IllustrationAIR BAG, DRIVERS SIDE DID NOT DEPLOY DURING REAR-END CAR ACCIDENT. *NM
1993 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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Tercel 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: 0 of 43 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 24 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 →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
20 crash reports0 fire reports15 injury reports
What owners actually said
43 reportsCONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED SMELL STRONG CHEMICAL FUMES INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT(PLASTIC MATERIAL) DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE EXHIBITS WHITE SMOKE, CONSUMER HAD TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS INSPECT VEHICLE AND BOTH STATED THAT THE RINGS ARE SHOT AND ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. *TT
DEALER FIRST SAID NOTHING WRONG. RESET . THEN CAME ON AGAIN. SAID MAY BE BAD SENSOR. I NOTICED 50 AIRBAG COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE. THIS AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND DEALER/TOYOTA WILL NOT REPAIR THIS OBVOIUS SAFTEY DEFECT.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKE WHICH CAUSED WHEELS TO LOCK. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, AND WOULD NOT RETURN. PROBLEM CAUSED VEHICLE TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAIL ON THIS MATTER. *AK
ENGINE PREMATURELY FAILED AT 72,000 MILES. CONSUMER HAD TO BUY A REBUILT ENGINE.*AK
CONSUMER PURCHASED NEW AT 72,517, WAS TOLD THAT A NEW ENGINE NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. DEALER AGREED TO REPLACE ENGINE, ONLY IF DAMAGE WAS NOT DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR. DEALER TOOK ENGINE APART, AND SAID IT WAS WEAR AND TEAR, AND DID NOT REPLACE ENGINE. CONSUMER HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW ENGINE IN DECEMBER OF 1999. *AK
THAT DAY, WHEN I DRIVE IN RT 21, I SUDDENTLY LOST CONTROL, HIT TO ANOTHER SUV, WE SLOW DOWN( DOT NUMBER: )
AFTER PUTTING AIR IN ALL TIRES, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY FOUND OUT THAT TIRES HAD A TREAD SEPARATION WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER,AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.