Supra (A80)

1993-2002 / Coupe / Japan

All Supra (A80) problems All workshop issues

Minor Body

Interior Trim Deterioration

Symptoms

The soft-touch coating on interior trim pieces becomes sticky, gummy, and eventually peels off in black flakes. Affects the centre console, door handle surrounds, and other trim pieces with the soft-touch finish.

Cause

Toyota used a rubberised soft-touch coating on interior plastics across many models in this era. The coating breaks down from UV exposure, heat, and the oils from hands. It's a known Toyota deficiency that affects models from the 1990s and 2000s.

Fix

Strip the coating with isopropyl alcohol or a dedicated plastic coating remover.

Sand the underlying plastic smooth, then either repaint with a textured trim paint or wrap in vinyl/leather.

Alternatively, source replacement trim pieces from a wrecker, but they'll likely have the same problem.

Some owners send the trim pieces to a specialist for professional re-coating ($100-300 per piece).

Cost mentioned in fix

$100-300 per piece

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// More Supra (A80) problems

Other known issues

Minor Body

Dashboard Cracking

Cracks develop across the top surface of the dashboard, particularly near the windscreen and around the defroster vents. May start as a single crack and spread into a network of splits.

Common Body

Targa Roof Seal Deterioration

Water leaks into the cabin during rain or car washing. Stained headliner, musty smell, wet carpets.

Common Engine, 2JZ-GTE (Twin Turbo)

Sequential Twin-Turbo System Failures

A flat spot or hesitation in the 3,500-4,500 RPM range during full-throttle acceleration. Boost may spike or surge unpredictably. The car feels fast below 3,500 RPM and above 5,000 RPM but stumbles in the transition zone.

Common Engine, 2JZ-GTE (Twin Turbo)

Turbo Seal Wear (High Mileage)

Blue smoke on cold startup (oil pooled in the turbo housing overnight drains into the exhaust when started). Blue smoke on deceleration (intake manifold vacuum pulls oil past the compressor seals). Oil residue in the intercooler piping. Increased oil consumption without external leaks.

Minor Engine, 2JZ-GTE (Twin Turbo)

Timing Belt Failure

Catastrophic engine damage. The 2JZ is an interference engine, if the timing belt breaks, the pistons strike the open valves, bending them and potentially damaging the pistons, head, and block. The engine stops instantly and will not restart.

Critical Engine, 2JZ-GTE (Twin Turbo)

Cam Cover Gasket Oil Leaks

Oil seeps from the edges of the cam covers (rocker covers), running down the sides of the engine. Oil smell from the engine bay. Oil drips onto the exhaust manifold (fire risk on the turbo side).

View all 17 Supra (A80) problems