Independent · Not affiliated with NHTSA or any automaker MethodologyData sourcesData refreshed Oct 6, 2026

2011 Mazda RX-8: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2011 Mazda RX-8, most recently filed September 2021. Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the fuel system.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
Caution Fewer than 50 complaints filed. With this few reports, patterns may not be meaningful.
Compare

Recalls (3)

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2011 Mazda RX-8. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗
Listed for 2011 Mazda RX-8. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 21V744000 Filed Sep 24, 2021

Fuel May Leak From Fuel Pump Mounting Rings

Fuel system, gasoline · delivery · fuel pump
Official NHTSA text
Summary
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.
Consequence
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will install new fuel pump mounting rings. Dealers will also add a thermal insulation pad to the fuel tank on RX-8 vehicles. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 17, 2021. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5121I.
23.6% repairedof 13,891 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 21V744000
Listed for 2011 Mazda RX-8. Not checked against your VIN.
NHTSA: Do not drive. NHTSA says owners should not drive these vehicles until the recall repair is done. What a Do Not Drive recall means
Recall 19V488000 Filed Jun 24, 2019

Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode

Air bags · frontal · passenger side · inflator module
Official NHTSA text
Summary
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. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. The recall began July 9, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2618F.
41.9% repairedof 211 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 19V488000
Listed for 2011 Mazda RX-8. Not checked against your VIN.
NHTSA: Do not drive. NHTSA says owners should not drive these vehicles until the recall repair is done. What a Do Not Drive recall means
Recall 18V402000 Filed Jun 15, 2018

Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode

Air bags · frontal · passenger side · inflator module
Official NHTSA text
Summary
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, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. On July 9, 2019 this recall was expanded to include certain 2004-2011 RX-8 vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-354 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, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018. Mailing to the affected RX-8 owners began July 6, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2618F. Note: With the addition of the RX-8 vehicles, this recall fully supersedes recall 16V354.
9.5% repairedof 308,591 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 18V402000

PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.

Owner complaints (4)

4 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The fuel system is mentioned most often.

1involved a crash
2involved a fire
0injuries reported
0deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Mazda RX-8, by component (top 5). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 4.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 2011 compares with other RX-8 years

Best and worst RX-8 years →
20042005200620072008200920102011
This year (2011)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Fuel economy: up to 19 mpg combined

19
mpg combined
16
city
23
highway
EPA annual fuel cost
$4,350
CO₂ tailpipe
468 g/mi
EPA class
Subcompact Cars

What it costs you to run

$3,437per year
$286per month
789gallons a year

Miles ÷ 19 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.

EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.

Specs by configuration

2011 Mazda RX-8 configurations with EPA data
Engine · transmissionDriveCity / Hwy / CombEPA $/yrCO₂ g/mi
1.3 L 2-cyl · 6-speed automaticRear-Wheel Drive16 / 23 / 19$4,350468
1.3 L 2-cyl · 6-speed manualRear-Wheel Drive16 / 22 / 18$4,550494

Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 2011 RX-8 for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All RX-8 years

Where to next

2011 Mazda RX-8 FAQ

How many recalls does the 2011 Mazda RX-8 have?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 21V744000 (fuel pump), 19V488000 (air bag), 18V402000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 2011 Mazda RX-8 problems?

Owners filed 4 complaints with NHTSA. Fuel system (1), Fuel/propulsion system (1), Suspension (1) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

What mpg does the 2011 Mazda RX-8 get?

EPA rates the 1.3 L 2-cyl · 6-speed automatic version at 16 city, 23 highway and 19 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.

How does the 2011 RX-8 compare with other years?

Among the 2004–2011 Mazda RX-8 model years at least five years old, the 2011 drew the fewest complaints (4) and the 2004 the most (489). The 2011 drew 4. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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