1997 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 1997 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
- Visibility333.3%
- Electrical222.2%
- Airbags111.1%
- Body & structure111.1%
- Brakes111.1%
- Tires & wheels111.1%
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
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY REAR DEFROST HAS NOT WORKED IN YEARS. I LOOK AT THE CONNECTION WHERE THE HATCH MEETS THE CAR AND FIND THAT THE CONNECTOR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND MELTED THE CONNECTOR AND THE WIRE. I AM HAVING TO RECONNECT THE 2 WIRES TO GET MY REAR DEFROST WORKING AGAIN. *TR
WHILE LOWERING CONVERTIBLE TOP UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AND WITH NO OBSTRUCTIONS, BACK GLASS EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON.*AK
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
MY REAR DEFROST HAS NOT WORKED IN YEARS. I LOOK AT THE CONNECTION WHERE THE HATCH MEETS THE CAR AND FIND THAT THE CONNECTOR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND MELTED THE CONNECTOR AND THE WIRE. I AM HAVING TO RECONNECT THE 2 WIRES TO GET MY REAR DEFROST WORKING AGAIN. *TR
THE SAME EVENING THAT I PURCHASED MY CELICA AND EVERY EVENING SINCE THEN I NOTICE THAT MY HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT LIGHTS DIM WHEN I APPLY MY BRAKES. ONLY WHEN I RELEASE MY BRAKES DO THEY BRIGHTEN BACK-UP. I'VE TAKEN MY CELICA IN TWICE TO HAVE IT TESTED BUT TOYOTA SAID THAT EVERYTHING TESTED NORMAL BOTH TIMES. IS THIS NORMAL ON THESE CARS.
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
MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN A VERY MINOR ACCIDENT, AND THERE WAS AN APPROXIMATELY 10-15 SECOND DELAY AFTER THE CAR WAS PLACED IN PARK WHEN HER AIRBAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED, CAUSING MINOR INJURY TO HER, AND MORE DAMAGE THAN THE ACCIDENT ITSELF CAUSED TO HER VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED TO KNOW WHY THEY DEPLOYED AT ALL CONSIDERING HER SPEED OF APX 5 -7 MPH,. AND IF THERE HAD BEEN A HIGH SPEED ACCIDENT IF THEY WOULD HAVE DEPLOYED IN TIME TO PROTECT HER AS THEY ARE DESIGNED. THE PERSON SHE BUMPED INTO AND PASSENGER ARE WITNESSES TO THE DELAYED DEPLOYMENT, AS WELL AS THE OFFICER ON SCENE.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PAINT SHOP FOR A PAINT JOB. TECHNICIAN INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE TWO PILLAR ATTACHMENTS FOR THE ROOF WERE BONDED TOGETHER BY GLUE. TECHNICIAN WOULD NOT TOUCH THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT WAS FIXED. *AK
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CELICA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL AND APPLYING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,000. UPDATED 02/13/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS DRIVING 45 MPH AND WHEN APPROACHED SOME CURVES IN THE ROAD, HE APPLIED THE BRAKE. HE SOON REALIZED THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING AND PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE . THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED AND HE SPUN OUT TO A STOP. THE CONSUMER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THERE WAS NO BRAKE FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR, WHICH LEAKED OUT ONTO THE BRAKE LINES, WHICH HAD ROTTED. UPDATED 02/14/13
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
WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. TIRE WAS A CONTINENTAL GT8000, TOURING, P205/55R15. TIRE WAS A REPLACEMENT TIRE PURCHASED AT A PRIVATE OWNED TIRE DEALERSHIP. TIRE'S MILEAGE WAS 27,000. *AK CONSUMER STATED ANOTHER TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AND THE OTHER TIRES HAVE CRACKED SIDEWALLS, VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE DUE TO FAULTY TIRE.. *SLC
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 .