IllustrationTHE ABS HAS NOT FAILED, BUT IT LEAKS PROFUSLY. I NEED TO REPLACE ABOUT 1 OZ OF BRAKE FLUID PER WEEK. THE DEALER'S PRICE FOR A REPLACEMENT ABS UNIT (THEY WON'T REBUILD IT) IS A CRIME AT $2745!! IF THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM (AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS), THEY SHOULD BE MORE REASONABLE $!*AK
1990 Mazda RX-7
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RX-7 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 5 of 28 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Seat Belts. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports2 fire reports0 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
2 reportsANTI-LOCK BRAKE UNIT LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. STARTED ABOUT 5/5/97. LEAKS WITH CAR PARKED, MAY LEAK WHILE DRIVING. STARTED GRADUALLY, NOW LOSES ABOUT TWO OUNCES PER WEEK. IF BRAKE FLUID LEVEL GETS TOO LOW WHILE DRIVING, IT CAN PREVENT PROPER BRAKE OPERATION AND INCREASE THE RISK OF ACCIDENT. THE ABS UNIT IS LOCATED NEAR THE ENGINE E…
Read full complaint
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE UNIT LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. STARTED ABOUT 5/5/97. LEAKS WITH CAR PARKED, MAY LEAK WHILE DRIVING. STARTED GRADUALLY, NOW LOSES ABOUT TWO OUNCES PER WEEK. IF BRAKE FLUID LEVEL GETS TOO LOW WHILE DRIVING, IT CAN PREVENT PROPER BRAKE OPERATION AND INCREASE THE RISK OF ACCIDENT. THE ABS UNIT IS LOCATED NEAR THE ENGINE EXHAUST AND JUST AFT OF THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. I SUSPECT THAT BRAKE FLUID MAY DRIP ON THE HEATED EXHAUST SYSTEM; PERHAPS THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE. IF DRIPPING BRAKE FLUID GOT ON THE TIRE, IT COULD REDUCE TRACTION AND CONTRIBUTE TO AN ACCIDENT. ALL OF THESE POSSIBILITIES COMPRISE SAFETY HAZARDS. IN ADDITION, I HAVE CHECKED MULTIPLE SOURCES FOR USED ABS UNITS AND ALL ORIGINAL UNITS LOCATED ALSO LEAK. THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM. SOME OWNERS HAVE REMOVED AND BYPASSED THE ABS UNIT TO STOP THE LEAK. THIS IS PROBABLY ALSO UNSAFE. I SUGGEST THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPLACE ALL SUCH DEFECTIVE ABS UNITS AS A SAFETY MEASURE.
Official recalls
196V173000 · Seat Belts:front:webbing
Sep 16, 1996
THE RAIL OF THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT CAN WEAR SUFFICIENTLY SUCH THAT THE CABLE WHICH RETRACTS THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY WILL BECOME JAMMED IN THE RAIL RENDERING THE SHOULDER BELT INOPERATIVE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE COLLISION, THE OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE ADEQUATELY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE INOPERATIVE SHOULDER BELTS. MAZDA HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY COVERAGE ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT RAIL AND MOTOR FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE96027 · Mazda RX7 Automatic Seat Belt Failure
Opened Apr 16, 1996 · Closed Sep 30, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
MALFUNCTION OF THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT SYSTEM