Mazda · RX-8 · 2006
5
Recalls
60
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2006 Mazda RX-8 has 5 recalls and 60 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: air bags (12 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 25, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RX-8 vehicles. Heat from the engine and the exhaust may cause the main fuel pump pipe to crack.
Remedy Status
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump filter kit, free of charge. The recall began on July 31, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1017E.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2008 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Remedy Status
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on September 12, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1417G. Note: This recall supersedes recall 15V-382.
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 and 2004 MPV vehicles nationwide. Mazda is also recalling 2005-2006 MPV vehicles in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. On July 9, 2019 this recall was expanded to include certain 2004-2011 RX-8 vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-354 but have not yet been repaired. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Remedy Status
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018. Mailing to the affected RX-8 owners began July 6, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2618F. Note: With the addition of the RX-8 vehicles, this recall fully supersedes recall 16V354.
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Mazda MPV vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. On July 9, 2019 this recall was expanded to include certain 2005-2009 RX-8 vehicles that were previously recalled under 17V-011 but have not yet been repaired. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Remedy Status
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018 for MPV vehicles. The recall began July 9, 2019 for RX-8 vehicles. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2618F. Note: With the addition of the RX-8 vehicles, this recall fully supersedes recall 17V-011.
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RX-8 vehicles manufactured April 10, 2003, to February 18, 2008. The affected vehicles have fuel pump sealing rings that may deteriorate due to exposure to heat from the engine or exhaust pipe.
Remedy Status
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump sealing ring set and add a thermal insulation pad to the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0516J.
The contact's grandson owns a 2006 Mazda RX-8. The contact stated that while her grandson was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the vehicle had an oil pressure failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
PERRY MAZDA OF SANTA BARBARA CA IS REFUSING TO REPAIR MY RECALL BECAUSE THE FUEL PUMP CURRENTLY INSTALLED IS AN AFTERMARKET PART. I'VE CONTACTED MAZDA, BUT THE REPRESENTATIVE I SPOKE WITH AGREED WITH THE TECHNICIAN THAT THEY CAN'T REPAIR MY RECALL. HE IS LOOKING INTO ANOTHER SOLUTION SO I CAN GET MY REGISTRATION, BUT I'M MAKING SURE THEIR ACTING LEGALLY.
THE BRACKET FOR THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAS BROKEN 4 TIMES. THE MILAGE IS CURRENTLY 81,000. I'VE CONTACTED MAZDA CORP AND THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM NEW. THEY'RE SAYING UNLESS THERE'S A RECALL WE HAVE TO KEEP BUYING A NEW PEDAL/BRACKET ASSEMBLY. THE METAL THEY USED IS SOFT AND WEAK CAUSING YOU TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CLUTCH. PEDAL GETS STUCK TOO. IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AND AT IDLE. DANGEROUS GOING UP OR DOWN HILLS EVEN AT INTERSECTIONS IT'LL DISABLE YOUR ABILITY TO MOVE. WHEN MAZDA DOES A REPAIR THE PUT THE SAME WEAK JUNK NOT BOTHERING TO REINFORCE OR EVEN FIX THEIR PROBLEM. LOOK IT UP ON THE WEB. JUST ABOUT EVERYONE WITH A MANUAL RX8 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.
TAKATA RECALL THE VEHICLE WAS STUTTERING AS I WAS DRIVING HOME IT WASN'T HOT OR OVERHEATING OR LOW ON OIL, I DROVE IT HOME AND SHUT IT OFF I THEN LATER TRIED TO START IT IT WOULDN'T START IT JUST CRANKED AND CRANKED IT WOULDN'T EVEN START OR TRY TO , THE APEX SEALS ON THIS CAR WENT OUT WHICH IS DUE TO THE LOSS OF COMPRESSION WHICH ULTIMATELY CAUSED THE SPUTTERING, MAZDA IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AS IT WAS RECALLED ALMOST A YEAR AGO BUT I DIDN'T HAVE THE ISSUE SO I DIDN'T SEE A NEED TO GET IT REPLACED ! THIS ISSUE IS UNACCEPTABLE AS NOW I'M WITHOUT A CAR PLEASE HELP ME OUT !
