Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

Car tripped a P2259 two months ago, the Air Valve Solenoid. OEM cat-converter is almost 90,000 miles, I hope this weekend it passes smog for registration that is due this month Otherwise, I'll be on my second cat.





Replaced the Air Solenoid Valve and made the DIY to removing the UIM.

Spin9k

engine
CAT
center console lid x2
rear shock
clutch
tail lights
all tsbs

comebackqid

iTrader: (13)

CAT
SSV valve
2259 solenoid (top one, fixed 2 weeks ago.)
oil pan leaks slow but leaks (forms drops after cooling down :-/.)
input shaft on transmission
clutch pedal

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

My car failed the SMOG (sniffer) test and since the CAT is close to 90,000 miles, I assume that's the cause so I borrowed a friend's CAT with at least 32,000 miles in it; will be coming back tomorrow for a retest.

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

High-mount (third) brake light harness broke at the point where it bends when the trunk is closed.

1.3_LittersOfFurry

iTrader: (4)

10/12 108k rear end went out Rebuilt

SuperMod

'05 GT
Current mileage - 48,000 KM (30,000 miles)

Concern - Driver's power seat control buttons popping off.
Cause - Outer plastic edge @ seat bottom edge clips not holding/pushes out allowing seat control buttons to pop off.
Cure - Seat out of car and upside-down - Drill holes in tabs & feed zip-ties through tabs then through inner piece, wrap zippys around seat bottom brace bar, reassemble.
9 mo. later all still good!

Concern - Radio inop but CD working Ok.
Cause - Antennae lead not fully clipped into back of radio.
Cure - Hidden radio backside bolt removed, shifter & console out.
Carefully work radio face off by slowly moving around the face - Radio out pop lead back on and reassemble.

Concern - Defog inop.
Cause - Connection in trunk area not fully clipped together.
Correction - Work connections in/out a few times then clip together.

Concern - Message center display erratic readout.
Cause - unknown
Cure - Car unlocked - Key removed from vehicle - Hood open.
Remove Positive battery connection and isolate cable up away from battery.
Clip a temporary wire between Positive cable and Neg. cable (again up away from battery). Open driver's door so dome light draw removes all power remaining in wiring and systems can reset (again battery is disconnected - removed from system).
Remove temporary wire, reattach battery lead and start car.
Worked great, 6 Mo's later and problem never returned also didn't even lose radio presets.


Great cars!!!!!!!!

~ >{ : ~ D )<>

bse50

If you're not the first owner you know who to blame...

1.3_LittersOfFurry

iTrader: (4)

**** my list isn't even half as bad as my last car lol.

ShellDude

iTrader: (12)

Um, no.

HexRX

o____________o
Why?!

Hesselrode

iTrader: (3)

Go ahead and add everyone's
+99

maverick02

As a token of my appreciation for all those who assisted me in fixing the many problems this car has, I shall part with the following:

A list of ridiculous issues or things that failed on my RX8 since 2004.

1) clutch pedal broke
2) heater core clogged because of poor design
3) tail light filled up with water
4) sun visor broke
5) o2 sensor failed
6) radio display showed alien characters when too hot
7) undersized battery
8) undersized starter
9) coolant level sensor failed
10) cats prematurely failing
11) intake manifold shutter valve stuck open
12) engines dying after 50 - 70k miles
13) 1 qt of oil burned every ~1,000 miles
14) sunroof rattles when open
15) engines floods if you turn off the car before it is completely warmed up and sometimes even then.
16) spark plugs fouling up prematurely
17) temperature **** stops working because of 3 bad solder joints
18) Mazda had a fight with navteq after releasing the car and released only a single sw and map update.
19) motor mounts failed because of poor design
20) undersized AC compressor that can't run at 100% duty cycle but must cycle on/off every few seconds
21) failed brake booster
22) radiator fans failed
23) HVAC blower replaced for rattling/making noise - probably was going to fail
24) handbrake trim broke
25) hideous rust on original rotor hat (painted black per DIY)
26) original positive battery clamp rusted away and broke off (revised clamp was zinc coated and held up much better)
27) failed gas cap causing small evap leak
28) center console retaining lid broke
29) wheel lock key broke
30) seized caliper glide pins because the boot was torn

I think the fuel pump, clutch, engine, and cat were on their way out as well.

simonmd

Another satisfied customer.........

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Hey look, we already have one of those threads.... merging them



and BTW
13 isn't a 'failure'
Neither is anything having to do with normal maintenance, or YOU failing to stay on top of maintenance (2, 10, 15, 16, 25)

maverick02

Reasonable people can disagree.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Agreed.


If you are reasonable about counterpoints, then I will point you to this collection as a counter point to your perception that 1 quart of oil burn every 1,000 miles is a 'failure':

(Keep in mind that these are engines that are not designed to consume any at all, but do so anyway, where as the rotary injects oil intentionally by a complicated and expensive system, and is required for engine health)
2008 Honda Accord, #1 engine complaint: Excessive oil consumption:
2008 Honda Accord engine problems & complaints | CarComplaints.com
1 quart every 1,000 miles is acceptable to Honda

2007 Toyota Camry, #1 engine complaint: Excessive oil consumption:
2007 Toyota Camry engine problems & complaints | CarComplaints.com
1 quart every 1,000 miles is acceptable to Toyota

2007 GMC Yukon, engine complaint: Excessive oil consumption:
2007 GMC Yukon Excessive Oil Consumption | CarComplaints.com
1 quart every 1,000 miles is acceptable to GMC

2008 Chevy Suburban, engine complaint: Excessive oil consumption:
2008 Chevrolet Suburban Excessive Oil Consumption | CarComplaints.com
1 quart every 1,000 miles is acceptable to Chevy (Repeating complaint with Tahoe and Avalanche as well)

2002 Nissan Altima, #1 engine complaint: Excessive oil consumption:
2002 Nissan Altima engine problems & complaints | CarComplaints.com
1 quart every 1,000 miles is acceptable to Nissan



Do you see a trend?



