Total Complaints
15 filings
TOYOTA TERCEL · model year
1987 TOYOTA TERCEL
15 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987TOYOTATERCEL carries 15 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injury, 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 1987 TERCEL is fuel system, gasoline:carburetor system with 4 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (2) and seat belts:front:webbing (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 1987 TERCEL, 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.
15
Complaints
2
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE HUBS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020523TIRES:TREAD/BELT
OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS, 3 OUT OF 4 TIRES HAVE FAILED DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. THE TIRES WERE APPROX 6-1/2 YEARS OLD WITH 35,000 MILES WITH PLENTY OF REMAINING TREAD DEPTH.*AK
20000911FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE, PRIOR TO FIRE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS
20000911FirePOWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE, PRIOR TO FIRE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS
20000204CrashPOWER TRAIN:AXLE HUBS
4 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN. YH
19990112VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
DEFECTIVE CARBURETOR/FUEL SYSTEM CAUSING VEHICLE STALLING, HESITATION AND SURGING.
19981208FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH CARBURETOR. WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STALLS OR SURGES FORWARD. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML
19971112SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE MADE LOUD SQUEAKS. THE ROTORS AND PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK
19961231ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED.
19961217ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
AT ANY SPEED CAR STALLS, WHEN TAKEN TO THE REPAIR SHOP MECHANIC THINKS IT THE CARBURETOR BUT HE IS NOT SURE. *AK
19960813ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STALLS IN TRAFFIC INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
19960610FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
CARBURETOR FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE/STOP. *AK
19960610ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CLOGGED VALVES. CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE/STOP. *AK
19951031CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DIDN'T RESTRAIN IT CAME LOOSE . TT
19950518FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
VEHICLE HAS HIGH CONCENTRATION OF HYDROGEN CHLORIDE. *AW
19950505FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
CARBURETOR; SYSTEM FAILS CREATING CARBON BUILD UP ON INTAKE VALVE. VEHICLE WILL EXPERIENCE HESITATION/SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. TT
Compare 1987TOYOTATERCEL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 TOYOTA TERCEL have?▼
The 1987 TOYOTA TERCEL has 15 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 TOYOTA TERCEL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 TOYOTA TERCEL is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING.
Is the 1987 TOYOTA TERCEL 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.