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1985 Toyota MR2

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
3Owner complaints

Model-year median: 3.5

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
3
19856
19865
19871
1988
Compare all MR2 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
1Exterior Lighting
1Seat Belts
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 0 of 3 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

3 reports
Mileage unknown · Jun 3, 2001
Seat Belts

THIS VEHICLE APPEARS TO USE A MECHANICAL (MADE OUT OF PLASTIC!) ROCKER LEVER THAT ENGAGES THE SEAT BELT REEL WHEN THE DOORS ARE SHUT. DUE TO HIGH SPRING TENSION ON THIS PART, BOTH LEVERS HAVE BROKEN OFF AND DO NOT ENGAGE THE SEAT BELT REELS AS THE ARE SUPPOSED TO WHEN THE DOORS ARE SHUT. THE MECHANISM IS INSIDE THE BODY AND TH…

Read full complaint

THIS VEHICLE APPEARS TO USE A MECHANICAL (MADE OUT OF PLASTIC!) ROCKER LEVER THAT ENGAGES THE SEAT BELT REEL WHEN THE DOORS ARE SHUT. DUE TO HIGH SPRING TENSION ON THIS PART, BOTH LEVERS HAVE BROKEN OFF AND DO NOT ENGAGE THE SEAT BELT REELS AS THE ARE SUPPOSED TO WHEN THE DOORS ARE SHUT. THE MECHANISM IS INSIDE THE BODY AND THERE ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS, OR OTHER INDICATIONS, TO LET A DRIVER/OWNER KNOW THAT THE LEVER HAS FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #746325

Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 1997
Exterior Lighting

HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #807376

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 1996
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, ANOTHER VEHICLE HONKED, TURNED TO LOOK, VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #982302

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE87047 · Engine Compartment Fires

Opened Aug 18, 1987 · Closed Dec 10, 1987

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:AFTER INVESTIGATION, TOYOTA CANFIND NO COMMON OR SPECIFIC CAUSE OF THE 4 FIRES FROM A VEHICLE POPULATIONOF 77,034.WARRANTY CLAIMS ARE INCONCLUSIVE AND PARALLEL VEHICLE SALES.ANALYSIS:A REVIEW OF THE 2 COMPLAINTS ON THE 1986 MODEL MR2 SPORT COUPE(A RELATIVELY LOW PRODUCTION, SPECIAL INTEREST VEHICLE) DID NOT REVEAL APOTENTIALLY COMMON CAUSE.BOTH VEHICLES WERE OCCUPIED AT THE TIME OF THEFIRES.ONE FIRE WAS NOTICED BECAUSE THE ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES FAILEDAND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART, MOMENTS LATER SMOKE AND FLAMES ENGULFEDTHE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.THE OWNER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE REPORTS THEVEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT IDLE WHEN HE NOTICED FLAMES OUT OF THE RIGHT OFTHE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.STATUS:RECOMMEND CLOSING THIS PE AND MONITOR FOR FUTURE EVIDENCE OF ANEMERGING DEFECT TREND.#===