Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Mazda rx-8. While driving 45 MPH making a left or right turn, the steering wheel seized and became difficult to maneuver. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, but not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.
2008 Mazda RX-8 steering problems
moderate 4 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Complaints
4
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
When does it fail?
Of the 4 steering complaints filed for the 2008 Mazda RX-8, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Power steering failed at only 85000 miles, almost caused me to crash with my two toddlers in the back seats!!! Now it is going to cost me over 2k to fix it, I am a military wife, in germany, and almost crashed due to Mazda's lack of quality!!!!
While driving to work on day during a turn the power steering partially went out making the turn very difficult to hold and to straighten out after. Upon leaving work the steering worked fine until the next day when making a turn on my way home the same thing happened with the power steering but still no light indicating a problem. I then decided to take the car in but the whole drive to the…
I was driving home on the highway and the car started to intermittently pull slightly in one direction. After about 10 minutes of this, the power steering failure light came on and my power steering was gone as I was doing 65mph on the highway. As I continued to drive, the car would randomly start to pull to one direction. It was very scary and unsafe. I lowered my speed to the minimum of…
Had steering trouble with your 2008 Mazda RX-8?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2008 Mazda RX-8?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 4 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Based on the 4 complaints filed, steering issues most often appear around 77,966 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2008/Mazda/RX-8.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.