I own a rx-8 6MT. I bought it in october and have already put 16,000 miles on the car. I Love my rx to death, but two nights ago driving on the new jersey turnpike my clutch actually blew apart. In the process peices of the clutch that shot away cracked my started and now i am screwed royally. i have no idea how this happened and it is not covered under the warranty. BEWARE OF THE EXPLODING CLUTCH. MYSELF AND MY BANK ACCOUNT ARE CYRIN. ILL KEEP YOU ALL UPDATED.

The clutch is part of the "powertrain". It had better be covered by the warrenty!

Have the service guys check the pressure plate bolts

Yes - unless you were obviously abusing the car there's no reason why this would not be covered under warranty...

I thought the clutch, while part of the powertrain, is a wear item and not covered by the warranty. I will be glad to hear if it is, I just didn't think so either.
Mattfranz, what did they quote you for replacing the clutch? Good luck and I hope they do replace it under warranty.

If it is not covered under warranty, then check with your Insurance. Say you ran over something, if they question....

Wearing the clutch out is different to it exploding... If you wear your clutch out in a "reasonable" amount of time then you should probably not expect it to be a warranty item - however, if a previously normally functioning part of the car suddenly and inexplicably breaks, then it should be covered by warranty.

OUCH.... I hope it'll be under the waranty

New clutch with 16,000 miles. I HOPE this isn't considered "normal" wear...:mad:

I smell Troll.......

i agree pidge, something fishy about this one.....

Troll was my first thought too.

whats "troll"

IT IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. IM GETTING IN TOUCH WITH MAZDA TODAY TO SEE IF THEY WOULD COVER IT BUT THE DEALER WILL NOT. I WILL KEEP YOU ALL UPDATED.

>> [..] peices of the clutch that shot away cracked my started and now i am screwed royally [..] <<

not to be a teacher here, but what does this actually mean???
What cracked?

I assume he meant "starter" motor.

Explosions are not typical of wear.

The clutch may not be coverered under the warranty but your missing bell-housing should be.

I'm guessing he's saying that pieces of the clutch flew out and cracked his starter motor but I can't for the life of me figure out how clutch pieces manage to escape the transmission housing?

Perhaps the damage is more extensive than the description covers.... those trolls can really do a number when they want to.

how exactly can a clutch "blow up"? how do the pieces hit the starter? did the whole tranny fall apart? isn't the starter kinda out of the way of the tranny in the first place? what kind of dealer doesn't uphold the warranty when anything on the car fails so spectacularly? too many holes in this story. even for trolling, it isn't particularly credible. but its creative atleast.

I'm not sure why something where the driver is completely not at fault would have to pay for it.

Sorry. If you're telling the truth, then post when you have some concrete information. Don't keep posting things like "MAZDA DENIES WARRANTY - KEEP YOU POSTED". Because that's, well, lame.

Matt,

If the dealer is giving you a hard time, ask to speak with the regional rep. They have the authority to authorize a repair like this and have it covered under warranty. I had to do the same thing when my clutch died at 7,500 miles.

My dealer explicitly explained to me clutch wear and tear is NOT covered under warranty.

At 16,000 miles, doubt they would consider it a defect.

Good luck man.

Aren't clutches supposed to last more than 16,000 miles? I know some people are dropping their clutches on hard launches, but still. I would think a clutch going that early in the car's life would be considered a defect.

but clutches are supposed to wear out not EXPLODE under normal circumstances (normal wear and tear) so IMO obivously it exploding = defect

Yeah, I'd have to agree - 16kmiles does not fall under normal wear and tear. That's like saying that all those Bridgestone tires exploding was caused by the driver. No, it was caused by a faulty product that failed way before its time.

How many clutches explode??? This is very rare and I would have to say very unlikely. If the clutch or transmission exploded with that much force there would be more problems than a starter or starter motor...

goodbye

Well, of course it depends on how you drive your vehicle... but all that I am saying is that the dealer has a case for wear and tear at 16,000 miles.

They won't go down without a fight.

When I bought my RX-8, the dealer made this point very clear! "We do not cover clutch, brake pads, wipers".

But hey, clutches don't explode. No harm in fighting for it.

Wear and tear cannot explain a clutch exploding with enough force to damage the starter motor. Period.

Besides the fact that I find it highly improbable as well. Driving at cruising speed, there just isnt the energy necesary to cause that sort of damage, even on a defective unit. For it to have been in a shape that it could blow up as vaguely described, it would have died in the first few hundred miles.

