There are 17 stored owner reports matching the steering leading-label group for the 2005 Mazda RX-8 in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 17 of 17 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)My cars steering will loosen up and stiffen up randomly also the traction control will randomly engage and the tire pressure lights and another light
The steering wheel sometimes its hard to control sometimes its normal and when going fast the steering is so loose like there's a gaps that you need your two hands on the steering all time and the weels Weigel at high speed 60mph. its hard drive the car on the freeway And everyday use i already spend $2800 at the dealership get fix but never get fix The car no accident to be like that. Car has 80k mileage
MY STEERING WHEEL TURNS ON ITS OWN WHILE IN MOTION ON THE BELTWAY AND SOMETIMES IT DIFFICULT TO STEER AT ALL WHILE IN MOTION IN TRAFFIC. I PURCHASED NEW TIRES THINKING THAT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT IT DIDN'T.
POWER STEERING GOES OUT UNEXPECTEDLY, MULTIPLE FIXES HAVE BEEN TRIED. EVERY FORUM OPTION RESEARCHED AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THERE ARE HUNDREDS, LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OF POWER STEERING GOING OUT FOR SIMILAR REASONS ON RX8CLUB.COM. THE POWER STEERING WILL BE WORKING ONE MOMENT, CUT OUT, THEN OVERSTEER CAUSING THE DRIVER TO QUICKLY MAKE UP FOR THE JERK. MAZDA PLEASE RECALL. ALL THE EVIDENCE IS THERE, AND YOUR TECHNICIANS AT THE DEALERSHIP ARE ALL AWARE OF HOW PREVALENT THIS PROBLEM IS. THE COOLANT RESERVOIR LEAKING COOLANT OVER THE STEERING HARNESS IS A DESIGN FLAW. PLEASE CORRECT THIS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AS THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND THEN RESTARTED APPROXIMATELY 20 TIMES BEFORE THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN FULL CONTROL. THE DEALER (MIDLANDS MAZDA, 655 BROAD RIVER RD, COLUMBIA, SC 29210) STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS KNOWN FOR HAVING A BALL JOINT ISSUE AND IT COULD POSSIBLY BE DUE TO THE RACK AND PINION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.
I HAD MANY RECALLS DONE LAST YEAR. NOW, TODAY, OLIVER AT MAZDA CORPORATE SAID THAT JOE MACHENS DEALERSHIPS AREN'T EQUIPPED TO HAVE DONE THE WORK PROPERLY. RECALLS: 16V793, 17V-354 & 355, FRONT END STEARING FROM INAPPROPRIATE CAULKING OF BALL JOINT , ENGINE REPLACED TWICE, OIL MIXING WITH COOLANT, AGAIN, AND NOW MY ALARM GOES OFF AS SOON AS I START IT. JOE MACHENS TOLD ME TO REMOVE THE BATTERY. A NEW LITHIUM BATTERY IS BEING DEVELOPED BY MAZDA BECAUSE ROTARY ENGINES CAN'T USE A REGULAR BATTERY. THEY HAD MY CAR FOR SIX WEEKS LAST YEAR, AUGUST, AND KEPT YELLING THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE NEW, CORRECT PARTS. MY STEARING IS DIFFICULT AT TIMES AND THEY NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THE RECALL CONCERNING THIS. THE SEALS DETERIORATED MAKING ISSUES. NOW THEY ARE MAKING NEW GASKETS, RINGS, ETC. TO BE HEAT RESISTANT. THEY ARE FIGHTING ME, AGAIN, WHILE THEY HAVE ADMITTED MY CAR NEEDS PROPER FIXING WITH PROPER PARTS FROM INAPPROPRIATE WORK DONE LAST YEAR. ONE CORPORATE WORKER SAID MAYBE A NEW ENGINE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE WITH PROPER PARTS. YET NOT AT A DEALERSHIP, AT A MECHANICAL SHOP THAT KNOWS HOW TO WORK ON ROTORY ENGINES. MY CAR WAS PARKED IN MY LOT. I HAD MY OIL CHECKED TO HAVE FLUIDS CHANGED WITH VALVOLINE BECAUSE OF THEIR OFFER FOR 150,000 MILES ON ENGINE IF USING THEIR OIL. I COULDN'T GO FORWARD WITH THIS BECAUSE OF THE SAME ISSUES . OIL FOAMY, ALARM GOES OFF, FAULTY LIGHT THEY KNEW ABOUT ALSO. IT WORKED BEFORE THEY DID RECALL WORK ON IT. IT IS NOT SAFE FOR FIRE HAZARD, STEARING DIFFICULTY, GOES THROUGH A LOT OF OIL SINCE THEY WORKED ON IT. IGNITION SWITCH RECALL THEY NEVER DID. WERE SUPPOSED TO CONTACT ME WHEN PARTS ARRIVED. I WILL NEED TO FAX YOU PAPERWORK. MANY PAGES. ALSO SHOWS HOW THEY X'D OUT ONE RECALL CONCERNING GASKETS. I COULDN'T CHECK THE BOXES AS I WISHED TO REPORT.
