IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT YET NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE PASSENGERS. *NLM
1990 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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Celica years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 5 of 29 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
5 reportsTHE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH FAILED, THE LATCH RETURN SPRING BROKE AND REMAINED INSIDE THE LATCH MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SECURELY FASTEN THE SEAT BELT. NLM
I AM SMALL, AND THE SEAT BELT COMES ACROSS ME HIGH ON MY NECK, THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO FIX BUT I AM AFRAID THAT I WILL BE INJURED BY THE BELT, ANY SUGGESTIONS? *AK
SEAT BELT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WILL NOT RETRACT. WHEN PUTTING THE SEAT BELT ON IT JUST HANGS LOOSE .TOOK IN FOR REPAIR BUT DID NOT HAVE IT DONE BECAUSE DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
SEATBELT BUCKLE SPRING BROKE, THEREFORE BUCKLE DOES NOT LATCH SECURELY. TT
Official recalls
190V078000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
Apr 20, 1990
AIR BAG INFLATOR CASE WAS INCORRECTLY MACHINED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN AN ACCIDENT, THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY, WHICH COULD RESULT IN INCREASED INJURY TO THE DRIVER.
Remedy: REPLACE AIR BAG INFLATOR UNIT.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.