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Supra (A70)

1986-1993 / Coupe / Japan

All Supra (A70) problems All workshop issues
Common Suspension and Chassis

Spherical Bearing Wear in Suspension Arms

Symptoms

Clunking over bumps, imprecise steering response, uneven tyre wear. The car may feel vague at turn-in.

Cause

The A70 uses pressed spherical bearings (not rubber bushings) in the suspension arms. These are precision components that wear over time. The bearing surfaces corrode and develop play. This is often misdiagnosed by mechanics unfamiliar with the A70's suspension design, they'll suggest poly bushes as a "fix," which actually makes the problem worse.

Fix

Replace the spherical bearings with correct OEM-spec replacements.

This requires pressing out the old bearings and pressing in new ones.

Specialty suppliers stock these, they're not common hardware store items.

Cost: $50-100 per bearing, plus pressing.

Some aftermarket arms come with replaceable bearings for easier future maintenance.

Cost mentioned in fix
Cost: $50-100 per bearing

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Other known issues

Minor Suspension and Chassis

Rear Subframe Cracking

Cracks develop in the rear subframe, typically around the differential mounting points and the subframe-to-body mounting brackets. May manifest as unusual handling, the rear end feeling "loose" or inconsistent over bumps.
Common Engine, 7M-GTE (Turbo)

Head Gasket Failure

The head gasket blows, allowing coolant into the combustion chambers and/or oil passages. White smoke from the exhaust, coolant loss without visible external leak, overheating under boost, milky oil on the filler cap, and bubbles in the coolant overflow tank. In severe cases, hydrolock (coolant filling a cylinder and bending a connecting rod on startup).
Critical Engine, 7M-GTE (Turbo)

Low Oil Pressure at Idle

Oil pressure drops below 10 psi at hot idle. The factory oil pressure warning light may flicker or illuminate at idle, particularly in traffic on hot days. The engine may develop bearing noise (deep knocking from the bottom end).
Common Engine, 7M-GTE (Turbo)

CT-26 Turbo Failure

Loss of boost pressure, excessive oil smoke (blue/grey) on startup or deceleration, whistling or grinding noises from the turbo, and oil in the intercooler piping.
Critical Engine, 7M-GTE (Turbo)

Cooling System Inadequacy Under Boost

Coolant temperature climbs rapidly under sustained boost, particularly in traffic or on hot days. The temperature gauge sits higher than normal and doesn't recover quickly.
Common Engine, 7M-GTE (Turbo)

Fan Clutch Wear

The engine runs hotter than normal, particularly at low speeds and idle. The cooling fan doesn't seem to pull much air through the radiator.
View all 17 Supra (A70) problems