RoadVitals

1986 Mazda RX-7 Fuel system Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Fuel system reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest May 16, 2013
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
73%
of 11 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
5
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1986 Mazda RX-7 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming fuel system

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalFuel system
Filed May 16, 2013
Fire reported

PULSATION DAMPER FAILURE LEAKING FUEL ALL OVER THE HOT EXHAUST THAT THE HEAT CAUGHT MY ENGINE ON FIRE! OVERHEATED AND DAMAGED INJECTOR CONNECTERS DUE TO FIRE BURNING THEM. INJECTORS THEM SELF : BURNT. TOTAL DAMAGE : NEAR $1058. *TR

NHTSA ID
10512468
Incident
May 14, 2013
Mileage
155,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Feb 17, 2006

FUEL INJECTION PULSATION DAMPENER BEGAN LEAKING. DUE TO IT BEING LOCATED OVER THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH IS RIGHT OVER THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHEN IT LEAKS FUEL RUNS DOWN THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD AND ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS EXTREMELY HOT AND THIS PROBLEM LEADS TO MANY FIRES ON THE MAZDA RX7 WHICH CAN AND DO CAUSE DAMAGE THAT RUNS INTO THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR. I SMELLED FUEL WHEN GETTING OUT OF MY CAR AND WAS ABLE TO REPLACE THE FUEL RAIL BEFORE ANY ADDITIONAL DAMAGE OCCURRED. BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON WITH THESE CARS MAZDA SHOULD DO SOMETHING SUCH AS REPLACE THE EXISTING DAMPENER WITH ONE THAT WILL NOT LEAK OR AT LEAST REDESIGN THE DAMPENER SO THAT IT DRAINS ANY LEAKING FUEL THROUGH A TUBE OF SOME SORT TO THE GROUND INSTEAD OF ALLOWING IT TO LEAK ON A HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. MANY AN RX7 HAS DIED A FIERY DEATH DUE TO THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID
10150500
Incident
May 31, 2005
Mileage
160,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Aug 6, 2005

RECENTLY PURCHASED THE CAR WITH A REBUILT MOTOR, BUT SEVERAL OLD PARTS WERE NOT REPLACED. OCCASIONALLY GAS FUMES ENTER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. LOOKING AT THE PLACEMENT OF THE FUEL PULSATION DAMPNER, ONCE IT LEAKS IT WILL DRIP UNBURNED FUEL DIRECTLY ONTO THE MOTOR, RESULTING IN AN ENGINE FIRE. I WILL ORDER A NEW FUEL PULSATION DAMPNER AND WILL BE READY TO REPLACE THAT ONE ONCE IT FAILS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10131796
Incident
Aug 4, 2005
Mileage
223 mi
Fuel system
Filed Feb 22, 2005
Fire reported

THE CAR IS A DAILY DRIVER AND HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN BEYOND THE AVG DAILY ABUSE. ONE DAY I RETURN HOME AND IN THE DRIVEWAY THE CAR STALS AND I START IT AGAIN AND IT STALED AGAIN, UPON OPENING THE HOOD I"M GREETED WITH A BBQ SIZE FIRE ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. I PUT IT OUT WITH WATER AND LET IT COOL, BEING A MECHANIC I REPLACED THE PULSATION DAMPNER WITH A BANJO BOLT TO FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
10111998
Incident
Feb 15, 2005
Mileage
117,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jan 20, 2004
Fire reported

FAULTY OOULSATION DAMPNER.. CAUSED ENGINE FIRE.. APROXIMATE REPAIRE OVER 1000 AND THAT WITH USING USED WIRING HARNESS.*AK

NHTSA ID
10054499
Incident
Jan 10, 2004
Mileage
113,071 mi
Fuel system
Filed Mar 17, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
759454
Fuel system
Filed Feb 1, 1996
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO A DEFECTIVE FUEL LINE.(PHONE EXT 516). TT

NHTSA ID
978569
Incident
Jan 18, 1996
Fuel system
Filed Jun 14, 1995
Fire reported

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO A FAULTY PULSATING DAMPER, THAT SPRAYED GASOLINE ON THE ENGINE. TT

NHTSA ID
966906
Incident
May 25, 1995

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .