Mazda RX-8
Owners filed 783 complaints across 8 model years of the Mazda RX-8. The 2004 drew the most (489); the 2011 the fewest (4).
Model years8
Complaints783
Recalls42
Fires15
Deaths0
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 | |
| 2004 | 489 | 10 | 10 | 17 | Steering | Do not drive |
Which Mazda RX-8 years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2004 is the weakest year on record, with 489 complaints concentrated in the steering. It carries 10 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.