Total Complaints
61 filings
MAZDA RX7 · model year
61 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987MAZDARX7 carries 61 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 28 fires, 2 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1987 RX7 is fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system with 11 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline (9) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (5). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 21 investigation files overlapping the 1987 RX7, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
61 filings
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 11 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 9 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 5 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 1 |
ON 11/07/2012 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:15 A.M. WHILE LEAVING WORK I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM BEHIND THE RADIO. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND REALIZED THERE WAS FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I WAS ABLE TO PUT IT OUT QUICKLY BEFORE IT SPREAD. THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR WAS SOMEWHAT SUBSTANTIAL UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED, AND EXPLAINED THAT IT'S A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS PARTICULAR MODEL. I DID A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THE ISSUE IS THE PULSATION DAMPENER THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE FUEL RAIL MOUNTED UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUSING IT TO FAIL AND COM-BUST. *TR
Mileage: 178,983
ON 11/07/2012 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:15 A.M. WHILE LEAVING WORK I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM BEHIND THE RADIO. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND REALIZED THERE WAS FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I WAS ABLE TO PUT IT OUT QUICKLY BEFORE IT SPREAD. THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR WAS SOMEWHAT SUBSTANTIAL UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED, AND EXPLAINED THAT IT'S A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS PARTICULAR MODEL. I DID A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THE ISSUE IS THE PULSATION DAMPENER THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE FUEL RAIL MOUNTED UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUSING IT TO FAIL AND COM-BUST. *TR
Mileage: 178,983
ON 11/07/2012 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:15 A.M. WHILE LEAVING WORK I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM BEHIND THE RADIO. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND REALIZED THERE WAS FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I WAS ABLE TO PUT IT OUT QUICKLY BEFORE IT SPREAD. THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR WAS SOMEWHAT SUBSTANTIAL UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED, AND EXPLAINED THAT IT'S A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS PARTICULAR MODEL. I DID A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THE ISSUE IS THE PULSATION DAMPENER THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE FUEL RAIL MOUNTED UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUSING IT TO FAIL AND COM-BUST. *TR
Mileage: 178,983
FIRST OFF I THOUGHT YOU GUYS CARED ABOUT THE CARS WE DROVE, THEN HOW COME YOU ALLOW THIS TO GO ON WITHOUT A RECALL IT AMAZES ME HOW STUPID YOU GUYS HAVE TO BE TO LET THIS ONE JUST SLID ON BY. MY DAMPER IS LEAKING FUEL RIGHT AS I TYPE THIS TO YOU. IF I DRIVE MY CAR IT MAY CATCH FIRE AND KILL INNOCENT VICTIMS. PLEASE MAKE THIS PROBLEM A SAFETY RECALL FOR DEALERSHIPS TO FIX AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE. THIS FAILURE IS EXTREMELY COMMON ON 86-88 MAZDA RX7'S, AND MAZDA KNOWS ABOUT IT. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR KEEPING MY VEHICLE SAFE IF IT IS THEIR PROBLEM. SO MANY VICTIMS, SHOULD I BE THE NEXT ONE? PLEASE MAKE THIS A MANDITORY RECALL SO I CAN MAKE MY CAR ROADWORTHY ONCE MORE. I AM AFFRAID THAT MY CAR WILL CATCH FIRE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE PULSATION DAMPER IS MOUNTED TO THE FUEL RAIL OF ALL RX7'S AND ALL RX7'S HAVE A RISK OF BURNING TO THE GROUND. I HAVE SEEN SO MANY CARS LIKE MINE IN THE LOCAL JUNK YARDS, BLOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT, FIRE DAMAGE EVERYWHERE. MAZDA EVEN MADE AN IMPROVEMENT ON THE
