1993 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 1993 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
- Seat belts738.9%
- Engine211.1%
- Airbags211.1%
- Driver assistance15.6%
- Powertrain (other)15.6%
- Suspension15.6%
- Tires & wheels15.6%
- Visibility15.6%
- Brakes15.6%
- Heating & air conditioning15.6%
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
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT OR IF THEY DO, SLOWLY AND NOT FULLY. LEAVING BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER TO MORE BODILY INJURY IN CASE OF ACCIDENT. HAS BEEN LIKE THIS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. I CALLED TOYOTA BUT WAS TOLD I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. NOT CHEAP! THE WIPERS ARE ALSO PRONE TO RUST... THE METAL RODS THAT HOLD WIPERS ARMS IN PLACE TEND TO COME LOOSE MAKING THE WIPER ARMS FALL OFF. HAVE TRIED TO CONVERT ARMS TO ACCEPT NEWER BLADES BUT THEY ARE TOO THICK FOR THE RETROFIT ATTACHMENTS FOUND IN ANSCO WIPERS. TOYOTA CHARGES ALMOST $200 A PIECE FOR NEW OEM WIPER ARMS FOR THIS MODEL. REMEDIED THIS USING CRAZY GLUE AND ELECTRICAL TAPE TO KEEP NEW ARMS IN PLACE. *TR
BOTH OF MY FRONT SEAT BELTS DO NOT LOCK OR RETRACT PROPERLY ON MY 1993 CELICA GT AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL YEAR. IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE ON THE CELICA ENTHUSIAST WEB BOARD THAT I REQUEST AND I'VE FOUND COMPLAINTS LOGGED ON THE DOT'S WEBSITES. WAS THERE A RECALL FOR THESE SEAT BELTS AND CAN I GET THEM REPLACED? *CB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVERS AIRBAG IN A VEHICLE COLLISION, ONLY PASSENGERS AIRBAG DEPLOYED, FRONT END DAMAGE WAS ON PASSENGERS SIDE, HOWEVER CONSUMER FEELS DAMAGE WAS EXTENSIVE ENOUGH TO WARRANT BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYMENT.
VEHICLE FIRE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS DURING ACCIDENT.
NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVERS AIRBAG IN A VEHICLE COLLISION, ONLY PASSENGERS AIRBAG DEPLOYED, FRONT END DAMAGE WAS ON PASSENGERS SIDE, HOWEVER CONSUMER FEELS DAMAGE WAS EXTENSIVE ENOUGH TO WARRANT BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYMENT.
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
WHEN USING THE AIR CONDITIONER AIR COMPRESSOR ENGAGES, AND CAUSES VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO COULD NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE HAD TWO FRONT END SHAFTS SHEER OFF THE RETAINING NUT ON MY CAR. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS LAST SUMMER (2009) AND THE LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED LAST NIGHT. AT THE OUTBOARD END OF THE DRIVE SHAFT, THERE IS A THREADED SHAFT THAT ACCEPTS A (I BELIEVE) 22 OR 24MM NUT. IN BOTH CASES, THE SHAFT SNAPPED AND THE RETAINING NUT FELL TOTALLY OFF THE SHAFT, LEAVING ONLY THE DISC BRAKE CALIPER TO KEEP THE TIRE FROM FALLING OFF. YESTERDAYS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN BACKING OUT OF A PARKING PLACE, SO THIS WAS NOT A HIGH SPEED INCIDENT, BUT ONE THAT OCCURRED WHEN MINIMUM FORCES WERE AT PLAY ON THE CAR. ONCE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A FLUKE, BUT TWICE ON THE SAME VEHICLE? *TR
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
I HAVE HAD TWO FRONT END SHAFTS SHEER OFF THE RETAINING NUT ON MY CAR. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS LAST SUMMER (2009) AND THE LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED LAST NIGHT. AT THE OUTBOARD END OF THE DRIVE SHAFT, THERE IS A THREADED SHAFT THAT ACCEPTS A (I BELIEVE) 22 OR 24MM NUT. IN BOTH CASES, THE SHAFT SNAPPED AND THE RETAINING NUT FELL TOTALLY OFF THE SHAFT, LEAVING ONLY THE DISC BRAKE CALIPER TO KEEP THE TIRE FROM FALLING OFF. YESTERDAYS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN BACKING OUT OF A PARKING PLACE, SO THIS WAS NOT A HIGH SPEED INCIDENT, BUT ONE THAT OCCURRED WHEN MINIMUM FORCES WERE AT PLAY ON THE CAR. ONCE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A FLUKE, BUT TWICE ON THE SAME VEHICLE? *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS DURING ACCIDENT.
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
THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT OR IF THEY DO, SLOWLY AND NOT FULLY. LEAVING BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER TO MORE BODILY INJURY IN CASE OF ACCIDENT. HAS BEEN LIKE THIS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. I CALLED TOYOTA BUT WAS TOLD I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. NOT CHEAP! THE WIPERS ARE ALSO PRONE TO RUST... THE METAL RODS THAT HOLD WIPERS ARMS IN PLACE TEND TO COME LOOSE MAKING THE WIPER ARMS FALL OFF. HAVE TRIED TO CONVERT ARMS TO ACCEPT NEWER BLADES BUT THEY ARE TOO THICK FOR THE RETROFIT ATTACHMENTS FOUND IN ANSCO WIPERS. TOYOTA CHARGES ALMOST $200 A PIECE FOR NEW OEM WIPER ARMS FOR THIS MODEL. REMEDIED THIS USING CRAZY GLUE AND ELECTRICAL TAPE TO KEEP NEW ARMS IN PLACE. *TR
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
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES ROTORS PRODUCED A GRINDING NOISE. AS RESULT, AN ODOR SEEPED THROUGH THE VENTS. *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
WHEN USING THE AIR CONDITIONER AIR COMPRESSOR ENGAGES, AND CAUSES VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO COULD NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *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 .