1996 Toyota Tercel Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Tercel years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Toyota Tercel. That ranks 2nd out of 6 Tercel model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (7 complaints, 18%), typically at around 215,000 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 4 fires, 15 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
- 40owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Toyota Tercel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 7 | 18% | 215,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 10% | 41,800 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 8% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 8% | 121,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 8% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 5% | 188,602 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 5% | 121,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 3% | 123,550 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 3% | 145,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 3% | 121,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Toyota Tercel recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1996 Toyota Tercel.
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.
Steering wheel became loose while parallel parking. Car won't steer.
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…
Front passenger side seat belt will no longer grab. Part seems defective, but no appearance of any crack, or damage. *jb
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 toyota tercel. While driving 60 mph the vehicle accelerated and would not stop. He had to drive to a service road and force the gear into park to stop the vehicle. Some wd-40 was sprayed on the engine and they have not had the problem since. The vehicle was purchased in…
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…
Other Toyota Tercel years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 Tercel | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 Tercel | 1 | 0 |
| 1998 Tercel | 3 | 0 |
| 1997 Tercel | 20 | 0 |
| 1996 | 40 | 0 |
| 1995 Tercel | 51 | 0 |
See all Toyota Tercel 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 1996 Toyota Tercel?
Owners most often report air bags, engine and engine cooling, suspension problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 7 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Toyota Tercel?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1996 Toyota Tercel a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Tercel model years, the 1996 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.