Problems · NHTSA complaints

2000 Toyota Celica problems

Owners filed 106 complaints about the 2000 Toyota Celica with NHTSA between Jan 2000 and Feb 2024. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (41).

Complaints
106
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
13
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
8
People reported injured
Deaths
3
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling41
  2. Power train20
  3. Vehicle speed control11
  4. Air bags9
  5. Electrical system6
  6. Exterior lighting6
  7. Structure6
  8. Engine5
  9. Seat belts4
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic4
  11. Tires2
  12. Latches/locks/linkages2
  13. Equipment2
  14. Steering2

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 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200015
200118
200210
200314
20049
20056
20062
20075
20084
20095
20108
20111
20120
20131
20143
20150
20160
20170
20180
20191
20201
20211
20221
20230
20241

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.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

41 reports1 crash
“CAR HAS 140,000 MILES ON IT, AND IS BURNING APPROXIMATELY 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY FOUR DAYS. BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM EXHAUST. FOUND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE ONLINE WITH THE SAME CAR (2000-2002 CELICA GT 1.8L) WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. PROBLEMS WERE NOTICED AS EARLY AS 80,000 MILES. NO VISIBLE OIL LEAKS. FOUND INFORMATION ONLINE REGARDING A FIX THAT TOYOTA MADE TO THE ENGINE IN 2003 FROM 4 HOLES IN PISTONS, TO 8 HOLES AS WELL AS LARGER PISTON GROVE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10384910

Power train

20 reports1 crash
“THIS VEHICLE HAS ( ACCORDING TO ALL SOURCES AVAILABLE ) BURNED OIL FROM THE TIME IT LEFT THE PLANT BRAND NEW,MOST 2000 TO 2002 TOYOTA CELICA GT'S HAVE THIS ISSUE AS THE RINGS WERE BAD. TOYOTA HAS NEVER PRODUCED A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE AND IT HAS EFFECTED THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES.TOYOTA DID CHANGE THE RINGS OUT FOR THE 2003 MODELS AND NEWER, SO THEY DID KNOW THE PROBLEM EXISTED.THIS HAS CAUSED MANY CELICA'S TO EXPERIENCE BLOWN MOTORS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 6, 2014Power trainODI 10662493

Vehicle speed control

11 reports2 crashes
“I TOWED MY VEHICLE TO NEWBOLD TOYOTA ON JULY 28, 2014, AND ON JULY 29, I SPOKE TO [XXX], A SERVICE ADVISOR AND EXPLAINED WHY MY VEHICLE WAS THERE. HE INDICATED THEY WOULD DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND GET BACK TO ME. AT 3:28 PM [XXX] CALLED ME BACK INDICATING THAT THE ENGINE WAS DONE DUE TO THE OVER-REV WHICH BLEW THE ENGINE. HERE IS MY STATEMENT ON WHAT HAPPENED: ON JULY 28 2014 AT ABOUT 7 A.M., I WAS TRAVELING TO WORK ON I-255 SOUTHBOUND WHEN MY GAS PEDAL SUNK TO THE FLOOR WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH IN FIFTH GEAR. THE CAR SPED UP, SO HAVING A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. I PROCEEDED TO RAISE THE PEDAL WITH THE TIP OF MY SHOE, WITH NO SUCCESS AND ENGINE REVVING, I DECIDED TO SLAM ON THE BRAKE FOR A BRIEF SECOND, WHEN THE GAS PEDAL SPRUNG RIGHT BACK UP. I THEN PLACED IT IN SIXTH GEAR AND KEPT GOING FOR APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES, DESPITE HEARING A RATTLING NOISE. AS I TURNED OFF ONTO MY EXIT, I PLACED THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND THAT'S WHEN THE ENGINE DIED. AT THIS POINT I COASTED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE EXIT RAMP.ON JULY 31, 2014 AT 2:14 PM, I SPOKE WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER ([XXX] ) ABOUT MY SITUATION WITH THE VEHICLE, AND HE TOLD ME TO CALL TOYOTA…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 15, 2014Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 10644757

Air bags

9 reports8 crashes
“DAUGHTER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND HIT A TREE AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, DEAD CENTER IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE IS TOTALED, BUT AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. INSURANCE ADJUSTER STATED THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. DAUGHTER HAS SORE NECK AND IS BEING TREATED BY A PHYSICIAN. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 1, 2005Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10141419

Electrical system

6 reports2 fires
“The contact owns a 2000 Toyota Celica. The contact stated that the daytime running lights failed to turn off as needed, causing the battery to be drained. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the running lights needed to be adjusted. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the headlight switch needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V566000 (Exterior Lighting). The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 123,268.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 17, 2022Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11465031

Exterior lighting

6 reports2 related recalls
“BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. DEALERSHIP INSPECTED AND SAID THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE BURNED OUT. THIS IS UNREASONABLE THAT BOTH HEADLIGHTS WOULD BURNOUT AT PRECISELY THE SAME TIME, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE CAR WAS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2004Exterior lightingODI 10058665
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.