TOYOTA PICKUP · model year

1985 TOYOTA PICKUP

10 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports. 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 1985TOYOTAPICKUP carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 1 fatality. 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 1985 PICKUP is tires with 3 filings, followed by parking brake (2) and steering (1). 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 1985 PICKUP, 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.

10
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
1
Deaths

Total Complaints

10 filings

Crashes Reported

4 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
TIRES3
PARKING BRAKE2
STEERING1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
SUSPENSION:REAR1
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS1
WHEELS1

Recent Complaints

20211012WHEELS

The contact owns a 1985 Toyota Pickup. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph when the vehicle began emitting a noise coming from the rear axle. The contact was able to pull over and noticed that 3/4 lug nuts had sheared off. The contact drove to a local mechanic where it was repaired but continues to experience the same failure. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with, NHTSA Campaign Number: 85V129000 (WHEELS) however the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of failure and told the contact that they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Mileage: 100,000

20121001CrashTIRES

1985 TOYOTA 4X4. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ACCIDENT AND SNOW TIRES *TGW THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE OTHER DETAILED INFORMATION, SUCH AS CRASH TEST, DEFECTS AND STATISTICS INFORMATION.

20001114STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS REPAIRED. CONSUMER NOTICED VIBRATION FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE, AFTER INSPECTION THE ENTIRE FRAME OF THE TRUCK WAS FOUND TO BE CORRODED BADLY ESPECIALLY IN THE RIGHT REAR SECTION WHERE THE REAR SPRINGS ARE SHACKLED TO THE FRAME. *SLC

20001114PARKING BRAKE

EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS REPAIRED. CONSUMER NOTICED VIBRATION FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE, AFTER INSPECTION THE ENTIRE FRAME OF THE TRUCK WAS FOUND TO BE CORRODED BADLY ESPECIALLY IN THE RIGHT REAR SECTION WHERE THE REAR SPRINGS ARE SHACKLED TO THE FRAME. *SLC

20000928PARKING BRAKE

BELLCRANK AND BRACKET FROZEN RENDERING PARKING BRAKE INOPERATIVE. DISSIMILAR METALS WITH HEAVY CORROSION OF COMPONENTS AT CONTACT AREA IN EVIDENCE.

19981005SUSPENSION:REAR

REAR AXLE BROKE CAUSING WHEEL TO FALL OFF. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT).

19960918CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

UPON PLACING INTO REVERSE GEAR EXPEIENCED ENGINE SURGE, THEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, OVERPOWERING BRAKES, FINALLY HIT AN OTHER RV DUE TO THOTTLE STICKING.*AK

19960502TIRES

ATLAS TIRES WEAR ON INSIDE OF TIRE. *DSH

19960417CrashFatalTIRES

VEHICLE MODIFIED WITH LARGER TIRES WHICH, CAUSED DEATH WHEN VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER DUE TO THE CHANGE IN THE CENTER OF GRAVITY. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *SD

19950622CrashSTEERING

VEHICLE LOST CONTROL/ROLLOVER, RESULTING IN INJURY. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *SKD

Compare 1985TOYOTAPICKUP to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1985 TOYOTA PICKUP have?
The 1985 TOYOTA PICKUP has 10 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 TOYOTA PICKUP?
The most-complained component for the 1985 TOYOTA PICKUP is TIRES with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include PARKING BRAKE and STEERING.
Is the 1985 TOYOTA PICKUP 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 1985 TOYOTA PICKUP; 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.