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Toyota CelicaModel year report

1989 Toyota Celica Problems

Complaints
11filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
—no mileage reported
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
25 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 23 city / 29 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1989 Toyota Celica (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 11 consumer complaints for the 1989 Toyota Celica. The part named most often is fuel system, with 4 complaints (36% of the total), followed by visibility (3) and brakes (2). Of all complaints, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 19 technical service bulletins for this model year. Visibility complaints overlap with 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Fuel system: “Consumer believes the body and frame design of the vehicle causes water and sludge to become trapped around the fuel and brake lines causing the lines to rot out and the brakes to fail.”

NHTSA complaint #523778, filed 1997-09

Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): “The consumer has been experiencing problems with heater control panel. When the consumer turns the heat on, it blows out cold air. The manufacturer has not been contacted.”

NHTSA complaint #830755, filed 1998-11

Electrical system: “Consumer pulled into her driveway and her neighbor saw that vehicle was on fire, fire department report stated electrical fire, Toyota has not sent anyone to examine vehicle.”

NHTSA complaint #975608, filed 1995-11

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

1995319963199719982003
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1989 Toyota Celica version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Celica FWD2.0L 4-cyl4-speed automatic232925$2,700
Celica FWD2.0L 4-cyl5-speed manual232925$2,700
Celica FWD2.0L 4-cyl4-speed automatic192622$3,050
Celica FWD2.0L 4-cyl5-speed manual192622$3,050
Celica 4WD/AWD2.0L 4-cyl5-speed manual172419$4,350
Celica Convertible FWD2.0L 4-cyl4-speed automatic232925$2,700
Celica Convertible FWD2.0L 4-cyl5-speed manual232925$2,700

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1989 Toyota Celica in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 19 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 19 bulletins →

Other model years of the Toyota Celica

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20031747,8001—26—Falling
20022935,0001—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20014785,0001—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200010668,0002—26Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199910100,0001—22—Not enough data
19985106,0001—22—Not enough data
19978108,0000—22—Not enough data
19969—0—22—Not enough data
19952292,0000—23—Stable
199414108,0000—25—Not enough data
199313161,3960—22—Not enough data
19922169,2560—22—Stable
199127159,5000—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199029109,0001—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198911—0—25—Not enough data
19886—0—25—Not enough data
19875—0—26—Not enough data
19869—0—22—Not enough data
19857—0—22—Not enough data

All Toyota Celica model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1989 Toyota Celica have?

NHTSA recorded 11 consumer complaints for the 1989 Toyota Celica as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1989 Toyota Celica is reported most often?

Fuel system is named most often, in 4 complaints (36% of the total), followed by visibility with 3.

Has the 1989 Toyota Celica been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1989 Toyota Celica get?

The EPA rates the 1989 Toyota Celica (Celica, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 25 mpg combined, 23 city and 29 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,700 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.