Hey there, sure sounds like your RX8 is giving you some trouble, doesn't it? Interesting that you mention the tank flap unlocking. I own a 2002 Mazda MX5 and ran into something similar a couple of years back. My 'check engine' light was giving me constant grief and as for the stored fault message, it was like a ghost that wouldn't leave. You know what the culprit was? A linkage issue, of all things. Here's the deal, though. It really wasn't all doom and gloom. Turns out, the linkage was defective, the pivot was overused and had lost its smooth function. It just needed a good 'ol replacement. The worst part, honestly, was finding a decent mechanic who could figure out what was up. So, my advice? Shop around for a solid mechanic. Ask them if they've dealt with a similar situation before, what the possible outcomes could be, and how they propose fixing it. Also, check if others on Mazda forums had a similar issue. Every nugget of info helps, you know. Good luck!

Hey, thanks for coming back to me! Linkage issue, eh? Crazy how something so seemingly obscure can cause such a headache. Your advice makes sense - I'll for sure start looking for a reliable mechanic who's experienced with tackling something like this. You've jogged my memory, a few people on this forum have indeed mentioned similar issues with their Mazda models. I gotta dig deeper into the topic. Just an afterthought, but you reckon you could share how much you shelled out on fixing this? Also, has anything else surfaced since you've had it repaired? Always better to know what I might be dealing with down the road, right? Cheers!

Hey! Absolutely, happy to share more about the repair costs. For the linkage issue repair, I ended up forking out a tidy sum of 210.00 €. Seems a bit steep but worth it considering the smooth driving it's given me since. Oil changes and general upkeep apart, it's been good sailing, to be honest. And to answer your question about the tank flap unlocking - yep, it's been sorted now. I didn't detail that out before, but the same dodgy mechanic that messed it up in the first place did make good and fixed it later. Haven't had a problem with it since. Moral of the story? Always triple-check your mechanic's work. So, hang in there! It might seem like a whirlwind now, but it'll all settle down once you find a skilled mechanic you can trust. Happy motoring!

Oh, that's sweet! Thanks for sharing all those details. 210.00 € for a smooth ride doesn't sound too shabby considering the alternative. And it's really great to know the tank flap issue can be taken care of as well - gives me some peace of mind. You're right, gotta triple-check everything especially with mechanics' work. I think we've all had our share of dodgy experiences on that front, haven't we? Appreciate the encouragement - gonna start on my mission for a top-notch mechanic. I'll let you all know how it goes on this thread. Fingers crossed it'll be all smooth sails from here on. Cheers!