Total Complaints
10 filings
TOYOTA VAN · model year
1986 TOYOTA VAN
10 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986TOYOTAVAN carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 6 fires, 3 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 1986 VAN is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 4 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring:front underhood (2) and electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery (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 1986 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.
10
Complaints
0
Crashes
6
Fires
3
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 4 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030113SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
CONSUMER STATED WHEN BRAKING, THERE IS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE.*JB
20020514FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER NOTICED FIRE COMING OUT OF THE FRONT WHEEL WELL AREA, CONSUMER HEARD 2 EXPLOSIONS, CONSUMER SUFFERED BURNS TO LEFT HAND, FIRE INVESTIGATOR WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE, POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT
20020228FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER NOTICED FIRE COMING OUT OF THE FRONT WHEEL WELL AREA, CONSUMER HEARD 2 EXPLOSIONS, CONSUMER SUFFERED BURNS TO LEFT HAND, FIRE INVESTIGATOR WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE, POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT
20011120FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING A FIRE IGNITED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CAUSE HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED.*SLC
19990512SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEATBELT ANCHORAGE ON DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE AND SEPARATED, CAUSING A LOSS OF PROTECTION. *AK
19970203ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WAS DRIVING AND THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE ENGINE PULLEY BROKE . *AK
19961211ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
OWNER STATES THAT THEIR IS EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE ENGINE GOING INSIDE VEHICLE. OWNER IS CONCERNED ABOUT VEHICLE CATCHING FIRE BECAUSE OF THIS. SHE ALSO NOTES THAT FLOOR OF VEHICLE IS HARD BECAUSE OF ABNORMAL TEMPERTURES. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HEAT IS SO EXCESSIVE THAT IT BURNED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CARPET. *SLC
19951211FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, UNKNOWN SOURCE OF FIRE IN VEHICLE. TT
19950615FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
ELECTRICAL FIRE UNDER HOOD. *SKD
19950307FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
HOT WIRE SHORTED OUT VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE HAD TO CUT GROUND CABLE TO TURN OFF THE POWER. RESULTED IN UNDERHOOD FIRE. TT
Compare 1986TOYOTAVAN to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 TOYOTA VAN have?▼
The 1986 TOYOTA VAN has 10 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 6 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 TOYOTA VAN?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 TOYOTA VAN is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY.
Is the 1986 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.