Toyota Supra Common Problems and Solutions
Regular Stalling
Problem:
The car started to stall regularly. This tends to happen when the engine has had time to warm up.
Solution:
This is being caused by a faulty engine coolant temperature sensor. It’s an easy fix, but it can be a little fiddly due to its location. However, you can have the new sensor sent straight from the BreakerYard store and save yourself a lot of cash with a little patience.
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Brakes Dragging
Problem:
The brakes are dragging and may overheat.
Solution:
This should only affect your Supra if it’s got a lot of miles on the clock and it’s being caused by a worn-out brake master cylinder. You’ll have to replace it, but you’ll find that we always have these in stock and can deliver your new one directly.
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Brake Master Cylinder
Lack of Power
Problem:
The car has had a gradual reduction in power, and the fuel economy has become very poor.
Solution:
The throttle position sensor on the Supra is a known weak spot, and it can wear out a lot sooner than expected. That’s what’s causing the drop in power. If you ignore this problem, it’s only going to get worse, so find a replacement sensor on our parts list and install it very easily.
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Throttle Position Sensor
High Pressure in Gas Tank
Problem:
The pressure gauge is at the top end, and the check engine light is illuminated. If you have an emissions test, you will fail it.
Solution:
The Evaporative system is causing problems thanks to the vapour canister. The canister is likely releasing charcoal pellets, which are plugging up the vent valve. You can find a replacement vapour canister that comes complete with valves on our parts page for the Supra.
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Steering Wheel Shudder When Braking
Problem:
When you apply the brakes the steering wheel judders excessively.
Solution:
Your front rotors have warped. It is possible to re-machine them, but that just makes it more likely for the problem to occur again. Order factory quality front rotors from BreakerYard to prevent a recurrence of this problem.
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Cylinder head gasket failure
Problem:
The cylinder head gasket is known to blow due to incorrect torque of the cylinder head bolts. Symptoms of this problem are overheating and white smoke coming from the exhaust.
Solution:
You will need to fit a replacement cylinder head gasket to sort the problem. Make sure the cylinder head bolts are fitted to the correct torque specifications to avoid future issues.
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Cylinder Head Gasket
Loosing power/rough running
Problem:
The Supra is known for the EGR (Exhaust Gas Re-circulation) valve getting blocked up. This problem will result in a loss of power and rough running. Some people have found that this problem kicks in when the engine is turned off and restarted again within a few minutes of turning it off.
Solution:
You will need to remove the EGR valve, clean it out and refit it to sort the problem. You can watch the video below to see how this is done:
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EGR Valve
Heater blower failure
Problem:
A known issue on the Supra is with the heater blower resistor failing. If you are finding that there is no air getting blown out on some settings, then this is your problem. There is a coil for each speed and they are known to burn out over time.
Solution:
You will need to fit a replacement heater blower resistor to resolve the issue. This part is located inside the blower duct behind the dashboard.
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Headlight problem
Problem:
If you have an imported Supra, headlight discolouration is a known issue. The headlight covers on Japanese made cars are plastic and can turn a yellow colour over time.
Solution:
You will need to replace the plastic headlight covers with the UK specified glass covers. We can help you find these at great prices.
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Headlight Glass
Squealing Sound When steering
Problem:
When you turn the steering wheel there is a loud squealing noise. In serious cases, you cannot steer the car at all.
Solution:
There’s a configuration problem in some later models of the Supra. High stresses cause vibration fatigue failure in the kink groove area of the steering tie rod. Unfortunately, this isn’t a part that you can repair, and you’ll need to order a replacement from our parts list.
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