First-Gen Toyota GT86 – Buyers guide & Common problems

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Toyota GT86 is nan cleanable mini RWD coupe that delivers thing but joy. Is buying it and owning it nan aforesaid joy? I would opportunity yes. Despite what CarThrottle has to say, nan first procreation GT86 is 1 astonishing small car.

Sure location are immoderate signs of costs cutting, that I wouldn’t expect from Toyota, but past again, these problems are really minor.

Common first-generation Toyota GT86 problems include:

  • Risk of awesome issues successful heavy modified models.
  • Clutch deterioration and camshaft timing concatenation sound reported.
  • Condensation successful rear lights, random interior sounds.
  • Scratched windows, rust adjacent 4th window, and premature deterioration connected beforehand spot bolsters.
  • Battery drainage, unstable motor revs, and GPS awesome loss.
  • Key pinch metallic tag needed for nan siren code.
  • 2016 callback for powered steering successful definite accumulation periods.

Want to cognize astir each problem? Stay pinch me!

Engine Problems

Major Faults

  • There are presently nary reported awesome faults for this vehicle. This is simply a uncommon occurrence, truthful bully occupation Toyota!
  • Heavily tuned examples of nan GT86 acquisition awesome problems pinch connecting rods and bearings, which is why you should debar buying heavy modified examples.

    This is being commonly discussed arsenic a GT86 problem, but successful each honesty, nan owners who near their motor stock, very seldom knowledgeable immoderate problems. I do not count this arsenic a mill GT86 problem.

Other and Minor Faults

  1. Rattling sound while switching gears: Indicator of a worn-out clutch. Replace earlier further harm occurs.
  2. Coil battalion failures: Coil packs are known to beryllium a communal problem connected GT86s engine. This isn’t a awesome rumor though, and it’s decidedly not thing that should extremity you from making a purchase.
  3. Camshaft timing concatenation noise: Tends to make a ringing sound erstwhile starting a acold engine; usually goes distant erstwhile nan motor warms up. If nan sound persists erstwhile nan motor is warm, instantly cheque nan concatenation and tensioner.
  4. Fast deterioration of rear tires: Due to nan quality of nan car, expect accelerated deterioration of nan rear tires. Many owners are reporting this problem.
  5. Loud substance pumps: Many owners study large substance pumps, which usually ends pinch nan pump dying and needing to beryllium replaced. On nan different hand, location are rather a fewer owner, who simply learned to unrecorded pinch nan large substance pump for years, earlier it yet malfunctioned.
  6. Front brakes squeaking: Many owners besides study beforehand brakes squeaking.
  7. Oil leaks: As these cars age, galore owners study lipid leaks that hap successful respective places astir nan engine. A communal lipid leak is connected nan cam screen plate.

Body and Interior Problems pinch nan GT86 Toyota

  1. Condensation problems pinch rear lights: Some owners study condensation problems pinch nan rear lights. Replacing nan seals connected nan lights resolves nan issues. It’s besides overmuch cheaper than replacing nan lights completely.
  2. Random sounds successful nan interior: Many owners kick astir random sounds nan interior is making, which tin get annoying, not thing you would expect from a Toyota.
  3. Delamination of nan rearview mirror: Some owners acquisition delamination of nan rearview mirror.
  4. Scratched windows: A mini number of owners are reporting scratched windows. Scratches connected nan broadside windows hap because of bad model rollers.
  5. Rust issues: Owners study rust occurring adjacent nan rear 4th model and rusty doorway pillars.
  6. Rust problems nether nan beforehand hood upwind seal: Owners besides study rust problems nether nan beforehand hood upwind seal.
  7. Premature deterioration and tear connected beforehand spot bolsters: Front spot bolsters thin to suffer premature deterioration and tear. Again, not thing I would expect from Toyota.
  8. Rear spot latches and buttons: A mini number of Toyota GT86 examples acquisition problems pinch rear spot latches and buttons for nan latches.

Electronic Problems

  1. Battery draining: Many owners study nan artillery draining while nan car is not successful use. Most of nan time, nan origin is nan aforesaid arsenic successful different Toyotas, nan interior dimmer switch. Make judge that nan older type (48 Ah) artillery was replaced pinch nan newer 65 Ah replacement battery.
  2. Unstable motor revs successful neutral: A large number of owners study unstable motor revs successful neutral. This is usually fixed by reprogramming nan ECU. Some owners needed to switch nan ECU.
  3. GPS portion problems: Frequent problems pinch nan banal GPS unit. It loses awesome aliases has a very anemic awesome making it useless.
  4. Alarm code: Make judge that nan car you are buying has a metallic tag connected 1 of nan keys that incorporate nan codification for nan alarm.

Official Recalls of nan Toyota GT86

Recall issued connected nan 4th of October successful 2016. The origin was a problem pinch nan powered steering. Affected cars were made from April of 2012 to March 2015.

Our Recommendation

Let’s support it short; nan Toyota GT86 is an astonishing small car. It is beardown enough, nan motor is elemental and reliable. And it’s RWD, a look for nosy times. Compare this purchaser guideline to nan BMW E90 and spot really shorter nan database of problems is for nan GT86.

It besides drives really good and prices are steadily dropping, spell for it! Avoid GT86s that were aliases are heavy modded and tuned. Don’t hide to cheque our elaborate utilized car buying guideline earlier buying!

About The Author

Jure Hodnik

Hey, I’m Jure Hodnik, an automotive researcher
and writer. I person influenced 20+ automotive companies pinch my master contented successful nan past, but my passion lies successful nan captivating narration betwixt cars and people, a taxable I explored successful his automotive-focused master’s investigation paper. Today, I transmission and stock my automotive expertise done Lifeonfour, a level I founded backmost successful 2019.

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