6.7
fairly significant- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 9,669 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
A new catalytic converter was purchased from a Mazda dealer in mayaguez, puerto rico on August 29, 2009. The same was placed on the vehicle, a 2005 Mazda Rx-8 shinka model, one week after the purchase since we had to wait for the arrival of this part and a new set of spark plugs that was also purchased at a price of $200. The car was not in use until the end of September 2009. On September 24, 2009 the car had a failure and I could see smoke coming out of the car and the car turned off in the middle of the highway. I could smell burnt plastic and saw melted plastic coming below the car. The day all this happened, it was raining so the car was protected from a fire due to the rain. I got pictures of some of the melted parts. After the car was towed to the dealer they told me that the heat produced by the catalytic converter burned the new spark plugs, the spark plugs cables, the modules and that there was ash on the system that needed to be cleaned. They do not want to replace all the parts that burned at the consequence of the faulty catalytic converter since my car guarantee was no longer valid. They did not make any efforts to solve the problem knowing that all the damages were due to the faulty condition of the catalytic converter. They will only provide a new catalytic converter ($1500 cost) but I have to pay about the same amount for the rest of the damage. I knew that another client had the same problem with a new catalytic converter on the same model of car and that the part was also supplied by autoland. I have seen on the internet other complaints about these faulty catalytic converters. Mazda should be responsible for the damages produced by the failure of their catalytic converters. Udated 01/13/10.
- Boqueron, PR, USA
I'm going in today for the third time because my ac continues to make a noise when the fan is blowing. I cant even begin to list all of the problems I've had with this car. Just to name a few I'm on my second engine, new brakes, battery and tires before 40K miles and I was told by three different shops that something is really wrong with the brakes but Mazda claims other wise. I've had a two new radiators and my driver window went out along with everything else from the visor falling off during the hot summer because it just melted. How does a "sun visor" melt. I've had the shifting paddles replaced because they just didn't work and I don't even really use them, the gas cap lock broke and I had to pry it open since the eject no longer worked... I think you get the point and I didn't even mention some of the bi items. I've never had so many problems with a car in my life. I cant wait until I can sell it or maybe ill get lucky and it will implode. It wouldn't surprise me at this point. This car is junk!!! I'm going back to Honda.
- Bedford, TX, USA
- Pensacola, FL, USA