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1987 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 →
5Owner 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
19881
1989
Compare all MR2 years →

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

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Power Train
1Seat Belts
1Vehicle Speed Control
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 5 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 →
  • Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. 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.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

1 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE 12 PAGES OF SUPPOTING DOCUMENTS. THE SHORT VERSION IS THAT I PURCHASED AN ENGINE FROM THE ABOVE-MENTIONED COMPANY THAT WAS DEFECTIVE. I FILED A CLAIM ON 11/16/01, ONLY EIGHT DAYS AFTER THE ENGINE WAS INSTALLED. THEY SENT ME A NEW PART AFTER MANY WEEKS AND MANY DAYS OF ACCRUED RENTAL CAR EXPENSES, FOR WHICH THEY PROMISE…

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I HAVE 12 PAGES OF SUPPOTING DOCUMENTS. THE SHORT VERSION IS THAT I PURCHASED AN ENGINE FROM THE ABOVE-MENTIONED COMPANY THAT WAS DEFECTIVE. I FILED A CLAIM ON 11/16/01, ONLY EIGHT DAYS AFTER THE ENGINE WAS INSTALLED. THEY SENT ME A NEW PART AFTER MANY WEEKS AND MANY DAYS OF ACCRUED RENTAL CAR EXPENSES, FOR WHICH THEY PROMISED TO PAY. AFTER THE PART WAS INSTALLED, THEY ONLY AGREED TO PAY FOR A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF WHAT THEY HAD PROMISED, AND, THEN, WITHIN LESS THAN 2,000 MILES AND TWO MONTHS, THE PART FAILED AGAIN. AT THIS POINT, MY MECHANIC ADVISED ME OF 10 ENGINES PURCHASED FROM THIS COMPANY THAT HAD TO BE RETURNED BECAUSE THEY, TOO, WERE DEFECTIVE, AND HE SUGGESTED THAT I RETURN MY ENGINE FOR A COMPLETE REFUND OF PARTS AND LABOR IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,998.60.*AK

NHTSA ODI #759038

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.#===