RoadVitals

1989 Mazda RX-7 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
30
Latest Jun 8, 2010
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Feb 13, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 30 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1989 Mazda RX-7. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 30 · page 1 of 2

Seat belts
Filed Jun 8, 2010

I OWN A 1989 MAZDA RX 7. I RECENTLY SAW A RECALL ON THE FORD RECALL WEB SITE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 96V173000, FRONT WEBBING FOR RX'S MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 12/24/88 TO 05/31/91. I HAVE THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM ON MY SEATS. I CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT MY RX WAS NOT IN THE GROUP FOR THE RECALL. THE DEALER DID THIS BY VIN # , [XXX] , AND STATED MY CAR DID NOT FALL IN THE RECALL. THE DEALER PROVIDED A PRINT OUT SHOWING MY RX WAS MANUFACTURED, 01/10/89. I FEEL THAT THE PROBLEM IS WITHIN THE RANGE OF THE RECALL, MY VEHICLE IS AN RX7, AND MANUFACTURED IN THE RANGE OF THE RECALL. I AM REQUESTING HELP IN RESOLVING THIS PROBLEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR UPDATED 07/08/11.*JB

NHTSA ID
10335347
Incident
Jun 2, 2010
Engine
Filed Jan 9, 2008
Fire reported1 injury reported

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY DOING 63 MPH WHEN I SMELLED A FUNNY SMELL I PULLED OVER AND THE FRONT OF MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE PULSATION DAMPER FAILED CAUSING SERIOUS ENGINE DAMAGE AND ALMOST COST ME MY LIFE IF IT WASN'T FOR OTHER MOTORIST I WOULD NOT BE HERE MY ARM WAS SLIGHTLY BURNED BUT IT QUICKLY HEALED I HAVE NOT CURRENTLY HAD THE CAR REPAIRED IM SEEKING A BEST ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10214354
Incident
Jan 9, 2008
Seat belts
Filed Dec 22, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT STATED PREVIOUSLY HAD RECALL 96V173000 REPAIR WORK PERFORMED ON THE SEAT BELTS: FRONT: WEBBING. HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED AND NO ADDITIONAL REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED, AND THEY CLAIMED SINCE THE RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO. *AK UPDATED 1/23/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ID
10145939
Incident
Dec 1, 2005
Mileage
95,000 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Mar 26, 2002

"HEADLIGHT HARNESS" MELTED AND KNOCKED OUT "HEADLIGHT SWITCH"...KNOWN PROBLEM AND COMMON, NOT RECOGNIZED BY MAZDA AS WORTHY OF BEING FIXED. TAKES OUT DRIVING LIGHTS, AND INTERIOR LIGHTS, WHICH IS VERY UNSAFE AT NIGHT IN DARK REGIONS. CONTACTED LOCAL MAZDA DEALER, WAS TOLD IT WAS NEVER RECALLED OR ANYTHING. NLM

NHTSA ID
759846
Incident
Aug 12, 2001
Visibility
Filed Jun 5, 2001

THIS IS A KNOWN COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THE 1987-1991 RX-7 OWNERS. SPEED ADJUSTER FOR THE WINDSHIELD ONLY OPERATE AT THE TOP SPEED. RENDERING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE IN THE LIGHT SPRINKLE; HAVE TO KEEP TURNING IT ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. *AK

NHTSA ID
746449
Visibility
Filed Feb 10, 1999

WHILE IN USE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTION WHICH MAY CAUSE VISUAL DIFFICULTY, AND MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER WILL REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH. ALSO KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THIS WIPER SWITCH WHICH COST ABOUT $500 TO REPAIR. *AK

NHTSA ID
832700
Incident
Dec 12, 1998
Engine
Filed Dec 28, 1998
Fire reported1 injury reported

ENGINE FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT).

NHTSA ID
543149
Incident
Nov 28, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Dec 7, 1998

THE CONSUMER HAS RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS. SINCE RECEIVING THE LETTER, NO PARTS HAS BEEN AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. RECALL NUMBER 96V173000. *AK

NHTSA ID
831857
Incident
Apr 8, 1998
Visibility
Filed Sep 8, 1998

WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH ONLY WORKS ON 1 SPEED. WIPERS DO NOT STOP IN THE DOWN POSITION.

NHTSA ID
540666
Seat belts
Filed May 1, 1997

OWNER STATES THAT RECEVIED A RECALL NOTICE FOR SHOULDER BELTS, BUT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO GET WORK DONE BECAUSE OF NO PARTS. ALSO DEALER PULLED HIS SEAT BELT APART AND DID NOT COMPLETE WORK BECAUSE OF NO PARTS. 96V173000. *AK

NHTSA ID
810380
Seat belts
Filed Apr 1, 1997

OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE #96V17300 FOR AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS. TOOK TO DEALER & HAD REPAIRS DONE; PROBLEM W/SHOULDER BELT HAS REOCCURRED A SHORT TIME LATER; DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
809233
Incident
Feb 21, 1997
Visibility
Filed Mar 26, 1997

WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH DEFECTIVE, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.

NHTSA ID
515950
Incident
Oct 1, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Jan 10, 1997

NO PARTS FOR SHOULDER BEL, TMANUFACTURER TOLD CUSTOMER THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN MORE PARTS WOULD BE COMING IN. *AK

NHTSA ID
807425
Seat belts
Filed Nov 5, 1996

PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR INOPERATIVE.

NHTSA ID
510984
Incident
Oct 28, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Oct 31, 1996

THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT IS INOPERATIVE. THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT TOWARDS THE BODY WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED. *AK

NHTSA ID
804394
Incident
Aug 15, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Oct 31, 1996

FAILURE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT, THE SHOULDER BELT WAS IN THE MIDWAY POSITION PRIOR TO RECALL (96V-173). *AK

NHTSA ID
804366
Incident
Jun 1, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Oct 17, 1996

DRIVER'S SIDE MOTORBELT FAILED TO MOVE IN FORWARD POSITION DUE TO STRIPPED TRACK.

NHTSA ID
510068
Incident
Sep 19, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Oct 16, 1996

MOTORIZED SEAT BELT RETRACTOR INOPERATIVE.

NHTSA ID
509956
Incident
Oct 8, 1996
BrakesEngine
Filed Sep 30, 1996

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON , TOOK TO DEALER THE OIL WAS LEAKING . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK

NHTSA ID
803001
Incident
Sep 25, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Sep 17, 1996

FAILURE OF THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RETRACTORS, THE SEAT BELT IS IN THE RETRACTING POSITION, PE96-027.*AK

NHTSA ID
801409
Incident
Jun 15, 1996
Engine
Filed Feb 13, 1996

ENGINE REPLACED DUE TO DEFECT. *SD

NHTSA ID
501597
Incident
Feb 13, 1996
Engine
Filed Jul 18, 1995

THE MOTOR HAS BLOWN IN CAR WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID
968935
Incident
Jun 5, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Jul 18, 1995

THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT FOR THE DRIVER DOES NOT GO UP AND DOWN THE TRACK. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID
968931
Incident
Mar 1, 1990
Seat belts
Filed Jun 23, 1995

LAP/SHOULDER BELT ON DRIVER SIDE FAILED DUE FAULTY CABLE THAT BROKE. TT

NHTSA ID
967635
Incident
Jun 10, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Jun 16, 1995

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR THE CABLE CAME OUT. TT

NHTSA ID
967087
Incident
Jun 11, 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.

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Data on this page last refreshed .