1991 Toyota Cressida Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1991 Toyota Cressida, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine444.4%
- Electrical111.1%
- Other / unspecified111.1%
- Tires & wheels111.1%
- Transmission111.1%
- Visibility111.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT: CONSUMER OWNED A 1991 TOYOTA CRESSIDA. THERE WAS A HUMMER PM525 MUFFLER, MANUFACTURED BY PILOT MOTOR SPORTS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE AFTER PURCHASE. THE HEAT FROM THE MUFFLER CAUSED THE REAR BUMPER TO CATCH ON FIRE. IT BURNT THE WHOLE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THIS OCCURRED ON AUGUST 1, 2005 CONSUMER THOUGHT THE MUFFLER WAS INSTALLED A YEAR EARLIER. THIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN INOPERABLE FOR APPROXIMATELY A YEAR; CONSUMER WAS REBUILDING THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR A DRIVE; HE CAME HOME AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. WHEN HE CAME OUT, APPROXIMATELY 10 HOURS LATER, HE NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS BURNT.*AK
DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON A FL TURNPIKE. THE TEMP. WAS 85 DEG. F. TRAVELING AT ABOUT 80 MPH (GENERAL TRAFFIC WAS TRAVELING AT THAT SPEED). A COUPLE ON IN A TRUCK WAS INDICATING THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH OUR CAR (THEY ACUALLY STATED THAT OUR CAR WAS ON FIRE). THE CAR WAS HANDLING OK AT THE TIME AND THERE WERE NO UNUSUAL SMELLS. I PULLED OVER INTO AN EXIT AS SOON AS THE WAY WAS CLEAR, AND WHEN I WENT TO APPLY BRAKES, THE BREAK PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR - THE CAR GRADUALLY CAME TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER. AS SOON AS I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, A PLUME OF BLACK SMOKE STARTED TO BILLOW OUT OF THE FRONT OF THE HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD, PROPED IT OPEN - THE FIRE WAS CONCENTRATED ON THE RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE OF THE ENGINE. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED, THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS (THEY HAD ARRIVED ON THE SCENE WITHIN 15 MINUTES). BECAUSE OF RECENT INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET, I'VE BECOME AWARE THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR '1991-'1992 CRESSIDAS. APARENTLY, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKETS FAILING AT SOME POINT AFTER 100K MILES, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK PAST THE GASKET ONTO THE HOT MANIFOLD ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. WHEN I STARTED THE READ THESE REPORTS, THIS INCIDENT BEGAN TO MAKE SENSE. I MAINTAINED OUR CAR VERY CONSCIENTIOUSLY, FOCUSING ON PREVENTITIVE MAINTENANCE TO KEEP IT IN EXCELLENT RUNNING ORDER. UP TO THIS POINT OUR CRESSIDA HAS PROVEN VERY RELIABLE AND WE HAD BEEN VERY HAPPY OWNERS.. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON A FL TURNPIKE. THE TEMP. WAS 85 DEG. F. TRAVELING AT ABOUT 80 MPH (GENERAL TRAFFIC WAS TRAVELING AT THAT SPEED). A COUPLE ON IN A TRUCK WAS INDICATING THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH OUR CAR (THEY ACUALLY STATED THAT OUR CAR WAS ON FIRE). THE CAR WAS HANDLING OK AT THE TIME AND THERE WERE NO UNUSUAL SMELLS. I PULLED OVER INTO AN EXIT AS SOON AS THE WAY WAS CLEAR, AND WHEN I WENT TO APPLY BRAKES, THE BREAK PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR - THE CAR GRADUALLY CAME TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER. AS SOON AS I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, A PLUME OF BLACK SMOKE STARTED TO BILLOW OUT OF THE FRONT OF THE HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD, PROPED IT OPEN - THE FIRE WAS CONCENTRATED ON THE RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE OF THE ENGINE. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED, THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS (THEY HAD ARRIVED ON THE SCENE WITHIN 15 MINUTES). BECAUSE OF RECENT INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET, I'VE BECOME AWARE THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR '1991-'1992 CRESSIDAS. APARENTLY, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKETS FAILING AT SOME POINT AFTER 100K MILES, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK PAST THE GASKET ONTO THE HOT MANIFOLD ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. WHEN I STARTED THE READ THESE REPORTS, THIS INCIDENT BEGAN TO MAKE SENSE. I MAINTAINED OUR CAR VERY CONSCIENTIOUSLY, FOCUSING ON PREVENTITIVE MAINTENANCE TO KEEP IT IN EXCELLENT RUNNING ORDER. UP TO THIS POINT OUR CRESSIDA HAS PROVEN VERY RELIABLE AND WE HAD BEEN VERY HAPPY OWNERS.. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT: CONSUMER OWNED A 1991 TOYOTA CRESSIDA. THERE WAS A HUMMER PM525 MUFFLER, MANUFACTURED BY PILOT MOTOR SPORTS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE AFTER PURCHASE. THE HEAT FROM THE MUFFLER CAUSED THE REAR BUMPER TO CATCH ON FIRE. IT BURNT THE WHOLE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THIS OCCURRED ON AUGUST 1, 2005 CONSUMER THOUGHT THE MUFFLER WAS INSTALLED A YEAR EARLIER. THIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN INOPERABLE FOR APPROXIMATELY A YEAR; CONSUMER WAS REBUILDING THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR A DRIVE; HE CAME HOME AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. WHEN HE CAME OUT, APPROXIMATELY 10 HOURS LATER, HE NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS BURNT.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
FIRESTONE , FIREHAWK TIRES ARE NOT ORIGINAL TIRES ON A TOYOTA, CRESSIDA, 1991, P205/60R15, DOTVDUNJBBO. WHILE TRAVELING AT 75 TO 80 MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE VERY BADLY. PULLED OVER TO SHOULDER AND NOTICED LEFT FRONT TIRE TREAD HAD COME COMPLETELY OFF. HOWEVER, TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED.*AK MILEAGE AT PURCHASE OF THE TIRES WAS 63000 MILES, TIRE HAD 18425 MILES AT TIME OF FAILURE. *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION SLIPPED/SHUTTERED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIR FLOW (VENTILLATION) FAN FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .