TOYOTA CELICA · model year

1990 TOYOTA CELICA

34 NHTSA complaints, 10 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1990TOYOTACELICA carries 34 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 10 crashes, 3 fires, 9 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 1990 CELICA is air bags:frontal with 9 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (2) and visibility:glass, side/rear (2). 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 1990 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.

34
Complaints
10
Crashes
3
Fires
9
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

34 filings

Crashes Reported

10 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL9
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY2
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR2
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER2
AIR BAGS2
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR1
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH1

Recent Complaints

20160110AIR BAGS

"TAKATA RECALL" I HAVE A 1990 TOYOTA CELICA GT, MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON BACK AROUND 2003, I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT FIXED. A SERVICE MEMBER CAME OUT TO MY CAR WITH A HANDHELD DEVICE AND PLUGGED IT INTO THE CAR. BOTTOM LINE, HE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO RESET THE AIRBAG WITH NO SUCCESS. MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS STILL ON AND I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RECALLS OR NOTICES. HOW DO I GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED?

Mileage: 109,000

20110610CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

MY 1990 TOYOTA CELICA ST WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN SAN LEANDRO FEB 22, 2003. I WAS STAYING IN FREMONT, CA. MY AIR BAG BURST OPEN AND THE CHEMICALS BURNED MY FACE AND ARMS. I WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT WASHINGTON HOSPITAL, FREMONT,CA. *TR

Mileage: 200,000

20110506ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 TOYOTA CELICA. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THEN IT WOULD PERFORM AS NORMAL. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

Mileage: 125,000

20060721TIRES:TREAD/BELT

PATCHES OF THE TIRE FALLING OFF AS IF IT IS A RETREAD, VERY DANGEROUS IF I DON'T REPLACE SOON. NOTICED IT AT 30K ON TIRES.

20041129ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND IT WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

20040308CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

MY 1990 TOYOTA CELICA HAS 'SURGED FORWARD' FREQUENTLY, ALWAYS WHEN USING THE BRAKE. IT CAUSED ME TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE EARLY 90'S, NO PEOPLE WERE HURT, BUT THERE WAS VEHICLE DAMAGE. THE BRAKE CAN BE COMPLETLY DEPRESED, WHEN THE CAR WILL LURCH FORWARD AND THE BRAKE TENSION WILL REDUCE. *AK

Mileage: 20,000

20031027VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE CONSUMER PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DECELERATE. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE TO 90 MPH UNTIL OWNER PRESSED ON BRAKE PEDAL NUMEROUS TIMES TO STOP VEHICLE. *AK THE CONSUMER STEPPED ON THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES BUT HAD NO BOOSTER. *SCC

Mileage: 12,700

20030519CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT YET NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE PASSENGERS. *NLM

20030519CrashSEAT BELTS

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT YET NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE PASSENGERS. *NLM

20020523STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID

OPENING OF TRUNK - LID HINGE SNAPPED IN HALF LIKE METAL FATIGUE. TOYOTA DEALER SAID THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL CAR HINGES REPLACED AT OWNERS EXPENSE: $207.00 QUOTED. *AK

20010327SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH FAILED, THE LATCH RETURN SPRING BROKE AND REMAINED INSIDE THE LATCH MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SECURELY FASTEN THE SEAT BELT. NLM

20001218ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SEEMS TO HAVE AN OFF-AND-ON DEFECT. IT REPEATEDLY REGISTERS THE PARKING BRAKE AS BEING "ON" WHEN THE BRAKE IS, AND HAS BEEN, IN THE "OFF" POSITION. THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS, INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER, RADIO, HEAT/AIR, AND ALL OTHER DASHBOARD LIGHTING COMPONENTS GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING, AS DOES THE INTERIOR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT LIGHT OPERATED BY OPENING OR CLOSING THE DOORS. *AK

20000623SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

I AM SMALL, AND THE SEAT BELT COMES ACROSS ME HIGH ON MY NECK, THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO FIX BUT I AM AFRAID THAT I WILL BE INJURED BY THE BELT, ANY SUGGESTIONS? *AK

20000616STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID

TRUNK HINGES WERE NOT STRONG ENOUGH AND WORE OUT, CAUSING TRUNK TO BE OUT ALIGNMENT, AND PREVENTING IT FROM FULLY CLOSING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

19990712POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

THE ORIGIONAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ARE: HARD INTO 2ND GEAR & GRIND ON UP&DOWN SHIFT, 3RD GEAR GRIND UP&DOWN SHIFT, 4TH GEAR GRIND ON UPSHIFT & LOCK OUT OF GEAR ON DOWN SHIFT. THE "NEW" TRANSMISSION (THATS THE WAY TOYOTA SELLS IT, NO REMANUFACTURED UNITS AVAILABLE, DEALER ITEM ONLY) PROBLEMS ARE: HARD IN TO 2ND ON DOWN SHIFT, 3RD GEAR GRIND ON UP&DOWN SHIFT, LOCK OUT OF 4TH GEAR ON DOWN SHIFT & GRIND IF ENGAGED, 5TH GEAR GRIND ON UP SHIFT. NEW TRANSMISSION PURCHASED JULY 1998. PROBLEMS DOCUMENTED BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRED IN JULY 1999 BY DEALER & CLUTCH CONNECTION. THE NEW TRANSMISSION WAS PURCHASED AT FAIRFIELD TOYOTA AND INSTALLED AT CLUTCH CONNECTION 327 TEXAS ST., FAIRFIELD, CA 94533. PHONE# 707-422-5607.

19980520EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

AIR CONDITIONER FAILED DUE TO A FAULTY EVAPORATOR.

19971020AIR BAGS

NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG DURING FRONTAL COLLISION. *AK

19970508CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DRIVING AT SPEED OF 25MPH, VEHICLE IMPACT 12:00 POSITION, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

19970425CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS SITTING AT STOP SIGN AND ANOTHER CAR CRASHED INTO IT, HITTING BOTH SIDES AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. 2ND TIME INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND ALSO NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG. *AK

19970320SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

SEAT BELT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WILL NOT RETRACT. WHEN PUTTING THE SEAT BELT ON IT JUST HANGS LOOSE .TOOK IN FOR REPAIR BUT DID NOT HAVE IT DONE BECAUSE DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

Compare 1990TOYOTACELICA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1990 TOYOTA CELICA have?
The 1990 TOYOTA CELICA has 34 NHTSA complaints, 10 crashes, 3 fires, 9 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 TOYOTA CELICA?
The most-complained component for the 1990 TOYOTA CELICA is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 9 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR.
Is the 1990 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.