IllustrationWHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS PASSING THROUGH AND BOTH VEHICLE COLLIDED.UPON IMPACT AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
1997 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: 2 of 20 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 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports0 fire reports5 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
8 reportsTHE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AFTER IMPACT. *NLM
THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE BUMPED AN EMPTY CONSTRUCTION BARREL, AS A A RESULT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED CAUSING LOSS OF VISIBILITY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO STRIKE A CONSTRUCTION VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER FEELS THE AIR BAG SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED WITH JUST SLIGHT IMPACT. NLM
1995 CHEVROLET 1500 PICKUP RAN STOP SIGN, TERCEL BROADSIDED THE TRUCK AT 30 MPH. DESPITE HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE STRAIGHT ON, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN THE CAR. THE TERCEL WAS TOTALLED AND DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES FROM THE SEATBELT. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON A MAIN ROAD AND ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN STOP SIGN AND HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AND DUAL AIRBAGS DIDN'T GO OFF, CONSUMER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. *AK ALSO VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN IN ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *SLC
CONSUMER BELIEVES DEALER COST TO INSTALL AIR BAG ON/OFF SWITCH IS TOO MUCH. NLM
CONSUMER WAS INVOVLED IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON BOTH FRONT AND REAR. DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. IMPACT SPEED UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK
INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT FAILED TO OPERATE CORRECTLY IN AN IMPACT OF A POLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *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.