1996 Toyota Tercel problems
The 1996 Toyota Tercel has 45 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (16%) concerns air bags. After that come brakes (11%) and suspension (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 45 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 16% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 12 and 4
- Injuries and deaths
- 15 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 122,000 miles 12 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 0 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 0 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 2 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 0 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 0 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 2 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 4 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 1 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 1 |
What the data shows
Among the 12 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 122,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 12 complaints mention a crash; 4 complaints mention a fire; 15 injuries reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 98% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1996 ranks 2nd most-complained-about out of 6 model years of the Toyota Tercel with enough data (25 complaints in that window).
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Dual airbags did not deploy during front end collision, vehicle hit by another vehicle traveling at high speed, vehicle #1 going uphill 25 MPH. Owner will provide detailed information, not checked by dealer.
Ok here is what happened. When we were ran off the road we hit a sign and both of the airbags in my car deployed. We had jumped a median and was headed downhill. When the airbags were deployed a powder substance was deployed with it. Being that we had never had an airbag deploy on us, we had no idea what this was. My friend thought it was smoke and freaked out and we all jumped out of the car because we thought it was on fire. It smelt just like smoke from a fire.
Tl*the contact owned a 1996 toyota tercel. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the front passenger's side brake rotor fractured. As a result, the front passengers wheel seized and the other wheels lost hydraulic pressure causing the vehicle to spin out of control crashing into a concrete wall. The air bags did not deploy. The contact did not disclose if a police report was filed or not. The contact and the passenger sustained unknown minor injuries that required medical attention.
Tl*the contact owns 1996 toyota tercel. While driving 60 MPH white smoke was coming from the dashboard. The smoke turned into a fire that was extinguished by the contact. The fire melted a hole in the steering column. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic and the failure was diagnosed as an electrical short caused by a separated wire in the air bag. The purchase date was unavailable. The current and failure mileages were 188,602. Updated 01-16-08.
Tl - while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle hit debris in the road causing complete tire tread separation on the passenger rear tire. All four tires were replaced may 2006 due to driver's front tire having had tread separation. The failure mileage on the tire was unknown. The tire has not been replaced. The current mileage on the vehicle is 100,000. There were no injuries. The engine size is unknown. Kb the consumer provided invoices for the repair. Updated 06/14/07