1994 Mazda RX-7

Defect. EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: MAZDA SPEED RESINOUS HOODS, DESIGNED AND SOLD AS ACCESSORY PARTS FOR MODEL YEAR 1992-1995 RX7 VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JUNE 1, 1997, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 19, 2000.

Risk. A HOOK ON A HOOD STRIKER FOR THE RESINOUS HOOD MAY SEPARATE FROM A BASE PLATE AT THE WELDED PORTION DUE TO INSUFFICIENT WELDING STRENGTH. THE HOOD MAY SUDDENLY OPEN DURING OPERATION, LOSING FRONT VISIBILITY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. MAZDA WILL NOTIFY THE RX7 VEHICLE CUSTOMERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO A MAZDA DEALER TO HAVE THE HOOD STRIKER REPLACED WITH A MODIFIED ONE.

Defect. OIL MIST CONTAINED IN THE ENGINE INTAKE AIR CAN COLLECT OVER TIME IN THE BRAKE VACUUM CHECK VALVE PREVENTING THE CHECK VALVE FROM OPENING AT THE SPECIFIED PRESSURE REDUCING POWER ASSIST TO THE BRAKES.

Risk. BRAKE PERFORMANCE CAN BE DIMINISHED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE TWO VACUUM HOSES, INCLUDING THE CHECK VALVE, WITH MODIFIED HOSES.

Defect. RESIDUAL ENGINE HEAT CAN CAUSE PREMATURE DETERIORATION OF THE FUEL HOSE CAUSING THE HOSE TO LEAK. ALSO, REMOVING AND REINSTALLING THE DETERIORATED FUEL HOSES INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF A LEAK.

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL CONTROL UNIT FOR THE ELECTRIC COOLING FAN. THE FAN WILL THEN ACTIVATE AFTER THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF WHEN THE COOLANT EXCEEDS A SPECIFIED TEMPERATURE. THE FUEL HOSES WILL ALSO BE REPLACED WITH REVISED HOSES.

Defect. THE RADIATOR CAP PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE RELEASE PRESSURE IS SET TOO HIGH. THIS CAN CAUSE THE COOLANT TO REACH TEMPERATURES THAT EXCEED THE THERMAL DESIGN LIMITS OF SOME COMPONENTS OF THE COOLANT SYSTEM. SHOULD THIS OCCUR, ENGINE COOLANT CAN LEAK COLLECT ON TOP OF THE ENGINE.

Risk. IF ENGINE COOLANT LEAKS ONTO THE HOT ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE, AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE CAN RESULT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES AND IF ANY VEHICLE EXHIBITS COOLANT LEAKAGE OR IF THE COOLANT LEVEL HAS DROPPED TO THE POINT WHERE THE COOLANT LOSS WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO TRIGGER THE COOLANT LEVEL WARNING SYSTEM, COMPONENTS POTENTIALLY SUBJECT TO DETERIORATION FROM OVERHEATING WOULD BE REPLACED. THESE PARTS INCLUDE THE WATER PUMP BEARING HOUSING, THE WATER LEVEL SENSOR AND RADIATOR UPPER HOSE, THE THERMOSTAT GASKET, AND ALL WATER HOSES LOCATED ABOVE THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, ALL VEHICLES IN WHICH THOSE COMPONENTS ARE REPLACED WOULD ALSO HAVE THE COOLING SYSTEM AND OTHER SYSTEMS THAT CARRY FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS CHECKED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT ENGINE OVERHEATING HAD NOT CAUSED ANY PROBLEMS IN THOSE SYSTEMS. ANY IDENTIFIED PROBLEMS WILL BE REPAIRED. THE RADIATOR CAP, FILLER CAP, AND FILLER CAP BODY OF ALL RECALLED VEHICLES WILL BE REPLACED BY NEWLY DESIGNED PARTS.

MAZDA 1994 RX7 FD3S PULSATION DAMPENER FAILURE. CAUSED LOSS OF FUEL AND DAMAGE TO WIRE HARNESS. THE FUEL LEAKED ONTO AND INTO THE WIRE HARNESS AND CAUSED THE HARNESS TO BECOME SATURATED, DAMP AND BRITTLE. I ALSO HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE AND INSTALL NEW PULSATION DAMPENER, WIRE HARNESS, INTAKE GASKET AND A FEW OTHER PARTS DO TO THE PULSATION DAMPENER FAILURE. I ALSO HAD TO PAY FOR LABOR. TOTAL WAS AROUND $1600.00 USD. I AM NOT HAPPY AND I HEAR THIS DAMPER FAILS ALL THE TIME FOR MY LOCAL DEALER. *TR

CONSUMER STATES: THE COOLING FANS DO NOT COME ON AFTER THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE OVER HEATS UNLESS THE PARKING LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON. IT GET TO HOT BEFORE THE FANS COME ON. *NM

I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THIS IS A MAJOR CAUSE OF ENGINE FIRES. THIS SHOULD BE REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****770782

THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON FAILURE FOR THIS CAR. NOT ONLY IS IT AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR, BUT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THIS 'PULSATION DAMPER' FAILURE HAS LEAD TO MANY FIRES IN THIS CAR. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AGAIN AND I HOPE I DON'T HAVE TO PAY ANOTHER $500 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AGAIN. I THINK THAT BECAUSE IT IS SO DANGEROUS AND SO COMMON IN THIS CAR, MAZDA SHOULD ACCEPT SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITY. *AK

I CAME EXTREMELY CLOSE TO AN ENGINE FIRE. MY ENGINE BAY WAS SOAKED WITH FUEL. NOW HALF THE ENGINE HAS TO BE TAKEN OUT IN ORDER TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I SHOULDNT HAVE TO FIX THIS. THE RX-7 HAS BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A SUITABLE FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. I DONT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. WHY IS THIS NOT ON THE FUEL SYSTEM RECALL FIX LIST. IT IS KNOW TO FAIL.*AK

COMMON FAILURE OF FUEL PLUSATION DAMPER RESULTS IN FUEL LEAK UNDER HOOD AND ENGINE FIRE. SHOULD ISSUE RECALL AND DESIGN STRONG PART.*AK

THERE WAS COOLANT LEAK FROM VEHICLE ONTO ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 94V094000. DEALER HAS REPLACED WATER PUMP, RADIATOR HOSES AND GASKETS. *AK *SLC

STRICKER THAT LATCHES TO HOOD LATCH BROKE OFF FROM HOOD ASSEMBLY. CONSUMER FELT THAT HOOD MAY FLY UP WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER HAS SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN RECALL 00E069000; BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

RECALL 00 E 069 000. STRICKER HAS SEPARATED CAUSING HOOD TO STAY OPEN. RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR AFTER MARKET PARTS ONLY.*AK

PULSATION DAMPER ON FUEL RAIL LEAKS FUEL ONTO ENGINE AND WIRING. *AK

MANUFACTURER'S HEADQUARTERS HAD ADVISED CONSUMER THAT FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE COIL SPRING WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FROM JAPAN UNTIL 2 WEEKS AFTER ORDERING IT. CONSUMER FELT THAT TOO MUCH TIME WAS SPENT ORDERING A PART.*AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT STALLING WHILE DRIVING OR AT A STAND STILL. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEMS STILL OCCURRING, WHEN AIR CONDITIONING IS ON THE PROBLEM IS MORE SEVERE. *AK

CURRENTLY HAVING THE 4TH ENGINE INSTALLED DUE TO SEAL FAILURES. MANUFACTURER IS UNCOOPERATIVE. PREVIOUS RX7 HAD ENGINE FIRE.

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK, DRIVING UNDER VERY NORMAL CONDITIONS. I HAD THE FOLLOWING ACCESSORIES ON AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE. HEATER, RADIO, REAR DEFROSTER, AND MAYBE THE HEADLIGHTS. I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I PULLED OVER TURNED OFF THE CAR AND SLOWLY OPENED THE HOOD TO FIND THE MAIN FUSE BOX (CONNECTED TO THE BATTERY) ON FIRE. THERE WERE FLAMES ABOUT 4-5 INCHES HIGH. I WAS ABLE TO BLOW THE FIRE OUT. I THEN LET THE CAR REST FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES. AFTER THAT I STARTED THE CAR AND DROVE IT HOME. AFTER THE FIRE, ANY TIME ANY ELECTRICAL ACCESSORY IS TURNED ON (BLINKER, LIGHTS, HEATER, A/C, BRAKES) THE "CHARGE" AND "ABS" WARNING LIGHTS COME ON, AND SO DO THE WARNING LIGHTS BUILT INTO THE OIL PRESSURE, FUEL LEVEL, AND WATER TEMP GAUGES. THE FIRE DAMAGED THE ONE END OF THE FUSE BOX WITH THE 120 AMP FUSE AS WELL AS SOME SURROUNDING WIRES AND CONNECTORS, AND THE UNDERHOOD INSULATION WHICH WAS BURNED BY THE FLAMES.

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET MADE OUT OF CARDBOARD NEW ONE METAL REPAIRMAN SAID "90% OF THESE CARS HAVE THIS PROBLEM" AND I WAS TOLD BY PETER FARREL RACING THAT THIS IS A NORMAL OCCURENCE AT 60 OR 70 THOUSAND MILES THIS PART IS OBVIOSLY FAULTY

ABS BRAKES DONT WORK UNTIL CAR WARMS UP.IN ADDITION, IN ADDITION, VACUUM LINES AND CHECK VALVE WERE REPLACED A SPER RECALL (96V-149.000).

EGR VALVE FAILED TWICE, ALSO REPLACED REAR SHOCK/OILPRESSURE SENSOR. *AK

WENT OVER A CLIFF, HIT SOME TREES AND THE DRIVERS AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. TT