ON THE FIRST DRIVE OF THE DAY AND ESPECIALLY ON COLD MORNINGS, WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, IT OVER AND UNDER COMPENSATES FOR MY INPUTS. THIS LEADS TO IT SHAKING AND TURNING THE WHEELS TOO MUCH AND TOO LITTLE. IT DOES APPEAR TO HAVE A BIAS ON ONE DIRECTION BEING HARD TO TURN AND THE OTHER TOO EASY. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING, IT USUALLY GOES AWAY UNTIL THE NEXT DAY. WHEN THIS OCCURS, IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THE CAR IS MOVING OR NOT. *TR
MY STEERING WHEEL IS TURNING TO THE LEFT ON ITS OWN AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO TURN TO THE RIGHT. I HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THE PROBLEM. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND I AM DISAPPOINTED IN THE QUALITY OF PARTS. ISSUE 2: AFTER THE FIRST RECALL ON MY VEHICLE, MY MOTOR IS GIVING ME ISSUES AGAIN AFTER BEING REPLACED 40,000 MILES LATER. IT TURNS OFF AT IDLE AND HAS PROBLEMS STARTING. I FEAR THIS MIGHT BE A SAFETY ISSUE.
AT ANY GIVEN TIME IT WILL STEER ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT. THE WHEEL WILL START TO SHAKE THEN IT WILL RIP OUT OF YOUR HANDS AND GO ALL THE WAY TO THE STEERING LOCKS TO THE RIGHT. IT HAS NOW BEEN AT MAZDA FOR 3 MONTH AND $8,336 LATER THEY STILL CANT SAY WHY OR HOW THIS HAPPENS NOR CAN THEY SAY IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.... *TR
IT WAS ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON. WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A POTHOLE ON THE ROAD THAT I DIDN'T SEE. I JUMPED INTO THE POTHOLE AND GOT OUT AND CONTINUE DRIVING FOR A 2ND MAKING A TURN I THAN REALIZED MY STEERING WAS LOCKED I COULDN'T TURN MY CAR. MY ENGINE WAS ON AND MY CAR STILL MOVING AT A PACE. I STEP ON MY BRAKES TRIED TO TURN TO A NEAREST PARKING NEARBY FORCING A TURN AND MY STEERING JUST COULDN'T . LUCKILY WITH A STIFF TURN INTO A PARKING I STOPPED MY CAR AND THAN TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND PULLED THE KEY OUT. ONCE I DID THAT THE STEERING WAS RELEASED. I DID GO ON TO THE INTERNET TO SEE IF THERE IS A RECALL BUT REALIZED SOMEONE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM AFRAID THIS CAN HAPPEN AGAIN ON A HIGHWAY AND COULD BE DEADLY. *TR
STEERING WAS JERKING AND NOW POWER STEERING HAS STOP. *TR
CAR HAD ISSUE STEERING TO THE RIGHT FOR APROX. 5 MILES, WHEN OFF HIGHWAY POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED AT 35 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. HAD TO BE DRIVEN TO DEALERSHIP TO BE FIXED. *TR
2005 RX-8 LEAKING OIL COOLER LINE FAULTS BREAKS CAR VEERED OFF THE ROAD ONTO RIGHT SIDE GRASS UNDER HEAVY BREAKING DUE TO SUDDENLY SLOWING TRAFFIC. NORMALLY, CAR BREAKS VERY WELL, LINEARLY, AND STRAIGHT. AFTER CHECKING WHAT CAUSED THIS, I FOUND THE ENTIRE LEFT UNDERSIDE SPRAYED WITH ENGINE OIL. OIL CAME FROM RUSTED ENGINE COOLER LINES LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL WELL. ABOUT A 10 SECOND ENGINE RUN SHOWED A STREAM OF OIL SPRAYING TOWARDS THE TIRE THROUGH A CRACK IN THE