Toyota GR86 Complaints (2023)

17 consumer complaints on file.

#11759341August 25, 2026
ENGINE
Had my engine spin a bearing in 2023 and was told to report what had happened. The car was used in track days prior to this but while driving down the highway afterwards it lost oil pressure and spun a nearing. Had it towed Twin City Toyota, a dealer and had them give me the run around with it. Saying it had hit the limiter 60 miles before the issue accrued and that it “over revved 13 rpms” and that since it had hit the limiter and being a stick shut it voided my warranty. Told me I would have to pay 26K for a new motor and if not to get my car out of there. They also refused to give me any documentation for it and what they claimed was on the cars data stream. Toyota corporate also got involved and said they changed the warranty terms after I bought the car and wouldn’t warranty it because of what the dealer was claiming.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758447August 21, 2026
ENGINE
Vehicle experienced catastrophic engine failure while driving at 45mph. Inspection results from Toyota said the issue was a rod failure due to a spun bearing no cause ever determined by Toyota. Engine failure like this while in operation could lead to serious injury or death under the right circumstances. No engine lights to indicate prior problem and vehicle was serviced less than a month before incident occurred. Vehicle was under warranty but Toyota refused to honor the warranty. Oil starvation is the number one cause of spun bearing leading to engine failure Toyota didn't even consider this as a potential cause because of the implication. There are countless stories from GR86 and BRZ owners that have experienced the same engine failure. The RTV sealant Toyota is using to seal the oil pans is being over applied at production and leaking into the pan getting sucked into the oil pickup and causing the oil starvation that is destroying the engines. There needs to be a recall on all GR86 models that had RTV used to seal the pans and have them fitted with a proper gasket to eliminate this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758195August 20, 2026
ENGINE
My engine started smoking and eventually completely stopped on side of road. There were no warning lights or errors until issues started.it found have exploded or I could have been seriously injured as I was on expressway.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756932August 14, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
While driving on the highway at approximately 80–90 mph, the vehicle experienced an unexpected RPM increase as I came off the accelerator, an engine-misfire warning, sudden loss of power, and engine shutdown. I immediately pulled over. Smoke came from the engine compartment, engine oil had been expelled throughout the engine bay, and oil was leaking underneath the vehicle. The vehicle became completely inoperable, creating a serious safety risk at highway speed. An independent Toyota Master Technician later documented catastrophic internal failure involving Cylinder No. 2. The piston and connecting-rod assembly were destroyed, the connecting rod contacted the engine block, a hole was present through the short block, extensive metal debris was found in the oil pan, piston material was crushed into the oil pan, an internal valvetrain component was also found there, and the engine was seized, limiting any teardown. The technician also observed material consistent with factory-applied FIPG/RTV sealant in the oil-pickup area and separate sealant-like material protruding into a head-gasket passage where it should not have been present. He stated that the location was consistent with excess sealant being applied during assembly and squeezed inward, supporting the possibility of a manufacturing-related defect. He stated that proper evaluation should have included measuring the amount of sealant and any obstruction, inspecting the oil pump, filter, bearings, oil-pan debris, and evaluating for restricted oil flow. Those measurements and results were not provided by the dealership or Toyota. Instead, I had to call law enforcement to receive a minimal repair order and my car at no cost from the dealership 8 months later. I am reporting this because excess factory sealant intruding into an oil-related or head-gasket passage could potentially restrict lubrication and create a serious safety concern if similar conditions exist in other vehicles, which have also been documented.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756294August 11, 2026
ENGINE
Engine blew around May, what caused this issue would be unknown even though the dealership said it was excessive RTV on the oil pan, there was no RTV on the oil pan (i have a picture). I was driving on the highway and slowing down to take my exit, it happened around 25mph, car got stuck on 3rd gear if im not mistaken (its an automatic transmission by the way). Ended up with 3 holes in the engine block, a missing valve, oil all over the engine bay which caused the car to release white smoke through exhaust and hood.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755644August 8, 2026
TIRES:SIDEWALL
215 45 R 17 tire flew off the rim on a straight paved highway road going 45 mph. The sidewall separated all the way around and the tire was not torn anywhere else. The mileage was 29395.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750589July 15, 2026
ENGINE
I was driving on US Hwy 89 in Arizona when the engine lost power at 60mph and was unable to restart after pulling over to the shoulder of the highway. There were no warning lights or indicators whatsoever. When the vehicle came to a stop, the entire dashboard lit up and the engine cut out while the vehicle was still on. Mechanic diagnostic found a thrown bearing and total engine failure due to low oil. Refused warranty on account of taking the vehicle to an oil change outside the dealership.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744164June 15, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota GR86. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH, the engine blew up, causing the vehicle to stall, and there was a significant amount of smoke coming from underneath the hood. The message "Engine Misfire" was displayed. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that engine oil had leaked out and spread underneath the hood, and the oil was leaking onto the ground. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it remained for 8 months, and the contact was informed that there was sludge in the oil due to lack of maintenance. The dealer sent diagnostic pictures to an unauthorized party, who forwarded the pictures to the contact. However, the contact stated that the engine oil color was amber, and there was no sludge. The contacted stated that the diagnostic pictures also displayed fragments of a piston and a lifter in the oil pan. The contact contacted the Police, who arrived at the dealer with the contact and forced the dealer to release the vehicle with the service reports. The contact stated that the dealer had previously refused to disclose the diagnostic information. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was returned to the owner the same month the warranty had expired. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied the warranty coverage. The failure mileage was 35,053.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700627November 20, 2025
ENGINE
A defective set of spark plugs with certain model year 2023 Toyota GR86 to have premature failure. While driving at highway speed spark plug blew up resulting in a cylinder 4 misfire and loss of drivability. The service advisor from the Toyota dealership unofficially confirmed this has happened to multiple other gr86 models. Along with being unofficially confirmed by an aftermarket specialist. Original diagnostic from the dealership was to replace the motor due to all of the issues, while a local certified mechanic has replaced the spark plug, coil pack, and is continuing to troubleshoot as the head gasket also needs to be replaced. No warnings lights or signs were present prior to failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11668429June 22, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel lines on right hand side of engine bay (when viewed from front of vehicle) show signs of wear due to contact with other components. I am unsure what components exactly, but wear significant enough to cause material removal from EPDM fuel line outer sleeve.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11668428June 22, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel lines in the engine bay are rubbing against the hood insulation and wearing down. The first generation GR86 fuel lines had sleeves compared to the second generation..
