1985 Toyota Celica Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1985 Toyota Celica, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Body & structure337.5%
- Seat belts225.0%
- Steering225.0%
- Driver assistance112.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONVERTABLE TOP FAILED. NLM
POWER TOP FAILED. YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
SEAT BELTS LOCK UP FREQUENTLY, ALSO POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED. *AK
DRIVERS SEAT BELT FAILS TO RETRACT. *DH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .