2003 Toyota Celica Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Celica years
- More complaints than other years 5th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Toyota Celica. That ranks 5th out of 11 Celica model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is fuel system, gasoline (4 complaints, 24%), typically at around 65,700 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
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- 17owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Toyota Celica problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 24% | 65,700 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 12% | 160,476 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 12% | 160,476 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 12% | 12,857 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 6% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 6% | 25,767 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 6% | 47,800 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 6% | 25,684 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Toyota Celica recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel tank check valve, located in the fuel tank inlet pipe, may become separated from the inlet pipe and fall into the fuel tank. If the check valve falls into the tank, fuel may spill from the fuel inlet pipe when the fuel pump automatically shuts off during fueling.
Risk: This condition may result a fire in the presence of an ignition source.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair the fuel tank check valve. Owner notification began april 4, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Lf wheel bearing is gone and axle is only thing holding on the wheel. The steering knuckle is damaged, caliper/bracket is damaged, rotors damaged, axle damaged. Extremely unsafe to drive
Belt tensioner won't retract when trying to replace serpentina belt. Most likely a defective part , original. Have to creative finding other ways to replace belt without breaking the tensioner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CELICA. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE HORN WAS NOT ALWAYS AUDIBLE WHEN PRESSING THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE AIR BAG SENSOR INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL SPRING INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS FAULTY…
Air bag light stays on. Car has never been in a crash. I've had the sensor reset 4 x, it still flashes and stays on.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota celica. The contact stated that the vehicle would exhibit an abnormal and continual squeaking when there was any type of precipitation. The serpentine belt was replaced four times by a local mechanic and the hydraulic tensioner was replaced twice. The repairs would…
Other Toyota Celica years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Celica | 4 | 1 |
| 2004 Celica | 4 | 0 |
| 2003 | 17 | 1 |
| 2002 Celica | 29 | 1 |
| 2001 Celica | 47 | 1 |
| 2000 Celica | 106 | 2 |
| 1999 Celica | 10 | 1 |
| 1998 Celica | 5 | 1 |
| 1997 Celica | 8 | 0 |
| 1996 Celica | 9 | 0 |
| 1995 Celica | 22 | 0 |
See all Toyota Celica problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Toyota Celica?
Owners most often report fuel system, gasoline, air bags, steering problems. The top one, fuel system, gasoline, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Toyota Celica?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Toyota Celica a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Celica model years, the 2003 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.