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1991 Toyota Tercel

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

About this comparison →
17Owner complaints

Model-year median: 8

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
8
198822
198919
199017
199124
199243
199340
1994
Compare all Tercel years →

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

What owners reported most

Seat Belts
7Engine And Engine Cooling
4Latches/locks/linkages
2Seats
2Electrical System
1
All reported categories
Equipment
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: 1 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.

  • Seat Belts. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Latches/locks/linkages. 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.

2 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

17 reports
Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 1997
Seat Belts

THE DRIVER'S SIDE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SHOULDER BELT WOULD FREQUENTLY NOT ALLOW THE DRIVER TO LEAN FORWARD IN SEAT; DRIVER WOULD HAVE TO PRESS HIS BODY BACK AND FORTH AGAINST THE SHOULDER BELT TO REGAIN SOME SLACKNESS IN THE SHOULDER BELT. ALSO, SHOULDER BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT FULLY, SHOULDER BELT WOULD GET CAUGHT WHEN DRIVER ATTEM…

Read full complaint

THE DRIVER'S SIDE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SHOULDER BELT WOULD FREQUENTLY NOT ALLOW THE DRIVER TO LEAN FORWARD IN SEAT; DRIVER WOULD HAVE TO PRESS HIS BODY BACK AND FORTH AGAINST THE SHOULDER BELT TO REGAIN SOME SLACKNESS IN THE SHOULDER BELT. ALSO, SHOULDER BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT FULLY, SHOULDER BELT WOULD GET CAUGHT WHEN DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO MANUALLY RESTRAIN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #808680

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 1996
Seats

SEAT DESIGN DOES NOT ACCOMMODATE CHILD SAFETY SEATS. *AW

NHTSA ODI #506580

Mileage unknown · Jul 12, 1996
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE, PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #986813

Mileage unknown · Jul 2, 1996
Seat BeltsCrashInjury

TERCEL WAS HIT HEAD ON; SHOULDER BELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN DRIVER & PASSENGER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #986482

Mileage unknown · Jun 3, 1996
Seats

HEAD RESTRAINTS INOPERATIVE, DUE TO HEADREST RESTAINTS INTERNAL BOLT BREAKING, CAUSING DETACHMENT FROM SEAT, SECOND OCCURRENCE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #985193

Mileage unknown · May 7, 1996
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE FAILED TWICE. *DSH

NHTSA ODI #504238

Mileage unknown · Feb 14, 1996
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE MOUNTS BROKE ON VEHICLE, UNABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE. TT

NHTSA ODI #979207

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.