Photo: Mazda
It’s been nearly five years since June 22, 2012, the day Mazda put a grinding halt on RX-8 production at the Ujina plant in Japan. The spirit of the rotary sports car lives on, though, in the hearts and minds of enthusiasts waiting for the oft-rumored RX-9 to turn into reality.
And as we wait for a successor to become official, or at least a hybrid vehicle with the rotary engine used as a range extender, Mazda identified two problems with the RX-8. A total of 104,779 cars are hampered down in two separate recalls, both involving U.S. vehicles.
The larger of the two campaigns comprises of 69,447 examples of the breed. Built from the 2004 through the 2008 model year, these particular RX-8s may exhibit a problem with the fuel pump module. “Due to insufficient durability performance of the fuel pump pipe,” Mazda explains, “the strength of the fuel pump pipe may deteriorate by the heat from the engine and exhaust pipe.” This, in turn, may lead to fuel leakage, which is a big no-no with an ignition source nearby.
To make matters worse, Mazda received the first report on the problem almost ten years ago. It’s also then that the Japanese automaker started an investigation into the matter, but for some reason or other, it was at the beginning of 2017 when the automaker received the first field report in the United States. The fix, meanwhile, consists of replacing the faulty fuel pump filter kit with an improved design.
The second and smaller recall covers an estimated 35,332 units of the RX-8, all manufactured from April 2003 through May 2004 for the 2004 model year. The problem with these cars is an “inappropriate caulking process of the ball joint.” In layman’s terms, the ball joint may separate from the socket, damaging the front lower control arm. The car may also experience a loss of steering control.
Dealers were instructed to replace both front lower control arms with modified units, and of course, the repair will be performed free of charge to the owner. Mazda estimated that owners will be notified by mail for both campaigns from July 30 onward.
The larger of the two campaigns comprises of 69,447 examples of the breed. Built from the 2004 through the 2008 model year, these particular RX-8s may exhibit a problem with the fuel pump module. “Due to insufficient durability performance of the fuel pump pipe,” Mazda explains, “the strength of the fuel pump pipe may deteriorate by the heat from the engine and exhaust pipe.” This, in turn, may lead to fuel leakage, which is a big no-no with an ignition source nearby.
To make matters worse, Mazda received the first report on the problem almost ten years ago. It’s also then that the Japanese automaker started an investigation into the matter, but for some reason or other, it was at the beginning of 2017 when the automaker received the first field report in the United States. The fix, meanwhile, consists of replacing the faulty fuel pump filter kit with an improved design.
The second and smaller recall covers an estimated 35,332 units of the RX-8, all manufactured from April 2003 through May 2004 for the 2004 model year. The problem with these cars is an “inappropriate caulking process of the ball joint.” In layman’s terms, the ball joint may separate from the socket, damaging the front lower control arm. The car may also experience a loss of steering control.
Dealers were instructed to replace both front lower control arms with modified units, and of course, the repair will be performed free of charge to the owner. Mazda estimated that owners will be notified by mail for both campaigns from July 30 onward.
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