AI DamageToyota Cressida: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Toyota Cressida across 12 model years: 44 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 30% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 16% of all complaints
- 3 Equipment 14% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 11% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 7% of all complaints
- 7 Tires 7% of all complaints
- 8 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 13 complaints (30% of all).
- Seat belts: 7 complaints (16% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Equipment: 6 complaints (14% of all).
- Powertrain: 5 complaints (11% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 5 complaints (11% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1984–1988
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1989–1992
- automatic, 4-speed 1984–1992
- manual, 5-speed 1984–1987
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 44 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| Equipment | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
"rapid & uncontrollable acceleration in toyota models" toyota cressida model should be added to recall list. Here is my experience. Having just finished pulling into a parking spot, I attempted to shift the car into park, but instead, the car rapidly accelerated to top speed.
Put car into reverse and car accelerated and hit a pole, driver was injured.
Motorbelt failed to restrain driver during collision, causing injury.
Involved in an accident the drivers side seatbelt did not restrain the driver.
Sudden acceleration when vehicle placed in drive, causing accident/injuries.
Vehicle has experienced sudden acceleration on two occasions, on the first occasion consumer turned engine off and only had damage caused by knocking over a stop sign, dealer could not find any problems, the second incident consumer had put vehicle in reverse and there was a loud acceleration from the engine, consumer…
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.