Ask the Car People.SM


Mazda RX-8 Problems and Solutions - READ ONLY

1414 messages,  Last post on Oct 18, 2006 at 10:17 AM

You are in the Mazda RX-8 Forum.

What is this discussion about? Mazda RX-8, Coupe

Messages Page 139 of 142

#1375 of 1414 Dent repair by my dealer is stunningly good! by trispec

Aug 31, 2006 (7:47 pm)

OK, I'm just a fifty year old kid, I know, but I've got to tell everyone about the repair really ugly dent in my RX-8. I was travelling 75MPH in the left passing lane and there was a loud bang from the front of the car. The bang turned out to be a deep quarter size dent and scatch right on the sexy crease of the fender, marring one of my favorite visual parts of the car. I couldn't get into the car without seeing the horrid dent.
 
Mazda Gallery of Norword Mass told me $500 and said the reason for the cost was the entire panel needed sanding and clear coat edge to edge after the dent and area paint. I checked around and that was a reasonable price. It was totally worth. I feel like I just picked up a NEW car.

#1376 of 1414 Re: Clutch slipping? [pathstar1] by articist

Sep 04, 2006 (12:00 am)

Replying to: pathstar1 (Aug 29, 2006 7:26 am)
I just got my RX-8 back from the dealer yesterday and wanted to report what happened. Apparently, the "vibration" I have been feeling when I start the car from still for last month was not clutch problem. It was the engine. I had an appointment for Friday and drove the car Thursday morning to postoffice and after parking the car noticed that smoke is coming from under the hood. I immediately called roadside assistance and towed the car in thinking that it could be oil pump not working therefore the engine is fried. The next day, I got a call from the dealer and they said my car is ready already. It was a shorted iginition coil. You were right on, Pathstar! I still don't understand why it did what it did when the ignition coil is out.
 
While at it, they performed three outstanding recalls. In the worksheet everything is in code so don't know exactly what they are. (The codes are: 3305G, 3405G, 4206F) There are parts listed for two of them, so I can guess what they are. (pad insulation and plugs) I also asked about the one recently talked about on this board - vacuum test and they said they did that, too. I guess my car passed that test and the service advisor said even if it fails the test, it does not mean the total replacement of the engine. Hmm...
 
Anyway, my RX-8 runs like new again. No vibration whatsoever and the acceleration is back to what it was like when I first test-drove it. I was losing my faith in it but well... I must admit it is quirky, huh?
 
I want to hear people's opinion on one thing now. I am going to move back to my home country, Korea and thinking about shipping my car. But alas, it turns out Mazda does not have a distributor in Korea. Does this mean I can't get service in Korea? Should I give up the idea of bringing my beloved red hottie?

#1377 of 1414 Re: Clutch slipping? [articist] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Sep 04, 2006 (7:32 am)

Replying to: articist (Sep 04, 2006 12:00 am)
I find that hard to believe that Mazda is not situated in Korea, unless you are going to North Korea (gee I hope not). I guess it's presumptuous to tell you about Korea but maybe you should check again on that.

#1378 of 1414 Re: Clutch slipping? [Mr_Shiftright] by articist

Sep 04, 2006 (10:33 am)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Sep 04, 2006 7:32 am)
Well, I don't think North Korean government will allow driving a hot red car unless I am the son of Jeong-Il .
Anyway, it's hard to believe but from Mazda's website, that is what I found out. I have posted a question about it on a Korean message board about cars and waiting for more answers. Some said there is Ford Korea, which in the past distributed Mazda cars like 626, so getting parts won't be a problem. I would think one can order parts from Mazda in Japan directly but I am wondering diagnosing problems and actually servicing the car would be easy for any mechanic who is not trained specifically for RX-8, which is also a very sophisticated, computerized car.

#1379 of 1414 Anybody here had their recall done? by lhess

Sep 19, 2006 (7:08 am)

I haven't even gotten my letter yet - just the extended warranty notice. But, was wondering if anyone has completed the recall. If so, what did the techs say and what did they do to your car?
 
It sounded huge when it first got announced, but it seems as though they are not gonna be replacing a bunch of our engines (and credit to pathstar who predicted that, I believe).

#1380 of 1414 Re: Anybody here had their recall done? [lhess] by trispec

Sep 19, 2006 (7:25 am)

Replying to: lhess (Sep 19, 2006 7:08 am)
My Dealer said it's just going to be RX-8 owners that live in hot regions only at first.
 
It would seem to me that RX-8 AT's might not get recalled at all. I drive fairly aggressively and I must say, the electric fan that runs after switching the engine off, has only been running maybe half dozen times in the middle of the hottest part of the summer. I think the Renesis in the RX-8 AT just inherently stay cooler. Does that make sense to anyone else?

#1381 of 1414 Re: Anybody here had their recall done? [lhess] by tomatnavy

Sep 19, 2006 (9:07 am)

Replying to: lhess (Sep 19, 2006 7:08 am)
I had 4 recalls done all at once--the latest one concerns the emmisions system and for that they changed the plugs and had the pcm recalibrated.According to the service manager the latest recall has to do with the car passing california's emmisions test.I had 20,000 miles on my car and really no problems,however,the new plugs seem to have made it feel quicker.

#1382 of 1414 Re: Anybody here had their recall done? [tomatnavy] by mklis

Sep 19, 2006 (9:58 am)

Replying to: tomatnavy (Sep 19, 2006 9:07 am)
I took my car in about 10 days ago for them to look at. i have an '04 MT, with about 27k on it.
 
I purchased it used in Jan. '06 and have had absolutely no problems with it. Took it in for the PCM flash, and now the car seems to "lag" a bit, or there is a slight delay for full throttle and not as much throttle response.
 
It could also all be in my head - i'm not sure yet.
 
Anyone else feel this way?

#1383 of 1414 Re: Anybody here had their recall done? [mklis] by shannonk374

Sep 19, 2006 (11:48 am)

Replying to: mklis (Sep 19, 2006 9:58 am)
I had the recall done where they wrapped my fuel tank or something to insulate but whatever they did I have the same problem with the lag and there is a delay in shifting and it seems slower. I hate it. I keep thinking my transmission is messed up since there is a serious delay in the automatic transmission shifiting gears between 2 and 3 and 3 and 4 but 1st to 2nd is great!

#1384 of 1414 Re: Anybody here had their recall done? [shannonk374] by trispec

Sep 20, 2006 (8:59 am)

Replying to: shannonk374 (Sep 19, 2006 11:48 am)
My 2005 RX-8 AT Group 2 (all the recall items done in Hiroshima, Japan) has always exhibited the delay since day one. I picked up the car at the dealer, as the first customer to drive it with the plastic wrappings still on and only 5 miles on it. I believe the computer ultimately controls the shift points based on data flows, including momentum sensors, even when in manual mode. I seems to me as I drive, that if there is significant momentum or acceleration the computer may wait for the shift because it thinks it can get more out of the current selected gear.
 
Manual mode 1st to 2nd shifts are the hardest to time smoothly, but built up to 5000RPM for best results mostly. 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to forth shifts are rare but usually very smooth as they are highway on and off ramp related.
 
I have seen 2nd to 3rd in full automatic mode appear to get completely stuck until the acceleration and or decelaration subsides.
 
I haven't done it, but I bet if you turn off the DSC, things will definitely work more directly.

Messages Page 139 of 142

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement