Does the RX-8 Have Engine Flooding Problems?

Let's face it, car problems are annoying. Have you ever slammed the car door out of frustration? I certainly have. And while it seemed like a good idea at the time, it solved exactly zero issues.

But you know what could actually get something accomplished? Filing a class-action lawsuit. Granted, you'd have to be pretty darn frustrated to get to that point -- but that's exactly where a 2004 Mazda RX-8 found herself after her multiple engine flooding problems before it finally died.

Christina Paschal, represented by Knapp Peterson & Clarke^[1] and lemon-law advocate Robert L. Starr^[2], says Mazda knows of a defect with the rotary engines in the 2004-2008 RX-8 and is failing to honor its warranties.

In Paschal's case, she says Mazda wouldn't pay for the spark plugs following an engine failure -- despite knowing it's part of the problem -- but did pay for new ignition coils. She's not alone. According to the lawsuit, Mazda refused to pay for spark plugs in almost half of 69,249 warranty claims.

The lawsuit claims Mazda knows about this specific problem based on a technical service bulletin (TSB) sent to dealers in 2004. The lawsuit currently includes an estimated 50,000 Mazda RX-8 cars purchased in California between 2004 and 2008. However it's possible the lawsuit could extend to owners in other states, that's where you come in...