MazdaRX-82009Overview/mazda/rx-8/2009/base/

2009 Mazda RX-8

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2009 RX-8.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2009 Mazda RX-8 is a passenger car equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission, returning an EPA-rated fuel economy of 16 city and 23 highway mpg for a combined 19 mpg. With only eight total owner complaints focused primarily on the fuel and propulsion system alongside four recorded recalls, this model year fares significantly better than the troubled 2004 launch, which amassed a staggering 514 complaints. Consequently, the 2009 iteration sits as a comparatively stable point within the vehicle's 2004–2011 lifecycle, meaning researchers are examining a matured version of the car that sidesteps the severe early-production flaws.

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 N3R114302. 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 filterN3R114302
Engine air filterN3H113Z40A9U
Fuel filterN3R113ZE0
Spark plugN3Y118110A9U alt N3Y818110A9U
BatteryJF0218520E
Front wiper bladesDC2067330 alt BE5J67330
Serpentine beltN3R115908 alt N3R118381
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.

6.3–6.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.30 sec — 2009 R3 Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
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
2007Grand Touring Coupe 1.3L R26.50 sec15.00 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 Capacity4.1

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14-18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts31-44 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

Curb Idle Speed (No Load)820 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
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 Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Injector Primary Resistance13.8 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression120
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)
Every 15,000 miBrake Rotor (inspect)
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) · Frame Fasteners (torque)
Every 37,500 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 45,000 miExhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Emission Control System (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 180,000 miEngine 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 2009 Mazda RX-8 sits at the low end of a steep downward trend in complaints, which fell from 514 in 2004 to just 8 in 2009, and recalls dropped from 10 to 4 over the same period. Investigations also declined from 4 in the early years to 1 by 2009, while TSBs remained consistently high (191 in 2009), suggesting that while the model still required technical attention, the frequency of serious reported issues had been greatly reduced. The 2009 model year recorded zero crash or fire complaints, and its top complaint areas—fuel/propulsion, powertrain, and vehicle speed control—each had only two reports, indicating no single systemic failure dominated the record. This places 2009 at the mature, refined end of the generation’s lifecycle, where earlier problems had likely been addressed through prior recalls and TSBs. For a buyer, the 2009 RX-8 is the best year of the generation to consider, as it offers the lowest complaint and recall counts in the federal record, though the high TSB count still implies that proactive maintenance and a thorough pre-purchase inspection remain essential.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
191
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
8
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 8 complaints on record, top 5 components.

Fuel/Propulsion System2
Power Train2
Vehicle Speed Control2
Structure1
Power Train,Vehicle Speed Control1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

21V744000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel PumpReported 24/09/2021

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. 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…

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 191 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 2009 RX-8 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 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.