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Toyota TercelModel year report

1993 Toyota Tercel Problems

Complaints
43filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
—no mileage reported
Recalls
0campaigns 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
27 mpgcombined, 1.5L 4-cyl FWD · 24 city / 31 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1993 Toyota Tercel (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 43 consumer complaints for the 1993 Toyota Tercel. The part named most often is air bags, with 24 complaints (56% of the total), followed by seat belts (5) and engine cooling (4). Of all complaints, 20 involved a crash, 18 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 25 technical service bulletins for this model year. Air bags complaints overlap with 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

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.

Also reported: Body and structure (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “My airbag deployed upon a minor crash. I received burns and scrapes to my face. Also the airbag or something in it caused burn in my shirt, through my bra and onto my chest area. I don't believe the airbag deployed properly and am very concerned as to why.”

NHTSA complaint #703982, filed 1999-03

Seat belts: “Consumer was involved in 25 MPH frontal collision in which the driver's air bag did not deploy. Also, driver's seat belt did not lock up upon impact. Please give any further details.”

NHTSA complaint #835521, filed 1999-03

Engine cooling: “Consumer purchased new at 72,517, was told that a new engine needed to be installed. Dealer agreed to replace engine, only if damage was not due to wear and tear. Dealer took engine apart, and said it was wear and tear, and did not replace engine. Consumer had to purchase a new engine in december of 1999.”

NHTSA complaint #876526, filed 2000-12

Brakes: “While traveling at 65 MPH consumer applied brake which caused wheels to lock. Brake pedal went to floor, and would not return. Problem caused vehicle to rear end another vehicle. Manufacturer was notified. Please feel free to provide any further detail on this matter.”

NHTSA complaint #877144, filed 2000-12

Complaints by year filed

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

199691998200020022005
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.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1993 Toyota Tercel. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Tercel · sedan not rated4 / 5———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1993 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 manual243127$2,500
Tercel FWD1.5L 4-cyl3-speed automatic232624$2,800

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 1993 Toyota Tercel 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. 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 1993 Toyota Tercel have?

NHTSA recorded 43 consumer complaints for the 1993 Toyota Tercel as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1993 Toyota Tercel is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 24 complaints (56% of the total), followed by seat belts with 5.

Has the 1993 Toyota Tercel 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 1993 Toyota Tercel get?

The EPA rates the 1993 Toyota Tercel (Tercel, 1.5L 4-cyl) at 27 mpg combined, 24 city and 31 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,500 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. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. 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.