The 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.
The risk
IF ENGINE COOLANT LEAKS ONTO THE HOT ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE, AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE CAN RESULT.
The 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.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Mazda RX-7 | 1993, 1994 |
Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda RX-7 | 1993 | 82 | 3 |
| Mazda RX-7 | 1994 | 18 | 3 |
Other engine and engine cooling recalls in 1994
11 of the 244 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1994 concerned the engine and engine cooling; MAZDA (NORTH AMERICA),INC filed 58 campaigns in all.
| 94V179000 26 Sept 1994 | SPARTAN MOTORS, INC. |
| 94V157000 24 Aug 1994 | BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY |
| 94V144000 2 Aug 1994 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
| 94V132000 19 Jul 1994 | ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED |
| 94V126000 8 Jul 1994 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. |
| 94V112000 16 Jun 1994 | WAYNE WHEELED VEHICLES |
| 94V098000 24 May 1994 | WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 94V049000 21 Mar 1994 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1994