2002 Toyota MR2

Sold as MR2 Spyder

This page is a draft. It has not been approved yet, so read it with care.

Watch out for

Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.

Pre-catalytic converter breaking up All years Walk away if found

What to check: Ask whether the pre-cats were replaced or removed, and have a compression test done. Walk away from low compression or heavy oil burning that follows a pre-cat failure.

The pre-cat in the exhaust manifold can crumble from heat and vibration, and the debris can be drawn back into the cylinders and score the bores. A 2000 owner writing in Design News lost his engine to it under 30,000 miles. Taking the pre-cats off is not legal on the street.

$8,500 in repairs, in one owner's account in Design News

Sources ^1,2,3
Oil consumption All years

What to check: Check the oil level and ask how often it is topped up.

Grassroots Motorsports says some engines burn more than a quart every 1,000 miles, and Gear Patrol says it is more common on 2003 and older cars. On CarComplaints.com, two owners, of a 2000 and a 2001, report engines run low on oil and then knocking or failing.

Sources ^1,2,4,5
Worn soft top All years

What to check: Inspect the vinyl top and the straps at its rear corners.

Gear Patrol says the vinyl top deteriorates with age, and Grassroots Motorsports calls the rear corner straps fragile.

Sources ^2,1
Parking brake cables freezing All years One source so far

The cables can freeze in winter, says Grassroots Motorsports, which advises leaving the parking brake off in cold weather.

Sources ¹

No recalls are listed for this year.

Checked against NHTSA records on 21 October 2026.