TOYOTA MR2 · model year

2004 TOYOTA MR2

2 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2004TOYOTAMR2 carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2004 MR2 is power train with 2 filings. Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.

NHTSA currently has 51 investigation files overlapping the 2004 MR2, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

2 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN2

Recent Complaints

20250731POWER TRAIN

Within the first two weeks after purchasing the vehicle, I noticed a transmission issue where the vehicle would not properly shift gears. I sometimes would try to up or downshift but there would be no change in the display on the gear indicator. Later there became an issue where the vehicle would put itself into neutral while I was in gear and driving, which would cause the vehicle to stop completely in traffic, putting myself and other drivers in the vicinity at risk. This became more and more frequent, and the vehicle even got to the point where it would not shift beyond 2nd gear and was essentially inoperable. After taking the vehicle to Toyota, it was explained to me that they would not be able to repair the vehicle as one of the faulty parts has been discontinued, and advised that I get my money back on the car. The Toyota mechanic further explained that even if the part was replaced, the vehicle may continue to experience the same issue. The dealership that I purchased the vehicl

20120201POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA MR2 SPIDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHENEVER THIS OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT GEARS. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE CODES TO THE TRANSMISSION MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,000. UPDATED 04/10/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED OVER A YEAR AGO, THE VEHICLE STARTED STALLING AFTER ABOUT 50 MILES. THE EVENT BECAME MORE AND MORE FREQUENT, AFTER A SHORT 50 MILE DRIVE. WHEN HE STOPPED, THE MOTOR WOULD RE-START, BUT THE SEQUENTIAL TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT RESPOND UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. ON ONE OCCASION, THE TRANSMISSION BECAME STUCK IN 2ND GEAR. UPDATED 04/13/12

Compare 2004TOYOTAMR2 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 TOYOTA MR2 have?
The 2004 TOYOTA MR2 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 TOYOTA MR2?
The most-complained component for the 2004 TOYOTA MR2 is POWER TRAIN with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2004 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2004 TOYOTA MR2; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.