TOYOTA TERCEL · model year

1996 TOYOTA TERCEL

45 NHTSA complaints, 12 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996TOYOTATERCEL carries 45 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 12 crashes, 4 fires, 15 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 1996 TERCEL is air bags:frontal with 6 filings, followed by suspension:front (4) and visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system (3). 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 1996 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.

45
Complaints
12
Crashes
4
Fires
15
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

45 filings

Crashes Reported

12 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:FRONTAL6
SUSPENSION:FRONT4
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM3
TIRES2
STEERING2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER1
POWER TRAIN1
SUSPENSION:REAR1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR1
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR1
PARKING BRAKE1

Recent Complaints

20150503STEERING

STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE WHILE PARALLEL PARKING. CAR WON'T STEER.

Mileage: 121,500

20150503WHEELS

STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE WHILE PARALLEL PARKING. CAR WON'T STEER.

Mileage: 121,500

20150503UNKNOWN OR OTHER

STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE WHILE PARALLEL PARKING. CAR WON'T STEER.

Mileage: 121,500

20150122CrashSERVICE BRAKES

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 1996 TOYOTA TERCEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE BRAKE ROTOR FRACTURED. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT PASSENGERS WHEEL SEIZED AND THE OTHER WHEELS LOST HYDRAULIC PRESSURE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL CRASHING INTO A CONCRETE WALL. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCLOSE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OR NOT. THE CONTACT AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED UNKNOWN MINOR INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,550.

Mileage: 123,550

20130904SEAT BELTS

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NO LONGER GRAB. PART SEEMS DEFECTIVE, BUT NO APPEARANCE OF ANY CRACK, OR DAMAGE. *JB

Mileage: 160,000

20100226VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TERCEL. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND WOULD NOT STOP. HE HAD TO DRIVE TO A SERVICE ROAD AND FORCE THE GEAR INTO PARK TO STOP THE VEHICLE. SOME WD-40 WAS SPRAYED ON THE ENGINE AND THEY HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEM SINCE. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 2008 WITH 128,000 MILES. THE CONTACT HAS NOT CALLED THE DEALER OR TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000. UPDATED 11/11/10 *BF UPDATED 11/18/10*JB

Mileage: 145,000

20070904FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 1996 TOYOTA TERCEL. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE SMOKE TURNED INTO A FIRE THAT WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE CONTACT. THE FIRE MELTED A HOLE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSED BY A SEPARATED WIRE IN THE AIR BAG. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 188,602. UPDATED 01-16-08. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED WHITE SMOKE WAS EMITTING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, THEN THE CONSUMER NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE TOP PORTION OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT BY USING SOME WATER. THE MECHANIC STATED A WIRE SEPARATED FROM THE DRIVERS AIR BAG WHICH CAUSED THE SHORT. UPDATED

Mileage: 188,602

20070514TIRES:TREAD/BELT

TL - WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE HIT DEBRIS IN THE ROAD CAUSING COMPLETE TIRE TREAD SEPARATION ON THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED MAY 2006 DUE TO DRIVER'S FRONT TIRE HAVING HAD TREAD SEPARATION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE ON THE TIRE WAS UNKNOWN. THE TIRE HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE IS 100,000. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE ENGINE SIZE IS UNKNOWN. KB THE CONSUMER PROVIDED INVOICES FOR THE REPAIR. UPDATED 06/14/07 *TR

Mileage: 100,000

20060103CrashTIRES

1996 TOYOTA TERCEL TIRE BLEW OUT. *TS THE VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD TO THE RIGHT AND SPUN TO THE RIGHT STRIKING A GUARDRAIL WITH IT'S LEFT FRONT. THE VEHICLE AGAIN STRUCK THE GUARDRAIL WITH IT'S LEFT REAR AND SPUN TO THE RIGHT MAKING A 360 DEGREE TURN AND CAME TO REST IN THE RIGHT LANE. THERE WAS SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT FRONT AND LEFT REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *NM

20050824CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

(1) AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT WHILE AVOIDING COLLISION WITH A DEER. ACCIDENT CAUSED SEVERE FRONT END DAMAGE AND BENDING OF THE UNI-BODY FRAME. (2) FAILURE OF AIR-BAGS TO DEPLOY. (3) NO CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TAKEN AS THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED TO BE A TOTAL LOSS. SOME PARTS HAVE BEEN DISPOSED OF, IE. ASSORTED TRIM AND THE FRONT FENDERS.

Mileage: 215,000

20050331SEAT BELTS:FRONT

THE SEAT BELT LATCH IN THE CONSUMER'S 1996 TOYOTA TERCEL WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. *NM THE CONSUMER STATED THE VELT MUST BE WORN TWISTED. *JB

20040422ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

OIL SLUDGE 1996 TOYOTA TERCEL. THE MOTOR STARTED TO KNOCK. THE DEALERSHIP PICKED UP THE CAR AND SAID IT WAS A LACK OF MAINTENCE PROBLEM. MY HUSBAND HAD DONE THE MAINTENCE. THE OIL LOOKED LIKE SLUDGE. I COULD NOT AFFORD TO FIX THE MOTOR SO IT WAS REPOSED AND SOLD AT AUCTION FOR ABOUT $3,000. WHICH LEFT ME TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE I AM STILL PAYING FOR THE CAR. I WAS IN LPN SCHOOL AND PREGNANT AT THE TIME THE CAR BROKE DOWN. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD ON THE LEMON LAW WAS THAT THE CAR HAD TO BE IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES FOR THE SAME CONDITION BEFORE THE LEMON LAW WOULD APPLY. I ALMOST MISCARRIED MY THIRD CHILD AND WAS ADVISED BY MY DOCTOR TO GET RID OF MY STRESS SO I DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL AND FORGOT ABOUT THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT THE TOYOTA OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM AND I BELIEVE THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR. HERE IS THE LIST OF PROBLEMS THAT MY CAR HAD. 11-20-97 O-RING AND SEAL, 12-15-97 TRANSMISSION LEAK, FRONT PUMP SEAL, O-RING, RR TRANSMISSION AXLE AND REPLACE O-RING, TORQUE CONVERTER, 2-

Mileage: 41,800

20030509ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM WITH 1996 TOYOTA TERCEL. THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND TOYOTA WOULD NOT PAY. CAR WAS TAKEN AND SOLD AT AN AUCTION LEAVING ME TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE. *JB

Mileage: 41,800

20030506SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED WHICH MADE THE SEAT BELT INOPERATIVE. *JB *NM

Mileage: 100,000

20020904CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING 45MPPH HAD A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES.*AK

19990923SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

MASTER CYLINDER FAILURE. MANUFACTURER HAS NO REPLACEMENT PARTS FORCING ME TO DRIVE WITH DEFECTIVE BRAKES. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT HELPFUL IN RESOLVING THE PROBLEM.

19990317AIR BAGS

NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DURING VEHICLE COLLISION.

19990106VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

FRONT AND REAR WINDOW DEFOGGERS FUNCTION POORLY CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.

19981210POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES

TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGINE OIL PAN CRACKED, AND ARE LEAKING FUEL WHICH COULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE A FIRE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

19981210ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGINE OIL PAN CRACKED, AND ARE LEAKING FUEL WHICH COULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE A FIRE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

Compare 1996TOYOTATERCEL to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 TOYOTA TERCEL have?
The 1996 TOYOTA TERCEL has 45 NHTSA complaints, 12 crashes, 4 fires, 15 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 TOYOTA TERCEL?
The most-complained component for the 1996 TOYOTA TERCEL is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION:FRONT and VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM.
Is the 1996 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.