IllustrationCONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN HE SAW A FLARE, PULLED VEHICLE OVER AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE PASSENGERS SIDE, IT LOOKED AS IF THE MUFFLER WAS ON FIRE, FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF SAID FROM LOOKING AT IT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER MAY HAVE GOTTEN CLOGGED UP. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT #1091565) *JG
1988 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: 7 of 24 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 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 4 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 →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports12 fire reports1 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
4 reportsTHE PROBLEM I HAD, WITH THE FUEL PULSATION DAMPER, IS AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS AND HAZARDOUS SITUATION. LOCATED ON TOP OF THE UPPER INTAKE, THERE IS A SCREW THAT WILL BACK ITSELF OUT THAT SEALS THE PULSATION DAMPER CLOSED. WHEN THIS SCREW BACKS OUT, A STRONG GASOLINE SMELL IS NOTICED IN THE ENGINE BAY AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE. ON TURB…
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THE PROBLEM I HAD, WITH THE FUEL PULSATION DAMPER, IS AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS AND HAZARDOUS SITUATION. LOCATED ON TOP OF THE UPPER INTAKE, THERE IS A SCREW THAT WILL BACK ITSELF OUT THAT SEALS THE PULSATION DAMPER CLOSED. WHEN THIS SCREW BACKS OUT, A STRONG GASOLINE SMELL IS NOTICED IN THE ENGINE BAY AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE. ON TURBOCHARGED CARS, THE PULSATION DAMPER IS LOCATED DIRECTLY OVER THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD...THIS IS NOT GOOD! ESPECIALLY FOR A DESIGN THAT SEEMS TO BACK ITSELF OUT OVER TIME. THE PART IS QUITE EXPENSIVE, I FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT THE CAUSE OF USER ABUSE, BUT RATHER POOR DESIGN AND THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE MADE TO SUFFER, ESPECIALLY FOR SUCH A FAULTY DESIGN WITH SUCH HAZARDOUS CONSEQUENCES. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS PROBLEM, AND I'M SURE IF YOU CONTACTED MORE RX-7 OWNERS (2ND GEN, 86-88), YOU WOULD FINE NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM (ALTHOUGH MIGHT NOT KNOW WHERE THE 'FUEL LEAK' IS COMING FROM!). THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
WHEN WARM THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. IT FLOODS ITSELF WHEN TRYING TO RESTART. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS, DEALER CANNOT REPAIR IT. *AK *ML
ENGINE FIRE.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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.