1987 Toyota Supra problems

General information about Toyota-Supra
Overview of popular issues
Analysis of common problems
Сomplaints list

The Toyota Supra (Japanese: トヨタ・スープラ, Hepburn: Toyota Sūpura) is a sports car and grand tourer manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation beginning in 1978. The name "supra" is derived from the Latin prefix, meaning "above", "to surpass" or "go beyond".

The initial four generations of the Supra were produced from 1978 to 2002. The fifth generation has been produced since March 2019 and went on sale in May 2019. The styling of the original Supra was derived from the Toyota Celica, but it was longer. Starting in mid-1986, the A70 Supra became a separate model from the Celica. In turn, Toyota also stopped using the prefix Celica and named the car Supra. Owing to the similarity and past of the Celica's name, it is frequently mistaken for the Supra, and vice versa. The first, second and third generations of the Supra were assembled at the Tahara plant in Tahara, Aichi, while the fourth generation was assembled at the Motomachi plant in Toyota City. The 5th generation of the Supra is assembled alongside the G29 BMW Z4 in Graz, Austria by Magna Steyr.

The Supra traces much of its roots back to the 2000GT owing to an inline-6 layout. The first three generations were offered with a direct descendant to the Crown's and 2000GT's M engine. Interior aspects were also similar, as was the chassis code "A". Along with this name, Toyota also included its own logo for the Supra. It was derived from the original Celica logo, being blue instead of orange. This logo was used until January 1986, when the A70 Supra was introduced. The new logo was similar in size, with orange writing on a red background, but without the dragon design. That logo, in turn, was on Supras until 1991 when Toyota switched to its current oval company logo. The dragon logo was a Celica logo regardless of what colour it was. It appeared on the first two generations of the Supra because they were officially Toyota Celicas. The dragon logo was used for the Celica line until it was also discontinued.

In 1998, Toyota ceased sales of the fourth-generation Supra in the United States. Production of the fourth-generation Supra for worldwide markets ended in 2002. In January 2019, the fifth-generation Supra, which was co-developed with the G29 BMW Z4, was introduced.

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Common 1987 Toyota Supra problems

The Toyota Supra 1987 is a popular car among enthusiasts, but like any vehicle, it has its share of common problems. Here are some of the most frequently reported issues based on owner complaints:

Brakes dragging: This issue affects older Supras with high mileage and is caused by a worn-out brake master cylinder. The solution is to replace the faulty part with a new one, which can be found in stock at the BreakerYard store.

Lack of power: The gradual reduction in power and poor fuel economy in the Supra 1987 is caused by a faulty throttle position sensor. This sensor is a known weak spot in the Supra and can wear out sooner than expected. The solution is to replace the sensor with a new one, which can be easily found on the BreakerYard parts list.

High pressure in the gas tank: This problem is caused by the Evaporative system, specifically the vapor canister, which releases charcoal pellets that plug up the vent valve. The solution is to replace the vapor canister with a new one that comes complete with valves, which can be found on the BreakerYard parts page for the Supra.

Steering wheel shudder when braking: This issue is caused by warped front rotors, which can be re-machined or replaced with factory-quality front rotors from BreakerYard to prevent recurrence.

Cylinder head gasket failure: This problem is caused by incorrect torque of the cylinder head bolts, which can lead to overheating and white smoke from the exhaust. The solution is to fit a replacement gasket, which can be done by a professional mechanic.

Heater problems: Some Supra owners have reported issues with the heater control valve and the heating system in general. One solution is to bypass the heater control valve and connect the heater core directly to the firewall, which can improve heating performance.

These are just some of the common problems reported by Toyota Supra 1987 owners. While these issues can be frustrating, many of them can be easily fixed with the right parts and a little bit of know-how.

Is a 1987 Toyota Supra reliable?

Very reliable and pretty design

These cars are cheap and reliable. They do great on the road and are beautifully designed with an 80's look. Rating breakdown (out of 5): Comfort 4.0.

Are old Toyota Supras reliable?

While the Toyota Supra MK 4 is widely regarded as a very reliable modern classic, it still has problems that it's more prone to.

Why are old Supras illegal?

While we can't blame you for wanting the Mk IV Supra, it's commonly held among car enthusiasts that the 1994 Supra was banned for "reliability issues." It's been written about plenty of times, but — curiously — there's no record on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website.

Why are old Supras so rare?

The fact that the car was also unmodified increases its scarcity, as Supras from this generation were often modified and customized, making the unaltered examples a rarity.

Is a 1987 Toyota Supra reliable?

Very reliable and pretty design

These cars are cheap and reliable. They do great on the road and are beautifully designed with an 80's look. Rating breakdown (out of 5): Comfort 4.0.

Are old Toyota Supras reliable?

While the Toyota Supra MK 4 is widely regarded as a very reliable modern classic, it still has problems that it's more prone to.

