MajorVery commonEngine

Mazda RX-8: Engine Flooding — Cold Start No-Start

Engine Flooding — Cold Start No-Start is a very common engine fault on the Mazda RX-8 on the 2003–2012 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $80 to $350 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 15 documented faults on the Mazda RX-8.

Vehicle: Mazda RX-8
Years: 2003–2012
Fuel: petrol
System: Engine

This page covers the Mazda RX-8 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Mazda RX-8 faults15 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Catalytic converter yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The 13B-MSP Renesis is highly susceptible to fuel flooding when started cold and shut down before reaching full operating temperature. Unburned fuel saturates the spark plugs (the engine uses two plugs per face, four total), preventing ignition on the next start attempt. Unlike piston engines, the rotary cannot expel flooded fuel through normal cranking without risk of hydrolocking or catalytic converter damage. Mazda issued a Technical Service Bulletin addressing the cold-start procedure and the minimum warm-up requirement. This is an inherent design characteristic of the engine that is exacerbated by poor ownership habits.

What you would notice

Engine cranks strongly but refuses to start, especially after a recent short trip
Fuel smell from exhaust during cranking
Engine starts briefly then immediately stalls when cold
Spark plugs fouled with fuel or carbon deposits

How to check it

Where to look. Engine — spark plugs, intake tract

Ask specifically about no-start history.
Inspect all four spark plugs for fouling — heavy carbon or wet fuel deposits confirm repeated flooding.
Verify the de-flood procedure works (hold throttle fully open while cranking for 10+ seconds).
Check plug replacement history.

Parts involved: Catalytic converter.

What it costs to put right

$80 to $350 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the car ever failed to start after a short trip, and how was it resolved?”
“Are you aware of the minimum warm-up requirement for this engine before shutting off?”
“When were the spark plugs last replaced?”

Now check the Mazda RX-8 you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Mazda RX-8 buyer questions

Is engine flooding — cold start no-start serious on a Mazda RX-8?

We rate it major and very common on the Mazda RX-8. The 13B-MSP Renesis is highly susceptible to fuel flooding when started cold and shut down before reaching full operating temperature. Unburned fuel saturates the spark plugs (the engine uses two plugs per face, four total), preventing ignition on the next start attempt. Unlike piston engines, the rotary cannot expel flooded fuel through normal cranking without risk of hydrolocking or catalytic converter damage. Mazda issued a Technical Service Bulletin addressing the cold-start procedure and the minimum warm-up requirement. This is an inherent design characteristic of the engine that is exacerbated by poor ownership habits.

How much does it cost to fix on a Mazda RX-8?

$80 to $350 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Mazda RX-8 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2003–2012 Mazda RX-8. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Ask specifically about no-start history. Inspect all four spark plugs for fouling — heavy carbon or wet fuel deposits confirm repeated flooding. Verify the de-flood procedure works (hold throttle fully open while cranking for 10+ seconds). Check plug replacement history. Look here: Engine — spark plugs, intake tract