Total Complaints
10 filings
TOYOTA CELICA · model year
1988 TOYOTA CELICA
10 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988TOYOTACELICA carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 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 1988 CELICA is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 1 filings, followed by seat belts:front:retractor (1) and vehicle speed control (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 1988 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.
10
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000411VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
I CURRENTLY OWN AN 87 AND 88 TOYOTA CELICAS AND BOTH HEATERS DO NOT WORK. *AK
19991010ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE PROBLEM AFTER WARM UP SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GRINDING LIKE THE GEARS ARE NOT MESHING CORRECTLY. SO TRY AND SKIP 2ND WHILE DRIVING.
19991010EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
ENGINE PROBLEM AFTER WARM UP SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GRINDING LIKE THE GEARS ARE NOT MESHING CORRECTLY. SO TRY AND SKIP 2ND WHILE DRIVING.
19981222ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
RING GEAR BEHIND THE STARTER TEETH STARTED SLIPPING, WHICH MADE LOUD NOISES, DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, MECHANIC DID REPAIR WORK, CONSUMER HAD TO PAY EXPENSES TO GET REPAIRS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
19961210SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES FAILED.
19961210ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
MUFFLER FAILED.
19961210SUSPENSION:FRONT
FRONT END REPAIRED.
19960417SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED. *SD
19960417VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
HIGH ENGINE RPM 3000 AT IDLE DUE TO EXCESSIVE CARBON BUILD UP THROTTLE BODY. *SD
19950627SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WHEN LOCK IT STAY LOCK AND HARD TO LOCK . TT
Compare 1988TOYOTACELICA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 TOYOTA CELICA have?▼
The 1988 TOYOTA CELICA has 10 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 TOYOTA CELICA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 TOYOTA CELICA is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1988 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.