Is the 1988 Supra a good car?

Its powerful, a blast to drive, good on gas, and really good looking if kept in good shape. Literally the only complaint I have with the car is that its a little hard to fit in the back but that's probably the product of the fact that I'm 6' 6" and its a coupe.

Why was the Supra banned?

The Supra was never illegal. There was chronic vehicle issues that caused the NHTSA to ban the vehicle. It was not illegal ever. The chronic reliability issues caused bad sales that resulted in the vehicle being discontinued in the United States in 1998.

1987 Toyota Supra car problems categorized by type of issue

After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Toyota Supra problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:

Vehicle speed control problems
Tires problems
Steering problems
Engine and engine cooling problems
Equipment problems

The graph below shows statistics for all 1987 Toyota Supra vehicle components and the number of complaints received.

1987 Toyota Supra complaints

The NHTSA has received 8 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 1987 Toyota Supra.

2001-05-07

TIRES PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
Components: TIRES
Summary: TIRE TREAD FLEW OFF ON 1-10 AFTER ONLY 1 WEEK ON CAR. I SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO GENERAL TIRE FOR MY BENT RIM THEY REPLIED WITH A LETTER CLAIMING THAT THERE WAS A NAIL IN THE TREAD, WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE TO FAIL. WHEN ASKED IF TREAD FLIES OFF NEARLY KILLING PEOPLE BECAUSE OF NAILS THEY SAID YES, AND DENIED MY CLAIM. I ALSO HAVE PICTURES AND I CAN SEE NO NAILS IN MY PICTURES NOR DID ANYONE WHO SAW THE TIRE BEFORE IT WAS SHIPPED TO GENERAL. THEY ARE SHIPPING IT BACK TO ME NOW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM AS I ALMOST ENDED UP UNDERNEATH A SEMI WHEN THE TIRE EXPLODED. *AK (TIRESIZE: 225 50 R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225 50 R16 )

Add Complaint

1999-04-07

STEERING PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 1999-03-30
VIN: JT2MA71J3H0
Components: STEERING
Summary: WHILE DRIVER IS BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY THE STEERING SHAFT FELL OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN.

Add Complaint

1998-10-19

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 1998-07-02
VIN: JT2MA70LOHO
Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Summary: OIL PAN FAILED RESULTING IN LEAK.

Add Complaint

1998-10-19

EQUIPMENT PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 1998-07-02
VIN: JT2MA70LOHO
Components: EQUIPMENT
Summary: BUYERS GUIDE STICKER WAS NOT ON WHEN PURCHASED (FEDERAL LAW 16C.F.R.455).

Add Complaint

1998-07-07

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 1998-07-06
VIN: JT2MA70J0H0
Components: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Summary: VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED WHEN CONSUMER TOOK GEAR OUT OF PARK TO REVERSE FOR UNKNOWN REASON. MANUFACTURER NOFITIED. *AK

Add Complaint

1996-12-06

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
Crash: 1
Components: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Summary: UPON STARTING ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITHIN 2 WEEKS, EXPERIENCED UNCONTROLLABLE UNINTENDENT ACCELERATION WHEN AT POINT OF SLIGHT PRESSURE TO ACCELERATOR, THE ENGINE SURGED THEN POPPED OUT THROUGH HOME GARAGE, 1 1/2 WEEKS LATE EXP. SURGING INTO A WALL. *AK

Add Complaint

1995-08-16

POWER TRAIN PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 1995-08-13
VIN: JT2MA70L9H0
Components: POWER TRAIN
Summary: REAR SUSPENSION FAILURE, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 60 MPH REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. TT

Add Complaint

1995-03-03

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 1991-10-01
VIN: JT2MA70L4H0
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Summary: VEHICLE STALLS SEVERELY WITH CAUSE STILL UNKNOWN. TOYOTA MFG., IS AWARE BUT NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE GIVEN. TT

Add Complaint

Additional sources

More sources of information about 1987 Toyota Supra problems:

So what are really the common problems for an mkiii? | Supra Forums

https://www.supraforums.com/threads/so-what-are-really-the-common-problems-for-an-mkiii.106176/

Feb 25, 2003 ... The common problems on a MK3: Power steering hose, Knock sensours, leaky hatch, gittery speedo, heater valve. Well, I wouldn't say super common.

Why Owning an Older Supra Isn't Great | CarThrottle

https://www.carthrottle.com/posts/why-owning-older-supra-isnt-great

Dec 4, 2015 ... Virtually no engines mods and nobody recognises it. There are common problems with mk2 supras too. Maybe I should do a write up on 2nd ...

Are MKIII's reliable. | Supra Forums

https://www.supraforums.com/threads/are-mkiiis-reliable.115157/

Apr 9, 2003 ... No, they're not that reliable, and if yours is, you're lucky. It's an old car that was likely abused during it's life, which starts to wear over ...