1990 Toyota Truck

Watch out for

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

• V6 head gasket failure All years One source so far

  What to check: Ask for proof the head gaskets were replaced, and look for coolant loss, overheating or oil mixed with coolant.

  Toyota extended head gasket cover on V6s built to early 1990, then replaced the gaskets on V6s built from late 1990 to early 1995, whether or not they leaked. That campaign expired in 2018.

  Sources ¹⁰

• Worn clutch All years

  What to check: On a test drive, feel for a clutch that slips or bites high, and ask when it was last replaced.

  Two Edmunds owner reviews mention clutches. An owner of a 1993 four replaced theirs twice in 170,000 miles, and an owner of a 1990 says theirs already needed a new one.

  Sources ^5,1

Recalls

• 05V389000 1989–1995

  Turning the wheel to full lock again and again, as when parking, can crack the steering relay rod, which may break. The rod is replaced.^{11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18}

What buyers say

Reputation: what owners and the press report

• Sought after: 22R-E four All years One source so far

  Two members of an IH8MUD thread about a 1989 Pickup prefer the 22R-E four to the V6, and one calls it tops for a gasoline engine. A third reports 20 to 22 mpg from theirs.¹⁹

• Avoid: 3.0L V6 All years Less sought after

  Of the two IH8MUD members who prefer the four, one says the V6 burns more fuel and costs more to fix, and the other hates working on it for lack of room. Toyota ran a head gasket campaign for it.^19,10

Before you pay

Open the buyer's checklist

Every warning and recall for this generation, with a box to tick.