This red light is on but my oil pressure is a little bit towards the higher end with the motor running. I didn't get an owner's manual so I'm clueless.

https://i.imgur.com/bMnJiBt.jpg

 

Blurry picture, but if it looks like the Lincoln Memorial, it is the coolant level low warning light.

 

Rtfm

 

Yep, it looks like the Lincoln Memorial only in red. That must mean I have a leak somewhere as I topped off the coolant a few days ago.

 

Maybe, or it may just be the most common RX-8 issue there is. The only way to find out is to start new threads less, and search more.

 

You shouldn't need to top up coolant at all. But yes, the sensor for that light goes bad on many cars, requiring a new overflow tank.

 

Wow, no other fix besides a whole new tank?

 

Nope.

You can unplug the sensor to turn the light off, but I don't recommend it.

 

Like the others said - It's the low coolant light, and comes from a faulty coolant bottle sensor. It's very common with our cars. In my case, the car will start with it off, then it turns on when the car's warmed up. I check the coolant level each month (when it's cold of course!) as a precaution.



https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...t-here-202454/
https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...%2A%2A-245479/
https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...ls-pdf-245486/

 

that tank is like $10 on mazmart. Just read the DIY before you break the tab on your radiator

 

I think you mean $100.

It is part number N3H115351G for both S1 and S2 cars.

Mazmart is good people. Definitely buy it from them.

 

If you have a faulty coolant bottle sensor – sounds like you probably do – you should go ahead replace the tank. Yes, you could not replace it and just check coolant level regularly; many with the faulty sensor do just that. Some put a piece of black masking tape over the warning light so that it's not distracting.

But here's the thing: in the unlikely event that you should suffer a sudden coolant leak on the road (stone or something puts hole in hose or tank), you wouldn't know about it until it's too late. This once happened to me in my Saab days. (Something hot fell against tank and burned a hole in it; it emptied while I was driving. Hey, stuff happens.)

 

The manual actually states that you should check the coolant level regularly and top up as needed

 

Thanks for the help guys. I'm still working on getting the search feature down pat. I have no idea what words to search for to find a red indicator light shaped like a house with pillars in front.

 

Well, I like echoing 9k. If you read the manual it has alllll the warning lights in it. Then you could have searched for the warning light online in some format like "RX8 Coolant warning light" and it would have pulled up about 8 million threads about it. Just saying.

DIY the tank carefully and you won't have to replace the radiator. Or replace the radiator and the tank at the same time with a Koyo or CSF Radiator and never have to worry about replacing the radiator again.

 

Sorry I was looking at this page. It shows the bottle and the cap and lists the cap at $14 and some change. I was looking at that thinking it included the bottle.

MAZMART - Serving The Mazda Community Since 1980. RX8 Coolant Tank (2004-11)

 

Thanks for the tip. I didn't get an owner's manual but I just found the downloadable manuals on this board. That's going to be a big help. I'm determined to make this car work for me.

I'm still working on getting a compression test. I need some more money to have it done. I overpaid on my state taxes last year and have been waiting for 10 weeks to get my refund. When I get that I should be able to have the compression test.

 

How much are they charging you? It should only cost $150 or so. I had a local dealer say "It'll take about 3 hours as we have our in house rotary specialist do it, it'll cost roughly $350." I said "**** that" and bought my own RCTV5. Now I've got a tool that I can use or sell, and I can test whenever I feel like it.