1988 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 1988 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
- Engine220.0%
- Seat belts220.0%
- Driver assistance110.0%
- Electrical110.0%
- Suspension110.0%
- Brakes110.0%
- Visibility110.0%
- Heating & air conditioning110.0%
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
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
BRAKES FAILED.
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
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED. *SD
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WHEN LOCK IT STAY LOCK AND HARD TO LOCK . TT
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
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKES FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKES FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
I CURRENTLY OWN AN 87 AND 88 TOYOTA CELICAS AND BOTH HEATERS DO NOT WORK. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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 .