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Toyota TercelModel year report

1988 Toyota Tercel Problems

Complaints
8filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
—no mileage reported
Recalls
1campaigns 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
29 mpgcombined, 1.5L 4-cyl FWD · 26 city / 32 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1988 Toyota Tercel (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 8 consumer complaints for the 1988 Toyota Tercel. The part named most often is electrical system, with 3 complaints (38% of the total), followed by engine cooling (3) and fuel system (1). Of all complaints, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 20 technical service bulletins for this model year. 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

Fuel system: “Known carburetor problems with the variable venturi carburetor in this model. Vehicle cuts off at speeds 58-62 MPH. Automatically restarts when speed drops to approx. 56 MPH.”

NHTSA complaint #532847, filed 1998-03

Complaints by year filed

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

19963199731998
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 1988 Toyota Tercel 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
Tercel FWD1.5L 4-cyl4-speed manual263229$2,300
Tercel FWD1.5L 4-cyl5-speed manual263329$2,300
Tercel FWD1.5L 4-cyl3-speed automatic242926$2,600
Tercel EZ FWD1.5L 4-cyl4-speed manual303733$2,050
Tercel Wagon 4WD/AWD1.5L 4-cyl5-speed manual232825$2,700
Tercel Wagon 4WD/AWD1.5L 4-cyl3-speed automatic212322$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

Recall details for the 1988 Toyota Tercel → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

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. 20 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 20 bulletins →

Other model years of the Toyota Tercel

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
199720154,5000—29—Stable
199640122,5250—30Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19955199,7000—30Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199440127,0430—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199343—0—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19922490,0000—28—Stable
199117218,8000—28—Stable
19901976,0001—28—Stable
198922—1—29—Stable
19888—1—29—Not enough data
198713—1—28—Not enough data
19866150,0000—29—Not enough data
19845—0—27—Not enough data

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

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1988 Toyota Tercel have?

NHTSA recorded 8 consumer complaints for the 1988 Toyota Tercel as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1988 Toyota Tercel is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 3 complaints (38% of the total), followed by engine cooling with 3.

Has the 1988 Toyota Tercel been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1988 Toyota Tercel get?

The EPA rates the 1988 Toyota Tercel (Tercel, 1.5L 4-cyl) at 29 mpg combined, 26 city and 32 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,300 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 27, 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.