Maybe this is some new terrorist plot... We could get Bush looking for CMDs (Clutches of Mass Dissintigration)... ;)

Originally posted by mikeb
goodbye

wow, great comment there, Mike. :D

ROFL! Nice one 93rdCurrent

what exactly is a troll, and Irwin mazda on rt 9 told me that the starter cracked when my clutch Exploded, and that is what they said. I do have to say one thing. No matter how hard you drive a car, it is very rare to see a Clutch explode and take out other pieces of your car with it. This car is a sports car, and it did only have 16000 miles on it. I love this car, i just dont see what the hell happened. Thanks for all the input and i will definetly let everyone know what the final verdict is.

ike is a troll

I was drivin down the road the other day and my damn Bose stereo blew apart, blew out my windsheild, dern thing almost killed me!

I was drivin down the road the other day and my damn Bose stereo blew apart, blew out my windsheild, dern thing almost killed me!

Uhh yah.

Originally posted by fuzzy
I was drivin down the road the other day and my damn Bose stereo blew apart, blew out my windsheild, dern thing almost killed me!

HAHA - Is THAT covered under warranty?

I don't think so since acts of god are not covered under the warranty. Good luck though.

Damn, that was close. I'm driving down the highway and my shiftknob explodes throwing bits of plastic every where. I wasn't even changing gears or touching it. What's going to explode next--my volume control or my glovebox door damper?

Originally posted by RX8Bliss
....how do the pieces hit the starter? ...

The starter engages on a gear ring which is around the flywheel. The clutch disc is squished in between the flywheel surface and the pressure plate. So the cog-end of the starter is right there near the flywheel.

So if the clutch, PP or flywheel came asunder, it would not be too difficult to think the starter cog could get some pieces flung into it or someting of that sort. It could be enough to tweak it enough to crack the starter gear or feasibly somehow the starter itself.

Nice point sferrett.

The starter is often damaged when the pressure plate gives way. But this would be a really odd and explosive situation. Surely the disc would give a sign of a cracked pressure plate since the pressure would be unevenly spead on the flywheel.

Maybe this thread would be better addressed in the tech section.

;)

Originally posted by mikeb
ike is a troll

LOL - get it right Ike is THE RESIDENT Troll.

Wow, even RX-8 owners with problems gets labeled "troll," I don't feel so bad now.

Originally posted by red_rx8_red_int
Damn, that was close. I'm driving down the highway and my shiftknob explodes throwing bits of plastic every where. I wasn't even changing gears or touching it. What's going to explode next--my volume control or my glovebox door damper?


Yeah, I know, his story sounds fishy, lots of capitalized letters, poor spelling..

But think for a moment.. give him the benefit of the doubt..

If this really happened to him, then your exploded shiftknob won't help him either, or?


Can't the admins check if it's xxx <--- known troll
.. by comparing IPs?

G'night, Peter

wow good to know that other ppl had similar experience but mine was covered under warranty and no questions asked by my dealer!
I was driving home from work one night when the needle in the rev counter came loose and flew right into my eye and took out my brain! but luckily my dealer replaced all parts (including my brain) at no cost. Though I did have to drive a protege without a brain for a week while the parts came in....

i dont even know what to believe :eek: :confused: :confused: :confused:

You guys are killing me :D . LMFAO!!!

I was driving down the street yesterday and the wife started to blow...... oh never mind :).

Originally posted by An8inLAS
I was driving down the street yesterday and the wife started to blow...... oh never mind :). hahaha...That's it! I'm telling your wife! The bose stereo thing was a joke. although I don't know how the name fuzzy got in my avatar.

Seroiusly though, I heard and even saw drivetrains break apart and fly up through the floorboards, but this requires extreme H.P. torque and traction that are common in drag cars, but in a car that spins to 9000 rpm, who knows.

no waaay would a clutch "blow"

brand new car (16k) + all the cool technology doesn't add up

hmmmmmmmmmmmm my 13b blew and the typhoon intake i installed shooted upward and made a hole in my hood that looks like a crater! the worst part is that my dealer says they'll only cover the typhoons warranty!
so pissed!

Originally posted by Rotary Titus
wow good to know that other ppl had similar experience but mine was covered under warranty and no questions asked by my dealer!
I was driving home from work one night when the needle in the rev counter came loose and flew right into my eye and took out my brain! but luckily my dealer replaced all parts (including my brain) at no cost. Though I did have to drive a protege without a brain for a week while the parts came in....


that's the funniest damn thing i have read all week! my wife was like " what the hell are you laughing about?"

