1990 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 1990 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
- Seat belts1860.0%
- Engine413.3%
- Fuel system26.7%
- Brakes26.7%
- Visibility13.3%
- Electrical13.3%
- Other / unspecified13.3%
- Tires & wheels13.3%
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
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED FOR MY CAR FOR THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ON 02-17-1997, CAMPAIGN # 68702. MINE WAS ORIGINALLY REPAIRED ON 05-23-2006. IT HAS SINCE FAILED AGAIN AND MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALER, # 23963, RAN A REPORT SHOWING THAT THE STATUS WAS CLOSED BECAUSE IT WAS FIXED ONCE. AS A SAFETY ISSUE, I THOUGHT THAT THIS RECALL COVERED THE PROBLEM FOR THE CAR'S LIFETIME, AT LEAST FOR THE ORIGINAL OWNER WHICH I AM. I WOULD LIKE YOUR HELP RESOLVING THIS ISSUE AS THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, THE ONE PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED, IS NOT WORKING AGAIN. THANKS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 MAZDA RX7. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT RETRACTORS WERE INOPERATIVE. THE MALFUNCTIONS OCCURRED FROM EXCESSIVE WEAR AND PREVENTS THE WEBBING FROM BEING EXTRACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V173000 (SEAT BELTS,FRONT;WEBBING), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER REPLACED ENGINE IN 1995, NOW FIVE YEARS LATER THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN BECAUSE THE APEX SEAL IS PARTIAL COLLAPSED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. NLM
EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS LEAKING CARBON MONOXIDE INTO THE CABIN OF VEHICLE, CAUSING A HEALTH HAZARD. DEALER IS AWARE OF DEFECT. CONSUMER CLAIMS HE IS AWARE OF OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME MODEL THAT HAVE THIS DEFECT. *AK *ML
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE PULSATION DAMENER ON THE PRIMARY FUEL RAIL FAILED, SPRAYING FUEL OVER THE ENTIRE ENGINE BAY, WHICH RESULTED IN A FIRE OF THE COMPARTMENT, WHICH WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED VIA HANDHELD FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE PART WAS REPLACED, AT A HIGH COST, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE WHOLE FUEL RAIL MUST BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NM
PUSATION DAMPNER ON PRIMARY FUEL DELIVERY RAIL DIAPHRAM FAILURE. GASOLINE LEAKAGE IN LARGE QUANTITIES RIGHT ABOVE HOT ENGINE. VERY SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD.. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ON RX-7'S IN GENERAL. PERHAPS MAZDA SHOULD HAVE PLAED THE PD AWAY FROM THE ENGINE. EXCESSIVE HEAT MAY HAVE HARDENED DIAPHRAM TO POINT OF BREAKAGE. FUALTY DESIGN. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ABS HAS NOT FAILED, BUT IT LEAKS PROFUSLY. I NEED TO REPLACE ABOUT 1 OZ OF BRAKE FLUID PER WEEK. THE DEALER'S PRICE FOR A REPLACEMENT ABS UNIT (THEY WON'T REBUILD IT) IS A CRIME AT $2745!! IF THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM (AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS), THEY SHOULD BE MORE REASONABLE $!*AK
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE UNIT LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. STARTED ABOUT 5/5/97. LEAKS WITH CAR PARKED, MAY LEAK WHILE DRIVING. STARTED GRADUALLY, NOW LOSES ABOUT TWO OUNCES PER WEEK. IF BRAKE FLUID LEVEL GETS TOO LOW WHILE DRIVING, IT CAN PREVENT PROPER BRAKE OPERATION AND INCREASE THE RISK OF ACCIDENT. THE ABS UNIT IS LOCATED NEAR THE ENGINE EXHAUST AND JUST AFT OF THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. I SUSPECT THAT BRAKE FLUID MAY DRIP ON THE HEATED EXHAUST SYSTEM; PERHAPS THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE. IF DRIPPING BRAKE FLUID GOT ON THE TIRE, IT COULD REDUCE TRACTION AND CONTRIBUTE TO AN ACCIDENT. ALL OF THESE POSSIBILITIES COMPRISE SAFETY HAZARDS. IN ADDITION, I HAVE CHECKED MULTIPLE SOURCES FOR USED ABS UNITS AND ALL ORIGINAL UNITS LOCATED ALSO LEAK. THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM. SOME OWNERS HAVE REMOVED AND BYPASSED THE ABS UNIT TO STOP THE LEAK. THIS IS PROBABLY ALSO UNSAFE. I SUGGEST THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPLACE ALL SUCH DEFECTIVE ABS UNITS AS A SAFETY MEASURE.
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 AUTOMATIC DRIVER SIDE RETRACTOR HAS FAILED ON TWO OCCASION AND WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH HAS FAILED. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
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
VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHT LIGHT SWITCH CIRCUIT BOARD MODULE OVERHEATS AND STARTS FIRE.THE LIGHTS TURN AND OFF INTERMITENTLY WITH NO WARNING.THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS DEFECTIVE. *AK
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
UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE PULSATION DAMENER ON THE PRIMARY FUEL RAIL FAILED, SPRAYING FUEL OVER THE ENTIRE ENGINE BAY, WHICH RESULTED IN A FIRE OF THE COMPARTMENT, WHICH WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED VIA HANDHELD FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE PART WAS REPLACED, AT A HIGH COST, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE WHOLE FUEL RAIL MUST BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER REPLACED ENGINE IN 1995, NOW FIVE YEARS LATER THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN BECAUSE THE APEX SEAL IS PARTIAL COLLAPSED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. NLM
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 .