NHTSA complaint: 1987 MAZDA RX7 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS
I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL MAZDA DEALER FOR A COOLANT LEAK. THEY SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. WHILE THEY WERE TEST DRIVING THE CAR, THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS CLOSE TO THE SHOP, AND THEY PUT DOWN THE FIRE WITHOUT ANY INJURIES. THE CAR WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANICS AT THE DEALERSHIP, AN OIL LINE IS VERY CLOSE TO THE EXHAUST PIPE IN THIS MODEL. THE EXHAUST PIPE IS AS HOT AS 800-900F WHEN THE VECHILE IS OPERATION. THERE IS ONE PLASTIC CONNECTION ON THE NEARBY OIL LINE. THE PLASTIC CONNECTION CRACKED OPEN THAT DAY, POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF AGE AND/OR TEMPRETURE CHANGE (IT WAS ABOUT 0F THAT DAY.). TE ENGINE OIL THEN CAME OUT AND CAUGHT ON FIRE BECAUSE OF THE NEARBY HOT EXHAUST PIPE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE 87 RX7 TURBO IS THE FIRST OR SECOND MODEL YEAR OF THIS PATICULAR MODEL. IF THE FIRE WAS INDEED CAUSED BY OIL PIPE, MANY OTHER RX7'S WOULD HAVE THIS DANGER SOON. I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OTHER RX7 OWNERS. BY THE WAY, THIS CAR WAS ALWAYS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THOUGH I AM THE 2ND OWNER, I KNOW THE FIRST OWNER QUITE WELL AND WE HAVE ALWAYS KEPT GOOD MAINTAINANCE OF IT.*AK
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation