RoadVitals

2000 Toyota Celica Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
18
Latest Apr 17, 2006
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
17%
of 106 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Toyota Celica submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

AirbagsTransmission
Filed Apr 17, 2006
Crash reported1 injury reported

REAR END LOCKED UP AND CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE THE VEHICLE ROLLED AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY THE VEHICLE IS TOTALED. *NM

NHTSA ID
10155475
Incident
Apr 11, 2006
Transmission
Filed Jun 14, 2002

WHILE SHIFTING FROM 6TH TO 5TH GEAR TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO A LOWER GEAR, CAUSING ENGINE TO BLOWOUT. *AK *YH

NHTSA ID
8011866
Incident
Feb 15, 2002
EngineTransmission
Filed Feb 8, 2002

TOYOTA HAS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THERE 6 SPEED IN THE NEW CELICA. THEY EVEN TOLD ME ABOUT IT AT TOYOTA. THE MALFUNCTION IS THAT WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP INTO 2ND INSTEAD OF 4TH. THIS THEN CAUSES THE ENGINE TO BE BLOWN. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF TRYING TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE AT AROUND 70 TO 75 MPH AND SUDDENLY YOU CARS DECCELARATES INSTANTLY TO AROUND 50 MPH. THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT, OR IS THAT WHAT IT IS GOING TO TAKE BEFORE THEY WILL!!*AK

NHTSA ID
757979
Incident
Nov 9, 2000
Transmission
Filed Feb 8, 2002

TOYOTA HAS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THERE 6 SPEED IN THE NEW CELICA. THEY EVEN TOLD ME ABOUT IT AT TOYOTA. THE MALFUNCTION IS THAT WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP INTO 2ND INSTEAD OF 4TH. THIS THEN CAUSES THE ENGINE TO BE BLOWN. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF TRYING TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE AT AROUND 70 TO 75 MPH AND SUDDENLY YOU CARS DECCELARATES INSTANTLY TO AROUND 50 MPH. THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT, OR IS THAT WHAT IT IS GOING TO TAKE BEFORE THEY WILL!! *AK

NHTSA ID
757978
Incident
Nov 9, 2000
EngineSeat beltsTransmission
Filed Aug 30, 2001

1. ENGINE FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH A LOUD NOISE (SNAP OR POP) FOLLOWED BY OTHER ODD NOISES WERE EXHIBITED BY THE ENGINE. AT THAT TIME ALL ENGINE POWER (INCLUDING POWER ASSISTED STEERING AND BRAKES) WAS LOST. 2. TRANSMISSION. SHIFTER NOISES ARE EXHIBITED WHILE SELECTING GEARS. THE NOISE, A LOUD SQUEAKING WHILE MOVING SHIFTER INTO OR OUT OF GEAR, INITIALLY STARTED AT AROUND 1000 MILES AND WAS ONLY PRESENT DURING REVERSE, 1ST, OR 2ND SHIFT. THE SYMPTOM HAS WORSENED AND IS NOW PRESENT WHEN SELECTING ANY GEAR (1-6 OR REVERSE). IT WAS INITIALLY NOTED INFORMALLY WITH THE DEALER, AND FORMALLY DOCUMENTED ON THE 02/06/2001 SERVICE VISIT (7486 MILES). DIFFICULTY SHIFTING INTO 1, 2, 3, AND 6 WAS ALSO NOTED AT THIS TIME. THIS TOO HAS WORSENED, GRINDING IS EXPERIENCED MOST TIMES WHEN SELECTING REVERSE AND FREQUENTLY IN OTHER GEARS. SECOND GEAR IS THE WORST OFFENDER AND OFTEN WILL NOT ENGAGE FULLY. OVERALL SHIFT QUALITY (BOTH SHIFTING PRECISION AND SHIFING EFFORT REQUIRED) HAS SEVERELY DEGRADED. 3. SEAT BELT TAB. WITH EITHER FRONT SEAT EXTENDED REARWARD (FOR A TALL DRIVER OR PASSENGER) THE DOOR WILL IMPACT THE SEAT BELT TAB THAT IN TURN IMPACTS SIDE AIRBAG ASSEMBLY WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED. VISIBLE DAMAGE TO BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR PANELS IS EVIDENT. IT IS UNKNOWN IF ANY DAMAGE TO THE SIDE AIRBAG ASSEMBLIES HAS BEEN SUSTAINED.*AK

NHTSA ID
751381
Incident
Aug 18, 2001
Transmission
Filed Aug 13, 2001

HAD A MISSSHIFT FROM 3RD TO 2ND GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS TWICE DEALER WON'T COVER DEFECT IN TRANSMISSION. *AK

NHTSA ID
750347
Incident
Feb 25, 2001
Transmission
Filed Aug 10, 2001

WHILE MERGING, THE CLUTCH PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR. THE SHIFTER WAS PULLED OUT OF GEAR (3RD) AND RESULTED IN A MISPLACEMENT INTO 2ND GEAR. THE PEDAL NEEDED TO BE PRIED UP OFF THE FLOOR WITH THE DRIVERS FOOT. THIS COULD HAVE LED TO A SERIOUS CRASH/INJURY.

