1988 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 1988 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 system1354.2%
- Electrical416.7%
- Engine416.7%
- Driver assistance14.2%
- Seat belts14.2%
- Visibility14.2%
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
THE FUEL PULSATION DAMPER FAILED AND GASOLINE WAS LEAKING ONTO THE TOP OF THE ENGINE.
1988 MAZDA RX7 GXL PULSATION DAMPENER ON THE INJECTOR RAIL HAS STARTED SPRAYING FUEL ONTO MY ENGINE DUE TO ITS AGE.. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE AND A MISTAKE BY MAZDA THAT THEY NEED TO FIX! I ALMOST LOST MY CAR TODAY HAD THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IT LET OUT ONTO THE ENGINE WERE TO OF GOTTEN DOWN TO THE EXHAUST AND IGNITED . ( CHANGED BAD FUEL FILTER ) THE NEW AMOUNT OF PRESSURE GETTING INTO THE LINE MAY OF CAUSED THIS.. BUT THE PART IS MADE OF RUBBER AND AGAIN IS KNOWN TO BREAK. THERE WAS NO FIRE BUT ADVISED TO NO LONGER DRIVE THE CAR TILL THE ISSUE IS FIXED. *TR
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT VEHICLE WAS BURNING UNTIL ANOTHER PERSON CAUGHT UP WITH CONSUMER AND TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS FIRE UNDER VEHICLE. HE STOPPED AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. THEN, FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. CONSUMER CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, WHO TOLD HIM THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MAZDAS RX7. *AK
I HAVE NOW HAD TWO FIRES FROM FAILED PULSATION DAMPNERS. VERY POOR DESIGN.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN HE SAW A FLARE, PULLED VEHICLE OVER AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE PASSENGERS SIDE, IT LOOKED AS IF THE MUFFLER WAS ON FIRE, FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF SAID FROM LOOKING AT IT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER MAY HAVE GOTTEN CLOGGED UP. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT #1091565) *JG
THE PROBLEM I HAD, WITH THE FUEL PULSATION DAMPER, IS AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS AND HAZARDOUS SITUATION. LOCATED ON TOP OF THE UPPER INTAKE, THERE IS A SCREW THAT WILL BACK ITSELF OUT THAT SEALS THE PULSATION DAMPER CLOSED. WHEN THIS SCREW BACKS OUT, A STRONG GASOLINE SMELL IS NOTICED IN THE ENGINE BAY AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE. ON TURBOCHARGED CARS, THE PULSATION DAMPER IS LOCATED DIRECTLY OVER THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD...THIS IS NOT GOOD! ESPECIALLY FOR A DESIGN THAT SEEMS TO BACK ITSELF OUT OVER TIME. THE PART IS QUITE EXPENSIVE, I FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT THE CAUSE OF USER ABUSE, BUT RATHER POOR DESIGN AND THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE MADE TO SUFFER, ESPECIALLY FOR SUCH A FAULTY DESIGN WITH SUCH HAZARDOUS CONSEQUENCES. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS PROBLEM, AND I'M SURE IF YOU CONTACTED MORE RX-7 OWNERS (2ND GEN, 86-88), YOU WOULD FINE NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM (ALTHOUGH MIGHT NOT KNOW WHERE THE 'FUEL LEAK' IS COMING FROM!). THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
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
ENGINE ACCELERATES TO APPROXIMATELY 3000 RPM'S WHEN INITIALLY STARTED WHETEHR HOT OR COLD. AFTER DRIVING, ENGINE DROPS TO APPROX. 1500 RPMS, BUT SURGES BETWEEN 1300 AND 1700 RPM.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
SEAT BELT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE RETRACTOR. SOMETIMES THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WILL LOCK AND SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT. DEALER IS AWARE OF SITUATION. THE SEAT BELTS HAVE NOT BEEN CORRECTED AT THIS TIME. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE DEFROSTER, AS WELL AS WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, DEFROSTER HAS PROBLEMS BLOWING HOT AIR. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
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 .