The Lemon Index
Toyota's 1.6-liter inline-4, DOHC 16-valve, naturally aspirated. This page covers the versions we have sourced so far: the Toyota AE86, model years 1984–1987. The engine is used in other cars too; those aren't covered here yet.
Middle of the pack: YouTube owner tone None/100, #67 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 3 known issues listed below.
Known issues on record
- Head gasket (Outlet report). DSPORT magazine says the 4A-GE’s head gaskets are prone to failure. Goodwood’s buyer’s guide still calls the twin-cam mechanically tough. 1 owner complaint to NHTSA mention it (AE86 AE86).
- Timing belt history (Outlet report). Both camshafts are driven by a timing belt. JDM Buy Sell’s buyer’s guide says to ask for dated belt records and to treat the belt as due if there are none. Fix: Replace the timing belt if there are no dated records.
- Fake or swapped twin-cams (Outlet report). Goodwood warns about single-cam AE85s passed off as twin-cam AE86s, especially when bought unseen from an importer. JDM Buy Sell says a 4A-GE fitted to an AE85 does not make it an AE86, so check the chassis code and papers against the engine.
What YouTube owners say Tone 0-100, higher = more praise than trouble.
Average owner tone 51/100 across 9 model years, from 161 videos about this engine and its cars (#67 of 165 engines with a YouTube study).
Most-watched videos
- Toyota AE86 - Everything You Need to Know | Up to Speed 4,780,876 views
- Toyota AE86: You Know The Name But Do You Know The Car? 4,322,373 views
- Building an AE86 Hachiroku in 12 Minutes 3,300,370 views
- 4AGE WEBER 1,805,193 views
- Dylan's 4AGE Black Top Toyota Corolla AE101 | The Average Media | 4K 899,246 views
Counted from video titles and captions: praise words against trouble words, weighted by views. Videos only count when the title names this engine or a car that had only this engine in those years.
Owner complaints and recalls
Counts for the cars on this page, from NHTSA. They cover every part of the car, not only the engine.
| Car | Years | Owner complaints | Recall campaigns | NHTSA files it as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AE86 AE86 | 1984–1987 | 26 | 2 | Corolla |
Specs by generation
Toyota 4A-GE: AE86 AE86, 1984–1987
- Layout: Inline-4, DOHC 16-valve, cams driven by a timing belt, forged crankshaft
- Output: 112 hp at 6,600 rpm, 97 lb-ft at 4,800 rpm in the US GT-S; 130 PS (128 hp) at 6,600 rpm in Japan
- Size: 1,587 cc, 81 x 77 mm bore x stroke, 9.4:1 compression
- Induction: Fuel injection with T-VIS, butterfly valves in the intake runners that open at about 4,200 rpm; airflow meter on US cars, pressure (MAP) sensor in Japan
- Parts today: Toyota’s GR Heritage Parts program has remade some AE86 parts, including new cylinder blocks and heads
What we don't have yet
- The engine's other cars: only the versions above are sourced so far.
Quick answers
What cars have the Toyota 4A-GE engine?
On this site so far: the Toyota AE86, model years 1984–1987. It is used in other cars we haven't covered yet.
Is the Toyota 4A-GE reliable?
Mostly, with known issues to check. YouTube owner tone None/100, #67 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 3 known issues listed below. Owner complaints are filed by car, not engine, and cover the whole car, so none of these numbers is an engine failure rate.
How much horsepower does the Toyota 4A-GE make?
112 to 128 hp in the versions on this page (factory figures).
Sources: Wikipedia: Toyota A engine · Wikipedia: Toyota AE86 · Ate Up With Motor: Thunder and Lightning, Part 2: The AE86 Toyota Corolla Levin/Sprinter Trueno · Goodwood Classic Solutions: Toyota Corolla AE86 buyer’s guide (Rachel Roberts, Jan 2026) · DSPORT: Five Worst Engines, Overhyped and Underengineered (Mar 2016) · JDM Buy Sell: Toyota AE86 buyer’s guide. Complaints and recalls: NHTSA (api.nhtsa.gov).