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1987 MAZDA RX7 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

fire · 578920 · 2006-04-11

Vehicle

Make
MAZDA
Model
RX7
Year
1987
Manufacturer
Mazda North American Operations
Component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
Miles at failure
121,338
Speed
65 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

DRIVING HOME FROM MY PARENTS HOUSE I NOTICED MY GAS LIGHT COME ON ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE I HAD JUST PUT GAS IN THE TANK. I PULLED OFF ONCE I HAD GOTTEN DOWN ON A SIDE STREET NEAR A GAS STATION TO HAVE A LOOK TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. IMMEDIATELY AS I GOT OUT I NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING OUT THE HOOD. I RAN INTO THE GAS STATION GRABBED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ANOTHER GUY RAN OUT WITH ME AND WHEN I POPPED THE HOOD THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAME. AFTER PUTTING IT OUT I HAD TO GET MY FRIEND TO HELP ME TOW IT BACK TO MY PARENTS WHERE IT STILL SITS TOTALED. AFTER A BIT OF INVESTIGATING I CAME TO THE DISCOVERY MY PULSATION DAMPERS ON MY 1987 RX7 HAD LEAKED GAS DIRECTLY ONTO THE ENGINE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD CATCHING THE ENTIRE COMPARTMENT ON FIRE. I ALSO INVESTIGATED OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS HAPPENING AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THE RX7, ESPECIALLY YEARS 1986 TO 1988. WITH THIS I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A RECALL AND REIMBURSEMENT OF DAMAGES FOR THE VICTIMS OF PULSATION DAMPER FAILER RESULTING IN ENGINE FIRE. *JB

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10155088
Machine
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