I'M WRITING TO STATE ON MY RX8 SHINKA 2006 MAZDA HAS A STEERING WHEEL PROBLEM MOST CONCERNING. I HAVE OWNED IT AND MAINTAINED IT. AS I WAS LEAVING MY BANK I NOTICED A WHITE GASKET OF KIND ON THE FLOOR OF THE DRIVERS SIDE. I WENT TO DRIVE MY CAR AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PLAY IN MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL. AT FIRST I TRIED UNLOCKING AND LOCKING THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS WAS NO GOOD. THERE WAS STILL PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. MEANING YOU CAN MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN UP AND DOWN WITH OUTSIDE UNLOCKING THE COLUMN. THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE. IT'S JUST LIKE THE AIR BAG RECALL. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY THAT MY STEERING WHEEL WILL FAIL WHILE DRIVING MY AWESOME CAR!
THERE IS A WHITE BUSHING THAT BREAKS AND IS NOT REPLACEABLE. THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN HAS TO BE REPLACED. THE FACT THAT THIS CAR WAS MADE WITH THIS FLAW IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION. THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES VERY LOOSE AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE.
THE CLUTCH PEDAL BINDS UP,OR STICKS DURING RELEASING FROM THE FLOOR,WAS REPLACED BEFORE AND STILL HAS THE SAME ISSUE AND MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP DOES NOT WANT TO HEAR THE COMPLAINT,NOW I WILL PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THEIR REPEATED DEFECT!
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE EVENING OF FEBRUARY 21ST. I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN SO I PRESSED ON THE CLUTCH TO GET THE CAR IN GEAR, WHEN I PUSHED DOWN HOWEVER, THE CLUTCH MADE A LARGE SNAPPING SOUND AND MOVED DOWN A LITTLE FURTHER THAN USUAL. I WENT TO PUT THE CAR BACK INTO GEAR ANYWAY AND NOTICED THAT THE CLUTCH WAS MUCH LOOSER THAN BEFORE. IT WAS WIGGLING FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND HAD MUCH MORE DEAD SPACE BEFORE IT CAUGHT ON THE ACTUAL CLUTCH. I ALSO NOTICED IT WAS MUCH MUCH HARDER TO GET MY CAR INTO GEAR. I HAVE TO PUSH AND SLAM THE STICK INTO GEAR IN ORDER TO GET IT TO FIT. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 2004-2007 MAZDA RX-8'S. THE CAR CAN STILL BE DRIVEN, HOWEVER I BELIEVE THE FULL CLUTCH SHAFT COULD SNAP OFF IF PRESSED TO HARD.
CLUTCH PEDAL SNAP OFF ISSUE WITH RX-8 OWNERS CONTINUES TO BE A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN, AS THE WELDS HOLDING THE PEDAL TOGETHER CAN AND WILL SNAP, LEAVING THE DRIVER UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS OR USE THEIR VEHICLE, EVEN IF IN OPERATION AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED WITH MY VEHICLE AS OF 11/20/17. THE WARRANTY MAZDA HAS ISSUED SIMPLY IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH, AS THE WARRANTY SIMPLY REPLACES THE BROKEN CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET WITH ONE OF THE SAME DESIGN & FLAW THAT WILL LEAD TO THE SAME FAILURE. MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND I WAS ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE GEARS ACCELERATING WHEN THIS OCCURRED.
MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A DEFECT KNOWN TO MAZDA TO THE EXTENT OF THEM ISSUING A RECALL (OR SSP) IN THE CANADIAN MARKET DUE TO USE OF CORROSIVES AND EXCESSIVE WET SEASONS CAUSING BUILD UP ON AND CORROSION OF THE OIL COOLER LINES. MAZDA CLEARLY STATED IN THE CANADIAN SSP (#76) THAT EXTENSIVE CORROSION COULD CAUSE A LEAK AND/OR LOSS OF PRESSURE, AND KNOWING THAT A LOSS OF PRESSURE OR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OIL WHILE THE CAR WAS IN OPERATION WOULD CAUSE DRASTIC MECHANICAL ENGINE FAILURE BY WAY OF BURNING OUT THE SEALS/ROTORS/BEARINGS AND EVENTUAL SEIZURE OR TOTAL LOSS OF COMPRESSION IN THE MOTOR. THE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE DUE TO CORROSION DIRECTLY RESULTING FROM THIS CAUSED MY APEX SEALS TO OVERHEAT AND NO LONGER PROVIDE A SEAL TO ALLOW THE MOTOR TO HOLD COMPRESSION. DUE TO THIS FAILURE DIRECTLY CAUSED BY THE KNOWN DEFECT, AND THE FACT THAT THE ISSUE WAS PUT IN PLACE FOR CANADA DUE TO THEIR HIGH PROPENSITY FOR EXTENDED WET SEASONS AND HIGH USE OF CORROSIVES TO ALLEVIATE WINTERY CONDITIONS ON THE ROADWAYS, MAZDA SHOULD ALSO HAVE ISSUED REGIONAL OR CASE-BY-CASE RECALLS OF VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCE THIS SAME DEFECT IN AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES THAT EXPERIENCE SIMILAR CONDITIONS. HAD I BEEN TRAVELLING ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOT ON A 25MPH CITY ROAD, I COULD HAVE EXPERIENCE A MAJOR ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT BECAUSE OF MY MOTOR FAILURE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER CASES OF THIS DEFECT SHOWING IN AMERICAN VEHICLES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, FROM NEAR ME (IN NEW ENGLAND) TO CALIFORNIA THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED ONLINE. I CAN CONTACT THE LICENSED MECHNIC WHO DEALT WITH THE VEHICLE FOR COPIES OF HIS WORK ORDERS, AND I HAVE RECEIPTS TO PROVE THAT I PURCHASED OIL COOLER LINES AS REPLACEMENTS BEFORE I KNEW OF THE LOSS OF COMPRESSION AND RUINED MOTOR. MAZDA USA WAS OF NO HELP IN ALLEVIATING THE PROBLEM, AND I AM NOW OUT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON A VEHICLE THAT I HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED BEFORE THE EVENT OCCURRED
TAKATA RECALL. MY 2006 MAZDA RX8 HAS HAD TWO RECALLS DONE ON IT. THE 2ND OWNER HAD IT DONE AND AFTERWARDS A SMALL CRACK STARTED FROM ONE POINT WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. WE HAD IT DONE IN GAINESVILLE AGAIN AND BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION. THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING EXCEPT TO BUY A NEW DASH. THE CRACKS HAVE CONTINUED TO SPREAD AND I'M CONCERNED THAT IF THE AIR BAG INFLATES PERSONAL INJURY COULD BE DONE TO THE PASSENGER FROM PARTS OF THE DASH EXPLODING. I WILL NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO RIDE IT THE PASSENGERS SEAT BECAUSE OF THIS. THIS CONTINUES TO GET WORSE OVER TIME NOT ON A CERTAIN DAY. WE KEEP A SUNSHADE IN THE WINDOW HOPING THAT WILL SLOW IT DOWN BUT TO NOW AVAIL. THIS IS A PLEASURE CAR AND ONLY AS LESS THAN 36000 MILES ON IT AND IT NOT ABUSED.