WHY SHOULD I DIE FOR MAZDA MESSED UP PULSATION DAMPERS THAT LEAK AND CAUSES FIRES AND KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE. RECALL THIS '!@#$% SO I CAN DRIVE THIS SOME GOD '!@#$% PIECE OF MIND. *TR
I ROUTINELY STARTED THE CAR FOR A NICE SUNDAY DRIVE AND WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR THE CAR TO WARM UP I NOTICED FUEL LEAKING ON THE GROUND. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE CAR OFF AND DISCOVERED THAT FUEL HAD LEAKED ALL OVER THE TOP OF THE ENGINE AND WAS RUNNING DOWN THE SIDE AND ONTO THE EXHAUST. THE FUEL LEAK WAS COMING FROM THE FUEL PULSATION DAMPER LOCATED ON THE PRIMARY FUEL INJECTOR RAIL. I CAN BUY A REPLACEMENT PART WHICH WILL FIX THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, I HAVE HEARD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PART FAILING ON A REGULAR BASIS SO IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE RISK OF A FIRE DUE TO A LEAKING POSITION DAMPER IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO REPLACE IT EVERY 2 YEARS. IF THIS HADN'T HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY I MIGHT BE AN UNFORTUNATE VICTIM OF A CAR FIRE. *TR
Mileage: 127,504
I OWN A 1987 MAZDA RX-7 TURBO II WITH 44,500MILES ON IT, THE PULSATION DAMPER ON THE FUEL RAIL STARTED LEAKING AND LEFT A SMALL PUDDLE OF FUEL ON TOP OF THE ENGINE, AND ON THE FLOOR. I HAVE READ THAT THE PULSATION DAMPER OFTEN FAILS IN THESE CARS CAUSING FIRES. I WOULD LIKE MAZDA TO RECALL THIS PART AND ISSUE ME A NEW/UPDATED/SAFE PART. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE FAILED PULSATION DAMPER WITH A BANJO BOLT TO ELIMINATE ALL CHANCES OF A POSSIBLE FIRE/FUEL LEAK. BUT I THINK MAZDA USED A PULSATION DAMPER FOR A REASON, AND I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP MY RX-7 AS ORIGINAL AS POSSIBLE. *TR
Mileage: 44,500
I OWN AN 87 RX-7 N/A. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING TO THE FAILURE I FILLED UP AT THE GAS STATION AND DROVE OFF AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF I SMELLED FUEL. SO I PULLED OVER TO INSPECT I SHUT OFF THE MOTOR AND THE SMELL CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I QUICKLY OPENED THE HOOD AND TO MY SURPRISE THERE WAS A SMALL FLAME. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PUT IT OUT USING MY SHIRT. THE CULPRIT WAS THE FUEL PULSATION DAMPER THE SCREW HAD FALLEN OUT OF THE END OF IT AND INTO THE CAP LETTING THE ENGINE COOL I THEN PUT THE SCREW BACK INTO PLACE AND CONTINUED DRIVING. ONLY FOR THE SAME THING TO HAPPEN AGAIN MINUS THE FIRE. I SCREWED IT BACK IN AND TIGHTENED IT THE BEST I COULD AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AT THIS POINT I WAS HOME SO I LOOKED AROUND THE GARAGE AND FOUND A FUEL RAIL FROM A 91 HONDA CIVIC AND I TOOK THE FUEL DAMPER OFF AND REMOVED THE SCREW CLEANED IT AND REPLACED THE O-RING ON IT. I THEN REPLACED THE ONE ON MY MAZDA WITH THE HONDA ONE ITS HELD FOR GOING ON 6 MONTHS NOW. NO MORE LEAKS. *TR
Mileage: 193,600
MY PULSATION DAMPNER ON MY 1987 MAZDA RX7 IS FAILING. IT IS A VERY WEAK PART AND EASILY SUSCEPTIBLE TO FAILURE. THE PULSATION DAMPNER IN MY CAR HAS FAILED AND ALLOWED GAS TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE BAY AND ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST, THEREBY RESULTING IN A FIRE. IT WAS CAUGHT EARLY AND NOT SERIOUS, BUT I SMELLED BURNING GAS AND LUCKILY FOUND THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT IGNITED OTHER GAS. *NM
Mileage: 135,402
DRIVING HOME FROM MY PARENTS HOUSE I NOTICED MY GAS LIGHT COME ON ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE I HAD JUST PUT GAS IN THE TANK. I PULLED OFF ONCE I HAD GOTTEN DOWN ON A SIDE STREET NEAR A GAS STATION TO HAVE A LOOK TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. IMMEDIATELY AS I GOT OUT I NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING OUT THE HOOD. I RAN INTO THE GAS STATION GRABBED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ANOTHER GUY RAN OUT WITH ME AND WHEN I POPPED THE HOOD THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAME. AFTER PUTTING IT OUT I HAD TO GET MY FRIEND TO HELP ME TOW IT BACK TO MY PARENTS WHERE IT STILL SITS TOTALED. AFTER A BIT OF INVESTIGATING I CAME TO THE DISCOVERY MY PULSATION DAMPERS ON MY 1987 RX7 HAD LEAKED GAS DIRECTLY ONTO THE ENGINE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD CATCHING THE ENTIRE COMPARTMENT ON FIRE. I ALSO INVESTIGATED OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS HAPPENING AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THE RX7, ESPECIALLY YEARS 1986 TO 1988. WITH THIS I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A RECALL AND REIMBURSEMENT
