Engine was turing over slower last week, mpg down from 21 to 18; thought it was the cold. Would not turn over, jumped and still would not start Monday, 12-12-5. Never flooded since I owned it. Flat bed to dealer, great Mazda roadside. They changed plugs, battery and starter. Also had pulsing with brakes and they replaced front pads and turned rotors. Car starts very quickly and seems faster than before. Thanks, Hiley Mazda.

 

My brakes have been pulsating too. I'll have to ask the dealer again about it- how many miles on your car?

 

37,000 miles.

 

If a Mazda dealer orders a starter, there is only one starter for the RX 8, the 9V version !!

They stopped producing the original !

Say no more !

 

I got this same retrofit for free on my 04. Not only did they swap the starter, I also received a new battery and irridium spark plugs all covered by my warranty.

 

Hi
I've had my 8 for 2 months now and have not experience flooding but have
on few occasion a delayed start up, it cranks a few times then at the last moment
turns. I'm concerned that it may flood one day and the worst case scenario would be somewhere far from home. does anyone know if its possible to get replacements done under warranty before something bad happens. I'm sure there are lots of 8 owners who share the same concern I have and wants to take the necessary actions to avoid a flooded engine or start up problems due to a weak starter, plugs and battery.

 

Try calling your Mazda repair shop and asking them about it.
I had flooded last year and recently they replaced my battery/plugs/starter for "hard Starts" under warranty.

Hopefully they'll agree.

 

yes, because I leave the car in a gear when parked, so I always have the clutch disengaged.

Back on topic, I did have the starter, battery plugs work done this week, and what a difference. now just that sound brings a smile to my face, it sounds so cool. I can't figure out what that sound would belong to, but it is not a typical starter.

 

You guys must have really cooperative dealers. I've had my car towed in to the dealer twice and to another shop one more time. The dealer charged me about $150 the 2nd time - he said Mazda only covers one 'no start' occurrance. The last time I took it to another shop and they found the dealer had installed 4 different plugs in my car including 3 leading plugs.
When I asked the dealer about the new starter motor, the service manager told me that he would only look at my car if it came in on a tow truck and then he would determine if I had a problem that warranted a new starter. A mechanic from the dealership said they have installed the starter on other RX8's.
Regarding the plugs, he said he would ask the mechanic (sorry, 'technician') what happened to the plugs that he put in my car last Sept!! As if I care which employee stole them. I just want them to give me the plugs that they charged Mazda for and that belong in my car.

 

I have not flooded my 8 yet, but I took it in for an oil change over the weekend and I told them about the way the car turns over so slow. They replaced my battery with a higher 640CCA and ordered me a new starter and plugs, they call it the cold weather start up kit . I think this has been mentioned before. All this will be replaced under warranty.

The only thing I'm having to pay for is half the price of the battery because my car is over 1yr old, it's prorated after 1yr.

 

i think your dealer stole your money, my car is almost 2 years old, with almost 40k miles, and no money left my bank account, or my pocket for that matter.

This mornign was pretty cold out, as was yesterday, well by Atlanta standards, and the car starts almost instantly. which is nice, i don't have to wonder when I go out in the morning, "is the car going to start today?"

 

My battery actually failed the load test or so they said. I do know it was barely turning over when I took it in. They told me Mazda warranties the Battery fully for 1 year then it's prorated. I think the reason they got me was the battery actually failed.

 

Well that's a bugger if I ever heard one.

 

I've had my car for almost 1 1/2 years and never had a problem starting. I will say that some times it starts in .5 sec and every now and then it takes up to 3 secs. But it has always started, should I worry?

 

then you are lucky. I too am a 12/03 build date car, with almost 40k miles. I nearly got stranded in the mountains a week ago. So I am very glad to have the new parts.

Rotary Rasp, should you worry, depends. How far from being out of warranty are you, how often are you in an isolated area, where getting towing service might be more than an inconvenience? If you answered yes to any of that, get it done, it is a service bulletin, I will post it tonight, but I think it has been posted before.

 

mine is a 6/03 build date and no problems-- always started just fine. The new one does sound better! Guess I'm lucky also.
Olddragger

 

Just to be clear. The no-start "feature" is temperature independant. My car starts in -15C (0deg F) But it would not start at about 18C (55deg F) It's whether or not the motor was at running temp when it was shut down.

(some owners have said they have procedures like revving to 4000rpm before shutting down, etc to prevent the problem)

 

My battery actually died the other day. I jumped it that night and then brought it to the dealer and had it checked. They are replacing the starter and plugs, but said the battery tests fine. 9/03 build date w/11000 miles. My battery is the original 400CCA which I think sucks, but I'll wait to see how it truns over after the battery and plugs.

 

I just had this whole update done yesterday. A HUGE difference in how easily it starts. I cant believe how fast it cranks over now and how quickly it starts. I got the starter, plugs and battery all installed under warranty. My car has flooded 3 times total, every time I have been able to start using the procedure in the manual. Luckily I was at home two of the times, as my battery died during the whole process and I didnt have to be anywhere that day. I have a charger and after topping the battery off, it started. Hopefully this new update will make all of that an old annoyance!

 

Slideways:

Good luck with the latest fix - hope it sticks. My RX-8 seems quicker to start after the fix. Only time will tell.

Hopefully Mazda will update all the earlier RX-8 to the new 'standard'

 

I purchased my RX8 19 Feb 2004. Build date Nov 2003. Currently 13700 miles on the odo.

My battery also gave up the ghost a few days ago. In retrospect, there were some indicators that things were going downhill: starting up, while normally would take a couple seconds sometimes, was taking 5+ seconds of cranking for the engine to ignite; remote key fob would actuate the door locks, but without the normal "flash" from the corner mark lights.

Anyway, I was already planning to have the ball joint and fuel tank recalls done, so, in accordance with what many of y'all have done, I also suggested they replace the starter, the plugs (with the hotter set), and the wimpy factory battery, which was dead.

Dropped off Monday morning at 0900, and I got a call that afternoon -- fast. They had completed the recalls/inspection; replaced the battery, starter, and plugs; replaced a bad foglight bulb; ensured the PCM flash was up to date -- flashed it just to make certain; changed the oil/filter/washer; they also did the normal "top off" stuff, tires, brakes, yadda, yadda; NO COST for anything. I didn't even ask them to change the oil (they supplied Castrol 5W20 & OEM filter) -- very nice touch.

Anyway, HUGE difference at startup. The 9V starter has a different pitch to its turns, and engine ignition is nearly instantaneous. AWESOME. I highly recommend this "dealer installed mod" to anyone whose starter turns the engine for one or more seconds at startup.

BTW, does anyone know if the 2006 has the 9v starter?

For everyone in the DC/VA/MD area: Rosenthal Mazda/Arlington ROCKS!!!

 

Sounds that there is a great deal of variability in the proactive nature - if any - of Mazda dealers.

IMHO Mazda should make the battery-starter-plugs fix - at least a "when you are in for something else" - (if not a recall !!!)- similar to the flash updates.

A proactive MAZDA is one that will do better in the long haul.

 

Just got the new starter a week ago and it makes a BIG difference. I don't have to cross my fingers every time I try to start it. My car has been towed twice to my dealer, yet he told my I couldn't qualify for a new starter unless the car came in on the back of a tow truck, so he could determine if my car had a starting problem.

I was picking up some parts from another dealer and mentioned that my car had the starting problem. The service rep says "Mazda has a new starter for that, bring your car in and we'll put in for you" Voila - new starter. (Dave Wood Mazda in New Market, Ontario)