2008 Mazda RX-8
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2008 Mazda RX-8 is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 8 on record.
2008 Mazda RX-8 at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
2008 Mazda RX-8 recalls 5
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 Caro…
Fix: 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. Ow…
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-…
Fix: 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 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.
Fix: 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 1-8…
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.
Fix: 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 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.
Fix: 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.
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
2008 Mazda RX-8 common problems
The most-reported problem areas across all 17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.
2008 Mazda RX-8 safety ratings
Frontal crash test
Side barrier testSource: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2008 Mazda RX-8 2-DR. w/SAB. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.
2008 Mazda RX-8 MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 2 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 2008 Mazda RX-8 costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
Dimensions & weight
Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2008 Mazda RX-8. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.
Investigations & service bulletins
NHTSA defect investigations 3
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture Open
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deploymen…
NHTSA #EA21002 · Air Bags · opened Sep 2021Air Bag Inflator Rupture Open
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers. All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems. Dur…
NHTSA #EA15001 · Air Bags · opened Feb 2015Air Bag Inflator Rupture Closed
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers. All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems. Dur…
NHTSA #PE14016 · Air Bags · opened Jun 2014 · closed Mar 2015An investigation means NHTSA is examining a possible defect — it is not a recall, and many close without one.
Manufacturer service bulletins 186
Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 186.
DESCRIPTION If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket device…
Bulletin SA-041-26a · Electrical System · Sep 2026Product Quality Information (PQI) DESCRIPTION Service Information MT-041/12 is no longer valid. It has been unpublished and superseded by the Field Quality Information Report (FQIR) reporting system.
Bulletin SA-055-26 · Aug 2026This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. 09-042/04 12/10/04 DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may exhibit inoperative electric rear window defroster grid lines, integral antenna concerns causing radio…
Bulletin 09-022-26 · Electrical System, Visibility/wiper · Jul 2026This SA supersedes the previously issued SA(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. SA-061/25 12/17/25 DESCRIPTION If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proc…
Bulletin SA-041-26 · Electrical System, Engine · Jun 2026This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are noted in Red. SA-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 DESCRIPTION Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems.…
Bulletin SA-029-26 · Power Train, Service Brakes, Engine · Apr 2026If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the…
Bulletin SA-061-25 · Electrical System · Dec 2025Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage such (melted, separating, etc.) when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. If a structure's windows create enough of a curve, the concave glass can focu…
Bulletin SA-039/25 · Structure · Aug 2025When replacing the SiriusXM satellite radio unit, a call must be made to inform SiriusXM of the existing Radio ID and the new/replacement SAT Radio ID as soon as possible to ensure the customer leaves the dealership with an active SAT radio.
Bulletin SA-036-25 · Aug 2025Some customers may complain about a noisy HVAC blower motor or odor after a cabin air filter replacement. Foreign debris on the blower motor after servicing the cabin air filter may be the cause. During the removal of the cabin air filter, foreign debris (leav…
Bulletin SA-032-25 · Jun 2025Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage such (melted, separating, etc.) when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection.
Bulletin SA-058-24 · Structure · Aug 2024Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the RX-8 RWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
Canadian recalls 8
Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2008 Mazda RX-8. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.
Airbag
Issue: On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, may eventually degrade the propellant contained in the passenger-front airbag. This could cause the airbag to deploy with more force than normal. If the airbag inflator ruptures, fragments could be propelled toward vehicle occupants or cause damage t…
Transport Canada #2019496 · Sep 2019Airbag
Note: This recall is superseded by recall 2019496. Please see recall 2019496 for more information. On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, could eventually degrade the propellant contained in the passenger frontal airbag. This could cause the airbag to deploy with more force than normal. As a res…
Transport Canada #2018038 · Jan 2018Airbag
On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, could eventually degrade the propellant contained in the driver frontal airbag. This could cause the airbag to deploy with more force than normal. As a result, if the vehicle were involved in a collision that warrants airbag deployment, fragments could be p…
Transport Canada #2018036 · Jan 2018Fuel System
On certain vehicles, the fuel pump discharge pipe may crack and cause a fuel leak. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire, increasing the risk of injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the fuel filter body with an improved part.
Transport Canada #2017289 · Jun 2017Airbag
Note: The recall for the 2005-2008 RX-8 models has been superseded by recall 2018038 (Mazda Recall 2018A), and the recall for the 2005-2006 MPV models has been superseded by recall 2018578 (Mazda Recall 2618F). On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, could eventually degrade the propellant contai…
Transport Canada #2017011 · Jan 2017Fuel System
On certain vehicles, the fuel pump sealing rings may deteriorate from being exposed to heat from the engine and exhaust pipe. Over time, this could cause the fuel pump rings to crack, which could result in a fuel leak. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will replace the fuel pump ri…
Transport Canada #2016568 · Nov 2016Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.
About the Mazda RX-8
The Mazda RX-8 is a sports car manufactured by Japanese automobile manufacturer Mazda between 2003 and 2012. It was first shown in 2001 at the North American International Auto Show. It is the direct successor to the RX-7. Like its predecessors in the RX range, it is powered by a rotary Wankel engine. The RX-8 was available for the 2003 model year in most parts of the world.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.