2003 Toyota MR2: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
6 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
34,750 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 6 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 6 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 50.0% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 33.3% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 16.7% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 16.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 3 |
| Engine | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) | 1 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 1 |
Power Train: 3; Engine: 2; Electrical System: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline: 1; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1; Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm): 1; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
2006: 1; 2007: 1; 2013: 2; 2014: 1; 2016: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10162973 · 2006-07-20 (July 20, 2006)
3/15 05 1ST PROBLEM CAME TO A STOP AND WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE GEARS HAD IT TOWED. TOYOTA REPLACED COMPUTER TRANSMISSION. 6/7/06 2ND TIME CAME TO A STOP IN 3 LANE ROAD IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND COULDN'T RECOGNIZE GEARS. TOYOTA REPLACED COMPUTER ENGINE. 6/10 3RD TIME CAR WOULDN'T SHIFT OUT OF 2ND. TOYOTA COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. 6/21/06 4TH TIME TRANSMISSION WENT INTO "N" WHILE IN 4TH GEAR. TOYOTA REPLACED PUMP ASSY. SEQEN. 7/20/06 5TH TIME AS I WAS TAKING A TURN OFF MAJOR ROAD COMPUTER FAILED TO RECOGNIZE GEAR. PULLED TO THE SIDE AND CAR DIED. I MA…
Owner-reported narrative. 23,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10162973 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10188305 · 2007-04-19 (April 19, 2007)
THE DRAIN TUBES IN THE CAR DOES NOT WORK SO, RAIN AND SNOW WILL MAKE THE CAR FILL WITH WATER . IF THE CAR IS FULL OF WATER THE COMPUTER IN THE CAR DOESN'T READ CAUSING THE CAR TO FAIL WHICH HAPPENED TO ME ON THE FREEWAY. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED THEY REPLACED ALL WET THINGS IN CAR . IT DID NOT FIX THE DRAIN TUBE PROBLEM BECAUSE AFTER THE RAIN MY CAR IS FULL OF WATER AGAIN. SAME FAILURE WITH OTHER CARS. I THINK THEY WANT TO PUT DRY PARTS IN THE CAR AGAIN AT WHO'S COST THEIRS OR MINE? WITH ALL THE WATER IN MY CAR …
Owner-reported narrative. 2,005 miles reported. Look up ODI 10188305 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10513052 · 2013-05-21 (May 21, 2013)
PURCHASED USED FROM CARMAX AND WITHIN 100 MILES THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON, IT WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. I HAD IT DELIVERED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT, AND IT REFUSED TO GO INTO REVERSE GEAR NEXT. WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE IT ONLY 1 ST AND 2ND GEAR WOULD WORK. AFTER HAVING A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION INSTALLED FROM TOYOTA BY AAMCO TRANSMISSION AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE MADE IT BACK TO THE CAR DEALER, IT STARTED LEAKING FLUIDS ALL OVER THE LOT. THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID HAD QUIT WORKING AND STARTING SPRAYING HOT FLUIDS ALL OVER THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 67,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10513052 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10557640 · 2013-12-29 (December 29, 2013)
THE CAR WAS PARKED WITH ENGINE RUNNING AND PARKING BRAKE ON. I RELEASED THE BRAKE ON AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD CROSSING A CURB AND HITTING A ALUMINUM GUARD RAIL. THE SERVICE SEQ TRANSMISAME LIGHT CAME ON . AFTER BEING TOWED TO THE DEALER. IT WAS FOUND A HYDRAULIC LINE HAD BROKEN FROM CORRODING. THE DEALER PUT IN A NEW UNIT BUT THE OLD COMPUTER WOULD NOT WORK AND IS NOW PUTTING A NEW COMPUTER ABOUT 6600.00 AT THE THIS POINT. SO FAR TOYOTA DOESN'T KNOW US. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 53,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10557640 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10574607 · 2014-03-24 (March 24, 2014)
THE DESIGN OF THE COMPUTER CONTROLLED POWER TRAIN MAKES THROTTLE, TRANSMISSION AND STARTER INTER-DEPENDENT. MY VEHICLE HAS REPEATEDLY LOST POWER AND COASTED TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RECENTLY INSPECTED BY A TOYOTA DEALER, WHO SAYS THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. BUT THE VEHICLE OPERATOR'S MANUAL ANTICIPATES STALLING WHILE UNDERWAY AND GIVES DIRECTIONS TO RE-START - SOMETIMES SUCCESSFUL, SOMETIMES NOT AND THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE TOWED, IN MY EXPERIENCE. MANUAL DIRECTIONS (PAGE 153): IF YOUR ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING ... REDUCE SPEED…
Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10574607 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10838668 · 2016-02-26 (February 26, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MR2. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE STEERING AND GEARS SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 41,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10838668 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.