Man I gotta share this:

I was driving around in my 8. My girl was sitting next to me and wanted me to go faster.. so I opened my 8 up a little. She loved the sound of the rotary and she said everytime I redline the car she would take a piece of clothes off. Dude, I like redlined it 4 times and she was left with only Victoria's Secret

woohoo... I furiously accelerated MORE AND MORE, I was like.. come on 8, you gotta hit redline in 5th COME ON!!!!!!! Man, when that beeper sounded.......

I wish I could tell you guys more but I woke up...
Damn dreams...

I thought you were going to say that you got pulled over... but since this was a dream I guess it woulda been Jenna Jameson pulling you over, right?

we will find out TONIGHT
gonna think mad hard about those black Victoria tonight
I wonder if they those Victoria's I saw really existed

Man.. gonna be real intense tonight

it should be covered by the warrenty

what?
my dream?
my dream is going to be covered by warrenty

but I think the clutch is going to be covered by warrenty too

Uh... ahemmm... excuse me mr. technical service writer, uh... I was dreaming about my dream date and... well, uh... Jenna Jameson... and she was a cop and pulling us over. Well about that... the dream didn't... well, it didn't turn out right and I would like to have it analyzed under warranty please. No, no excuses this is serious and it needs to be addressed. I can't have this dream getting messed up any more. Do you understand. What do you mean it's not covered!?! I was on the RX-8 Forum last night and I saw that three other guys were having theirs analyzed and their dealerships are covering it under warranty. Now hop to it soldier boy and get mine in line!

Originally posted by zoom44
that's the funniest damn thing i have read all week! my wife was like " what the hell are you laughing about?" That's the best one yet.

damn it
I was hoping mine was the funniest....
someone please quote me and say its funny.. just to humor me
fellow RX8forume members.. please

someone *echo echo echo*

i was driving down the road.. and stuf exploded.. and it's not covered under warranty because the warranty explicitly does not cover exploding stuff. I don't know what to do. The warranty does, however, cover exploding things, but not exploding stuff.

I guess I'm SOL.

I have hear of something similar. A hic was off roading and decided to go down hill in a bronco and had something like a 4:1 low range and in first gear. He held the clutch to the floor and went really quickly downhill while holding the clutch in. The clutch 'exploded' when the clutch speed exceded something like 15,000.
So if he tried to get the clutch speed to get over 20,000 then maybe it would 'explode' But that would be user error. The RX-8 clutch should be very well balanced and handle 10,000 rpms but if you really tried to get the shifter into 2 at 100, that would lead to a clutch overspeed.
Accept a 50/50 cost split.

someone... please
say I am funny

SOMEBODY *echo echo*

*hold sign* will pay clutch for someone that say you are funny

I read in an article today submitted to our local paper car column. This person had their VW Bug clutch gone in 68 miles. The dealership will not replace the clutch under warranty, because it is a normal frictional ware item.

gosh people...
the clutch freaking exploded

its gonna be covered under warrenty. Do you think your clutch will explode on you when your clutch is used up?

I think it might explode if I tried to downshift to 2nd at 100. As far as the dealership is concerned, they could just say that happened and it was user error. Of course they could also say that the person tried to do a 9.5k launch or something of that nature.

if your clutch didnt go in the process of downshifting to second at 100, your engine probably would. These engines are rated to 14k, but I wouldn't want to push it up there. Wonder what the RPM would be at 100 in 2nd. Simple math (even though the curve isnt linear), would tell me that 62/8500 = 100/x. 62x=850000. X=850000/62 = 13709.6774 RPM... So your engine might still work..... but... i wouldnt want to push it..

So I was drivin down the NJ turnpike and my clutch explodes on me. I gather all the pieces and drove it back to the dealership and they say its not covered under warranty. I said i have the written warranty in my hand. The warranty explodes and they say the warranty does not cover the warranty. im screwed

Sorry zman, I guess that's the breaks. It sure is a great car though anyway!

X28 sounds like another one of those loonies that usually end their career in the Lounge.

