IllustrationTOLD BY PATT LOBB TOYOTA IN MCKINNEY, TX THAT TOYOTA NA WILL BE REACHING OUT TO ME. "UNABLE TO REPLACE STEERING WHEEL" UNDER RECALL 91V223
1991 Toyota MR2
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all MR2 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 5 of 12 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
12 reportsFOR YEARS I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING A RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA EVERY FEW MONTHS. I THINK IT IS FOR AIRBAGS, BUT I'M NOT SURE. THE NOTICE ALWAYS SAYS TO CALL MY LOCAL DEALER, WHICH I HAVE DONE A FEW TIMES WITHOUT ANY SATISFACTION. THE LAST TIME I PURSUED THE REPAIR MORE VIGOROUSLY, AND TOYOTA TOLD ME THEY NO LONGER HAVE THE REPAIR K…
Read full complaint
FOR YEARS I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING A RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA EVERY FEW MONTHS. I THINK IT IS FOR AIRBAGS, BUT I'M NOT SURE. THE NOTICE ALWAYS SAYS TO CALL MY LOCAL DEALER, WHICH I HAVE DONE A FEW TIMES WITHOUT ANY SATISFACTION. THE LAST TIME I PURSUED THE REPAIR MORE VIGOROUSLY, AND TOYOTA TOLD ME THEY NO LONGER HAVE THE REPAIR KITS AND SO CANNOT FIX MY CAR. NOW I HAVE JUST RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE FOR THE SAME ISSUE, WHICH IS CLEARLY AN IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE. I WANT THE CAR REPAIRED.
I WAS CHECKING FOR THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL AND FOUND THIS RECALL WHICH INCLUDES STEERING WHEEL AND AIRBAG(91V223) AND THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SAYS IT IS TO OLD OF A RECALL TO FIX.
NHTSA REFERENCE ID 91V223. ESCONDIDO TOYOTA SAYS THEY CAN'T REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ONE OF THE TWO THROTTLE BODY SPRINGS FRACTURED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE TO 80 MPH. THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF SEVERAL TIMES SO THE VEHICLE COULD BE SAFELY MANEUVERED OFF THE ROAD. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED AND DETERMINED THE ENTIRE THROTTLE BODY MUST BE REPLACED. THE MANUFA…
Read full complaint
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ONE OF THE TWO THROTTLE BODY SPRINGS FRACTURED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE TO 80 MPH. THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF SEVERAL TIMES SO THE VEHICLE COULD BE SAFELY MANEUVERED OFF THE ROAD. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED AND DETERMINED THE ENTIRE THROTTLE BODY MUST BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED.
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH HOOD FLEW UP AND SHATTERED WINDSHIELD AND T-TOP GLASS. SECONDARY LATCH FAILED TO CATCH HOOD FROM FLIGHT AND RESULTED IN HOOD, HOOD LATCH, WIPER COWL, WINDSHIELD, AND T-TOP DAMAGE. NO ACTION TAKEN TO CORRECT FAILURE. SOME REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO GLASS. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN THE SAME MODEL …
Read full complaint
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH HOOD FLEW UP AND SHATTERED WINDSHIELD AND T-TOP GLASS. SECONDARY LATCH FAILED TO CATCH HOOD FROM FLIGHT AND RESULTED IN HOOD, HOOD LATCH, WIPER COWL, WINDSHIELD, AND T-TOP DAMAGE. NO ACTION TAKEN TO CORRECT FAILURE. SOME REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO GLASS. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN THE SAME MODEL OF VEHICLE, 3 DIFFERENT CARS.
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, CONSUMER HEARD A FLAPPING TYPE NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A BELT HAD COME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY DIED. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE HAD FROZEN IN THE EVENT THE VEHICLE HAD RAN OUT OF OIL, HOWEVER THERE WAS FRESH OIL IN THE VEHICLE AND NO SIGNS OF LACK OF OIL. DEALERSHIP AD…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, CONSUMER HEARD A FLAPPING TYPE NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A BELT HAD COME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY DIED. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE HAD FROZEN IN THE EVENT THE VEHICLE HAD RAN OUT OF OIL, HOWEVER THERE WAS FRESH OIL IN THE VEHICLE AND NO SIGNS OF LACK OF OIL. DEALERSHIP ADDED THAT THE ENGINE COULD FREEZE IF THE VEHICLE HAD AT ANY TIME RUN LOW ON OIL. ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT
WHILE DRIVING, A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, LOCATED IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACTUAL BODY OF THE CAR,THE ONLY VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE UNIT WAS TO THE ENGINE, (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *TT
DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM EITHER SIDE OF VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND WOULD NOT REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. *AK
AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WAS VIOLENT, CAUSING MULTIPLE BRUISES, HEARING LOSS IN BOTH EARS,CERVICAL STRAIN, SEVERE BRUISING TO BOTH THUMBS, AND LOOSENED LOWER BRIDGE IN MOUTH.
Official recalls
191V223000 · Air Bags
Dec 24, 1991
THE DRIVER'S OCCUPANT PROTECTION SYSTEM (STEERING WHEEL AND AIR BAG) EXCEEDS THE 60G THORAX CRITERION IN NHTSA CRASH TESTS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE OCCUPANT PROTECTION SYSTEM DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THEENERGY ABSORPTION REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 208. THIS REDUCES THE CRASH PROTECTIONAFFORDED BY THE STEERING WHEEL AND AIR BAG SYSTEMS IN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL WITH A MODIFIED WHEEL DESIGNED FOR INCREASED ENERGY ABSORPTION.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.