We counted the findings on 51 used Toyotas our technicians inspected between April and October 2026. 31 of the 51 had at least one item marked for immediate attention, most often a tire or a brake.
Updated October 12, 2026. Counted from 51 inspection reports we sent to customers.
Toyotas have a strong reputation, and that is exactly why buyers skip the inspection. A used Toyota is still a used car. Here is what our technicians actually recorded, item by item.
| What we found | Toyotas | How often |
|---|---|---|
| At least one cosmetic note (body, wheels or interior) | 51 of 51 | 100% |
| Diagnostic trouble codes worth a note on the report | 22 of 48 scanned | 46% |
| A steering note on the road test | 17 of 49 driven | 35% |
| Tire tread depth flagged | 17 of 51 | 33% |
| A fluid level or condition flagged | 16 of 50 | 32% |
| An oil leak or oil residue | 13 of 50 | 26% |
| A suspension, CV axle or ball joint item flagged | 13 of 50 | 26% |
| Warning lights on the dash | 12 of 50 | 24% |
| Brake pads flagged | 10 of 50 | 20% |
Trouble codes. 22 of the 48 Toyotas we scanned had codes our report called out. The most common were engine codes (10 cars) and tire pressure sensor codes (9 cars). Codes from the airbag system, current or stored, turned up on 6 cars, and codes from the driver-assist camera or radar on 6. A code tells you where to look, not what is broken, so the report says which codes are current and which are stored history.
Steering. On 14 of the 17 cars with a steering note, the technician described a steering wheel sitting off-center, a drift or pull to one side, or recommended an alignment.
Tires and brakes. These are where "immediate attention" showed up most: 19 cars had at least one tire or brake item marked that way. Tires and pads are easy to overlook on a test drive.
Cosmetic notes. Every car had at least one. That is normal on a used car. It is on the report so nothing is a surprise after you hand over the money.
Most of what we found is wear and upkeep (tires, brakes, fluids, alignment) that any used car can need. It tells you how these particular cars were kept, not that Toyotas are badly built.
A clean-looking Toyota with a good history can still need tires, brakes or an alignment, and the dashboard will not tell you about a stored code. One of our certified technicians comes to the car, checks it item by item, scans it where the car allows it, takes it on a road test when the seller allows it and it is safe and legal to drive, and sends you a written report with photos.
Across 51 used Toyotas we inspected, every one had a cosmetic note. After that, the most common findings were trouble codes (22 of 48 scanned), a steering note on the road test (17 of 49), worn tires (17 of 51) and a fluid level or condition (16 of 50). Most of it is wear and upkeep any used car can need. It says how these particular cars were kept, not how Toyotas are built.
31 of the 51 Toyotas we inspected had at least one item marked for immediate attention, most often a tire or a brake. A reputation for reliability does not tell you how this particular car was kept.
On most cars, yes. How deep the scan can read varies by make and year, and some vehicles restrict full access to the manufacturer's own service tools. Cars from 1995 and earlier, including most classics, predate the standard diagnostic port, so the scan may not run at all; on those cars the engine is checked mechanically instead.
51 Toyota inspection reports with item-by-item findings, sent to customers between April and October 2026. Reports in our older format have no item-by-item findings, so they are not counted.