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Toyota CelicaModel year report

1997 Toyota Celica Problems

Complaints
8filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
108,000miles, 3 complaints with mileage
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
22 mpgcombined, 2.2L 4-cyl FWD · 19 city / 26 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1997 Toyota Celica (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 8 consumer complaints for the 1997 Toyota Celica. The part named most often is visibility, with 3 complaints (38% of the total), followed by electrical system (2) and air bags (1). 3 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 108,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 36 technical service bulletins for this model year. Visibility complaints overlap with 3 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Electrical system complaints overlap with 3 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

Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): “My rear defrost has not worked in years. I look at the connection where the hatch meets the car and find that the connector had caught on fire and melted the connector and the wire. I am having to reconnect the 2 wires to get my rear defrost working again.”

NHTSA complaint #10498061, filed 2013-02, 175,000 miles

Electrical system: “The same evening that I purchased my Celica and every evening since then I notice that my headlights and instrument lights dim when I apply my brakes. Only when I release my brakes do they brighten back-up. I've taken my Celica in twice to have it tested but Toyota said that everything tested normal both times. Is this normal on these cars.”

NHTSA complaint #700708, filed 1998-11

Air bags: “My daughter was involved in a very minor accident, and there was an approximately 10-15 second delay after the car was placed in park when her airbags suddenly deployed, causing minor injury to her, and more damage than the accident itself caused to her vehicle. I am concerned to know why they deployed at all considering her speed of apx 5 -7 MPH,. And if there had been a high speed accident if they would have deployed in time to protect her as they are designed. The person she bumped into and passenger are witnesses to the delayed deployment, as well as the officer on scene.”

NHTSA complaint #10023813, filed 2003-06, 66,490 miles

Brakes: “The contact owns a 1997 Toyota Celica. The contact stated that the brakes failed to engage while driving 45 MPH. The contact was able to bring the vehicle to a stop by shifting into neutral and applying the emergency brake. The contact inspected the vehicle and discovered that the brake lines were leaking brake fluid due to severe corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure and current mileage was 108,000. …”

NHTSA complaint #10481401, filed 2012-10, 108,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

0% of the 3 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 66,490 and 175,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–250%25–5033%50–750%75–10033%100–15033%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (3 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 108,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

1997119981200012003120041200512012120131
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 1997 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 FWD1.8L 4-cyl5-speed manual253228$2,400
Celica FWD1.8L 4-cyl4-speed automatic233126$2,600
Celica FWD2.2L 4-cyl4-speed automatic192622$3,050
Celica FWD2.2L 4-cyl5-speed manual192622$3,050
Celica Convertible FWD2.2L 4-cyl4-speed automatic192722$3,050
Celica Convertible FWD2.2L 4-cyl5-speed manual192622$3,050

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 1997 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. 36 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 36 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 1997 Toyota Celica have?

NHTSA recorded 8 consumer complaints for the 1997 Toyota Celica as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1997 Toyota Celica is reported most often?

Visibility is named most often, in 3 complaints (38% of the total), followed by electrical system with 2.

Has the 1997 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 1997 Toyota Celica get?

The EPA rates the 1997 Toyota Celica (Celica, 2.2L 4-cyl) at 22 mpg combined, 19 city and 26 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1997 Toyota Celica reported?

Among the 3 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 108,000 miles and the middle half falls between 66,490 and 175,000 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 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.