NHTSA ID
750194
Incident
Aug 3, 2001
Driver assistanceEngineTransmission
Filed Jul 23, 2001

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD JERK. ENGINE WOULD BECOME NOISY AND SHAKY. WOULD FAIL TO IDLE PROPERLY. CLUTCH PEDAL WOULD GO TO FLOOR AND FAILED TO RETURN TO ORIGINAL POSITION. NOT ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT PROBLEM WERE THE VALVES IN ENGINE.*AK *JB

NHTSA ID
893128
Incident
Jul 20, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jul 13, 2001

GEAR SHIFTER MAKES SQUEAKING NOISE. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED 3 TIMES ALREADY. THEY APPLIED LUBE TO LINKAGE AREA BUT IT ONLY SOLVED THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY *AK

NHTSA ID
748406
Incident
Jun 1, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jun 11, 2001

VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION HAS A POOR DESIGN IN GEAR SHIFT WHICH ALLOWS DRIVER TO JUMP GEARS, SUCH AS SHIFTING FROM 5TH TO 2ND DURNING A DOWNSHIFTING. THIS DESIGN DID NOT HAVE A CATCH WHICH COULD PREVENT TRANSMISSION IN VEHICLE FROM FAILING DUE TO STRESS. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE VEHICLES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ID
890108
Incident
Jan 1, 2001
Transmission
Filed May 17, 2001

WHILE CHANGING GEARS NOTICED GRINDING NOISE. DEALER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. A TECHNICIAN CHANGED TRANSMISSION FLUIDS. WHILE TRAVELING HOME AND WHEN SHIFTING TO 5TH GEAR NOTICED A NOISE. CONSUMER STATED THAT SHIF GEAR TRAVELED TO LEFT WHEN VEHICLE HIT 3RD GEAR, CAUSING FRONT TIRES TO LOCK UP . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
888515
Transmission
Filed Jan 12, 2001

WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD AND THE CAR IS STARTED IN NEUTRAL, THE CAR BEGINS TO MOVE FORWARD BY ITSELF WHEN THE CLUTCH IT LET OUT. TOYOTA DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL IN COLD WEATHER, BUT IT IS NOT SAFE AT ALL! *AK

NHTSA ID
739293
Incident
Jan 12, 2001
Transmission
Filed Dec 28, 2000

THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE A LOCKOUT ON THE GEAR SHIFT, THE CAR EASILY SHIFTS FROM 5TH TO 2ND, WHEN THIS OCCURS THE SLOWS FROM 70 MPH TO 35 IN JUST A FEW SECONDS, THIS COULD CAUSE A DANGEROUS SITUATION. NLM

NHTSA ID
558414
EngineTransmission
Filed Dec 20, 2000

CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO DOWNSHIFT FROM 5TH GEAR TO 4TH GEAR AND IT SHIFTED TO 2ND INSTEAD. AS A RESULT OF THAT PROBLEM HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. TOYOTA TOOK NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIR. CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW. *AK

NHTSA ID
876820
Incident
Dec 1, 2000
Transmission
Filed Oct 19, 2000

WHILE SHIFTING GEAR FOR EXAMPLE FROM 3RD GEAR TO 4TH GEAR, CONSUMER IS ABLE TO SWITCH INTO 2ND GEAR WHICH MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO DOWNSHIFT HARD, AND CAUSE A CRASH. *AK WHEN THE GEAR SHIFTS FROM 3RD TO 2ND, THE SPEED CHANGES FROM 70 TO VIRTUAL STOP IMMEDIATLEY. *YH

NHTSA ID
873410
Incident
Oct 1, 2000
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Aug 25, 2000

TRANSMISSION IS TOO EASY TO SHIFT INTO WRONG GEARS. SAME FOUR VALVES HAVE BEEN BENT TWICE, ONCE AS A RESULT OF CLUTCH STICKING TO FLOOR CAUSING A MIS-SHIFT. CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGES AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF USE CAUSING THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN ABRUPTLY.

NHTSA ID
729078
Incident
Jul 16, 2000
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Jul 7, 2000

THE TRANSMISSION IS TOO EASY TO SHIFT FROM 5TH INTO 2ND AND I ALMOST BLEW THE ENGINE. THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN BY TOYOTA BUT THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. AS FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL, EVERY 2000 CELICA HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CRUISE CONTROL SLOWS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING UP TO 20MPH. WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS ACTIVATED TO INDICATE DECELERATION OF THE CAR AN ACCIDENT COULD EASILY HAPPEN. *AK

NHTSA ID
725091
Incident
Dec 30, 1999
Transmission
Filed Jun 15, 2000

TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE AFTER HOURS OF DRIVING. *AK

NHTSA ID
724057

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .