Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
New York safety inspections
Share of first inspections failed on safety, by model year. Older cars fail more as miles build up, so compare each year with the average car of the same year. Best against its own year: 1995.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections, initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998 | 3 | 0 |
| 1997 Tercel | 20 | 0 |
| 1996 Tercel | 40 | 0 |
| 1995 Tercel | 51 | 0 |
| 1994 | 40 | 0 |
| 1993 | 43 | 0 |
| 1992 | 24 | 0 |
| 1991 | 17 | 0 |
| 1990 Tercel | 19 | 1 |
| 1989 Tercel | 22 | 1 |
| 1988 Tercel | 8 | 1 |
| 1987 Tercel | 13 | 1 |
| 1986 Tercel | 6 | 0 |
| 1985 | 3 | 0 |
| 1984 Tercel | 5 | 0 |
| 1983 | 2 | 0 |
| 1982 Tercel | 2 | 1 |
| 1981 | 0 | 1 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Air bags76
- Seat belts52
- Engine and engine cooling45
- Service brakes, hydraulic24
- Electrical system21
- Fuel system, gasoline20
- Visibility18
- Tires16
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 22 Tercel vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died, and 25 people died inside them. These are counts, not crash rates: a model with more cars on the road shows up more often, and people killed outside the vehicle are not counted here.
| Model year | Vehicles in fatal crashes | Deaths in the vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 6 | 8 |
| 1995 | 8 | 10 |
| 1993 | 2 | 2 |
| 1992 | 1 | 1 |
| 1991 | 2 | 1 |
| 1990 | 1 | 1 |
| 1989 | 1 | 1 |
| 1984 | 1 | 1 |
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain) · how we count
Fuel consumption by year
Official Canadian test results for 5 model years, best variant per year. Combined consumption ranges from 7.4–8.2 L/100 km.
| Year | Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Tercel · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 9.3 | 7.0 | 8.2 |
| 1998 | Tercel · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 8.4 | 6.6 | 7.6 |
| 1997 | Tercel · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 8.4 | 6.6 | 7.6 |
| 1996 | Tercel · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 8.2 | 6.5 | 7.4 |
| 1995 | Tercel · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 8.2 | 6.5 | 7.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
In New Zealand
236 Tercel cars are on the New Zealand register; 95% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 11 | 0 | 10 |
| 1998 | 37 | 0 | 36 |
| 1997 | 46 | 0 | 46 |
| 1996 | 55 | 0 | 55 |
| 1995 | 55 | 0 | 55 |
| 1994 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1993 | 7 | 0 | 6 |
| 1992 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1991 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 1989 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1987 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1985 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
In the Netherlands
98 Tercel cars are on Dutch roads; 6% arrived later as imports. Open a year for APK defects, odometer checks and colours.
| First registered | On the road | Median list price |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 37 | — |
| 1983 | 30 | — |
| 1982 | 31 | — |
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles (CC0) · list price is the manufacturer's catalogue price when new
In Finland
39 Tercel cars were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026: 100% petrol, 0% diesel. Mileage is the odometer reading at the last inspection.
| First registered | In use | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 8 | 349,000 km |
| 1984 | 7 | 159,000 km |
| 1983 | 9 | 142,000 km |
| 1982 | 8 | 78,000 km |
| 1980 | 7 | 40,000 km |
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use, 30 Jun 2026 · CC BY 4.0
In the United Kingdom
14 Tercel cars were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, by year of manufacture.
| Built | Licensed | Off the road (SORN) |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 2 | — |
| 1994 | 0 | 1 |
| 1988 | 2 | 4 |
| 1987 | 4 | 16 |
| 1986 | 1 | 17 |
| 1985 | 4 | 10 |
| 1984 | 1 | 7 |
| 1983 | 0 | 9 |
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124) · Open Government Licence v3.0
New registrations in Europe
1 new Toyota Tercel cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2013 and 2013, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2013 the largest markets were United Kingdom (1).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 1 | — |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Recalls
2 campaigns cover the Tercel.
THERE CAN BE INTERFERENCE WITH THE HEADLAMP HOUSING IF HEADLAMP BULBS ARE REPLACED WITH ANY BRAND OTHER THAN KOITO BRAND BULBS.
THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS, WHICH SUPPORT THE REAR WHEELS, ARE SUBJECT TO CORROSION IF OPERATED IN AREAS WHERE A LARGE AMOUNT OF ROAD SALT IS USED TO AID IN SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: CONTINUOUS EXPOSURE TO ROAD SALT MAY CAUSE CORROSION FAILURE OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM AFFECTING VEHICLE OPERATION; THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA recalls