Gomez

Only a few will get new parts, I am led to believe. An inspection is required to determine whether your car has the affected components. This batch was spread over a large production run.

BVD

Good on you Michael,

I had just copied and pasted your letter with a view to sending a personalised and edited version to the same address, when I read your latest post.

I think I will still send my letter though, as there are a couple of other issues that I'd like to ask them about. E.g. the sump exchange due to the oil warning light business. My car was in the right range, but I never got any offer to replace it, despite hearing reports that several dealers in the east were taking steps to "tidy up" any that were left - whether or not they'd had the problem.

I have never had the light come on, and problem was only with sensor reporting, so I'm not really bothered about getting it changed. However, I seem to remember that there were one or two things that cropped up on the US list (at Rosenthal's) that never got much airplay here. So I might check through and see if there's anything I'd like to ask about.

In the meantime, I'm going to keep using my car as usual. The rate of actual failure(s) compared to the number of cars and how they're used seems very tiny indeed. We don't seem to have all the details about the full nature of the weakness, and whether it's case of all the arms are weak or whether it's that some of them might be, and they can't be sure which ones. It might even just be a very unlucky combination of stresses in a certain instance.

What I'd really like to know is, if it doesn't affect all the cars made, then when did they make a change, what was the change, and why did they make it? Was it a change in design, supplier, composition, quality control or what?

Anyhow, if my socket did fail and I crashed it wouldn't be much consolation that I was statistically unusual! So I'll certainly hold off on kerb bashing and running over the more solid class of pensioner for the next month.

Gomez

Who in Mazda told you this, Michael?

Lock & Load

Unless Mazda uses all these varied testing procedures on my car i will not be saisfied with their testing and will insist on new parts .

Heres the tests that need to be done to truly verify if theres a fault with the parts.

Do not be convinced that you can check out the control arms in the garage.

You cannot perform any of these analyses with a flashlight and a jackstand.


eddy current


ultrasonic


X-ray (using film)


resonance method, such as Fokker Bond or tap test


magnetic particle


fluorescent and dye penetrant


video inspection


thermography

All these NDI's are used in industry to check properties of aluminum forgings in the aircraft industry. You cannot trust your eyes alone.

So unless mazda does most of these tests INSIST ON NEW PARTS. :D

B...free
michael

BVD

HERE'S A REAL LIFE FRONT END FAILURE STORY:

I used to own an old Morris many years ago. It had top and bottom "trunnions" that performed a similar function to the joints in question on the RX8.

One night, after a most enjoyable party I thrashed it home through the deserted roads through the hills..... Up and down, round the bends, hammer and tongs all the way....

When I got home I first drove up to my shed and turned some lights off. Then I jumped back in and set off towards the house....

I got five feet and the front wheel fell off! To be exact it parted company at the bottom and stayed attached at the top and swung out at 90 degrees. :o

"Well bugger me" I mumbled, and laughed as you do when brushed lightly by the scythe of doom. And then tottered off down to the house to bed.

Front end failures? Pah! Been there, done that... :D

Lock & Load

The sevice manager from Gold coast mazda , finally acknowledged just recieving an E-MAIL FROM MAZDA HEAD OFFICE .(HOW CONVENIENT )

He stated that a letter will follow in 3 - 4 weeks time .

I AM CONVINCED M AZDA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR A LOT LONGER THAN
THEY WILL EVER ADMITT

B..free
michael

takahashi

I think there will be a lot of recall just for inspection.... and they will repair it if it is from the same batch of lower arms.

Make sure when you receive the letter, you should call them and tell them how inconvience is that... blah blah blah and tell them. I need something to change too. My brake oil is very dark, and the coolant need changing too . Free labour, but I will pay for the materials. :D

Gomez

I know what is used in the aircraft industry, Michael. They have a bad batch. Those tests would have been done on samples retained from the many batches produced, back in Japan. If you don't have parts from the affected batch on your car, you can rest easy. Don't cause hysteria.

It'll all be okay....

Gomez.

takahashi

'Mez... so do you have those thing in your workshop to check on the planes? If so, would it be fun to use it to check the structure of the car for weak points :D?

aa@uow

U CHAMPION michael!!!

Is the recall only for the lower arm issue or the overheated issue as well.. cos as i have said before, Mazda Hongkong has recalled some 04/05 model due to both heat and lower arm issues.. any idea?

Lock & Load

Cannot be 100% sure but i believe it to be for the lower arm / ball joint issue only .

B..free
michael

NickG

Thanks for your efforts Michael. Is everyone comfortable with the fact that MA are apparently going to sit on this potentially highly dangerous defect for 3-4 weeks before even writing to affected owners about it??

Lock & Load

Never had intention of causing hysteria just wanted to get forum members to make sure they are not merely side stepped by Mazda , as we know Mazda is very good at .......Gilding the Lily.

