Total Complaints
7 filings
TOYOTA VAN · model year
1985 TOYOTA VAN
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985TOYOTAVAN carries 7 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, 1 injury, 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 1985 VAN is seat belts:front:anchorage with 2 filings, followed by tires (1) and steering:linkages:knuckle:spindle:arm (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 1985 VAN, 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.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 2 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030501STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT
1985 TOYOTA VAN WITH POWER STEERING. PART OF LINKAGE CALLED CENTER ARM SNAPPED IN HALF WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH DURING TURNING. THERE WAS IMMEDIATE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. NO BODILY INJURY OCCURRED, BUT HAD THIS OCCURRED AT FREEWAY SPEED, I WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY BE DEAD. *TS ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS***761467
Mileage: 196,616
20001010SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE SEATBELT BUCKLES HAVE CRACKS IN THE PLASTIC OUTER COMPONENTS. IS THERE A RECALL ON THESE SEAT BELTS? ALSO, YOUR WEBSIGHT INDICATES A RECALL FOR STEERING COMPONENTS ON THIS 1985 TOYOTA VAN. HAVING BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED, HOW CAN I KNOW THE AFFECTED PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED?*AK
19990112ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE CAN BE STARTED WITH ANY KEY THAT CAN FIT HALFWAY INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. *AK
19981014SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT FAILED DURING COLLISION RESULTING IN INJURY, DUE TO DESIGN FLAW, SEAT BELT ONLY WORKS AT A 15% TILT.
19970727TIRES
NOT NOTIFIED OF RECALL OF STEERING ARM AND FRONT TIRES WEAR UNEVENLY, CONSTANTLY REQUIRING REPLACEMENT.
19970727STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM
NOT NOTIFIED OF RECALL OF STEERING ARM AND FRONT TIRES WEAR UNEVENLY, CONSTANTLY REQUIRING REPLACEMENT.
19960624SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT DESIGNED SO THAT IT DOES NOT ENGAGE AT LESS THAN 15 DEGREE TILT, CAUSING IT TO FAIL IN ACCIDENT. *DH
Compare 1985TOYOTAVAN to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 TOYOTA VAN have?▼
The 1985 TOYOTA VAN has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 TOYOTA VAN?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 TOYOTA VAN is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES and STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM.
Is the 1985 TOYOTA VAN 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.