Largely, every car out there will burn oil. Longer oil change periods with same sized oil pans mean that the owners are actually starting to find out that oil is burning! Before it was concealed by the largish oil pans, where the burn would not reduce the capacity far enough to turn on the light before their next 3,000 mile oil change. Doesn't mean they weren't burning oil though.

When I was going through all of those cars for a project at work, the #1 thing that struck me was the sheer volume of owners that are completely aghast and offended that they might have to check their fluid levels! Oh the HORROR!!!! And actually having to buy a $5 bottle of oil every 3 months?!?!?! That sent them into bankruptcy!~!!!!!!

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

rofl, totally agreed.

its funny that people out there bitch about "OMFG Rotary burns oil like ****!" when their o-beloved piston engine does the exact same **** but hey, HATERS GONNA HATE, right ?

maverick02

Except that the title of my list describes issues and failures. I consider 1 qt per ~1000 miles an issue. And the car burning through oil so quickly creates OTHER issues and failures.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

all engines burns oil, the only difference is that Mazda tells people to check them for rotary engines. while others do not.

Mazda : Check your oil level = to people OMFG tHEY BURNT OIL LIKE ****!
Others : not a single word = Yay I don't have to check it .. *10 months later* Change oil and only 1/2 qt came out. LOL


Just a note, even my Sonata Hybrid burns oil (which is normal) at the rate of about 1 qt every 500 miles - 1.5K miles, I never complaint. Why would I ?

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Well, have fun with the oil burning in your next car, even if you never realize it. Must be nice just riding around blissfully unaware of the state of your fluids by choice.


I wonder why people don't use jet engines on their cars. I bet it's that there is a different design and maintenance needs, and that is just TOO unacceptable.

maverick02

I know and understand, but I am pointing out the rate at which it burns oil far surpasses any other car. And burning this much oil creates carbon build up, which starts fouling other components in the car and causes them to fail. But fine, I'll cross out that issue so that we may focus on the other 29

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Oh good, do we get to start pointing out that the cat failure and flooding were from your ignition failure? Which normal maintenance would have taken care of.

Or an issue like #25. Every OEM rotor out there short of exotics or insanely expensive cars will have rusted rotor hats. Every single last one. It's a simple matter of the properties of corrosion that apply to the metal of rotors. If this is really a problem for you, there are solutions to avoid it, but expect to have to resolve that on every other car you own.

Or just buy steelies, so you never see it again.


Don't get me wrong. There are PLENTY of things that can fail on the RX-8. But we have a problem with people perpetuating myths about certain aspects of our car, and that's what we seek to prevent the spread of. Preferably through educating you. Actually, we prefer to educate the owners before they buy so they don't have to learn about stuff the hard way, but some people avoid that attempt.

ASH8

PLUS you know what I think about light weight Engine Oils like 0W20!!

No wonder this thin **** oil is working past PISTON Oil Rings and Piston Rings and burning...this IS ACCEPTABLE to Toyota, ford, Honda, GM.!!!! EPA!!

MY MX-5 does not burn or leak one drop of Oil....And I do not use -W20 Oils in ANY car I own.

Now cue all the 0W20 Oil Lovers to flame me..

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

1. I already made Mazda extend the warranty of the pedal, yeah, it does SUCK, but stuff like this happens to ALL manufactures out there.
2. I never had any issues
3. Haven't had a problem for hmm maybe 3+ years
4. never happened to me, and I'm still on my original sun visor
5. that's a wear item
6. Never happened to me, even when it was 106 degrees last year
7. it's not actually, they updated it to group 35 and all is well, the problem is people get the cheapest garbage they can find and BITCH afterwards like it's the car's problem.
8. under"speed" u mean well, they updated it late 2005 and all is well
9. it's not really a failed senor, is the float material that they use sucked ***. after Revision E it seems to be fine tho.
10. If ignition stuff is up to date, cat survive
11. Underestimate of carbon "return" into the intake chamber. the updated version totally solved the issue with a longer bolt and stronger spring.
12. Nope, some people go over 150K already
13. That's not a lot, try to have a VQ engine.
14. never had any issues, I lube my rails every year, thats part of maintenance for any sunroof.
15. I do that all the time, even when my engine compression was low. no issues, even when it's 20 degrees outside.
16. 30K is normal
17. Thanks to ROHS solder
18. Navteq wants more money, not an issuse with Mazda, plus rx-8 is not a big seller
19. The design itself was fine, it's the material they used that's causing problem. the updated version works fine, mine has been holding up fine for 4 years something.
20. more like undersized condenser/limited room. There is a V-mount kit from Knight Sports that will change the Radiator to a V-mount design, it helps A LOT. But not sure if anybody wanna do that.