2011 Mazda RX-8: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
4 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 4 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 0.27
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2011 Mazda Rx 8. The contact stated after performing NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V744000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) while driving at 35 MPH, the contact smelled the odor of smoke in the vehicle, but no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. While the vehicle was being diagnosed, the vehicle caught on fire and burned. The contact did not have any details of the fire. The vehicle …
The ring/assembly holding the driver side visor cracked with normal use (putting the visor down (no excess force was used) and the visor fell into the driver's line of vision, obscuring vision. it was not possible to put the visor back up again. the ring fell out of the car interior.
Recalls: 3 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 18V402000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 and 2004 MPV vehicles nationwide. Mazda is also recalling 2005-2006 MPV vehicles in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi,… |
| 19V488000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2010-2011 Mazda RX-8 vehicles that were previously recalled under recall 18V-716 but have not yet been repaired. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. |
| 21V744000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2011 RX-8 and 2006-2007 MazdaSpeed6 vehicles. Fuel may leak from the fuel pump mounting rings. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 19 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $4,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Fuel System1 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Gasoline1 complaints · typical job: Fuel delivery and emissions repair (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,360
- Fuel/Propulsion System1 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Unknown Or Other1 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Visibility/Wiper1 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Suspension1 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Mazda RX-8?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Fuel System (1 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 Mazda RX-8 a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 84/100, computed from 4 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 Mazda RX-8's most common problem?
1 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 Mazda RX-8 sit in the Fuel System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is fuel pump or injector replacement: about 3.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $680–$1,620 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2011 Mazda RX-8 cost to run per year?
About $6,594 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $32,972 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2011 Mazda RX-8 have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Mazda RX-8, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 15/06/2018. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2011 Mazda RX-8 really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 4 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 4 NHTSA complaints on record (0.3/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (0.3/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality