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1989 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 →
30Owner complaints

Model-year median: 4

1Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
11
198650
198724
198830
1989
Compare all RX7 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Seat Belts
19Engine And Engine Cooling
5Visibility
4Electrical System
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1
All reported categories
Seats
1Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1

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: 1 of 30 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 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. 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.

0 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

5 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingFireInjury

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY DOING 63 MPH WHEN I SMELLED A FUNNY SMELL I PULLED OVER AND THE FRONT OF MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE PULSATION DAMPER FAILED CAUSING SERIOUS ENGINE DAMAGE AND ALMOST COST ME MY LIFE IF IT WASN'T FOR OTHER MOTORIST I WOULD NOT BE HERE MY ARM WAS SLIGHTLY BURNED BUT IT QUICKLY HEALED I HAVE NOT CURRENT…

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY DOING 63 MPH WHEN I SMELLED A FUNNY SMELL I PULLED OVER AND THE FRONT OF MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE PULSATION DAMPER FAILED CAUSING SERIOUS ENGINE DAMAGE AND ALMOST COST ME MY LIFE IF IT WASN'T FOR OTHER MOTORIST I WOULD NOT BE HERE MY ARM WAS SLIGHTLY BURNED BUT IT QUICKLY HEALED I HAVE NOT CURRENTLY HAD THE CAR REPAIRED IM SEEKING A BEST ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10214354

Mileage unknown · Dec 28, 1998
Engine And Engine CoolingFireInjury

ENGINE FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT).

NHTSA ODI #543149

Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 1996
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON , TOOK TO DEALER THE OIL WAS LEAKING . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK

NHTSA ODI #803001

Mileage unknown · Feb 13, 1996
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE REPLACED DUE TO DEFECT. *SD

NHTSA ODI #501597

Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 1995
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE MOTOR HAS BLOWN IN CAR WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ODI #968935

Official recalls

1

96V173000 · 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

1

PE96027 · 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