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Toyota MR2Model year report

1986 Toyota MR2 Problems

Complaints
6filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
250,000miles, 2 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
25 mpgcombined, 1.6L 4-cyl RWD · 22 city / 29 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1986 Toyota MR2 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 6 consumer complaints for the 1986 Toyota MR2. The part named most often is brakes, with 2 complaints (33% of the total), followed by engine cooling (2) and equipment (1). 2 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 250,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 17 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine cooling complaints overlap with 1 NHTSA investigation filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Brakes: “Seat belts are controlled from a plastic piece which makes contact with door. Out of all three MR2's I own and ones that I've seen none of them are intact. Making all the seat belts useless. I've solved this problem by buying a five point race harness'. Emergency brakes are notorious for breaking. So far I had to replace all of my emergency brake cables. Also all none of the truck latches work. I've even repaired my dad's friend Toyota sierra van's rear sliding door mechanism. This is all because the cables become longer after use.”

NHTSA complaint #10307138, filed 2010-02, 250,000 miles

Engine cooling: “The flange of the exhaust pipe heat shield is located too close to the outlet end of the exhaust pipe. The flange has worn through the oil pan, causing an oil leak.”

NHTSA complaint #834383, filed 1999-02

Equipment: “I own an 1986 Toyota MR2 with a 4 age engine and manual transmission. I was driving around the neighborhood when I approached a neighborhood intersection. The engine started to rev really high and I put the car into neutral. I sat at the intersection for a while trying to find out what the problem was. This was the first and only time it has happened to me. So I started to jiggle the limp gas pedal. Soon after I looked in the engine bay and had seen that a rubber piece was jammed under the throttle linkage. …”

NHTSA complaint #10307137, filed 2010-02, 250,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

0% of the 2 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 250,000 and 250,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–250%25–500%50–750%75–1000%100–150100%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (2 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 250,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

1996319992010
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1986 Toyota MR2 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
MR2 RWD1.6L 4-cyl4-speed automatic222925$2,700
MR2 RWD1.6L 4-cyl5-speed manual232825$2,700

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1986 Toyota MR2 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 17 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 17 bulletins →

Other model years of the Toyota MR2

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2003634,7500—25—Not enough data
2002645,0000—24—Not enough data
199112130,0001—22—Not enough data
19875—0—25—Not enough data
19866250,0000—25—Not enough data

All Toyota MR2 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1986 Toyota MR2 have?

NHTSA recorded 6 consumer complaints for the 1986 Toyota MR2 as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1986 Toyota MR2 is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 2 complaints (33% of the total), followed by engine cooling with 2.

Has the 1986 Toyota MR2 been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1986 Toyota MR2 get?

The EPA rates the 1986 Toyota MR2 (MR2, 1.6L 4-cyl) at 25 mpg combined, 22 city and 29 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,700 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1986 Toyota MR2 reported?

Among the 2 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 250,000 miles and the middle half falls between 250,000 and 250,000 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.