Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1996 Toyota Tercel, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags7
- Engine and engine cooling4
- Suspension4
- Visibility4
- Tires3
- Service brakes, hydraulic3
- Steering3
- Seat belts3
- Unknown or other2
- Electrical system2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 15 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 6 1996 Tercel vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 8 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1996 Toyota Tercel failed the safety check 1.97% of the time — 34% more often than the average 1996 passenger car (1.47%). Median odometer at inspection: 126,270 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In New Zealand
55 1996 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 7.4–8.3 L/100 km (about 28–32 mpg US), CO₂ 170–191 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tercel · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 8.2 | 6.5 | 7.4 |
| Tercel · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 8.8 | 6.6 | 7.8 |
| Tercel · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 9.1 | 6.7 | 8.0 |
| Tercel · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 8.8 | 7.5 | 8.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1996 Toyota Tercel.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Toyota told its dealers about the 1996 Toyota Tercel: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 627261 | SUBJECT REGARDING ENGINE HARD TO START. *YD |
| 625647 | SUBJECT REGARDING SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR TAPE SET. *JG |
| 623051 | SUBJECT REGARDING OWNER RENOTIFICATION OF NON COMPLETED SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAINGNS. *ET |
| 619097 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING RETRO-FIT INTERNAL TRUNK RELEASE KITS. *TT |
| 604667 | SUBJECT REGARDING TOYOTA DINGHY TOWING GUIDE. *TT |
| 600684 | REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT AXLE HUB NUT. *YC |
| 54455 | ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) LOGIC HAS BEEN REVISED TO PREVENT UNNECESSARY M.I.L "ON" CONDITIONS AT HIGH ALTITUDES WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC) PO130 AND P0133, ON VEHICLES OPERATING AT HIGH ALTITUDES. *YC |
| 52240 | PUBLICATION CORRECTION INFORMATION. *JD |
| 52153 | HEATER PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT. *JD |
| 52135 | SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY IS NOW AVAILABLE WITH 100 MM INCREASE IN WEBBING LENGTH. *JD |
| 52134 | TERCEL FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT. *JD |
| 52126 | ADDITION TO TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SSC T04. *JD |
| 52121 | HEATER PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT. *JD |
| 10244113 | TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2023 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate. |
| 10207946 | POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Toyota. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be available to any customer that requests it. Customers can find this information on the Owner?s section of Toyota.com. Dealers can locate a copy of this guide on the Claims Processing & Resource Center in Dealer Daily as well. |
| 10197476 | Replacement vin plates. |
| 10197473 | Product general information. |
| 10188913 | TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2021 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate. |
| 10174891 | TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 07, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0032-20. Replacement Certification Labels and VIN Plates |
| 10174890 | TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, PG006-01, PG004-97, T-SB-0144-08, and T-SB-0304-17. The aforementioned bulletins are obsolete, and any printed versions should be discarded. Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2020 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in thi |
| 10152205 | TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes SB No. T-SB-0101-11. Applicability has been updated to include 2016 ? 2017 model year vehicles. Service Bulletin No. T-SB-0101-11 is Obsolete and any printed versions should be discarded. Be sure to review the entire content of this bulletin before proceeding. When servicing interior electrical switches and components, please note the precautions in this bulletin to avoid damaging electrical components and switches. Many lubricants, cleaners, and automotive chemicals contain silicone or other compounds that may |
| 10145776 | Update on Technician Certification Requirements. |
| 10145749 | Technical Service Bulletin: OBSOLETE NOTICE: July 31, 2018: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17. |
| 10145748 | Technical Service Bulletin: OBSOLETE NOTICE: July 31, 2018: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17. |
| 10143953 | TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 31, 2018 Rev2: ? The Supersession Notice has been updated. January 11, 2018 Rev1: ? The Supersession Notice has been updated. Any previous printed versions of this bulletin should be discarded. SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, PG006-01, PG004-97, and T-SB-0144-08. Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, PG006-01, PG004-97, and T-SB-0144-08 are obsolete and any prin |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)