IllustrationHEAD LIGHT FAILED.
1996 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: 10 of 40 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 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 →
- Suspension. 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.
11 crash reports4 fire reports8 injury reports
What owners actually said
40 reportsREAR WINDOW DEFROSTER FAILED.
FRONT AND REAR WINDOW DEFOGGERS FUNCTION POORLY CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.
IGNITION KEY DID NOT TURN RESULTING IN THE ENGINE BEING HARD TO START.
EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT.
DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING FRONT END COLLISION, VEHICLE HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED, VEHICLE #1 GOING UPHILL 25 MPH. OWNER WILL PROVIDE DETAILED INFORMATION, NOT CHECKED BY DEALER. *AK
DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING FRONT END COLLISION; HIT ANOTHER SLIGHTLY MOVING VEHICLE AT INTERSECTION, SPEED 40 MPH. *AK
FRONT SUSPENSION FAILURE.
HEATER FAN MOTOR OVERHEATED, RESULTING IN A FIRE. *AK
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP.
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.