RUSTED COOLING LINE. UNDERBODY, LEFT FRONT TIRE, AND BREAKS WERE COVERED WITH OIL. THERE WAS NO COLLISION ONLY BECAUSE THE AREA WHERE CAR WAS PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE HAD NO OBSTACLES. LUCKY ME! CAR IS OBVIOUSLY NOT DRIVABLE AS ENGINE OIL IS VISIBLY LEAKING AND BREAKS ARE COMPROMISED WITH GREASY OIL RESIDUE. APPARENTLY CANADA HAS A RECALL FOR THESE FAULTY COOLING LINES - 'RX-8 OIL COOLER HOSE ' SPECIAL SERVICE PROGRAM (SSP) 76' ' SEEMS UTTERLY APPROPRIATE AS IN AN UNLUCKY SITUATION THIS COULD TURN OUT FATAL! *TT
ON FOR SAID DATE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, DECREASED POWER NOTED THEN ENGINE SHUT OFF. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE CAR STARTED WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. EIGHT HOURS LATER RESTARTED THE CAR, DROVE 50 FEET THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THIS TIME THE CARE HAD NO POWER. MAZDA DEALER WHO SERVICED THE CAR REPORTED NEEDED COILS AND SPARK PLUGS. ON JUNE 9TH WHEN STARTING THE CAR THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON, AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING WAS NOTED TURNED OFF THE CAR. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED THE LIGHT AND STEERING WHERE NORMAL AGAIN. MAZDA MECHANIC COULD NOT BE DEFINITIVE WITH THE DIAGNOSIS, PROBABLE B1342-EPS CONTROL MODULE. I WAS TOLD TAKE THE CAR AND IF PROBLEM OCCURS AGAIN BRING IT IN. ON JUNE 13TH WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND AGAIN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. DROVE TO THE MAZDA DEALER, LEFT THE CAR RUNNING UNTIL MECHANIC COULD VISUALIZE THE SITUATION, AGAIN WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE LIGHT WAS OUT, AND POWER STEERING NORMAL. THE CAR WAS SERVICED AGAIN WITH THE ONLY ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM WAS THAT OF SIMILAR CONCERNS INVOLVING THE N-03 CONNECTOR POOR CRIMPS-TERMINALS TO WIRES. THIS WAS THE TECH LINE REPORT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA RX8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 10-30MPH; PROCEEDING TO MAKE A TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO STICK WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE STEERED IN ONE DIRECTION. THE DRIVER MANEUVERED THE STEERING WHEEL IN A FORWARD AND BACKWARD POSITION TO RELEASE IT. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE POWER STEERING RACK. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. UPDATED 3/16/10 *CN UPDATED 05/10/10*JB
THE PROBLEM STARTED IN JULY 2005, WHEN MY CAR LOSE THE POWER STEERING, THE DEALERSHIP AND THE DISTRIBUTOR TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY NEVER FIXED THE CAR, I SENT TO THEM FOR 11 TIMES BETWEEN JULY 2005 TO SEPTEMBER 2006. ONE OF THOSE TIMES THE CAR ( MAZDA RX-8) LOSE THE POWER STEERING WHEN I DROVE THE CAR AT 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. THE STEERING IT`S HARD TO MOVE. *TR
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.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.