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Toyota TercelModel year report

1990 Toyota Tercel Problems

Complaints
19filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
76,000miles, 1 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
28 mpgcombined, 1.5L 4-cyl FWD · 26 city / 33 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1990 Toyota Tercel (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 19 consumer complaints for the 1990 Toyota Tercel. The part named most often is engine cooling, with 7 complaints (37% of the total), followed by fuel system (4) and brakes (2). 1 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 76,000 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 25 technical service bulletins for this model year.

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

Engine cooling: “The following is a description of events which lead to my catalytic converter over-heating and catching my car on fire. On 6-18-01, I smelt a burning smell and pulled over to try to find what was causing the smell. After a series of looks I could not find anything any where, however, I could feel a little heat between my shift and emergency brake. On my home smoke started to emerge from the stick/emergency brake area. Before I could pull over out of traffic, flames begin shooting out of the center of the car (emergency brake and stick-shift area). …”

NHTSA complaint #747304, filed 2001-06

Mileage when problems were reported

0% of the 1 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 76,000 and 76,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–250%25–500%50–75100%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (1 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 76,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

199681998200020022010
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 1990 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 manual273329$2,300
Tercel FWD1.5L 4-cyl5-speed manual263328$2,400
Tercel FWD1.5L 4-cyl3-speed automatic252927$2,500
Tercel FWD1.5L 4-cyl3-speed automatic232825$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

Recall details for the 1990 Toyota Tercel → · Check a 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. 25 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 25 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 1990 Toyota Tercel have?

NHTSA recorded 19 consumer complaints for the 1990 Toyota Tercel as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1990 Toyota Tercel is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 7 complaints (37% of the total), followed by fuel system with 4.

Has the 1990 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 1990 Toyota Tercel get?

The EPA rates the 1990 Toyota Tercel (Tercel, 1.5L 4-cyl) at 28 mpg combined, 26 city and 33 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,400 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1990 Toyota Tercel reported?

Among the 1 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 76,000 miles and the middle half falls between 76,000 and 76,000 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.