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11668417June 22, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
There are two fuel lines on each side of the engine bay, driver and passenger going into the injector rails. One of the fuel lines on the driver side is rubbing on the underside of the hood, when closed, causing marks, and potentially a burst on a fuel lines, causing fires. The fuel line on my car has rub marks, and visually “wearing it down”. No bursts, yet. There has been about 10-15 cases of GR86/BRZ (essentially the same car), with fires starting randomly from the engine bay on the driver side, rising the chances of this being a reality, and a VERY SERIOUS issue with these cars. And with this issue arising from FB groups, many other owners have come forward and confirmed the same rubbing marks on the same fuel line, or even in both on the same side instead of just the one.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11666520June 12, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owned a 2023 Toyota GR86 Sport vehicle. The contact stated that while driving 139 MPH for a couple of minutes, the vehicle stalled. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was covered under warranty; however, the dealer informed the contact that the repair could not be covered under warranty because the engine failure occurred due to customer abuse. The contact stated that the vehicle was designed with a maximum speed of 140 MPH. The contact was charged a repair fee, and the vehicle was traded for another vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11642659February 14, 2025
ENGINE
Oil leak caused from poor/bad spark tube seals Fire Hazard: Oil leaks, especially from hot engine parts, can increase the risk of fire. Oil on the exhaust system or other components can ignite, causing a dangerous situation. Car was brought to dealership for a leak. Oil was found leaking from engine gasket cover from spark tube seals. Toyota only fixes the seals that are found cracked. ALL seals should be replaced as preventative measure. It is a known issue that these seals are bad from various forums. Subaru has a service bulletin SB22-168 related to spark plug pipe gasket leaks. (same engine as their Subaru BRZ)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11578428March 20, 2024
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
One day I noticed something dangling near the rear license plate while parked. It was the right-side license plate light. Upon inspection of the (good) left-side license plate light, everything seemed pretty secure. The right-side license plate light has a plastic bracket on the one side and a plastic clip on the other side. The plastic clip broke off. I don't think it's been that way long, and I can't think of anything that could have caused it as a daily driver. I do drive it in the snow, and I only noticed it while wiping snow away with my snow brush. I don't think the brush ripped it off, but I also don't know if it was hanging out prior. Maybe the brush bristles got between the light assembly and the bumper, but it's such an unusual spot for anything to interface with the light assembly. There doesn't appear to be a vapor barrier between either of the license plate lights (for better or worse). The rectangular light assembly is somewhat obstructed from dangling further out thanks to the license plate bracket, although dangling wires could later induce other problems. There are no faults or indicators on the dashboard. The light is still operational. The plastic of the license plate light assembly doesn't appear to be the highest quality plastic though, kind of an odd design. The car is a lease and under warranty, but otherwise the OE hardware is about $35, plus labor.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11571279February 11, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
The drivers side window imploded on me while driving on the highway. A rock did not hit it, it just cracked into a thousands pieces on me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11487412October 1, 2022
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The car began throwing alerts about SRS system failure, RAB failure and eyesight (safety system) being disabled suddenly while driving. Dealership said dashcam plugged into the 12v port in the car overloaded the fuse. Issue remains that the dashcam remained functional before and after and fuse for 12v is independent of the electrical wiring for the safety features. Dealership dismissed as it as a non warranty/safety issue as a third party device was connected to the car. Claimed this is applicable for any devices connected into the car including a phone. 10amp fuse independent of the safety system (7.5amp fuse) was replaced to remedy the problem. Concern is any device connected to the vehicle may disable all safety system of the car including the airbags or possible manufacturer defects made during assembly of this vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Toyota GR86