OF THE BRACKET. MAZDA NA REFUSED TO APPLY THE 100K MILE WARRANTY TO MY 106.8K MILE CAR. *TR
**RESUBMIT-DIDN'T GO THROUGH** I WAS DRIVING APPROX 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY AND FELT A KICK/JOLT AND HAD A LOSS OF POWER. MY SPEED WENT DOWN10-15 MPH AND ALTHOUGH I TRIED TO ACCELERATE IT WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND TRIED TO EXIT BUT CAR REFUSED TO GO INTO GEAR. EVERY TIME I FORCED IT INTO GEAR, THE CAR WOULD CONSTANTLY STALL AND DIE. I HAD THE IGNITION COIL AND SPARK PLUG REPLACED BUT NOW THE CLUTCH JUST SINKS TO THE FLOOR. I'VE TRIED TO PUMP THE CLUTCH TO GET IT INTO GEAR BUT THIS IS QUITE DANGEROUS ON THE ROAD. MY VEHICLE HAS TROUBLE CONTROLLING ITS SPEED SINCE THERE'S A LAG SWITCHING FROM 3RD TO 4TH, 5TH TO 6TH SINCE I HAVE TO PUMP MY SUNKEN CLUTCH SEVERAL TIMES AND FIDDLE WITH THE SHIFTER TO ACTUALLY KICK MY CAR INTO THE NEXT GEAR. MY CAR IS NOW OVER 100K MILES AND JUST READ ABOUT THE MAZDA RX8 CLUTCH PEDAL RECALL ONLINE. THIS MALFUNCTION/SAFETY ISSUE WAS NEVER ANNOUNCED PROFESSIONALLY BY MY DEALER. MAZDA HAD NO PROBLEMS CONTACTING ME VIA PHONE, EMAIL ,MAIL REGARDING BILLS BUT FOR SOME REASON FAILED TO GIVE ME A NOTICE REGARDING THIS DEFECT. I'VE BEEN ADVISED THAT REPAIRING THIS PROBLEM IS QUITE EXPENSIVE AND SINCE MY CAR ALTHOUGH LESS THAN 8 YEARS OLD HAS PASSED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BASED ON MILEAGE, I'LL BE STUCK DRIVING THIS CAR WITHOUT PROPER REPAIRS? I FEEL MAZDA SHOULD'VE CONTACTED ALL RX8 OWNERS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER ANY FUTURE DISASTERS. WOULD THERE BE ANY CHANCE TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY FOR THE CLUTCH PEDAL BASED ON MILEAGE OVER 120K? I CAN'T AFFORD TO PURCHASE A NEW CAR AT THIS MOMENT BUT NEED TO STILL COMMUTE TO WORK WITHOUT PAYING FOR REPAIRS THAT WOULD COST ME AN ARM AND A LEG AT THE DEALER? IF THIS IS A RECALL ISSUE, I WOULD FEEL MORE SAFE HAVING AN AUTHORIZED DEALER INSPECT THE PROBLEM RATHER THAN A CHEAP AUTO SHOP THAT ISN'T FULLY AWARE OF SPECIFIC DETAILS. *TR
FAILURE OF CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY. A PLASTIC PLATE CRACKED AND CAUSED AN IRRITATING PLASTIC BINDING NOISE, EVER TIME I RELEASED THE CLUTCH PEDAL. THIS APPARENTLY HAPPENS A LOT, SOMETIMES IT IS FIXABLE BUT IN MY CASE I HAD TO REPLACE MY ENTIRE ASSEMBLY, AS I WAS TOLD IF IT COMPLETELY CRACKED I WOULD LOSE THE FUNCTION OF MY CLUTCH PEDAL. FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER LOCK ACTUATOR. I HAVE READ MANY ACCOUNTS OF THIS PART FAILING. USUALLY BLAMED ON HOT OR COLD CLAIMANT, HOWEVER MINE JUST FAILED EARLIER THIS WEEK, WITH WEATHER IN THE MID 40'S. JUST FROM THE AMOUNT OF POSTINGS I FOUND WHEN THIS HAPPENED TO ME IT NEEDS TO BE REPORTED. *TT
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH AND CHANGING GEARS NORMALLY THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC BREAKAGE CAUSING THE CARS TRANSMISSION TO BECOME INOPERABLE. TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE DAMAGED TO BE FORCED INTO NEUTRAL TO COME TO A STOP. CLUTCH PEDAL HAD ALREADY PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPLACED IN 2009 AFTER IDENTICAL INCIDENT OCCURRED. MAZDA NORTH AMERICA HAS REFUSED TO HONOR A WARRANTY REPLACEMENT FOR THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT. *TR
