1987 Mazda RX7 problems & reliability
50 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1987 Mazda RX7. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline → | 29 | 58% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 18% |
| Electrical System | 6 | 12% |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 6% |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 4% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 4% |
| Visibility | 2 | 4% |
| Engine | 1 | 2% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 2% |
| Steering | 1 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 11 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“On 11/07/2012 at approximately 7:15 a.m. While leaving work I noticed smoke coming from behind the radio. I immediately pulled over and realized there was fire coming from the engine compartment. I was able to put it out quickly before it spread. The damage to my car was somewhat substantial under the intake manifold…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Nov 8, 2012
“Why should I die for mazda messed up pulsation dampers that leak and causes fires and kill innocent people. Recall this '!@#$% so I can drive this some god '!@#$% piece of mind. *tr”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Oct 13, 2009
“First off I thought you guys cared about the cars we drove, then how come you allow this to go on without a recall it amazes me how stupid you guys have to be to let this one just slid on by. My damper is leaking fuel right as I type this to you. If I drive my car it may catch fire and kill innocent victims. Please…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Oct 13, 2009
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
5 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1987 Mazda RX7.
Experiencing oil leak at rear stationary gear o-ring / on - car replacement procedure. *yc
00398 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 16, 1998
USE OF A/C TRACER DYE. *TW
008/97 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 19, 1997
Maintenance free battery - diagnostic and charging procedure. *tw
001/97G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 8, 1997
Wiper motor inoperative - circuit breaker activation. *tw
003/97G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 19, 1997
Hard shift, r-type transmission. *tw
001/93 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 1993
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1987 Mazda RX7 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1987 Mazda RX7?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.