AI Damage1987 Toyota MR2: common problems
Owners of the 1987 Toyota MR2 filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and latches, locks, linkages. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 20% of all complaints
- 2 Latches, locks, linkages 20% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 20% of all complaints
- 4 Seat belts 20% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 20% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Latches, locks, linkages: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Seat belts: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (20% of all), 1 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.
- 1.6 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: RWD
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
In 1987 I had a toyota mr2 and was in an accident in which the gas pedal stuck. Fortunately, it was a single vehicle crash on a california interstate.
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.
While driving hood latch released, causing hood to fly up, blocking drivers vision, and cracking the windshield. The crumpled hood damaged the sus roof as well.
Seat belt on the passenger side does not release from locking mechanism.
Bought car with 97,800 miles carfax reports much higher miles than that. Odometer was tampered with.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the MR2 has 4 complaints (15 years in the data). This year has 5, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1987 Toyota MR2?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, latches, locks, linkages, powertrain. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Toyota MR2?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1987 Toyota MR2 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1987 models
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.