SO HERE IS THE FINAL PROBLEM(S) WITH THE CLUTCH SUBMITTED TWO WEEKS AGO. THE CLUTCH DID EXPLODE, IN THE PROCESS IT CRACKED MY STARTER CASING AND HERES THE BEST PART, A PIECE OF METAL SHOT THROUGH MY BELL HOUSING(I SAW THE HOLE IT MADE). ALL IN ALL THE COST IS COMMING OUT TO $2,700. SO ALL YOU NON BELEIVERS KISS MY ASS AND MY EMPTY POCKETS BECAUSE NONE OF THIS SHIT IS COVERED BY WARRANTY. BECAUSE THE CLUTCH EXPLODED AND WAS NOT WARRANTIED, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE F THE EXPLOSION WILL NOT BE COVERED. I DO HAVE TO SAY ONE THING. THIS SUCKS MY BALLS, AND THIS DAMN MAZDA DEALERSHIP IS F*CKIN ME.
F YOU MAZDA

Here's the contact info for MNAO: http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/contactMazda.action . If you don't get the response you are looking for I bet your attorney will. I would not pay them the $2700 and I would actually report them to the BBB as well as to MNAO if your story is real. We had a little fun at your expense since the story is fairly ubelievable. If it is real this is how you can get action. Let us know what results you get. And if you don't get them then like I posted above a good attorney will.

Originally posted by Ajax
Simple math (even though the curve isnt linear), would tell me that 62/8500 = 100/x. 62x=850000. X=850000/62 = 13709.6774 RPM.

Why wouldn't it be linear?

Originally posted by An8inLAS
I was driving down the street yesterday and the wife started to blow...... oh never mind :).

i dun mind that if it arent covered by warranty :D

Unless your last names Bobbit anyway :p

The clutch should be covered by warrenty. When my truck was still covered by warrenty (my grandpa owned it at the time) He pulled it up to the shop doors walked in to tell them the clutch was going out, when a mechanic came in and told him the clutch went out. It went out 1 day before warrenty ended. They replaced it under warrenty no questions asked. Although the truck (a 82 GMC 3/4ton p/u) has gone threw 3 three clutches almost 4, in 60,000 miles, currently the truck has 62,300 miles on it. (true milage never had alot of miles put on)

As for exploding clutches, yes they can explode. Its kinda like when I take cd's put them in my dremel tool and spin them to 30,000RPM, they fly apart with pieces flying all over the place, but they tend to fly apart at different speeds, one might come apart at 20,000 another at 12,000. Its not impossable for a clutch to "explode". A manufacturing defect like a crack in the metal would cause it to fail, and it could take time to show up, the heating and cooling over time would make the defect worse.

I recently help work on a subaru, the owner thought he "sucked" a valve but when we pulled the head off we only found a burned valve, the engine had 132,000 miles on it. After close inspection of the engine, head, and valves we decided it was a defect from the factory. Some defects take time to show up. When knew it was a defect from the factory because you could see the honing crosshatching all the way through the cylinder walls, which is amazing for that milage. So it is very possable to have manufacturing defects show up at higher millages.

Yea, but we still have not had the question of the ages answered...what, exactly, is a Troll?

Inquiring minds...

?

FYI....I also have a 2001 Miata that is still under the original 3 yr/36K mile warranty. The clutch started to develop a bad chatter. I mentioned this to my service advisor. He said to bring it in for free replacement under warranty. The Miata has about 25K miles on it. Don't post stuff about NOT being covered under warranty unless you check it out at the dealership first.

Originally posted by mattfranz2002
SO HERE IS THE FINAL PROBLEM(S) WITH THE CLUTCH SUBMITTED TWO WEEKS AGO. THE CLUTCH DID EXPLODE, IN THE PROCESS IT CRACKED MY STARTER CASING AND HERES THE BEST PART, A PIECE OF METAL SHOT THROUGH MY BELL HOUSING(I SAW THE HOLE IT MADE). ALL IN ALL THE COST IS COMMING OUT TO $2,700. SO ALL YOU NON BELEIVERS KISS MY ASS AND MY EMPTY POCKETS BECAUSE NONE OF THIS SHIT IS COVERED BY WARRANTY. BECAUSE THE CLUTCH EXPLODED AND WAS NOT WARRANTIED, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE F THE EXPLOSION WILL NOT BE COVERED. I DO HAVE TO SAY ONE THING. THIS SUCKS MY BALLS, AND THIS DAMN MAZDA DEALERSHIP IS F*CKIN ME.
F YOU MAZDA

Bummer x3. It had to be a defect no matter what MZDA says. They are just being a pain by not covering it. I would assume they think you were abusing the car or something and that would be the reason for them not to cover it. They may not have said as much...but you KNOW that is what they are thinking.

Way back in 1991, the clutch on my 91 Miata wore out (it did not explode, but just started slipping) at 18,000 miles.

I was the car's original owner. I never rode the clutch or did any drop-clutch starts. I just drove the car in a normal manner. Also, I have had maybe eight other cars with manual transmissions and none of their clutches ever wore out on me no matter how far I drove them. So this one was a fluke.