AIRBAG RECALL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT NOTICED A FUEL ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MOFFITT VOLKSWAGEN INC. (1960 OLD MINDEN ROAD P.O. BOX 5855 BOSSIER CITY, LA 71111), AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FUEL ODOR. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE DE-FLOODED DUE TO A BLOCKAGE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE CONTACT DECLINED THE REPAIR AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DE-FLOODED. A WEEK LATER, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE ODOR INTENSIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAKAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE MOFFITT VOLKSWAGEN INC. DEALER AND WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V793000 (FUEL SYSTEM,GASOLINE). AFTER THE REPAIR, THE ENGINE INDICATOR CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE ODOR PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,700.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V793000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); 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 CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
THE VEHICLE IS LEAKING GAS FROM THE FUEL PUMP. IT SMELLS REALLY BAD SCARED TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE GAS SMELL STAY IN THE CABIN. PEOPLE WHEN I PARK NEXT TO THEM SAY YOU HAVE A BAD GAS LEAK . BUT IT'S JUST DRIPPING FROM THE FUEL PUMP TO WHERE THE FUEL LINE CONNECTS AND I JUST NEED HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE IF PEOPLE CAN TELL ME I HAVE A BAD GAS LEAK JUST BY PARKING RIGHT NEXT TO ME ALSO SEEM LIKE IT LEAKS WHILE CAR IS OFF ALSO IT IS HIGHLY IMPORTANT THAT A PERSON IS NOT TO INHALE GAS FUMES ALL DAY PLEASE HELP THANK YOU *TR
THE PASSENGER AIRBAG COVER IS CRACKED REALLY BAD. I'VE GOT A NOTICE SAYING THERE WAS A RECALL FOR AIRBAGS. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE INFLATORS ONLY LEAVING THE OLD AIRBAG IN THERE.
PASSENGER AIRBAG COVER IS CRACKED ALL OVER, WAS TOLD IT WAS FROM THE AIRBAG. DOING THE RECALL FOR THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND WAITING ON THE FUEL TANK RECALL.
I PURCHASED/FINANCED MY VEHICLE ON OCTOBER 9, 2015 AT HILLTOP NISSAN (258 ROUTE 10, EAST HANOVER, NJ 07936) AT 59,201 MILES. ON APRIL 7, 2016, I WENT TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. I HAD IT TOWED TO MAZDA OF LODI, SO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONTACTED ME AND SAID IT WAS THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 63,545 MILES ON IT, AND SINCE THEN, I DROVE ONLY 4,344 MILES IN THE SIX MONTHS. I ASKED THE DEALER, FINANCE DEPARTMENT FOR A WARRANTY/EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THE FINANCE MANAGER SAID, THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES. I DID NOT RECEIVE A WHITE (SQUARE) PIECE OF PAPER OR BOOKLET FOR WARRANTY INFORMATION OR "AS IS" INFORMATION. NOW, I AM PAYING $8500.00 FOR A NEW ENGINE. THEN, I SEARCHED ONLINE FOR ANY SAFETY ISSUES OR RECALLS ON VINRCL.SAFECAR.GOV. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS A DEVASTATING SAFETY RECALL INVOLVING THE AIRBAGS. (THERE WAS ALSO A RECALL MANY YEARS AGO INVOLVING THE ENGINE, AND THAT MAZDA RX-8 OWNERS CAN RETURN THE VEHICLE, BY CHOICE, FOR A FULL REFUND??) THE DEALER, HILLTOP NISSAN, DID NOT NOTIFY ME ABOUT THIS RECALL. THEY SOLD ME A USED CAR WITH A SERIOUS SAFETY AIRBAG RECALL. (ALSO: RECALLS ON A ENGINE) ISSUE: I HAVE A SERIOUS DEFECT INVOLVING AIRBAGS THAT DISPENSE SHRAPNEL. I WONDER WHAT OTHER SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES INVOLVING THE ENGINE/VEHICLE THAT WERE NOT DISCLOSED? THANK YOU *TR
CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY SNAPPED IN HALF AT WELD POINT, WHILE SHIFTING AT NORMAL SPEEDS ON HIGHWAY.
CRACKED AIR BAG COVER. IT HAPPENS AFTER SITTING IN THE SUN.
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2006 Mazda RX-8 has 5 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 60 owner-reported complaints for the 2006 Mazda RX-8.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2006 Mazda RX-8.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2006 Mazda RX-8 are air bags (12 reports), visibility (9 reports), power train (8 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 5 recalls on record for the 2006 Mazda RX-8. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.