IllustrationPULSATION DAMPENER FAILED AND FILLED THE VACUM LINE ASSEMBLY WITH FUEL.
1987 Mazda RX7
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 RX7 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: 11 of 50 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.
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports22 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
50 reportsDAMPENER FAILS AND LEAKS FUEL ONTO HOT ENGINE. I SMELLED MINE AND REPLACED BEFORE DAMAGE OCCURRED. NOW IT HAS FAILED AGAIN. SAME HEAVY SMELL OF FUEL AND CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. NEW DAMPENER ORDERED.
AT 130,000 MILES FUEL DAMPER EXPERIENCED FUEL LEAKAGE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
COOLANT LEAK (INTERNAL). *AK
VEHICLE ENGINE FIRE AT IDLE SPEED WHILE STOPPED, VEHICLE OCCUPIED, RAW FUEL CAUGHT FIRE UNDERHOOD,DAMAGED MANY FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENTS,CAUSED MINOR BURNS TO OCCUPANT/OPERATOR. *AK
THE ABS UNIT LEAKS. FROM WHAT I READ ON THE RX7 EMAIL LIST THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE RX7. *AK
WHEN STARTING VEHICLE AFTER SHORT TRIPS THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM FLOODED, CAUSE UKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE PULSATION DAMPER HAS A SCREW THAT IN TIME WORKS ITS WAY OUT. ONCE THIS SCREW FALLS OUT, FUEL LEAKS OUT ALL OVER THE ENGINE/INTAKE/EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I HAVE ALREADY HEARD OF SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE IN THE U.S. THROUGH THE INTERNET WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. AMONG OWNERS, MANY KNOW ABOUT THIS HAZARD WHICH COULD OCCUR AT ANY…
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THE PULSATION DAMPER HAS A SCREW THAT IN TIME WORKS ITS WAY OUT. ONCE THIS SCREW FALLS OUT, FUEL LEAKS OUT ALL OVER THE ENGINE/INTAKE/EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I HAVE ALREADY HEARD OF SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE IN THE U.S. THROUGH THE INTERNET WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. AMONG OWNERS, MANY KNOW ABOUT THIS HAZARD WHICH COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME OR ANY SPEED. IT IS A MAJOR CAUSE OF ENGINE FIRE AND VERY DANGEROUS. MY VEHICLE HAS NOW SUFFERED A FIRE CAUSED BY THIS DEFECTIVE PART. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE ALREADY SHUT THE CAR DOWN, GOT OUT AND AWAY, AND TO HAVE PUT THE FIRE OUT BEFORE IT BURNED EVERYTHING.
MY HUSBAND WAS KILLED DUE TO REAR IMPACT. HE WAS COMMING HOME FROM WORK, MET ONCOMMING TRAFFIC ON A BRIDGE, LARGE PIECE OF RETREAD (TIRE) IN HIS LANE, COULDN'T GO AROUND IT, VAN AND 18 WHEELER WERE FOLLOWING. HE PUT ON HIS BRAKES, CAME TO A STOP 18 WHEELER HIT VAN, VAN BUMPED MY HUSBANDS CAR (1987 MAXDA RX7) MODERATE DINT IN CE…
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MY HUSBAND WAS KILLED DUE TO REAR IMPACT. HE WAS COMMING HOME FROM WORK, MET ONCOMMING TRAFFIC ON A BRIDGE, LARGE PIECE OF RETREAD (TIRE) IN HIS LANE, COULDN'T GO AROUND IT, VAN AND 18 WHEELER WERE FOLLOWING. HE PUT ON HIS BRAKES, CAME TO A STOP 18 WHEELER HIT VAN, VAN BUMPED MY HUSBANDS CAR (1987 MAXDA RX7) MODERATE DINT IN CENTER BACK OF CAR PUSHED HIM TOTALLY OUT OF ACCIDENT AREA, EXPLODED UPON IMPACT, HIS CAR DID NOT HIT ANY THING ELSE, HE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY OUTHER INJURIES EXCEPT 70% BURN AND 50% WAS 3RD DEGREE, HE LIVED 47 DAYS, I SEE OTHERS DRIVING THESE LITTLE CARS AND IT TERRIFIES ME OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO THEM.... THERE ARE EYE WITNESSES THAT SAW THE CAR EXPLODE UPON IMPACT..... PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I AM ALONE OR IF THERE ARE OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM. I FEEL THEY SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF OUR HIGHWAY.. THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE PINTO.... THANK YOU SHARON BUCK
FUEL INJECTORS NOT PULSATING.
Official recalls
187V160000 · Service Brakes, Air:disc:caliper
Oct 14, 1987
IN AREAS OF HEAVY USAGE, ROAD SALT MAY ACCUMULATE AT SURFACES OF COMPONENTS OF FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS WOULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE DISC PAD LINER CORROSIONTHAT WOULD PREVENT FREE MOVEMENT OF DISC PADS RESULTING IN INEFFECTIVE BRAKINGOF THE FRONT BRAKES.
Remedy: REPAIR FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS TO PREVENT ROAD SALT ACCUMULATION.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.