Anyhow, the Mazda dealer (not the manufacturer) agree to cover it under warranty. They told the manufacturer it must have been defective.

If this guy's clutch disintegrated and broke into fragments, it would seem to "explode" since it's spinning at high RPMs. Sounds like a defective part to me. I would fight it.

Mines being replaced as we speak, They told me it was covered for 12000 miles I have 11899 Got lucky

so......what the heck is a troll??!?!?!

so......what the heck is a troll??!?!?!
:D

SO HERE IS THE FINAL PROBLEM(S) WITH THE CLUTCH SUBMITTED TWO WEEKS AGO. THE CLUTCH DID EXPLODE, IN THE PROCESS IT CRACKED MY STARTER CASING AND HERES THE BEST PART, A PIECE OF METAL SHOT THROUGH MY BELL HOUSING(I SAW THE HOLE IT MADE). ALL IN ALL THE COST IS COMMING OUT TO $2,700. SO ALL YOU NON BELEIVERS KISS MY ASS AND MY EMPTY POCKETS BECAUSE NONE OF THIS SHIT IS COVERED BY WARRANTY. BECAUSE THE CLUTCH EXPLODED AND WAS NOT WARRANTIED, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE F THE EXPLOSION WILL NOT BE COVERED. I DO HAVE TO SAY ONE THING. THIS SUCKS MY BALLS, AND THIS DAMN MAZDA DEALERSHIP IS F*CKIN ME.
F YOU MAZDA
First off...
http://www.rx8club.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=43897&stc=1

Second...
The problem people have with believing you is
1) people don't think a clutch will explode unless you're doing something you're not.
2) people don't believe mazda wouldn't cover a defect that bad.

If your clutch exploded because you were doing something stupid (ie dropping to 2nd gear at 100mph) then well, you deserve to have to pay for it. There was already a guy here complaining about how Mazda wouldn't pay to fix his transmission which has gone bad TWICE since Mazda claimed he abused his car (which he said was b.s.). Then later the same guy was bragging about dropping to a gear at a certain speed which undoubtedly was abusing the car.

If you were driving normally and it exploded then you definitely need to get in contact with Mazda North America because they need to cover it.

EDIT: oh a troll is someone who posts something purely to get a rise out of people.

for example if i go to a jewish holocaust survivor website and start posting
"Hitler really knew what he was doing" that is called trolling. It comes from the fishing term.

SO HERE IS THE FINAL PROBLEM(S) WITH THE CLUTCH SUBMITTED TWO WEEKS AGO. THE CLUTCH DID EXPLODE, IN THE PROCESS IT CRACKED MY STARTER CASING AND HERES THE BEST PART, A PIECE OF METAL SHOT THROUGH MY BELL HOUSING(I SAW THE HOLE IT MADE). ALL IN ALL THE COST IS COMMING OUT TO $2,700. SO ALL YOU NON BELEIVERS KISS MY ASS AND MY EMPTY POCKETS BECAUSE NONE OF THIS SHIT IS COVERED BY WARRANTY. BECAUSE THE CLUTCH EXPLODED AND WAS NOT WARRANTIED, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE F THE EXPLOSION WILL NOT BE COVERED. I DO HAVE TO SAY ONE THING. THIS SUCKS MY BALLS, AND THIS DAMN MAZDA DEALERSHIP IS F*CKIN ME.
F YOU MAZDA


I believe you could spend a vey small amount of money to attempt to get them to pay for this in small claims court. I had a automatic transmission come apart years ago while under warranmty and they refused to fix it. A letter from a attorney reversed that decision very quicky. Letter cost fifty dollars then. Today you could probably get one written for 150. Exploding cluthes should be covered under warranty unless there is proof of abuse. Worn clutch plates should not. That simple.

hmm.....i believe teh mazda drive train in question (flywheel clutch)...shouldn't be reved over 10500rpm.....(sorry forgot what thread i read that on:( )...if it goes over that there is a very high chance that those parts will fail ... or at the very least will fail later due to undue wear and tear. i'm sure the forces exerted on them go up exponentialy the higher the rpm's get. so if you missed a gear...that sucks kinda your fault even though it blows. but if it just blew up...they shoudl cover it. i've never heard of a clutch blowing up at cruising speed though. i've seen flywheels blow up and take about everythign with them...but those were on a drag racing rotary...adn it was stupid powerful ..haha and i don't think the flywheel was rated to do what the car tried to make it do:D hmm..ok i've babbled enough:p

efonwang gets the award

so......what the heck is a troll??!?!?!

troll.. little short green men