1987 Mazda RX-7 Owner Complaints

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT IT OUT BEEN SITTING EVER SINCE

NHTSA ID

11030072

Incident

Jun 15, 2014

Mileage

86,831 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10483752

Incident

Nov 7, 2012

Mileage

178,983 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10287286

Incident

Apr 14, 1987

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 REPLACEMENT PIECE SO THAT IT WILL NEVER LEAK AGAIN. I NEED THAT NEW DAMPER RIGHT NOW! *TR

NHTSA ID

10287280

Incident

May 10, 2009

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

NHTSA ID

10278350

Incident

Jul 26, 2009

Mileage

127,504 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10267409

Incident

Apr 27, 2009

Mileage

44,500 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10255122

Incident

Jul 17, 2008

Mileage

193,600 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10157074

Incident

May 4, 2006

Mileage

135,402 mi

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 OF DAMAGES FOR THE VICTIMS OF PULSATION DAMPER FAILER RESULTING IN ENGINE FIRE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10155088

Incident

Feb 24, 2004

Mileage

121,338 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10138389

Incident

Oct 1, 2005

Mileage

220,201 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10129334

Incident

Apr 1, 2002

PULSATION DAMPER FAILS ON MY 1987 RX-7, CAUSES ENGINE FIRE AND TURNS A 300 DOLLAR REPAIR INTO OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10116232

Incident

Feb 22, 2005

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

NHTSA ID

10059011

Incident

Feb 25, 2004

Mileage

154,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10058167

Incident

Feb 12, 2004

Mileage

146,100 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10023102

Incident

Mar 9, 2002

Mileage

145,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10023100

Incident

Jan 27, 2003

Mileage

152,000 mi

*OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT* A FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *JG *JB

NHTSA ID

10006849

Incident

Nov 26, 2002

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ERRATIC. DRIVER PULLED VEHICLE OVER TO CHECK UNDER THE HOOD. THE PULSATION DAMPNER THAT CONTROLS THE FUEL GOING INTO THE ENGINE HAD CAME UNDONE AND FUEL WAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

NHTSA ID

8022491

Incident

Oct 15, 2002

EVERY 2ND GEN RX-7 ASIDE FROM THE 1990 & 1991S THAT I HAVE SEEN HAVE FAILED. NOT ALL HAVE BURNED. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

760284

Incident

Feb 1, 2002

THE STARTER HAD GIVEN OUT. I AND A FRIEND WERE IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING IT. THE FRIEND SMELLED GAS. I GOT UNDER THE CAR, AND SMELLED GAS ALSO. WE DECIDED NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL WAS DETERMINED. AFTER REMOVING THE INTAKE PLENUM, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE GAS LEAK WAS FROM THE PULSATION DAMPER, A COMPONENT BOLTED TO THE END OF THE PRIMARY INJECTORS FUEL RAIL. IT WAS LEAKING ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE, NEAR THE TOP. SINCE THE ENGINE IS OVAL, THE GAS WAS RUNNING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE TOWARD THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, WHICH BECOMES EXTREMELY HOT WHEN A ROTARY ENGINE IS RUNNING. ALTHOUGH THIS HAD NOT HAPPENED YET, AS THE LEAK BECAME WORSE THE GAS WOULD HAVE IGNITED, PUTTING THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER IN THE CAR AT GREAT PERIL. THIS COMPONENT SHOULD BE ENGINEERED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT DOES NOT LEAK, EVEN IF IT FAILS. THERE ARE MANY INCIDENTS WHERE A VEHICLE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY FIRE AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE OF THIS PULSATION DAMPER.*AK

NHTSA ID

760274

Incident

Mar 15, 2002

MY DAMPER IS LEAKING FUEL RIGHT AS I TYPE THIS TO YOU. IF I DRIVE MY CAR IT MAY CATCH FIRE AND KILL INOCENT 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, FIREDAMAGE EVERYWHERE. MAZDA EVEN MADE AN IMPROVEMENT ON THE REPLACEMENT PIECE SO THAT IT WILL NEVER LEAK AGAIN. I NEED THAT NEW DAMPER RIGHT NOW!. *AK

NHTSA ID

759645

Incident

Mar 21, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

759609

Incident

Feb 1, 2001

PULSATION DAMPNER FAILED, CAUSING A GAS LEAK AND SMALL ENGINE FIRE. I WAS LUCKY AND HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER HANDY.*AK

NHTSA ID

759520

Incident

Feb 12, 2002

THE SMALL SCREW IN THE END OF THE PULSATION DAMPER HAD FALLEN OUT. OTHER PERSONS WITH THIS FAILURE HAVE HAD FIRES AS A RESULT OF THIS. IN MY CASE, I SIMPLY REPLACED THE PART. IT FAILED AGAIN ABOUT TWO YEARS LATER... AGAIN, NO FIRE, BUT IT WAS LEAKING GAS. *AK

NHTSA ID

759458

Incident

Jan 1, 1996

MODERATE FUEL LEAK. REPLACED TO AVOID ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. CAR DOES NOT RUN LIKE IT DID BEFORE. NO POWER ABOVE 3500 RPM.*AK

NHTSA ID

759408

Incident

Mar 10, 2002