MazdaRX-82008Overview/mazda/rx-8/2008/base/

2008 Mazda RX-8

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 RX-8.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2008 Mazda RX-8 is a four-door sports car featuring a sleek design built on Mazda's proprietary sports platform, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission and achieving EPA fuel economy ratings of 16 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 19 mpg combined — figures that reflect the trade-offs inherent to its high-revving rotary powerplant; in terms of reliability, the 2008 model represents a middle chapter in the vehicle's 2004-2011 run, having logged just 17 owner complaints versus the 514 filed against the inaugural 2004 model, with air bags emerging as the primary concern alongside five total recalls, suggesting that while the platform had substantially matured from its troubled launch, it had not yet reached the near-flawless execution of the final production years.

Model year20112010200920082007200620052004

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

EPA fuel economy16/23/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 640 CCA battery, OE oil filter B6Y114302A. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 640 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnFUSEOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterB6Y114302A
Engine air filterN3H113Z40A9U
Spark plugN3Y918110A9U alt N3Y118110A9U
Battery0000806535WB
Front wiper bladesDC2067330 alt BE5J67330
Serpentine beltN3H118381A
ThermostatN3H115171
Cabin air filterLDY461J6X

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length174.4 in
Overall width69.7 in
Overall height52.8 in
Wheelbase106.3 in
Curb weight3051 lb
Track (front / rear)59.1 / 59.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)52/48

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 23 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume89 cu ft
Cargo volume8 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the RX-8 of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

5.9–6.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.90 sec — 2004 Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2007Grand Touring Coupe 1.3L R26.50 sec15.00 sec232 hpRWD
2009R3 Coupe 1.3L R26.30 sec14.90 sec232 hpRWD
2009R3 coupe 1.3L R26.60 sec15.00 sec232 hpRWD
2009R3 Coupe 1.3L R26.70 sec15.10 sec232 hpRWD
2004Coupe 1.3L R25.90 sec14.50 sec238 hpRWD
2004Coupe 1.3L R25.90 sec14.50 sec238 hpRWD
2004Coupe 1.3L R26.00 sec14.49 sec238 hpRWD
2004Coupe 1.3L R26.10 sec14.60 sec238 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential. Torque the oil drain plug to 22.0-30.0 ft-lbs.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity8.5
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3 Pints
Manual Transmission Fluid75W-90 · GL-4
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity3.6

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14.0-18.0 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts31.0-44.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0-30.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs7-10 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Rear Wheel Hub174-202 ft-lbs

Ignition

Ignition TimingTrailing: 10, Leading: -5 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity.95 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity2.03 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance640 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Injector Primary Resistance13.8 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Oil Pressure72.5 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM3000 rpm

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket16-23 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle36-50 ft-lbs / 58-75 ft-lbs
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.9 in / 0.66 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.87 in / 0.63 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

Prep Models w/out variable valve timing:

144-80 inch lbs., Step 2: 10-13 ft. lbs.; Models equipped w/variable valve timing:; Center and Rear Cap Bolts: Step 1: 44-80 inch lbs., Step 2: 10-13 ft. lbs.; Front Cap Bolts: 71-102 inch lbs.44–80 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 37,500 mi; coolant at 60,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 60,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBody Lock Cylinders (lubricate) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 15,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (clean)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect)
Every 22,500 miEngine Air Filter Element (clean)
Every 25,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Fasteners (torque) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection)
Every 37,500 miSpark Plugs (replace)
Every 45,000 miExhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
At 60,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (clean) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2008 Mazda RX-8 sits in the middle of a clear downward trend in owner complaints, with 17 NHTSA complaints versus 514 in 2004, 168 in 2005, 60 in 2006, and 38 in 2007, while 2009 through 2011 continued to fall to 8, 5, and 4 respectively. Across the generation, complaints drop sharply year over year, recalls drift down from 10 to 3, investigations fall from 4 to 1, and TSB counts remain relatively flat in the 172-200 range. In 2008 specifically, the top complaint areas were Air Bags (5 reports) and Steering (4 reports), with one fire-related complaint and no crash-related complaints, though the data does not specify root causes. The 2008 model year falls on the declining side of the generation's complaint arc: it carried the same five recalls as 2006-2007 but showed sharply lower complaint volume than the launch years, suggesting maturing field performance rather than an emerging problem pattern. That makes 2008 a relatively attractive year to buy within this generation from a federal-record standpoint, provided a pre-purchase inspection confirms the specific air bag and steering items reported have been addressed.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
183
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
17
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 17 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags5
Steering4
Unknown Or Other,Engine1
Air Bags,Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Fuel/Propulsion System1
Unknown Or Other1
Air Bags,Seats1
Air Bags,Unknown Or Other1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V402000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 15/06/2018

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… 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…

18V404000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 15/06/2018

Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Mazda MPV vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota… Remedy: 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 for MPV vehicles…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 183 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SA-041-262026-06-18Electrical SystemThis SA supersedes the previously issued SA(s) listed below. The changes are noted in…
SA-029-262026-04-21Power TrainThis Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are…
SA-061-252025-12-17Electrical SystemIf you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start…
SA-039/252025-08-21StructureSome vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage such (melted, separating, etc.)…
SA-036-252025-08-14Unknown Or OtherWhen replacing the SiriusXM satellite radio unit, a call must be made to inform SiriusXM…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific RX-8. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2008 RX-8 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the RX-8 get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 23 highway / 19 combined mpg.