1986 Mazda RX-7 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1986 Mazda RX-7, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Fuel system866.7%
- Body & structure18.3%
- Driver assistance18.3%
- Electrical18.3%
- Other / unspecified18.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
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
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
BOTH DOOR HANDLES HAVE BROKEN AND BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES REGARDLESS OF WEATHER. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNWANTED ACCELERATION; FIRST TIME IN DRIVE AND WAS REPAIRED, SECOND TIME REVERSE. BOTH RESULTED ACCIDENT. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
BEARINGS IN JACK CAME OUT WHILE JACKING UP CAR, CAUSING A LOUD SNAPPING NOISE/CAR TO FALL DOWN. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .