RoadVitals

1991 Mazda RX-7

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
22
Latest Sep 13, 2022
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Sep 16, 1996
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
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

Overview

Our database contains 22 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1991 Mazda RX-7, most frequently naming the seat belts, fuel system and engine categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 9 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Seat belts1350.0%
  • Fuel system519.2%
  • Engine311.5%
  • Tires & wheels13.8%
  • Body & structure13.8%
  • Visibility13.8%
  • Electrical13.8%
  • Exterior lighting13.8%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
96V173000

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

Sep 16, 1996
17,800 units potentially affected
The defect: THE RAIL OF THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT CAN WEAR SUFFICIENTLY SUCH THAT THE CABLE WHICH RETRACTS THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY WILL BECOME JAMMED IN THE RAIL RENDERING THE SHOULDER BELT INOPERATIVE.
The risk: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE COLLISION, THE OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE ADEQUATELY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE INOPERATIVE SHOULDER BELTS. MAZDA HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY COVERAGE ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT RAIL AND MOTOR FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.
MAZDA (NORTH AMERICA),INCView on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE96027ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

MAZDA RX7 AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILURE

Opened Apr 16, 1996
Closed Sep 30, 1996

MALFUNCTION OF THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT SYSTEM

SEAT BELTSLed to recall 96V173000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 22
Seat belts
Filed Sep 13, 2022

My seatbelt motor and rail has a recall that the dealer confirmed it when I took it to them. My seatbelts get stuck sometimes causing safety concerns. The recall sent in 1996 from Mazda states the cable can wear sufficiently that the cable which retracts the buckle assembly will jam in the rail making it inoperative, if a collision the occupants will not be properly restrained.Recall states the dealer will extend warranty and replace shoulder belt rail and motor for the life of the vehicle. I took my car around October of 2021 they had the car and confirmed recall said they will call me when they get the parts, it’s September of 2022 and I haven’t gotten a call from them, when I call they tell me they don’t have them yet or say they know nothing regarding this car. Can someone help me to get this recall taken care of since I still own the car and have safety concerns with the seatbelts. Sometimes they get struck and don’t want to release properly.

NHTSA ID
11484323
Incident
Sep 13, 2022
Seat belts
Filed Nov 10, 2021

The contact owns a 1991 Mazda RX-7. The contact stated that the front driver's and passenger's side automatic seat belts failed to retract when the doors are opened. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that they had the parts to repair the front passenger's side seat belt but not the parts for the front driver's side seat belt. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 96V173000 (Seat Belts). The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

NHTSA ID
11439995
Incident
Nov 10, 2021
Mileage
106,000 mi
Fuel systemSeat beltsVisibility
Filed Nov 11, 2014

I AM HEAVILY CONCERNED WITH THE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES OF MY BELOVED MAZDA AND NEED YOUR HELP. MY SEAT BELT RETRACTORS ARE BROKEN (EMERGENCY), THE HORNS DO NOT WORK (EMERGENCY), MY REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER AND FLUIDS DO NOT WORK (VISIBILITY), MY BRAKE LIGHT IS ON(EMERGENCY), AND MY PULSATION DAMPER IS LEAKING FUEL (FIRE HAZARD). I HAVE READ MANY STORIES ABOUT RX7'S THAT WOULD CATCH ON FIRE DUE TO THE FUEL PULSATION DAMPERS LEAKING FUEL ONTO THE ENGINE, EVENTUALLY IGNITING THEIR WHOLE CAR TO ASHES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10654098
Incident
Nov 11, 2014
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Apr 11, 2014
Fire reported

PULSATION DAMPER FAILURE. LEAKED FUEL. CAUSED ENGINE FIRE. *JS

NHTSA ID
10579077
Incident
Feb 5, 2014
Mileage
150,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Mar 14, 2012
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MAZDA RX7. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, ALL OF THE WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IGNITED INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 144,000. . UPDATED 03/26/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE ENGINE STARTED MISFIRING WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL AT 30 MPH. A SMELL OF FUEL WAS ALSO PRESENT. WITHIN ONE MILE OF THE MISFIRING, THE GAS PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT EXPLODED IN FLAMES. THERE WAS NO SMOKE, JUST BURNING FUEL. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND FLAMES SHOT UP 20 FEET IN THE AIR. UPDATED 05/07/12

NHTSA ID
10451712
Incident
Mar 14, 2012
Mileage
144,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Mar 9, 2011

MAZDA'S RX-7 MODEL FC3S FROM MODEL YEAR 1986-1992'S FUEL PULSATION DAMPER HAS AN ISSUE THAT IT WILL LEAK, SINCE THE DEVICE SITS ON TOP OF THE ENGINE SO IF THE TIMING IS RIGHT, AN ENGINE FIRE WILL START. IT IS A VERY WELL KNOWN ISSUE IN THE RX-7 COMMUNITY. IM SURPRISED NO ONE EVER FILED A COMPLAIN OVER THIS. 1986-1988'S FUEL PULSATION DAMPER IS VERY PRONE TO THIS DEFECT, THEY CHANGED THE DESIGN AND USE THEM ON LATER MODEL YEAR OF RX-7 FROM 1989-1992, BUT IT WILL STILL LEAK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10386960
Incident
Feb 25, 2011
Mileage
211,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jan 31, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MAZDA RX7. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INSTALLED WITH AN AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT THAT DID NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V173000 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING) IN 1997. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT HE WOULD CONSULT WITH THE CONTACT AT A LATER DATE. THE PURCHASE DATE AND NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 127,980 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,940.

NHTSA ID
10216631
Incident
Jan 30, 2008
Mileage
127,940 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 7, 2004

ON SUNDAY EVENING 5/23/04 AT 10:00 PM I EXPERIENCED A TIRE FAILURE/TREAD SEPARATION ON THE LEFT REAR TIRE OF MY CAR WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON I-95 NORTH IN HARFORD COUNTY, MD. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED BY THE CAR, BUT IT DID NOT ROLL, AND THERE WAS NO OTHER PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE TIRE WAS A PACEMARK RADIAL SR60, SIZE P205/60R15 90S, MADE IN BRAZIL BUT PURCHASED AT A SERVICE STATION IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND. THERE IS SOME REFERENCE ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS TIRE COMPANY IS A SUBSUDUARY OF KELLY SPRINGFIELD.*AK

NHTSA ID
10086368
Incident
May 23, 2004
Mileage
112,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

0900716

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER

Speedometer replacement procedure

00398

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

EXPERIENCING OIL LEAK AT REAR STATIONARY GEAR O-RING / ON - CAR REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE. *YC

01198

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

SUBJECT ON PASSIVE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR SWITCH. *YC

97102302097

STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS

PRE-PAINTING PREPARATIONS FOR FRONT AND REAR BUMPERS. *YC

008/97

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

USE OF A/C TRACER DYE. *TW

007/97T

AIR BAGS

PARTS REPLACEMENT AFTER AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. *TW

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Mazda RX-7 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1998000—
1997000—
1996000—
1995220—
1994184052.6
1993824167.3
1992011—
1991Viewing221147.1
1990282152.9
1989301146.6
1988240050.8
1987511058.2
1986111057.7
1985400—
1984500—
1983010—
1982210—
1981010—
1980010—
1979010—
1978000—
1973000—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.