Problems · NHTSA complaints
1997 Toyota Celica problems
Owners filed 8 complaints about the 1997 Toyota Celica with NHTSA between Sep 1997 and Feb 2013. The most-cited component is visibility (3).
Complaints
8
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Visibility3
- Electrical system2
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Structure1
- Air bags1
- Tires1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
1
0
1
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 1 |
| 1998 | 1 |
| 1999 | 0 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Visibility
3 reports1 fire
“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”
Electrical system
2 reports1 fire
“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.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
1 report
“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”
Structure
1 report
“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”
Air bags
1 report1 crash
“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”
Tires
1 report
“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”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.