Skip to content
Transmission and drivetrainPart report

2004 Mazda RX-8 Transmission and drivetrain Problems

Complaints
154about this part
Share
31%of 490 total for the year
Median mileage
68,950miles
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 154 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2004 Mazda RX-8, 31% of the 490 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 68,950 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“I was driving down the road and I went to slow down at a light and when I pressed the clutch pedal to engage the brake I heard a pop and my clutch felt like it was shifting to the side and it barely cuts off enough to come out of gear. I inspected the the assembly by looking under the steering wheel and I found that a weld had snapped.”

NHTSA complaint #11011858, filed 2017-07, 111,000 miles

“Vehicle in motion (3rd gear). Slowed to make a left turn. Depressed clutch pedal to shift into neutral. Pedal stayed on floor. I pulled it up with my foot and attempted to pump it in an effort to build pressure. With clutch depressed vehicle could not be shifted into gear unless pumped multiple times, then clutch would engage less than 2 inches of travel from floor. Pedal moves back and forth side ways as well..”

NHTSA complaint #11084202, filed 2018-04, 82,976 miles

“The clutch pedal assembly broke where it attaches to the vehicle. This is the second time this has happened. When I bought the card 21 months ago it was broken. I had it replaced by a mechanic with an oem replacement and it has now occurred again but in a different position.”

NHTSA complaint #10979708, filed 2017-04, 72,000 miles

“The clutch pedal (already a known problem by Mazda, but no recall has yet been announced) cracked while I was driving last year. I was on hwy 13 in minnesota and barely got control of my speed (was barely able to maintain use of the clutch) it sat until I could get it repaired, the same pedal is now craking in another spot, working on getting it repaired before it breaks again, this time will reinforce it.”

NHTSA complaint #10908280, filed 2016-09, 102,000 miles

“I own a 2004 Mazda RX-8. As I was turning right in second gear, I depressed the clutch pedal and then heard a loud snap. The pedal assembly is now very loose and not what I would consider structurally sound. When I got home, I noticed that the left side of the clutch pedal bracket had snapped. This has caused the pedal assembly to easily move from left to right.”

NHTSA complaint #10353091, filed 2010-08, 73,400 miles

Related recalls

Related service bulletins

Transmission and drivetrain: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2010120%
2009338%
200816%
2007924%
20061322%
20055433%
200415431%

Other parts of the 2004 Mazda RX-8

Engine cooling
106 complaintsSteering
80 complaintsAir bags
50 complaintsFuel system
39 complaintsElectrical system
33 complaintsEngine
33 complaintsBody and structure
20 complaintsOther or unknown
18 complaintsSuspension
17 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
16 complaintsVehicle speed control
11 complaintsEquipment
10 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2004 Mazda RX-8

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology