Toyota MR2 Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

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

2002 TOYOTA SIENNA MINIVAN. WHEN I TRY TO OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR, I CAN HEAR IT UNLATCH BUT REMAINS SHUT. YOU HAVE TO PUSH THE REAR PART OF THE DOOR BACK IN UNTIL YOU HEAR A CLICK, THEN YOU HAVE TO VIOLENTLY PULL THE HANDLE AND THE DOOR WILL OPEN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A CLUTCH REPLACEMENT WHEN HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD ALSO NEED REPLACING. BOTH WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, WHEN THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE DEALER'S LOT, THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED BY A DIFFERENT DEALER. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO BECOME STUCK IN CERTAIN GEARS AND WOULD STALL SPORADICALLY. THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED SINCE THE DATE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 47,000. UPDATED 01/31/11/ *BF THE ENGINE GASKETS AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 04/20/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA MR2. WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOOSE POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 30MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE GARAGE. THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE CATALYTIC COVERTER, WHICH HAD BLOCKAGE CAUSING THE SENSORS TO FAIL. THE ESTIMATED COST TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND SENSORS WAS $3,800.00. THE MANUFACTURER TOOK A REPORT 1004210579;AND STATED THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY THEREFORE THEY WILL NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA MR2. THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING 35 MPH OFF OF AN ON RAMP AND STARTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE EVEN AFTER TAKING HIS FOOT OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

2002 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER MID-DRIVING, SMT SLIPS OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL. ONLY WAY TO FIX IT IS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY & LET IT SIT OVERNIGHT, DISCONNECTED. THIS RESETS THE COMPUTER & THEREAFTER THE GEARS WORK AGAIN UNTIL IT HAPPENS AGAIN. I'VE SEEN AT LEAST 50 COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT SAME PROBLEM, WHICH IS HOW I LEARNED HOW TO FIX IT. TOYOTA IGNORES COMPLAINTS. IT WILL HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING IT, ON THE ROAD. RECURS, NOT A ONE TIME INCIDENT. *TR

TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER SMT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. (5 SPEED - CLUTCHLESS SHIFTING SYSTEM) SMT TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON MY MR2 SPYDER CAR. GOT IT FIXED (OR SO I THOUGHT)AT THE DEALERSHIP AFTER EXCESSIVE EXPENSE ($3,500) REPLACING TWO ASSEMBLIES WITHIN THE SYSTEM. AFTER THIS INITIAL FIRST TRIP TO THE DEALERSHIP AND SUPPOSEDLY REPAIR, I WAS ADVISED BY DEALERSHIP THAT THE CAR WAS THOROUGHLY TESTED, ALL CODES ERASED ON THE ON BOARD COMPUTER, AND CAR TRANSMISSION WAS FIXED AND WORKING PROPERLY. SO I DROVE IT HOME. DROVE AND SHIFTED FINE FOR ABOUT 1 1/2 WEEKS AND I THOUGHT IT WAS FIXED. THEN ONE NIGHT WHILE DRIVING, SURROUNDED BY TRAFFIC AND A FEW TRUCKS, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, BEGAN LURCHING - MIS SHIFTING WITH NEW SQUEALING NOISES COMING FROM THE BACK. I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR - NOT THE STEERING - THE MOMENTUM OF THE CAR VANISHED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY - WITH RANDOM SHIFTING OCCURRING WITHOUT EVEN TOUCHING THE STICK SHIFT. I WAS VERY, VERY LUCKY GETTING THE CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT GETTING HIT BY ANY OF THE TRAFFIC AROUND ME AT THAT TIME. THE CAR IS VERY SMALL AND COULD EASILY BE CRUSHED BY LARGER VEHICLES IN THAT REDUCED OPERATION CONDITION. IT WAS ALSO DARK. I ALSO WAS VERY LUCKY THAT I COULD "LIMP" IT HOME FROM THERE AFTER I TRIED TO SURMISE WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO IT. SO IT SQUEALED AND MISSHIFTED ALL THE AWAY HOME - I HAD TO STAY IN SECOND OR THIRD GEAR GOING SLOW ON SECONDARY ROADS WITH MY FLASHERS ON. AFTERWARDS - I HAVE REQUESTED HELP FROM TOYOTA THE CORPORATION AND DEALERSHIP FOR WHAT I FEEL IS A DEFECTIVE SMT SYSTEM. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN ESPECIALLY AFTER IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FIXED AFTER ALL OF THE DIAGNOSTICS/TESTING/ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENTS, ETC. THAT THEY PERFORMED! WHY WOULD TOYOTA ALLOW SOMEONE TO DRIVE AWAY WITH SUCH A POTENTIAL HAZARD LIKE THAT? RIDICULOUS AND DANGEROUS! I TOOK IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THEY DID MORE DIAGNOSTICS - RECOMMEND MORE REPLACEMENT OF VERY VERY EXPENSIVE PARTS - HELP!!!! *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA WITH 62,000 MI. I HAVE BEEN TO TWO TOYOTA DEALERS TO FIGURE OUT MY PROBLEM. THE VSC TRAC, VSC OFF, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE COMING ON. FINALLY AFTER @$700 OF MY MONEY, THEY FIGURED OUT THE PROBLEM TO BE THE ECU. THIS WILL NOW COST ME @1800 FOR PARTS, AND WHO KNOWS YET FOR LABOR. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT MANY OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE SITUATION, UNLESS YOU HAVE THE EXT. WARRANTY. I FEEL THAT TOYOTA NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, MAYBE RECALL THIS AND FIX THESE CARS BEFORE THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. I LIVE IN NEW YORK WHERE THERE IS ALOT OF SNOW. MY VSC WILL NOT WORK UNTIL I GET THIS FIXED. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND HAVE TO RELAY ON STANDARD BRAKES IN THE SNOW UNTIL THIS IS FIXED. TOYOTA SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR REPUTABLE NAME AND FIX THESE PROBLEMS ASAP..... *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVING FORWARD OR IN REVERSE AT APPROXIMATELY 4 TO 10 MPH, IT SHAKES VIOLENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY AND USUALLY IN COLD WEATHER. THE VEHICLE SHAKES ROUGHLY AFTER IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR A WHILE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS. SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 20040604 WAS REFERENCED. THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE STEERING RACK AND STEERING COMPUTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $2,200. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

I PURCHASED A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA IN NOVEMBER 2002. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE SALES PERSON TOLD ME THAT THE HEATING/AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM APPEARED TO BE A POORLY DESIGNED, BUT I DID NOT THINK THAT A BIG OBSTACLE TO MY PURCHASE. I HAD CONTINUAL PROBLEMS TRYING TO REGULATE THE TEMPERATURE IN THE VEHICLE. IT WAS EITHER 65 DEGREES AND THE NEXT LEVEL DOWN WAS COLD. I WAS ALWAYS FLIPPING THE KNOB BACK AND FORTH TRYING TO REGULATE THE TEMPERATURE. THIS WAS NOT A BIG SAFETY ISSUE UNLESS TAKING MY EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR THESE ADJUSTMENTS CAN BE CONSIDERED HAZARDOUS. BUT I LIVE IN A SOMEWHAT COLD CLIMATE AND I HAVE HAD TROUBLE KEEPING THE WINDOWS DEFROSTED ON SOME DAYS PARTICULARLY IF THE HUMIDITY WAS HIGH. THIS COULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE. I JUST TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE AIR CONDITIONER LIGHT WAS BLINKING. LOOKING AT A REPAIR BILL OF AROUND $1,600.00 FOR A NEW COMPRESSOR AND CLUTCH. OF COURSE, I DO NOT HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AS THIS WAS MY SIXTH TOYOTA ,AND I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS SUCH AS THIS IS THE PAST. SINCE I HAVE READ THAT OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS I WOULD URGE SOMEONE TO LOOK INTO THE ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE GOT KILLED BECAUSE OF INABILITY TO SEE OUT THE FRONT WINDOW. *AK

