# 1988 MAZDA RX7 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
> NHTSA complaint `742078` · 2009-11-01 · Mazda North American Operations
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** MAZDA
- **Model:** RX7
- **Year:** 1988
- **Manufacturer:** Mazda North American Operations
- **Component:** FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
- **Miles at failure:** 134,000
## Narrative
MAZDA RX7 DEFECT 86-91.  MAZDA IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ONGOING ISSUE BUT WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL. THE PULSATION DAMPER ON ALL MAZDA RX7'S FROM 1986-1991 IS PRONE TO FAILURE. THE DEVICE LITERALLY COMES APART ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK OUT. EVENTUALLY ENOUGH FUEL LEAKS OUT AND ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAUSING A VEHICLE FIRE. I HAVE NOW BEEN INVOLVED WITH TWO OF THESE INCIDENCES. THE FIRST ONE OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE ON MY 1986 RX7, LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT BEFORE TOTAL DEVASTATION. THE RESULT OF THE FIRE WAS ABOUT $1500.00 WORTH OF REPAIRS. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THE FIRE WAS THE RESULT OF A FUEL LEAK FROM THE PULSATION DAMPER. I NOW OWN A 1988 RX7 CONVERTIBLE AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN I BEGAN TO SMELL FUEL INSIDE THE CAR REALLY STRONG, SO STRONG IN FACT THAT I THOUGHT THAT THE FUEL TANK MUST BE LEAKING. I IMMEDIATELY PARKED THE CAR AND STARTED TO GIVE IT THE ONCE OVER NEVER THINKING THAT WITH THE SMELL BEING SOO STRONG THAT IT COULD BE COMING FROM THE PULSATION DAMPER. I CHECKED THE GAS TANK AND EVERY HOSE ON IT, NOT A DROP OF FUEL, AS A LAST RESORT I FIGURED I BETTER CHECK THE PULSATION DAMPER AND SURE ENOUGH FUEL WAS POURING OUT OF IT. I THINK THAT IF MY CAR HAD NOT BEEN A CONVERTIBLE I WOULD HAVE NOT NOTICED IT UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE AND HAD ANOTHER FIRE. NOW EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO FIRE IT IS STILL GOING TO COST AROUND $500.00 TO REPAIR BECAUSE THE PART IS LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE FUEL INJECTION ASSEMBLY WHICH HAS TO BE CO
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*