IllustrationLf wheel bearing is gone and axle is only thing holding on the wheel. The steering knuckle is damaged, caliper/bracket is damaged, rotors damaged, axle damaged. Extremely unsafe to drive
2003 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: 7 of 17 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.
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 2 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
What owners actually said
17 reportsBelt tensioner won't retract when trying to replace serpentina belt. Most likely a defective part , original. Have to creative finding other ways to replace belt without breaking the tensioner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CELICA. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE HORN WAS NOT ALWAYS AUDIBLE WHEN PRESSING THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE AIR BAG SENSOR INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL SPRING INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CELICA. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE HORN WAS NOT ALWAYS AUDIBLE WHEN PRESSING THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE AIR BAG SENSOR INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL SPRING INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER (SOUTH BAY TOYOTA, 310-323-7800) WAS CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,476.
AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN A CRASH. I'VE HAD THE SENSOR RESET 4 X, IT STILL FLASHES AND STAYS ON.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CELICA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD EXHIBIT AN ABNORMAL AND CONTINUAL SQUEAKING WHEN THERE WAS ANY TYPE OF PRECIPITATION. THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES BY A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE HYDRAULIC TENSIONER WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE REPAIRS WOULD CORRECT THE FAILURE FOR APPROX…
Read full complaint
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CELICA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD EXHIBIT AN ABNORMAL AND CONTINUAL SQUEAKING WHEN THERE WAS ANY TYPE OF PRECIPITATION. THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES BY A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE HYDRAULIC TENSIONER WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE REPAIRS WOULD CORRECT THE FAILURE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH BEFORE RECURRING. ONCE THE ENGINE WAS HOT, THE NOISE WOULD CEASE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 129,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000.
I HAD TO HAVE CLUTCH REPLACED AT 25,77 MILES ON MY 2003 TOYOTA CELICA GT PURCHASED NEW APRIL 2003. AGAIN I HAD TO REPLACE CLUTCH @ 56,089. FROM THE DAY I PURCHASED THIS CAR I HAD PROBLEMS WITH PUTTING CAR IN GEAR AND COMPLAINED TO DEALER, WHO SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I'VE DRIVEN MANUAL TOYOTA CARS SINCE 1966 AND NEV…
Read full complaint
I HAD TO HAVE CLUTCH REPLACED AT 25,77 MILES ON MY 2003 TOYOTA CELICA GT PURCHASED NEW APRIL 2003. AGAIN I HAD TO REPLACE CLUTCH @ 56,089. FROM THE DAY I PURCHASED THIS CAR I HAD PROBLEMS WITH PUTTING CAR IN GEAR AND COMPLAINED TO DEALER, WHO SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I'VE DRIVEN MANUAL TOYOTA CARS SINCE 1966 AND NEVER HAD ANY CLUTCH REPAIRS ON ANY OF MY TOYOTAS. I HAD OVER 144,000 MILES ON MY 1987 TOYOTA MR2 WHEN I TRADED IT IN 1994. I THINK IT IS EXCESSIVE TO HAVE A TOTAL OF 3 CLUTCHES AT 56,089. *TR
PURCHASED NEW 2003 CELICA GTS. FROM DEALER. 26,398 MILES PAINT BUBBLING ON ALL WHEELS. DEALER/FACTORY REP. WOULD NOT REPLACE WHEELS. REPAINTED INSTEAD AND STATED " THEY WOULD REPLACE IF ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN. 42,197 MILES PAINT BUBBLING AGAIN ON ALL WHEELS. FACTORY REP. REFUSED TO REPLACE/REPAIR." DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE EITHE…
Read full complaint
PURCHASED NEW 2003 CELICA GTS. FROM DEALER. 26,398 MILES PAINT BUBBLING ON ALL WHEELS. DEALER/FACTORY REP. WOULD NOT REPLACE WHEELS. REPAINTED INSTEAD AND STATED " THEY WOULD REPLACE IF ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN. 42,197 MILES PAINT BUBBLING AGAIN ON ALL WHEELS. FACTORY REP. REFUSED TO REPLACE/REPAIR." DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE EITHER. *TR
THIS MAY BE RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 03V074000 PER ORIGINAL RECALL, FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON 07/08/2003. ON 10/08/2006, THE SAME PROBLEM WAS ENCOUNTERED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUT FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. FUELING IS NOW DIFFICULT AND VERY TIME CONSUMING. ONLY ABOUT ONE-TENTH OF A GALLON C…
Read full complaint
THIS MAY BE RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 03V074000 PER ORIGINAL RECALL, FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON 07/08/2003. ON 10/08/2006, THE SAME PROBLEM WAS ENCOUNTERED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUT FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. FUELING IS NOW DIFFICULT AND VERY TIME CONSUMING. ONLY ABOUT ONE-TENTH OF A GALLON CAN BE PUMPED BEFORE THE FUEL PUMP AUTOMATICALLY SHUTS OFF. THIS APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY FUEL BACKING UP IN THE FUEL INLET PIPE AND FUEL SPLASHING BACK OUT. TOYOTA HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND A SERVICE APPOINTMENT SCHEDULED AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP. HOWEVER, I GOT THE IMPRESSION THEY ARE RELUCTANT TO REMEDY THIS FREE OF CHARGE SINCE THE PROBLEM WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED 3 YEARS AGO. *NM
I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA CELICA AND THE HATCHBACK WILL NOT STAY UP. TOYOTA HAS TRIED TO FIX IT, BUT FINALLY SAID TOUGH LUCK, THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS AND I FEEL THIS IS WRONG. *AK
DT: THE CONTACT STATES WHILE DRIVING THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALL ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THE SEPARATION WAS APPROXIMATELY TEN INCHES LONG. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE TIRE, BUT NO ONE HAS LOOKED AT THE TIRE TO DETERMINE WHY THIS OCCURRED. *AK
Official recalls
103V074000 · Fuel System, Gasoline
Mar 5, 2003
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL TANK CHECK VALVE, LOCATED IN THE FUEL TANK INLET PIPE, MAY BECOME SEPARATED FROM THE INLET PIPE AND FALL INTO THE FUEL TANK. IF THE CHECK VALVE FALLS INTO THE TANK, FUEL MAY SPILL FROM THE FUEL INLET PIPE WHEN THE FUEL PUMP AUTOMATICALLY SHUTS OFF DURING FUELING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION MAY RESULT A FIRE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPAIR THE FUEL TANK CHECK VALVE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 4, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
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.