AI Damage1992 Toyota Previa: common problems
Owners of the 1992 Toyota Previa filed 35 complaints with NHTSA, most often about equipment and latches, locks, linkages. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 35
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Equipment 14% of all complaints
- 2 Latches, locks, linkages 11% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 9% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 9% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 6% of all complaints
- 8 Seats 6% of all complaints
- Equipment: 5 complaints (14% of all).
- Latches, locks, linkages: 4 complaints (11% of all).
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (11% of all).
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (11% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (9% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: RWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 35 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 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.
While driving 65mph a deer appeared out of nowhere & was hit. Upon impact with deer, neither air bags deployed.
When opening fuel filler tank cap, a three foot flame shot out from it. Continued to burn until put out.suspected, it ignited from the static electricity from person opening fuel tank cover.
Son was going down freeway vehicle pulled to the right/lost control and rolled over one and a half times due to defective macpherson strut.
Was in a head-on collision and the driver's side air bag didn't deploy . Please describe .
The driver's door lock keeps on malfunctioning (will not open or operate properly) until lately (now/today), it will neither open from the outside or from the inside. All because of a bad spring that is attached (no longer) to the locking actuator.
1992 toyota previa accessory shaft was replaced 4 times, at the rate of 1 every 50,000 miles. Going bad for the 5th time now. Common problem from other owners of this model.
Dt*: the contact stated the passenger side power window was accidentally powered up and the passengers hand was pinned to the top of the window. The power window would not release nor would it power down. The window was physically pulled down enough to release the hand. Minor injuries to the hand were sustained.
I believe this could be a serious problem in the event of an accident or vehicle fire wherein I would only be able to exit the passenger side assuming I can move over and do so.
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 6,335 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Previa has 21 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 35, above average.
What to check before buying
- Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1992 Toyota Previa?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: equipment, latches, locks, linkages, powertrain. Total complaints: 35. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (9%), A/C or heater (6%), door locks, latches, handles (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1992 Toyota Previa?
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 1992 Toyota Previa 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 1992 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.