ONE WEEK AGO I WAS RUNNING ERRANDS WITH THE TOYOTA SEQUOIA, BUT THE CAR REFUSED TO START ONCE I COMPLETED MY ERRANDS. EVENTUALLY, THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED AND THE REPAIR SHOP REPORTED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT BRACKET AND LEVER WERE BROKEN AND THEREFORE PREVENTED THE GEAR FROM PROPERLY GOING INTO PARK. THE REPAIR SHOP REPORTED SEEING SEVERAL SUCH CASES RECENTLY BUT STATED THAT TOYOTA HAS INFORMED HIM THAT THE PROBLEM RESULTED FROM IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE GEAR SHIFT. I HAD THECAR FOR MORE THAN 5 YEARS AND HAVE ALWAYS FOLLOWED THE PROPER PROCEDURE. PERHAPS THIS NEEDED FURTHER INVESTIGATION. *AK

1:40 PM, JAN 20, 2007, I WAS DRIVING MY SEQUOIA N/B ON SIERRA HWY IN THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA. I WAS TRAVELING APPROX 40-45 MPH. I NOTICED A SLIGHT STIFFNESS IN THE STEERING. A SHORT TIME LATER THE LEFT FRONT OF MY VEHICLE VIOLENTLY FELL TO THE GROUND. THERE WERE VEHICLES BEHIND ME AND WITH DIFFICULTY I STEERED TO THE CURB. WHEN THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND, I HEARD A LOUD 'BANG', AND I FELT THAT I LOST SOME OF MY BRAKES. ONE OF THE DRIVERS BEHIND ME TOLD ME SHE SAW SPARKS COMING FROM UNDER MY VEHICLE. I LOOKED AT THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. I SAW THE LEFT FRONT TIRE, WHEEL & HUB (ALL STILL ATTACHED) FOLDED UNDER THE LEFT RUNNING BOARD PREVENTING THE FRONT FENDER AND BUMPER FROM FALLING DIRECTLY TO THE ROADWAY. I SAW THAT THE BRAKE LINES APPEARED TO BE BROKEN. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO TOYOTA ON MON, JAN 22, 2007. I WAS TOLD THAT IT APPEARED THE LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT HAD BROKEN CAUSING THE WHEEL TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED THEIR SERVICE DIRECTOR TO DETERMINE WHAT REPAIRS SHOULD BE MADE. I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT TOYOTA HAD 'NO LIABILITY' TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE AT THEIR EXPENSE. REPAIR ESTIMATE IS APPROX $5,000. + THE RENTAL VEHICLE THEY ARRANGED. I WAS TOLD A REGIONAL SERVICE INSPECTOR WOULD LOOK AT MY VEHICLE. I TOLD THEM THAT I WANTED THE OLD PARTS IF REPAIRS WERE TO BE MADE. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE. I WENT TO THE TOYOTA WEB SITE AND NOTICED NUMEROUS RECALL NOTICES FROM TOYOTA FOR FRONT BALL JOINT FAILURES ON MY TYPE OF VEHICLE. I RECEIVED NO RECALL NOTICES FROM TOYOTA. TOYOTA STATED MY VIN WAS NOT ON THE LIST FOR ANY RECALL NOTICES. THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPT STATED THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED 'NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR' THAT WOULD REQUIRE ME TO HAVE THIS ITEM CHECKED DURING ALL OF MY REGULAR MAINTENANCE SERVICES. THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY TO MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. AS OF THIS DATE I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THE REGIONAL INSPECTOR HAS INSPECTED MY VEHICLE. *JB

DT: 2002 TOYOTA RUNNER. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR LOWER BALL JOINT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE WHEELS WERE CUTTING THE TIRES ON FRONT WHERE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS LOCATED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED TOYOTA, WHO SAID IT IS NOT RELATED TO LOWER BALL JOINT, AND THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE CONSUMER. THIS HAS BEING HAPPENING SINCE THE CONSUMER BOUGHT VEHICLE. IT HAS 30,000 MILES , AND NEEDED NEW TIRES.*AK