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1982 Toyota Celica

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
4Owner complaints

Model-year median: 7

1Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
1
19792
19804
19823
19833
19847
1985
Compare all Celica years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Seat Belts
2Power Train
1Structure
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 2 of 4 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Seat Belts. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Power Train complaints

1 reports
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30,000 miles · Feb 22, 2010
Power Train

IN 1984, I OWNED A TOYOTA CELICA AND WAS ON THE FREEWAY DRIVING WHEN I HAD THE CAR SPED UP AND I WAS UNABLE TO SLOW DOWN. WELL AHEAD OF RECENT COMPLAINTS. AS I CAME DOWN A BUSY OFF-RAMP, I COULD DO NOTHING BUT TO TURN THE CAR OFF. I FINALLY CAME TO A STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND STRESSED OVER WHAT WOUL…

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IN 1984, I OWNED A TOYOTA CELICA AND WAS ON THE FREEWAY DRIVING WHEN I HAD THE CAR SPED UP AND I WAS UNABLE TO SLOW DOWN. WELL AHEAD OF RECENT COMPLAINTS. AS I CAME DOWN A BUSY OFF-RAMP, I COULD DO NOTHING BUT TO TURN THE CAR OFF. I FINALLY CAME TO A STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND STRESSED OVER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AT THAT MOMENT WITH HAZARD LIGHTS FLASHING TO ALERT OTHERS. THE CAR STARTED FINE AND I DROVE TO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT. I CALLED TOYOTA WHO SENT A SERVICE REP TO MY LOCATION AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I HAD NO OTHER INCIDENTS LIKE THIS, IN THAT CAR, BUT IT GOES BACK SOME TIME AND TO A TIME WHEN COMPUTERS WERE LESS A PART OF VEHICLE MONITORING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10312610

Official recalls

1

86V132000 · Vehicle Speed Control

Oct 2, 1986

SOLDERED TERMINALS OF THE CRUISE CONTROL COMPUTER MAY DEVELOP CRACKS DUE TO IMPROPER APPLICATION OF THE COATING TO THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: CONTINUED USE OF CRUISE CONTROL COULD LEAD TO COMPLETE SEPARATION OF SOLDERED TERMINALS AND CIRCUIT FAILURE; ENGINE SPEED WOULD INSTANTLY RACE AND VEHICLE COULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: REPLACE CRUISE CONTROL COMPUTER, IF NECESSARY.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA85045 · Sudden Acceleration

Opened Aug 30, 1985 · Closed Feb 18, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

SUMMARY:TOYOTA RECALLED APPROXIMATELY 5,000 1982 CRESSIDA, CELICA, ANDSUPRA MODELS TO REPLACE POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE CRUISE CONTROL COMPUTERSIN SEPTEMBER 1986. THEY REPORT THAT NO OTHER DEFECT OR PROBLEM HAS BEENFOUND THAT WOULD CAUSE SUDDEN ACCELERATION.ANALYSIS:THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY HAVEPROBLEMS OTHER THAN THE DEFECT FOR WHICH TOYOTA RECALLED. HUMAN ERRORIS ALSO CONSIDERED TO BE A PRIMARY CAUSE IN MANY OF THESE INCIDENTS.STATUS:INVESTIGATION OF THE CRUISE CONTROL AND OTHER VEHICLE SYSTEMSCONTINUES AMONG THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED.PEDAL GEOMETRY AND OTHER HUMAN FACTORS FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE BEINGCOMPARED TO PEER GROUP VEHICLES. CLOSED 2/18/88. RECALL 86V-132.===