RoadVitals

1987 Toyota Tercel

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
13
Latest May 21, 2002
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Aug 27, 2007
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
3
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1987 Toyota Tercel, most frequently naming the fuel system, engine and electrical categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 18 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Fuel system426.7%
  • Engine320.0%
  • Electrical213.3%
  • Seat belts16.7%
  • Tires & wheels16.7%
  • Brakes16.7%
  • Transmission16.7%
  • Driver assistance16.7%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
07E064000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Aug 27, 2007
34,000 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMPS SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF CARTER, ACCUFLOW, NAPA, TRUFLOW, PARTS DEPO, AND PARTS MASTER, SHIPPED BETWEEN AUGUST 2006 AND JULY 2007 FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE FUEL PUMP DIAPHRAGM IN CERTAIN PRODUCTION RUNS MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED OR INADEQUATELY TESTED WHICH MAY CAUSE THE FUEL PUMP TO LEAK.
The risk: A LEAKING FUEL PUMP COULD CREATE A VEHICLE FIRE HAZARD.
The remedy: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 15, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT 248-354-7700.
FEDERAL-MOGUL CORPORATIONView on NHTSA.gov
92V111000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

Jul 13, 1992
360,399 units potentially affected
The defect: THERE CAN BE INTERFERENCE WITH THE HEADLAMP HOUSING IF HEADLAMP BULBS ARE REPLACED WITH ANY BRAND OTHER THAN KOITO BRAND BULBS.
The risk: THE INTERFERENCE WITH THE HEADLAMP HOUSING CAUSED BYOTHER THAN KOITO BRAND LAMP BULBS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 108, "LAMPS,REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
The remedy: TOYOTA DEALERS WILL PROVIDE A NEW KOITO BRAND BULB WITH NO CHARGE IF A NON-KOITO BRAND BULB IS NOW INSTALLED, OR SHOULD A HEADLAMP BULB BURN OUT IN THE FUTURE. "CAUTION LABELS" WILL ALSO BE PLACED ON EACH HEADLAMP HOUSING.
TOYOTA MOTOR CO., LTD.View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE89134ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

BROKEN STABILIZER BAR

Opened Jul 3, 1989
Closed Sep 22, 1989

===

SUSPENSION

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 13
Tires & wheels
Filed May 21, 2002

OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS, 3 OUT OF 4 TIRES HAVE FAILED DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. THE TIRES WERE APPROX 6-1/2 YEARS OLD WITH 35,000 MILES WITH PLENTY OF REMAINING TREAD DEPTH.*AK

NHTSA ID
762133
Incident
May 20, 2002
EngineTransmission
Filed Sep 1, 2000
Fire reported

VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE, PRIOR TO FIRE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS

NHTSA ID
554255
Incident
Jul 8, 2000
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 22, 2000
Crash reported

4 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN. YH

NHTSA ID
550559
Incident
Jun 20, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 15, 1998

DEFECTIVE CARBURETOR/FUEL SYSTEM CAUSING VEHICLE STALLING, HESITATION AND SURGING.

NHTSA ID
543052
Fuel system
Filed Dec 8, 1998

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH CARBURETOR. WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STALLS OR SURGES FORWARD. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
831970
Incident
Dec 8, 1997
Brakes
Filed Nov 12, 1997

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE MADE LOUD SQUEAKS. THE ROTORS AND PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID
818885
Electrical
Filed Dec 17, 1996

AT ANY SPEED CAR STALLS, WHEN TAKEN TO THE REPAIR SHOP MECHANIC THINKS IT THE CARBURETOR BUT HE IS NOT SURE. *AK

NHTSA ID
806486
Electrical
Filed Nov 22, 1996

ALTERNATOR FAILED.

NHTSA ID
602280
Incident
Oct 31, 1996

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

TSB003220

AIR BAGS; EQUIPMENT; VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2023 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate.

Toyota PRO19-02

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL; TIRES; WHEELS

POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Toyota. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be available to any customer that requests it. Customers can find this information on the Owner?s section of Toyota.com. Dealers can locate a copy of this guide on the Claims Processing & Resource Center in Dealer Daily as well.

T-SB-0032-20 Rev

EQUIPMENT

TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2021 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate.

T-SB-0304-17 Obs

EQUIPMENT

TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 07, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0032-20. Replacement Certification Labels and VIN Plates

T-SB-0032-20

EQUIPMENT

TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, PG006-01, PG004-97, T-SB-0144-08, and T-SB-0304-17. The aforementioned bulletins are obsolete, and any printed versions should be discarded. Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2020 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate.

T-CP-N04-0144-W_

EQUIPMENT; EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

Dealer Letter: Toyota will initiate a Special Service Campaign to inform certain Tercel owners of the need to use only Koito brand replacement headlamp bulbs. The original equipment headlamp bulbs in these vehicles were all Koito brand. The use of any brand of bulb other than Koito can cause the headlamp to fail to meet all of the photometric requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Standard No. 108. Owners will be supplied with caution labels and asked to install them on the headlamp housings. Owners who have previously replaced headlamp bulbs will be asked to bring their vehicle to a dealer for inspection and, if necessary, replacement with a Koito brand bulb. Any headlamp bulb of the involved vehicles that is burnt out now or in the future will be replaced free of charge with a Koito brand bulb. Please assist any involved Tercel owner by inspecting and replacing any non-Koito or burned out headlamp bulb with the correct Koito bulb. If an owner has not installed the caution labels on each headlamp housing, please do so for them. An initial supply of these labels is enclosed with this information package. Should you require additional labels, they can be ordered by calling (310) 783-5596. In addition, please install caution labels and Koito headlamp bulbs as necessary in any vehicles currently in your stock.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Toyota Tercel by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2000100—
1999110—
1998310—
1997202057.4
1996402058.3
1995512059.9
1994400048.9
1993430049.8
1992240041.8
1991170040.3
1990191053.2
1989221044.7
1988821—
1987Viewing132158.4
1986612—
1985312—
1984512—
1983212—
1982212—
1981010—
1980010—
1979000—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.