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2007 Mazda RX-8 Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

The 2007 Mazda RX-8 has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 7 recurring issue clusters, led by “Clutch pedal bracket/assembly failure.” Mazda's Skyactiv engines use unusually high compression ratios (13:1 to 16:1) and require strict adherence to oil intervals — extending oil life on a Skyactiv engine accelerates carbon buildup on intake valves. Mazda's published Schedule 1 (severe) covers most US driving conditions.

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No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Known issues & problems for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2007 Mazda RX-8.

Reported to NHTSA

Clutch pedal bracket/assembly failure

POWER TRAIN

12 NHTSA complaints · 2009-10 → 2019-08

“CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS. ONLY ABLE TO GET CAR INTO GEAR WHILE PUSHING PEDAL DOWN AND TO THE LEFT. COULD HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AT HIGHER SPEEDS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11242830
“MY CLUTCH PEDAL SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11128773
“WE HAVE OWNED THIS 2007 MAZDA RX-8 FOR 3 YEARS. WE BOUGHT IT FOR OUR SON TO DRIVE, AND HE DRIVES IT DAILY TO WORK AND TO SCHOOL. THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET HAS BROKEN 3 TIMES, AND EACH TIME CAUSED CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY IN SAFELY DRIVING THE CAR HOME, OR TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10733680

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Fuel tank recall repair leak

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

3 NHTSA complaints · 2017-07 → 2018-03

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V793000(FUEL SYSTEM) ON OCTOBER 31, 2017 BY OPEN ROAD MAZDA (108 RIDGEDALE AVE, MORRISTOWN, NJ)”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11081103
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V793000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11006184

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Steering system failure

STEERING

3 NHTSA complaints · 2012-01 → 2017-11

“I WAS SITTING IN THE CAR IN THE PARKING LOT OF MY JOB AND THE STEERING COLUMN MOVED WHILE IN THE LOCKED POSITION AND I LEFT THE PARKING LOT AND WAS DRIVING HOME AND A PIECE OF THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE AND FELL AND HIT MY RIGHT LEG AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD I CALLED MAZDA”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11047105
“WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, TURNING AND SOMETIMES STATIONARY, THE STEERING WHEEL JERKS TURNING TO THE RIGHT WHEN AT FULL LOCK AND IS SOMETIMES VERY HARD TO STEER IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AND RELEASING DOES NOT AFFECT IT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10924300

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Coolant warning light illuminates with normal coolant level

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2 NHTSA complaints · 2012-06 → 2013-12

“COOLANT SENSOR IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR TANK IS CONTINUOUSLY SHOWING A WARNING LIGHT. COOLANT LEVELS ARE FINE, OIL LEVELS ARE FINE. THE COOLANT WARNING LIGHT STILL SHOWS IN THE DASH. *JS *TR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10554378
“COOLANT SENSOR IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR TANK IS CONTINUOUSLY SHOWING A WARNING LIGHT. COOLANT LEVELS ARE FINE, OIL LEVELS ARE FINE. THE COOLANT WARNING LIGHT STILL SHOWS IN THE DASH. *JS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10461003

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Passenger-side dashboard cracking over airbag

AIR BAGS, STRUCTURE

10 NHTSA complaints · 2014-04 → 2019-03

“THE COVER OF AIR BAG PASSENGERS IS CRACKED AND STICKY ,THIS UNIT HAVE AT THIS TIME 9,023 MILES. PLEASE VERIFY IF THIS PROBLEMS COULD BE SOLVED BY MAZDA”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11191118
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS A STANDING ISSUE; HOWEVER, IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED PER A RECALL”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10894010
“ON MY 2007 RX8 RIGHT DASHBOARD PASSENGER AIRBAG HAS CRACKED AND HAD MADE THE SHAPE OF THE AIRBAG. LOOKS LIKE THE AIRBAG CAN DEPLOY AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT AND CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO DRIVER AND PASSENGER”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10637860

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Airbag recall repair parts unavailable

AIR BAGS

3 NHTSA complaints · 2015-08 → 2016-06

“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS DETERIORATED AND EXPOSED THE AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED; HOWEVER, IT WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V382000 (AIR BAGS)”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10881720
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA RX-8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V344000 (AIR BAGS)HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10789341

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Airbag non-deployment in crash

AIR BAGS

2 NHTSA complaints · 2007-10 → 2014-07

“I HAVE A 2007 MAZDA RX-8 AND I WAS RECENTLY INVOLVED IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION, BUT MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, BUT LATER ON IN THE BODY SHOP, THEY DID DEPLOY AFTER THE FACT WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10617156
“FRONT DRIVER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10207113

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Raw data + downloads for this vehicle →

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter

Every 5,000 mi

Replace 0W-20 full-synthetic oil every 5,000 miles under Schedule 1. Schedule 2 (highway-only): 7,500 miles. Turbo engines: 5,000 miles regardless of schedule.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 7,500 mi

Rotate tires every 7,500 miles; every 5,000 on AWD models, where the front-biased coupling wears tires unevenly.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 7,500 mi

Inspect brake pads, rotors, and parking brake at every oil change. Front pads typically last 35,000-50,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 30,000 mi

Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 30,000 miles or 36 months.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Engine Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace engine air filter every 30,000 miles. Skyactiv-G direct injection is sensitive to airflow restriction — inspect at every oil change.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Automatic Transmission Fluid

Every 60,000 mi

Replace ATF every 60,000 miles severe / 100,000 normal. Use Mazda FZ ATF — substitutes cause harsh 1-2 shifts and torque converter shudder.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

Spark Plugs

Every 60,000 mi

Iridium spark plugs every 60,000 miles on Skyactiv-G 2.0L and 2.5L; 45,000 miles on the 2.5L Turbo.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

FL-22 Long-Life Coolant

Every 60,000 mi

Mazda FL-22 (yellow): first change at 120,000 miles or 10 years, then every 60,000. Do not substitute — silicate-free formula prevents water pump damage on Skyactiv engines.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 15,000 mi

Replace cabin air filter every 15,000 miles. On most models it sits behind the glove box.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

15 crashes 1990–2024

How the 15 occupant deaths break down

10

driver deaths

5

passenger deaths

15

occupant deaths

Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2007 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.

Why we show driver deaths too

Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.

Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.

IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

2

complaints mentioning a crash

1

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2007 Mazda RX-8 reflects Mazda's published service intervals. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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