Problems · NHTSA complaints
2002 Toyota Celica problems
Owners filed 55 complaints about the 2002 Toyota Celica with NHTSA between Jun 2002 and Jul 2014. The most-cited component is air bags (12).
Complaints
55
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
16
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags12
- Power train7
- Suspension6
- Service brakes, hydraulic6
- Structure5
- Fuel system, gasoline5
- Engine and engine cooling5
- Latches/locks/linkages4
- Tires4
- Steering2
- Visibility2
- Parking brake2
- Wheels1
- Vehicle speed control1
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
7
11
10
12
1
6
3
1
2
0
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 7 |
| 2003 | 11 |
| 2004 | 10 |
| 2005 | 12 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 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
Air bags
12 reports12 crashes
“CAR WAS TRAVELING @ 50 MPH ( POSTED SPEED FOR THE ROAD). HE SNEEZED, WHEN HE LOOKED UP THE CARS SUDDENLY STOPPED IN FRONT OF HIM. HE REAR ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF HIM GOING 50 MPH. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS CRUSHED. THE ENGINE WAS SHOVED IN. THE CAR IS TOTALED. BUT NOT 1 AIRBAG WENT OFF. BOTH ARE BRUISED FROM THE SEAT BELTS & BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER HAVE WHIPLASH. I AM THANKFUL THEY WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS BUT VERY CONCERNED THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T PERFORM AS EXPECTED. BOTH THE CLEAN-UP CREW & OFFICER AT THE SEEN WERE SHOCKED THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY....UPDATED 07/23/14 *BF”
Power train
7 reports
“ONE WEEK AGO I WAS RUNNING ERRANDS WITH THE TOYOTA SEQUOIA, BUT THE CAR REFUSED TO START ONCE I COMPLETED MY ERRANDS. EVENTUALLY, THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED AND THE REPAIR SHOP REPORTED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT BRACKET AND LEVER WERE BROKEN AND THEREFORE PREVENTED THE GEAR FROM PROPERLY GOING INTO PARK. THE REPAIR SHOP REPORTED SEEING SEVERAL SUCH CASES RECENTLY BUT STATED THAT TOYOTA HAS INFORMED HIM THAT THE PROBLEM RESULTED FROM IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE GEAR SHIFT. I HAD THECAR FOR MORE THAN 5 YEARS AND HAVE ALWAYS FOLLOWED THE PROPER PROCEDURE. PERHAPS THIS NEEDED FURTHER INVESTIGATION. *AK”
Suspension
6 reports1 crash
“WE OWN 2002 CELICA GT-S. IT HAS HAD TO HAVE 4 SETS OF TIRES IN 85,000 MILES. AT THE LAST ALIGNMENT THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT GET THE 2 REAR TIRES IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE FRONT 2 TIRES. THE PROBLEM WERE THE REAR TIE RODS. HE GOT A SET OF ADJUSTABLE TIE RODS & REPLACED THE FACTORY TIE RODS AND WAS ABLE TO GET ALL 4 TIRES IN PROPER ALIGNMENT. MY SON HAD AN ACCIDENT PREVIOUSLY WHERE HE LOST TRACTION AND SKIDDED OFF THE ROAD BUT WITH NO INJURIES THANK GOD. I TOOK THE TIE RODS TO THE ANDERSON TOYOTA DEALER & THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THAT PROBLEM. BUT THEY DID NOT SHOW ANY CONCERN WHATSOEVER. I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PRUDENT FOR THEM TO GET SOME INFORMATION & CHECK THEIR SERVICE BULLETINS. BUT I GUESS THE FELLOW HAD FOUND A COMFORTABLE POSITION ON THE STOOL HE WAS OCCUPYING. I AM CONCERNED THIS MAY BE A DEFECT AND WOULD LIKE FOR SOMEONE WITH THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE TO LOOK INTO THIS. I WAS NOT SEEKING ANYTHING FROM RALPH HAYES TOYOTA. I APPROACHED THEM AS A GENTLEMAN & LEFT WITH THE SAME DEMEANOR. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM COMMON TO THIS PARTICULAR AUTOMOBILE. IT IS A 2002 TOYOTA CELICA GTS. THANK YOU. I DO NOT HAVE A COPY OF THE INCIDENT…”
Service brakes, hydraulic
6 reports2 crashes
“I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA WITH 62,000 MI. I HAVE BEEN TO TWO TOYOTA DEALERS TO FIGURE OUT MY PROBLEM. THE VSC TRAC, VSC OFF, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE COMING ON. FINALLY AFTER @$700 OF MY MONEY, THEY FIGURED OUT THE PROBLEM TO BE THE ECU. THIS WILL NOW COST ME @1800 FOR PARTS, AND WHO KNOWS YET FOR LABOR. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT MANY OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE SITUATION, UNLESS YOU HAVE THE EXT. WARRANTY. I FEEL THAT TOYOTA NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, MAYBE RECALL THIS AND FIX THESE CARS BEFORE THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. I LIVE IN NEW YORK WHERE THERE IS ALOT OF SNOW. MY VSC WILL NOT WORK UNTIL I GET THIS FIXED. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND HAVE TO RELAY ON STANDARD BRAKES IN THE SNOW UNTIL THIS IS FIXED. TOYOTA SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR REPUTABLE NAME AND FIX THESE PROBLEMS ASAP..... *TR”
Structure
5 reports2 crashes
“DAUGHTER (17) LOST CONTROL OF CAR IN A CURVE DUE TO WET ROADS AND SPEED. THE CAR SPUN THEN STRUCK A TREE HEAD ON. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE IMPACT WAS GREAT ENOUGH TO BUST THE RADIATOR AND KILL THE MOTOR BUT NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. MY YOUNGER DAUGHTER (15) WAS IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. BOTH GIRLS WERE WEARING SEATBELTS. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO MAJOR INJURIES. *TR”
Fuel system, gasoline
5 reports1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CELICA. EVERY TIME THE CONTACT FINISHES PUMPING FUEL, THE GAS TANK OVERFLOWS. THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE VEHICLE HAD IT REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V074000 (FUEL SYSTEM :GASOLINE), BUT THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND IT IS CURRENTLY AT A REPAIR SHOP. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,000. UPDATED 12-02-08 *BF UPDATED 12/02/08. *JB”
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.