Total Complaints
9 filings
TOYOTA CELICA · model year
1985 TOYOTA CELICA
9 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985TOYOTACELICA carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1985 CELICA is structure:body:roof and pillars with 3 filings, followed by steering:linkages (2) and seat belts:front:retractor (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 51 investigation files overlapping the 1985 CELICA, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
9
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
6
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS | 3 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020116CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I WAS LEAVING THE PARKING LOT AND PREPARED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. ALL OF SUDDEN THE CAR ACCERLATED AT A HIGH SPEED AND I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE BUT IT KEEP GOING. I HIT A SIDEWALK CURB, HIT PART OF THE WALL, AND HIT A SIGN POLL HEAD ON THAT STOP THE CAR. MAJOR DAMAGES ON FRONT OF THE CAR, TIRE BLOWN, AND MIRROR CRACK. I RECEIVED BRUISES ON MY FACE AND BODY IS SORE. *AK
20000908STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
CONVERTABLE TOP FAILED. NLM
19990515STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
POWER TOP FAILED. YH
19990515STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
CONVERTABLE TOP FAILED. NLM
19980422CrashSTEERING:LINKAGES
WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65MPH ON DRY PAVEMENT, TRAVELING STRAIGHT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY HAD NO STEERING CAPABILITY. VEHICLE HIT ONE CAR AND SWERVED, THEN HIT A CONCRETE WALL. WHEN CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES IN A PANIC STOP, THE VEHICLE STOPPED, THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE THAT HAD MINOR INJURIES, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK
19980422CrashSTEERING:LINKAGES
WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON DRY PAVEMENT ON THE FREEWAY, THE STEERING LINKAGE BROKE, AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE HAD NO STEERING CAPABILITY. THE CAR HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE AND SWERVED AND HIT A CONCRETE WALL. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT A PANIC STOP, THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY TWO PASSENGERS, A CHILD AND THE DRIVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
19960916SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELTS LOCK UP FREQUENTLY, ALSO POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED. *AK
19960916STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
SEAT BELTS LOCK UP FREQUENTLY, ALSO POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED. *AK
19960628SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVERS SEAT BELT FAILS TO RETRACT. *DH
Compare 1985TOYOTACELICA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 TOYOTA CELICA have?▼
The 1985 TOYOTA CELICA has 9 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 TOYOTA CELICA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 TOYOTA CELICA is STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:LINKAGES and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR.
Is the 1985 TOYOTA CELICA safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.