1999 Toyota CELICA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
9 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
100,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 5 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Seat Belts is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 9 complaints (22.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 11.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 2 |
| Tires:Tread/Belt | 2 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | 1 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 1 |
| Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars | 1 |
| Tires | 1 |
Seat Belts: 2; Tires:Tread/Belt: 2; Air Bags: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System: 1; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 1; Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars: 1; Tires: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 1
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2020 | 1 |
2001: 2; 2002: 1; 2004: 1; 2007: 1; 2008: 1; 2015: 2; 2020: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10089193 · 2004-08-18 (August 18, 2004)
VEHICLE SPUTTERS WHILE DRIVING WHEN GEARS SHIFT. THIS OCCURS BECAUSE THE 1ST CYLINDER IS ONLY OPERATING AT 1/2 ITS PRESSURE CAPACITY. A MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THIS MAY BE CAUSED BY A CRACKED O-RING. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10089193 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10193732 · 2007-06-19 (June 19, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA CELICA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AS OF JUNE 19, 2007, THE TRANSMISSION HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 6,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 5,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10193732 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10237708 · 2008-08-11 (August 11, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA CELICA. THE VEHICLE HAS COOPER LIFELINER TOURING SLE TIRES, SIZE 205/55R16. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO WOBBLE ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE METAL BELT BUSTED THROUGH AND THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRES. APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS LATER, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE. APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK LATER, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED AS WELL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 156,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 155,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10237708 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10726660 · 2015-06-22 (June 22, 2015)
THE SEAT BELT STOPPED ROLLING AND LOOSE. THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING REGARDLESS OF AGE. MY SON BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION ON JUNE 21, 2015.
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10726660 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10726661 · 2015-06-22 (June 22, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA CELICA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT, WHICH CAUSED THE SEAT BELT TO BECOME LOOSE. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 09/03/15*LJ UPDATED 12/16/2015 *JS
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10726661 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11321189 · 2020-04-15 (April 15, 2020)
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA CELICA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V03300 (AIR BAGS), HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. HAMER TOYOTA (11041 SEPULVEDA BLVD., MISSION HILLS, CA 91345, [phone removed]) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE REMEDY PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED. THE …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11321189 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 764636 · 2002-07-23 (July 23, 2002)
THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LEAKS WHEN WASHED. ALSO THE PINS THAT HOLD THE TOP TOGETHER HAVE COME APART.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 764636 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 785745 · 2001-10-19 (October 19, 2001)
CONSUMER STATES TREAD ON TIRES IS VERY UNSTABLE AND ROCKY, VEHICLE CONSTANTLY PULLS TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT EVEN AFTER A WHEEL ALIGNEMENT, VEHICLE SHAKES UNCONROLLABLY AT 80 MPH, AND THERE IS NO PICK UP WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS FLOORED, CONSUMER HAS COMPLAINED TO DEALERSHIP AND NO ONE IS ABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.(MICHELIN TIRES P2055R15)*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 785745 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
20V033000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2020-01-22 (January 22, 2020)
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 1998-2000 RAV4, 1998-1999 RAV4 EV and Celica and 1997-1998 Supra vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant, and increases the risk of serious injury or death.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and owners will have the option to self-inspect, or have a dealer inspect the steering wheel on their vehicle to determine if their vehicle may be equipped with an affected inflator. Potentially affected steering wheel serial numbers will be inspected by a dealer. Based on the inspection, dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator with an alternate one, as necessary. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 28, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall is 20TB01 and 20TA01.
NHTSA campaign record ↗