Mazda RX-8
Owners filed 784 complaints across 8 model years of the Mazda RX-8. The 2004 drew the most (490).
Model years8
Complaints784
Recalls42
Fires15
Deaths0
Which Mazda RX-8 years should you avoid?
Going by 784 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the Mazda RX-8 years to avoid are 2004.
- 2004490 complaints, 4.4× a typical RX-8 year, most often about the transmission.
How this is worked out: each year is compared with a typical year of the same model, which takes most of the difference in sales out of it, and its share of serious failures is compared with every other car of the same model year, because older cars were complained about differently. A year needs 25 complaints to be judged at all. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Full method →
Every Mazda RX-8 model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Suspension | Do not drive | |
| 2010 | 5 | 4 | — | — | Seat Belts | Do not drive | |
| 2009 | 8 | 4 | — | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Do not drive | |
| 2008 | 17 | 5 | 1 | — | Air Bags | Do not drive | |
| 2007 | 38 | 5 | 1 | 2 | Air Bags | Do not drive | |
| 2006 | 60 | 5 | — | 1 | Air Bags | Do not drive | |
| 2005 | 162 | 6 | 1 | 6 | Power Train › Manual Transmission | Do not drive | |
| 2004Avoid | 490 | 10 | 10 | 17 | Steering | Do not drive |
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, October 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.