Total Complaints
5 filings
TOYOTA MR2 · model year
1987 TOYOTA MR2
5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987TOYOTAMR2 carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1987 MR2 is power train with 1 filings, followed by seat belts:front:retractor (1) and latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 51 investigation files overlapping the 1987 MR2, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
5
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20100204CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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. *TR
20020308ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
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
20010306SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
SEAT BELT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOES NOT RELEASE FROM LOCKING MECHANISM. *AK
20010306LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
WHILE DRIVING HOOD LATCH RELEASED, CAUSING HOOD TO FLY UP, BLOCKING DRIVERS VISION, AND CRACKING THE WINDSHIELD. *AK THE CRUMPLED HOOD DAMAGED THE SUS ROOF AS WELL. *YH
20001013POWER TRAIN
BOUGHT CAR WITH 97,800 MILES CARFAX REPORTS MUCH HIGHER MILES THAN THAT. ODOMETER WAS TAMPERED WITH.*AK
Compare 1987TOYOTAMR2 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 TOYOTA MR2 have?▼
The 1987 TOYOTA MR2 has 5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 TOYOTA MR2?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 TOYOTA MR2 is POWER TRAIN with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR and LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH.
Is the 1987 TOYOTA MR2 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.