If you Google Toyota GR86, the very first result will tell you that the sports car is “Track proven. Street ready.” It turns out, however, that not every 2022 GR86 is factory-prepared to be driven on a closed course. At least, that’s what one Toyota GR86 owner just discovered the hard way.
During a track session at Palmer Motorsports Park last Sunday, a man named Luke recorded a video on YouTube and shared his Reddit experience with the Japanese coupe. Luke was merely attempting what we would refer to as a warming lap, as you can see for yourself in the video, and wasn’t really pushing the car very hard. Unfortunately, at about the 6:00 minute mark in the video, weird noises started emanating from the engine.
2022 Toyota GR86 engine failure (warranty denied for “racing”)
It’s important to note that the driver didn’t stop the vehicle and continued to operate it for another minute or two until the engine blew. It’s also important to note that the owner claims the car, which had around 19,000 miles on the odometer, had no engine modifications and was running on 5W30 oil that had been changed the day before. According to Luke:
“Initially I thought a fender liner or something had come loose and was knocking against the tire, as I had a helmet on, and wasn’t really expecting engine failure during warmup. Eventually, it got really loud and I pulled over as shown.”
Luke says that after being towed off the track, he took the GR86 to Acton Toyota in Littleton, Massachusetts, for an examination. When he returned from the dealer, he was informed that the engine block had a hole in it (a condition that at least a few Subaru drivers should be aware of). The dealer also informed him that the warranty wouldn’t cover the repair because the car had been used on a racecourse. Luke then chose to speak with Toyota personally, but he received much the same unfavorable responses. Luke narrates:
“An agent asks what dealer I have the car at. I tell her and she calls the dealer, then gets back to me saying that the dealer is correct and I will not receive any warranty coverage. I demand to know why they refuse to warranty and they again state something about ‘the nature in which the vehicle was being used.’ The corporate person tried to say I was racing briefly as well.”
For a complete engine replacement, Luke received a quotation of about $13,000. He would be required to cover the cost of the procedure out of his own pocket if he and the dealer or Toyota cannot come to an arrangement.
Source: Motor 1
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
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