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The current-generation Toyota GR86 debuts in 2021. Since then, it has been marketed by Toyota as a fun-to-drive sports car that, according to the automaker’s website, is a “track bred.” Toyota even offers a one-year membership in the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) with every GR86 purchase. So, when Blake Alvarado had an engine failure on his 2022 model at 13,000 miles, he thought it would be taken care of.
According to a Facebook post from Alvarado, Toyota instead featured a slightly tilted photo of itself at a driving event three months before the engine failure. He was also shown a video of him driving the GR86 which was not hers, and then he was given a $11,000 repair bill. Toyota decided its actions in the photos and videos were enough to deny warranty coverage.
Alvarado details the full story in the post embedded above, but here’s a quick summary. The engine failed on July 10 due to oil starvation. Subsequent engine checks showed the rod bearings had been damaged, and Alvarado said he found gray sealant in the oil pickup tube – a condition he said others had reported.
However, he claims a Toyota field technician specialist assigned to the situation never checked the engine, but instead turned to social media for potentially incriminating images or videos of Alvarado in his Toyota. Per a Facebook post, the tech refutes the claim based on the image, allegedly saying such engine problems are common when hovering.
Alvarado said he tried to compromise with Toyota dealers, offering to split the costs but dealers didn’t want to collide with the Toyota company. He’s since paid $7,000 to install the low-mileage engine in a Subaru specialty store, because don’t forget, the GR86 shares its platform with the Subaru BRZ. But as you can imagine, he’s not at all happy about any of this.
For Toyota, of course there is an ominous truth at play here. GR86 is heavy marketed as an attractive car for enthusiasts to drive. In addition to offering a free membership to NASA with every purchase of the GR86 (which of course is expected to be high-performance driving), Toyota has promoted the GR86 to the public by getting a lot of sideways in various places. If driving like that can lead to engine failure while drifting – as Toyota field tech says – it certainly doesn’t look good when automakers are trying to sell cars with the exact same behavior.
Motor1.com contacted Toyota regarding this situation. A company spokesperson gave the following statement:
Toyota is currently investigating the case you referred to. Customer satisfaction with our vehicles is important to Toyota. As always, we encourage customers who experience problems with their vehicles to contact their authorized Toyota dealer or call the Toyota Brand Engagement Center (1-800-331-4331). Of course, if the dealer is unable to resolve the issue, the customer is advised to contact our Brand Engagement Center.
As of now, Alvarado has not heard any other news from Toyota. But fans around the world are sure to see what happens next. Alvarado’s Facebook post on SCCA Official the group currently has 573 comments and over 1,000 shares.
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