IllustrationTHE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN STARTED. BEEN TO DEALER & PLACED ON DIAGNOSTIC. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC SHORT AIR BAG SENSOR SYSTEM WAS CAUSED & HAD A SHORT IN IT. THE ENTIRE SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
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 reportsHAVE LOOKED AT SEVERAL OTHER 1993 TERCELS. MOST I HAVE NOTICED HAVE A HORIZONTAL CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. I AM WONDERING IF THIS IS A PROBLEM IN MOST OF THAT YEAR? I FIND IT STRANGE THAT THE TERCELS I HAVE SEEN HAVE THE SAME TENDENCY TO CRACK IN THE SAME AREA IN THE SAME WAY. *AK
IN MINOR IMPACT THE BUMPER SUSTAINED EXCESSIVE DAMAGE. MJS
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN 25 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK UP UPON IMPACT. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
MY AIRBAG DEPLOYED UPON A MINOR CRASH. I RECEIVED BURNS AND SCRAPES TO MY FACE. ALSO THE AIRBAG OR SOMETHING IN IT CAUSED BURN IN MY SHIRT, THROUGH MY BRA AND ONTO MY CHEST AREA. I DON'T BELIEVE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED PROPERLY AND AM VERY CONCERNED AS TO WHY.
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH REARENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND AIRBAG DUST CAME OUT, BUT DID NOT INFLATE. CAME OUT FLAT ,NO AIR IN THE BAG. *AK
WHILE IN A CHAIN REACTION ACCIDENT WAS HIT FROM THE FRONT AND BACK, THE SHOULDER BELTS FAILED TO RESTRAIN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER CAR AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED HALFWAY. DRIVER WAS INJURED. *AK
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES WHILE DRIVING OVER A PUDDLE, BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO SUSTAIN BURNS TO THE SKIN. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
BOTH DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S SIDE HEADLIGHTS ARE INOPERABLE.
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.