IllustrationFRAME RUSTED AND BROKE IN HALF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. *TR
1981 Toyota Pickup
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Pickup years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
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: 1 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.
- Parking Brake. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. 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 reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
3 reportsTRUCK VIBRATED AFTER INSTALLATION OF NEW TIRES. HAD BALANCE RE-DONE, BUT STILL VIBRATED. I NOTICED BUBBLING ON THE SIDEWALL AND KNEW THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE. TOOK BACK TO SEARS AUTOMOTIVE IN HAYWARD,CA (SOUTHLAND MALL) AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO DEFECT AND WOULD NOT REPLACE TIRES. *TR
WHILE PARKING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN A HILL, COLLIDING INTO A GARAGE DOOR. *AK THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SLIPPED WHEN CONSUMER WAS IN A DOOR JAM SEARCHING FOR A DROPPED ITEM ON THE FLOOR BOARD, AND WAS DRAGGED DOWNHILL BY VEHICLE CAUSING SCARS ON BOTH KNEES AND RIGHT HAND. REPLACEMENT AND REPAI…
Read full complaint
WHILE PARKING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN A HILL, COLLIDING INTO A GARAGE DOOR. *AK THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SLIPPED WHEN CONSUMER WAS IN A DOOR JAM SEARCHING FOR A DROPPED ITEM ON THE FLOOR BOARD, AND WAS DRAGGED DOWNHILL BY VEHICLE CAUSING SCARS ON BOTH KNEES AND RIGHT HAND. REPLACEMENT AND REPAIRS MADE ON FRONT BUMPER AND LAMPS, GRILLE AND LAMPS, AIR CONDITIONER, HOOD, FENDER, AND REAR BUMPER. *LA
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.