MY SECOND INCIDENT ON THE SAME VEHICLE/PART. I PREVIOUSLY HAD THE CLUTCH PEDAL IN MY MAZDA RX-8 REPLACED BECAUSE OF A BROKEN BRACKET. THE REPLACEMENT WAS AN IDENTICAL PART WITH NO REDESIGNS. APPROXIMATELY 16 MONTHS LATER IT BROKE YET AGAIN. SAME CONDITIONS, DRIVING ON THE ROAD, SUDDEN LOSS OF RESISTANCE AND CRUNCHING SOUND FROM PEDAL, UNABLE TO SHIFT PROPERLY. INSPECTING THE VEHICLE AFTER PARKING REVEALED THAT THE EXACT SAME SPOT WELD BROKE, LEAVING THE BRACKET TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE FIREWALL AND NOT PROVIDING LEVERAGE FOR THE CLUTCH PISTON INTO THE MASTER CYLINDER. *TT
ON MY MAZDA 2005 RX8 THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. NOW I'M UNABLE TO PUT MY CAR IN REVERSE. AT THIS POINT, IT'S BARELY DRIVABLE. *TR
MY RX8 2005 HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE CLUTCH. IT SOME HOW BROKE AND NOW I CHANGE CHANGE INTO GEAR. MY CAR ONLY HAVE 46XXX MILE ON IT SO ITS SHOULDNT BE BREAKING AND ALSO I READ A LOT OF SITE SAYING OTHER RX8 OWNER ALSO HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
2005 MAZDA RX8; EXCESSIVE SQUEAKING NOISE FROM CLUTCH PEDAL UPON ENGAGEMENT AND DISENGAGEMENT AND FEELS LOOSE. *TR
IDENTICAL TO NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE09045 MY CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY FAILED. CLUTCH UN-USABLE. 1. NO WARNING 2 CLUTCH PEDAL GOES LIMP, FALLS TO THE FLOOR UNUSABLE 3. CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY AND MASTERCYLINDER REPLACED(DUE TO BENT ROD CAUSED BY FAILURE). *TR
OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS OR SO THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON MY 2005 MAZDA RX-8 HAD BEEN MAKING A SQUEAKING NOISE WHENEVER DEPRESSED. THE NOISE SUBSIDED AFTER A FEW HOURS OF DRIVING. HOWEVER, THIS PAST MONDAY (8/30/2010), WHEN I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT I HEARD A SOFT CRACK. I PROCEEDED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION WHERE SHIFTING FROM 2 TO 3RD I HEARD AN EVEN LARGER SNAP AND THE PEDAL DEPRESSED COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR AND I HAD TO CUT ACROSS A FEW LANES OF TRAFFIC AND SAFELY MANAGED TO GET TO A GAS STATION. THE CAR WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO CHANGE GEARS AND THE ENTIRE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR
CLUTCH DOSENT COME BACK ALL THE WAY UP. *TR
2 DAYS BEFORE THE INCIDENT THE CLUTCH MADE A CLICKING SOUND. I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW NO PROBLEM. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR BECAUSE THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY HAD GAVE WAY. I WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND GET IT INTO 1ST AND HAD TO DRIVE HOME IN 1ST GEAR. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING THROUGH FORUMS ONLINE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY FREQUENT OCCURRENCE. I ALSO GOT A TICKET FOR FAILURE TO YIELD AND CAUSING AN ACCIDENT 350.00 DOLLARS. I CALLED MAZDA AND THEY EVEN TOLD ME IT WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. IM WORKING ON THE ISSUE NOW BUT MAZDA WANTS 1150.00 DOLLARS TO FIX A "COMMON" PROBLEM. ITS COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS. IVE COUNTED OVER 150 DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO THIS HAS HAPPENED TO BUT JUST GOT IT FIXED ON MAZDA FORUMS AND OTHER AUTO FORUMS. MANY OF THEM CAUSED ACCIDENTS AS WELL. I JUST DONT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO SOMEONE AND THEY GET KILLED BECAUSE OF IT.. IT WAS THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026