2004 Mazda RX-8 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
10 safety recalls list the 2004 Mazda RX-8, and owners have filed 489 complaints with NHTSA. At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory. Check your own VIN below.
10 safety recalls for the 2004 Mazda RX-8
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2005 MPV, 2004 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation…
Remedy: 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 one, free of charge. The recall…
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Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive
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,…
Remedy: 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…
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Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive
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,…
Remedy: 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…
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Fuel pump (fuel system)
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: 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…
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Suspension: lower arm
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2004 Mazda RX-8 vehicles. The ball joint socket on the front suspension lower control arm may crack and the ball joint may separate from the socket.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front lower control arms, 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…
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Fuel pump (fuel system)
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: 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…
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Suspension: lower ball joint
On certain passenger vehicles, due to improper forging of the lower control arm, cracks may occur in the ball joint socket.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the control arms. The recall began on august 30, 2005. Owners may contact mazda at 1-800-222-5500.
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Engine and engine cooling
If certain passenger vehicles are parked and the engine is operated at high RPM's for an excessive length of time, some of the parts around the exhaust system can melt and produce a variety of malfunctions. Problems caused by the excessive heat build-up can range from inoperative oxygen sensor, neutral switch and back up lights,…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace parts. The recall began on august 30, 2005. Owners may contact mazda at 1-800-222-5500.
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Air bags: frontal
As a result of an ncap test, certain passenger vehicles are being recalled for improperly wired front passenger seat air bags.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new wiring harness in the front passenger seat air bag system. The recall began march 5, 2004. Owners should contact mazda at 1-800-222-5500.
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Manual transmission (power train)
On certain passenger vehicles with manual transmissions, the heat insulator may be cracked causing abnormal noise.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the heat insulator. The recall began march 5, 2004. Owners should contact mazda at 1-800-222-5500.
489 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2004 Mazda RX-8 have filed 489 complaints with NHTSA; 17 describe a crash and 10 describe a fire. Reports cite 15 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 68,585 miles. Complaints peaked in 2010 with 94 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“No worries — here it is trimmed to under 2,000 characters: I am reporting a recurring safety defect on my 2004 Mazda RX-8 (VIN: [XXX] a repair under NHTSA Recall 1017E (Fuel Pump Ring / Discharge Pipe”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 8, 2026 · Fuel/propulsion system
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 21, 2025 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2004 Mazda RX-8. Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 18 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 16 / 22 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Subcompact Cars |
| Engine | 2 cyl, 1.3 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S4); Manual 6-spd |
Compare Mazda RX-8 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Mazda RX-8 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 Mazda RX-8 | 10 | 489 |
| 2005 Mazda RX-8 | 6 | 162 |
| 2006 Mazda RX-8 | 5 | 60 |
| 2007 Mazda RX-8 | 5 | 38 |
| 2008 Mazda RX-8 | 5 | 17 |
| 2009 Mazda RX-8 | 4 | 8 |
| 2010 Mazda RX-8 | 4 | 5 |
| 2011 Mazda RX-8 | 3 | 4 |
Checking a specific 2004 Mazda RX-8
How do I know if my 2004 Mazda RX-8 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 10 campaigns currently list the 2004 Mazda RX-8; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Mazda dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 04V074000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Mazda models
- 6263,130 complaints
- MAZDA32,987 complaints
- CX-52,451 complaints
- MAZDA62,234 complaints
- Tribute2,102 complaints
- CX-91,438 complaints
- CX-71,132 complaints
- Protege1,076 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.