IllustrationUNSPECIFIED.
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
What owners actually said
29 reportsDURING FRONTAL IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING FIRE. *SD
REAR HATCHBACK WINDOW EMPLODED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER AIR BAG DEPLOYED, HITTING THE DRIVER AND INJURING HER. TT
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE WHILE PARKED 45 MINUTES; SMOKED CAME FROM UNDERHOOD; HORN WAS HONKING; LIGHTS FLASHING; IGNITION OFF; VEHICLE TOTALED. TT
SEATBELT BUCKLE SPRING BROKE, THEREFORE BUCKLE DOES NOT LATCH SECURELY. TT
NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG DURING ACCIDENT, RESULTING IN INJURIES. *SKD
CAR WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 30 MPH. 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.