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Toyota TercelModel year report

1994 Toyota Tercel Problems

Complaints
40filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
127,043miles, 4 complaints with mileage
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 1994 Toyota Tercel (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 40 consumer complaints for the 1994 Toyota Tercel. The part named most often is air bags, with 18 complaints (45% of the total), followed by engine cooling (7) and brakes (4). 4 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 127,043 miles. Of all complaints, 17 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 22 an injury, 2 a death, 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: Suspension (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “The vehicle was involved in a frontal collision while driving at 70 MPH. The vehicle had front end damage. The driver side air bag failed to deploy upon impact. The driver sustained injuries to his back , the passenger sustained injuries to his/her neck and back.”

NHTSA complaint #10099190, filed 2004-11, 130,461 miles

Engine cooling: “When the consumer applied the brakes, the pedal went all the way down to the floor. And the braking power was very low. . The windshield wipers and one tire were replaced because of sidewall damage and no tread, the vehicle had an oil leak, the dealer replaced the rear main seal, the crank seal and timing belt was replaced. Ph”

NHTSA complaint #10022069, filed 2003-07

Brakes: “The rubber pin/peg/piece (looks like thumbtack but bigger and made of rubber) that is attached to the brake pedal at the point were the brake light switch/button is, fell apart into five individual pieces resulting in the brake lights to remain on. The brake lights were fully on as if the brakes were applied. This was even with the vehicle in park and the engine off. Vehicle battery had to be disconnected in order to turn off the brake lights and start the repair. The vehicle was just bought from a private owner and I've only had it for about eleven days. …”

NHTSA complaint #10595257, filed 2014-05, 104,340 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

0% of the 4 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 123,625 and 130,461 miles.

0%0–100%10–250%25–500%50–750%75–10075%100–15025%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (4 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 127,043 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

9199619982000200320052014
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 1994 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 1994 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 1994 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 1994 Toyota Tercel have?

NHTSA recorded 40 consumer complaints for the 1994 Toyota Tercel as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1994 Toyota Tercel is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 18 complaints (45% of the total), followed by engine cooling with 7.

Has the 1994 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 1994 Toyota Tercel get?

The EPA rates the 1994 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.

At what mileage are problems with the 1994 Toyota Tercel reported?

Among the 4 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 127,043 miles and the middle half falls between 123,625 and 130,461 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 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.