TOYOTA PREVIA · model year

1992 TOYOTA PREVIA

39 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1992TOYOTAPREVIA carries 39 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 2 fires, 2 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 1992 PREVIA is air bags:frontal with 2 filings, followed by latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch (2) and seats (2). 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 1992 PREVIA, 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.

39
Complaints
4
Crashes
2
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

39 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
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH2
SEATS2
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR2
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.2
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER2
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE2
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE1
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER1
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER1

Recent Complaints

20090305LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

TOYOTA PREVIA. MANUFACTURE DATES BETWEEN 1989 TILL 1993? BUT MY 1992 TOYOTA PREVIA HAS A SAFETY ISSUE. 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. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN PART OF WHEN THE VEHICLE GETS INTO AN ACCIDENT, EMERGENCY CREW OR THE DRIVERS CANNOT EXIT THE VEHICLE. DRIVERS HAD TO USE THE PASSENGERS DOOR. THIS IS UNSATISFACTORY. IF THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE DUE IN PART TO THE NEGLIGENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TOYOTA CORP. THEN WE ARE REALLY IN DIRE STRAITS FOR THIS COUNTRY THAT I LOVE. THANK YOU. *TR

Mileage: 100,000

20090210POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

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. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

20060525VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

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. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN ALERTED. UPDATED 12/12/2006 - LATER THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT SHE HAD ACCIDENTALLY LOCKED THE WINDOWS. APPARENTLY THE CONSUMER HAD PRESSED THE WINDOW LOCK BUTTON WHEN SHE ORIGINALLY CLOSE THE WINDOW. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THERE SHOULD BE SOME TYPE OF SENSOR TO PREVENT THE WINDOWS FROM BEING LOCKED SHUT. *NM

Mileage: 44,000

20051118LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

FOR THE LAST 10 MONTHS THE ELECTRIC DRIVER'S SIDE LOCK ON MY 1992 TOYOTA PREVIA HAS BEEN MALFUNCTIONING SPORADICALLY. SOMETIMES IT WOULD WORK FINE, OTHERS IT WOULD WORK MANUALLY. RECENTLY, THE ELECTRONIC LOCK HAS FAILED TO FUNCTION BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONICALLY OR MANUALLY. 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. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS EXTENSIVELY ON THE INTERNET AND APPARENTLY THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE AND YET THERE WAS NEVER EITHER A RECALL OR A WARNING/REPAIR NOTICE ISSUED. *JB

Mileage: 170,000

20040520VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

WHILE BRAKING CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM

Mileage: 100,000

20031216TIRES:SIDEWALL

FRONT TIRES WERE SHOWING CRACKS IN SIDEWALL. *AK

20020625EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

IN A YAHOO.COM AUTO REVIEW " A FAULTY EXPANSION VALVE MAY CAUSE THE AIR CONDITIONER TO GRADUALLY LOOSE EFFICIENCY IN 1992 AND 1993 TOYOTA PREVIAS" I BELIEVE THIS IS MY PROBLEM FOR I DISCOVERED I HAVE PLENTY OF FREON INSIDE.*AK

20010723PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL

ON 7/15/2001 I DROVE MY WIFE'S PREVIA AND NOTICED THAT IT SEEMED TO HAVE AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF DRAG WHILE GLIDING WHILE IN "DRIVE" AS IF THE BRAKES WERE SOMEHOW ON, ALTHOUGH NEITHER THE MAIN BRAKES NOR THE PARKING BRAKE WERE ON. ONE DAY LATER, MY TOYOTA DEALER TELLS ME THAT IT WAS A "STICKING PARKING BRAKE" AND THAT IT WOULD COST $490 (!!) TO FIX. A FEW CALLS TO OTHER MI TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS CONFIRMED THAT IT'S NOT AN UNUSUAL PROBLEM AT ALL. SINCE THE PARKING BRAKE DRUM AND SHOE UNIT IS SEPARATE FROM THE REAR DISC BRAKE ROTORS, BUT STILL ENCLOSED FROM THE WEATHER, I HAVE NO IDEA AS TO WHY THIS WOULD BE SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM. THE COST OF $490 IS ABOUT WHAT A FULL DEALER DONE BRAKE JOB WOULD COST IF NONE OF THE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT SEEMS TO ME, AND MANY OTHER CAR OWNERS WERE THEY ASKED, THAT BRAKES CAN WEAR OUT BUT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT TO CAUSE TERMINAL DETERIORATION IN SUCH AN IMPORTANT SYSTEM IS BEYOND COMPREHENSION. A HIGH VOLUME DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THEY

20010307POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

20001204CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING 65MPH A DEER APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE & WAS HIT. UPON IMPACT WITH DEER, NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

20000425ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING EXHAUST SYSTEM WOULD MAKE LOUD/HORRIBLE/RATTLING NOISES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT FLEX TUBE WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. IT WAS ALSO AFFECTING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER & BOTH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

20000321LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WON'T OPEN . TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE FOR REPAIRS BECAUSE CAR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. ALSO, VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE BECAUSE CONSUMER HAD TO SLIDE ACROSS THE SEAT TO GET OUT. *AK

20000127SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

A DAY OR TWO AFTER TRANSPORTING A FULL LOAD (SIX PASSENGERS PLUS DRIVER, NO LUGGAGE) AND PASSING OVER A SMALL BUMP ON THE ACCESS TO A BRIDGE ON A MAIN ROAD (PR-2) THE BRAKE FLUID STARTED COMING OUT THE CENTER METAL BRAKE LINES THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL OF THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE,DRIVING VERY SLOWLY, STOPPING TO ADD BRAKE FLUID' TO A BRAKE SHOP WHERE A TEMPORARY REPAIR WAS DONE. NEW BRAKE LINES WERE ORDERED FROM THE US, AS THEY WERE NOT AVAILABLE LOCALLY. *AK

19990801STEERING

SUPPLEMENTAL DRIVESHAFT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IN MOST PREVIAS COSTING $1000

19990108EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

CASSETTE TAPE WILL EJECT AFTER STARTED TO PLAY. CD PLAYER HAS DEVELOPED A ONE SIDE ONLY IN "ON" WHILE THE OTHER SIDE IS COMPLETELY "OFF". WITH SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO OPERATE OF NO LUCK.

19981124SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM

THE ACCESSARY SHAFT IS DEFECTIVE AND TO CHANGE THE BUSHING YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE WHOLE SHAFT WHICH COST ABOUT $850. ALL THE DEALERS KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND IN ALMOST ALL THE PREVIA'S FROM THE YR 1991 TO 1993 ACCESSARY SHAFT HAVE BEEN REPLACED. PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM.

19980804POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

THE AUXILLIARY DRIVESHAFT IS MAKING NOISE. OWNER TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR CHECK UP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. DEALER SUGGESTS THAT VEHICLE NOT BE DRIVEN. *AK

19980522STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

ELECTRONIC SOLENOID VALVE MANFUNCTIONS. WHEN THIS OCCURS CONSUMER IS NOT ABLE TO EXIT VEHICLE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

19980402EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

AIR CONDITIONER FAILED.

19980123ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY BEGIN TO SLOW DOWN, WILL COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKES. CONSUMER TRIES TO PUSH THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE, CAUSING THE BRAKES TO BURN , INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *AK

Compare 1992TOYOTAPREVIA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1992 TOYOTA PREVIA have?
The 1992 TOYOTA PREVIA has 39 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1992 TOYOTA PREVIA?
The most-complained component for the 1992 TOYOTA PREVIA is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH and SEATS.
Is the 1992 TOYOTA PREVIA 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.