IllustrationOWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE #96V17300 FOR AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS. TOOK TO DEALER & HAD REPAIRS DONE; PROBLEM W/SHOULDER BELT HAS REOCCURRED A SHORT TIME LATER; DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR AGAIN. *AK
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 →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: 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
What owners actually said
30 reportsWINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH DEFECTIVE, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.
NO PARTS FOR SHOULDER BEL, TMANUFACTURER TOLD CUSTOMER THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN MORE PARTS WOULD BE COMING IN. *AK
PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR INOPERATIVE.
THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT IS INOPERATIVE. THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT TOWARDS THE BODY WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED. *AK
FAILURE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT, THE SHOULDER BELT WAS IN THE MIDWAY POSITION PRIOR TO RECALL (96V-173). *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE MOTORBELT FAILED TO MOVE IN FORWARD POSITION DUE TO STRIPPED TRACK.
MOTORIZED SEAT BELT RETRACTOR INOPERATIVE.
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON , TOOK TO DEALER THE OIL WAS LEAKING . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK
FAILURE OF THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RETRACTORS, THE SEAT BELT IS IN THE RETRACTING POSITION, PE96-027.*AK
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