Toyota GR86 catches fire in the US after dealer repair, sparks legal threat

Japanese car giant Toyota has been threatened with legal action from a US customer after a GR86 caught fire following a four-month repair by a Toyota dealer.

In a post on social media platform Instagram, the owner (known by the username JZX_JK) claims his GR86 had undergone a four-month repair by a Toyota dealer in Orange County, California. It's not clear what repairs were being completed.

The owner claims the Toyota GR86 caught fire less than 12 hours after the car was collected from the dealership.

It is yet to be determined why the car caught fire, or whether the repairs undertaken by the Toyota dealer contributed to the fire, or if the fire was the result of a manufacturing fault or a vehicle modification.

A series of photos posted by the owner on Instagram show the fire caused extensive damage to the Toyota GR86, with the heat of the blaze causing the windscreen to shatter and body panels to melt.

A representative from Toyota USA commented on a subsequent video of the car on fire, asking the owner (Josh) to contact them about the incident.

“Hi, Josh. We’d like to speak with you about this experience further,” said the Toyota USA representative. 

“When you have a moment, please send us a DM. We look forward to speaking with you.”

The owner replied to the Toyota USA representative, claiming his direct message had not been acknowledged and he was planning to take legal action against the car maker.

“I had sent a DM (direct message) yesterday with no response. So I unsent it which I’m sure you can see,” the owner replied to the Toyota USA comment. 

“So if you really care enough you can send me a DM or try to contact me directly. Other than that you can speak with my lawyer.”

The fire occurred less than a month after an unrelated incident – which resulted in Toyota USA backflipping on its decision to deny a US customer's warranty claim for a GR86 engine failure.

Toyota had denied the warranty claim for an engine failure when it discovered a photo of the car “drifting” and performing skids at a closed-course event.

However, Toyota later honoured the warranty claim after an inspection of the GR86’s Subaru-built engine revealed the failure was as a result of silicone – which is used as an engine sealant – leaking into the oil pickup and causing the engine to seize.

There are currently no recalls for the latest generation Toyota GR86 or its Subaru BRZ twin in the US or Australia.

The new Subaru BRZ is already on sale locally; the 2023 Toyota GR86 is due in Australian showrooms this September.