Mileage: 121,338
WAS DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY, SPARKS BEGAN TO FLY FROM BEHIND MY CAR. I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND POPPED THE HOOD. THERE WAS A FIRE FROM MY PULSATION DAMPENER. LUCKILY I HAD WATER IN MY CAR, AND WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE QUICKLY. *JB
Mileage: 220,201
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THAT HE OWNS A 1987 MAZDA RX7. HE STATES A RECALL CAME OUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN 05V317000. CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS WITH HIS GAS GAUGE WORKING INTERMEDIATELY AND A FUEL LEAKAGE. JUST RECENTLY HE REPLACED THE RADIATOR WITH A NEW ONE. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WOULD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE NO FUEL WAS GETTING TO THE LINES. ALSO, THE MODULATOR NEEDS=ED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT GETTING A SPARK. HE REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND STARTER. *AK
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THAT HE OWNS A 1987 MAZDA RX7. HE STATES A RECALL CAME OUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN 05V317000. CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS WITH HIS GAS GAUGE WORKING INTERMEDIATELY AND A FUEL LEAKAGE. JUST RECENTLY HE REPLACED THE RADIATOR WITH A NEW ONE. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WOULD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE NO FUEL WAS GETTING TO THE LINES. ALSO, THE MODULATOR NEEDS=ED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT GETTING A SPARK. HE REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND STARTER. *AK
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THAT HE OWNS A 1987 MAZDA RX7. HE STATES A RECALL CAME OUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN 05V317000. CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS WITH HIS GAS GAUGE WORKING INTERMEDIATELY AND A FUEL LEAKAGE. JUST RECENTLY HE REPLACED THE RADIATOR WITH A NEW ONE. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WOULD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE NO FUEL WAS GETTING TO THE LINES. ALSO, THE MODULATOR NEEDS=ED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT GETTING A SPARK. HE REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND STARTER. *AK
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THAT HE OWNS A 1987 MAZDA RX7. HE STATES A RECALL CAME OUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN 05V317000. CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS WITH HIS GAS GAUGE WORKING INTERMEDIATELY AND A FUEL LEAKAGE. JUST RECENTLY HE REPLACED THE RADIATOR WITH A NEW ONE. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WOULD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE NO FUEL WAS GETTING TO THE LINES. ALSO, THE MODULATOR NEEDS=ED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT GETTING A SPARK. HE REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND STARTER. *AK
PULSATION DAMPER FAILS ON MY 1987 RX-7, CAUSES ENGINE FIRE AND TURNS A 300 DOLLAR REPAIR INTO OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS. *AK
MY PULSATION DAMPER WENT OUT AND I SMELLED FUMES WITHIN MY CAR. LUCKILY I GOT OFF TO CHECK AND FOUND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND HAVE IT FIXED WHERE IT WON'T BE A PROBLEM TO RISK ANYONES LIFE. *AK
Mileage: 154,000
I HAVE A 1987 RX7 NA, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE THE OTHER DAY AND I LUCKILY HAD AN EXTINGUISHER TO PUT IT OUT WITH OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN TOAST. MOST LIKELY A FAULTY PULSATION DAMPER OR A SHORT IN SOME OF THE WIRES, I AM NOT SURE.*AK
Mileage: 146,100
THE PULSATION DAMPENER ON THE 1986-1988 MAZDA RX-7'S CAN FAIL. THE PIECE IS MADE FROM PLASTIC WHICH BECOMES BRITTLE AND FAILS. THIS WILL CAUSE A FUEL LEAK IN THE ENGINE BAY AND CAUSE A POSSIBLE FIRE. *NLM
Mileage: 152,000
THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH FAILS OVER TIME. SYMPTOMS START WITH INTERMEDIATE SETTINGS FAILING FOLLOWED BY THE CONSTANT 1 AND 2 SETTINGS FAILING. THE WIPER WILL ALSO NOT RETURN TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION AFTER BEING TURNED OFF. THIS MIGHT BE DUE TO THE RELAY IN THE SWITCH FAILING. *NLM
Mileage: 145,000
Momentary increase in steering effort after recall remedy
Inadvertent Curtain Air Bag Deployment
Front Subframe Corrosion
Lower ball joint separation
Brake Booster Failure
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.