1990 Toyota TERCEL: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
11 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
76,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1990 model year. Data snapshot: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 11 complaints (9.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 3 | 27.3% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:Switch | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System | 1 |
| Power Train:Axle Assembly | 1 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 1 |
Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor: 1; Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:Switch: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System: 1; Power Train:Axle Assembly: 1; Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage: 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 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 10 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 |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 2 |
| 1996 | 3 |
| 2000 | 2 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
1995: 2; 1996: 3; 2000: 2; 2001: 1; 2002: 1; 2008: 1; 2010: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 3 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 10238210 · 2008-08-12 (August 12, 2008)
1990 TOYOTA TERCEL ENGINE BLEW. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ENGINE BLEW AND HAD ANOTHER ENGINE PUT IN BUT IT DID NOT LAST VERY LONG. *NJ
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10238210 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10307131 · 2010-02-07 (February 7, 2010)
IN APRIL 2004, MY TOYOTA TERCEL ACCELERATED FROM 05 TO APPROXIMATELY 90MPH IN A PARKING LOT, CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND TOTALED MY CAR. ANOTHER PROBLEM WAS THE BRAKE PEDAL. EVEN AFTER CHANGING TO NEW BRAKE PADS, SHOES, BRAKE DRUMS AND ROTORS, THE BRAKE PEDAL STILL DROPPED LOW TO THE FLOOR THAT IT FELT THAT I WAS PUSHING THE FLOOR WHEN I BRAKE. I HAD SEVERAL ACCELERATION INCIDENTS. EVEN WHEN I PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL FIRMLY AND CONTINUOUSLY, THE CAR KEPT GOING. THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM AND STICKY BRAKE PEDAL PROBLEMS WERE NEVER SOLVED. I WR…
Owner-reported narrative. 76,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10307131 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 490762 · 1996-01-03 (January 3, 1996)
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT/SHOULDER HARNESS SHREDDING. *SD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 490762 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 508054 · 1996-08-30 (August 30, 1996)
TRANSAXLE FAILURE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 508054 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 557830 · 2000-11-20 (November 20, 2000)
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED OIL LEAK, LATER NEEDED ENGINE REPLACEMENT, THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED TWICE. *SLC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 557830 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 557880 · 2000-12-05 (December 5, 2000)
CUSHION BROKE OFF BRAKE LIGHT PEDAL ARM ASSEMBLY, CAUSING BRAKE LIGHTS TO STAY ON PERMANENTLY. THERE IS NOTHING ON BRAKE PEDAL ARM TO RETRACT SWITCH'S TRIGGER. *CJ
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 557880 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 566403 · 2002-06-30 (June 30, 2002)
CONSUMER HAD THE OXYGEN SENSORS REPLACED. *JG
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 566403 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 747304 · 2001-06-24 (June 24, 2001)
THE FOLLOWING IS A DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS WHICH LEAD TO MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER OVER-HEATING AND CATCHING MY CAR ON FIRE. ON 6-18-01, I SMELT A BURNING SMELL AND PULLED OVER TO TRY TO FIND WHAT WAS CAUSING THE SMELL. AFTER A SERIES OF LOOKS I COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING ANY WHERE, HOWEVER, I COULD FEEL A LITTLE HEAT BETWEEN MY SHIFT AND EMERGENCY BRAKE. ON MY HOME SMOKE STARTED TO EMERGE FROM THE STICK/EMERGENCY BRAKE AREA. BEFORE I COULD PULL OVER OUT OF TRAFFIC, FLAMES BEGIN SHOOTING OUT OF THE CENTER OF THE CAR (EMERGENCY BRAKE AND STICK-SHIFT…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 747304 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.
92V111000 · Exterior Lighting:Headlights
Reported: 1992-07-13 (July 13, 1992)
THERE CAN BE INTERFERENCE WITH THE HEADLAMP HOUSING IF HEADLAMP BULBS ARE REPLACED WITH ANY BRAND OTHER THAN KOITO BRAND BULBS.
Consequence: 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."
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