I am sure they will try for shortcuts and save their moneys where ever possible , Look at the number of times they have lied about engine power performance figures and other matters relating to our cars .

Just triyng to keep the Bastards Honest

B..free
michael

Lock & Load

DEFINETELY NOT HAPPY but i think i have done my fare share of putting the heat up their ***** , let someone else contact them and the car magazines and journalist pointing out this recall .

Mazda has most likely known about this situation for months

B...free
michael

timbo

Michael, I think it is commendable you got an answer on this, but I do think you need to consider Mazda's response in the context of the problem and the task they have of responding to it.

The issue affects a subset of 2003 build cars. There is potentially a problem IF your car has the part from the affected set, and IF that part is indeed faulty. The probabilities of a problem are very low.

However, in today's strict product liability world, Mazda (or any other manufacturer) has to undertake a detailed anaysis of these probabilities in order to decide on a recall, and I bet, given the litigious nature of the US on auto defect issues, they err very much on the side of caution. I certainly know other mfrs do, in sectors I have been associated with.

A recall is no small task, especially for an item like this. As you note, it's not something that can be inspected visually; they have to ensure a replacement part is in stock and available to all dealers -- probably worldwide -- to replace those in the affected sample at the time of inspection. This is a not insignificant communication and logistics task.

In life, you can choose to think positively about people's and organisations actions, or you can think negatively. From my perspective, Mazda have always done the right thing, although perhaps not with the instant gratification people expect these days. But there are logical reasons for that.

It is all too easy to criticise manufacturers for these types of problems. The reality is, they all have them -- even Rollers which 'fail to proceed' As long as they are seen to be responding, even if it is in their own time. The alternative (which they know) is that they'll have their asses sued off -- see Dow Corning on breast implants, and James Hardie on asbestos.

It could be worse. After all, you could be driving a Rover with a similar problem...and no-one to sue

labrat

Just booked my car in for 40k service for next week, and faxed in my list of things to be done/looked at. I included the recall items on the web and linked to from this forum, so they will be aware from yet another angle.

I haven't noticed any diminution in handling, although my stock tyres are within 2-3mm of the wera bars and are howling at 30km/h - must be a resonance frequency thing. I'm going for the Toyo Trampios too.

NickG

Labrat out of curiosity what did you pay for the Trampios? Best I could do was $300 here in Sydney. There were zero stocks in NSW so have waited over 2 weeks for Toyo to transfer a set from WA. They get fitted today.

I ran Toyo T1S' a few cars back and was pretty impressed with them, hence the decision in favour of the Trampio's. Unfortunately T1S, S03, Eagle F1 etc are all out of my price bracket in this size. On the plus side however I reckon the RX-8 doesn't place especially heavy demands on its tyres. The RE040's - a seriously average tyre by all accounts - were surprsingly competent on the RX-8 IMHO - at least in the dry!

labrat

I haven't fitted them yet, but was quoted $250 fitted by Ian Diffen Tyres Strathpine here in BNE a month or so ago. Looks like I'd better get a re-quote and lock in an order quickly!

zoom44

Michael,

Commendable of you to root this out. Really great.

On the "when did they know" point- this issue was first noticed in japan on a few cars early this year and it took them awhile to track down the cause. they have actually moved quite swiftly on the issue. it was only in the last month or so they knew the cause and got new parts being made. there have only been a very few documented cases. i understand less a dozen or less total. only 2 in the US etc

takahashi

Got the confirmation from Mazda Australia too.

Email from Geraldine Domingue gdomingue@mazda.com.au

Lock & Load

Ditto

Dear Mr Elias



Thank you for your enquiry, which we received from Gold Coast Mazda. A recall on the Mazda RX-8 is about to commence and at this stage we are still arranging the logistics with our dealers. Once this has been organised, you will receive notification if your vehicle has been affected.



Yours sincerely

Mazda Customer Service

GD28/7

sco

Recall information is out in Australia, publicly:
http://www.recalls.gov.au/view_recal..._ID_Auto=13527
http://www.recalls.gov.au/view_recal..._ID_Auto=13528

timbo

Wow -- both of them! Spoke to my service manager today, and he was certainly aware of the lower control arm. I mentioned the heat shield issue, but he wasn't aware...

skc

Good find SCO. Well done L&L for your efforts in bringing this to our attention.

I hope the heat build up issue will solve the hot cup holder, transmission tunnel and poor a/c we get in the summer months.

skc

takahashi

Sure L&L, it is comforting to see Mazda knows how to cut and paste in their email response :p

sco - great find. As early model, I have both to be recall and check. I think they should change the heat shield and get rid of the heat problem.

Do we have to go to the dealer we get the car from or it can be done via any dealer?