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Toyota TercelModel year report

1997 Toyota Tercel Problems

Complaints
20filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
154,500miles, 2 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
29 mpgcombined, 1.5L 4-cyl FWD · 26 city / 34 hwy

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

NHTSA recorded 20 consumer complaints for the 1997 Toyota Tercel. The part named most often is air bags, with 8 complaints (40% of the total), followed by seat belts (4) and engine cooling (3). 2 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 154,500 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 6 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 29 technical service bulletins for this model year. Air bags 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

Air bags: “Consumer was traveling on a main road and another vehicle ran stop sign and hit consumer's vehicle. Upon impact, and dual airbags didn't go off, consumer sustained minor injuries. Also vehicle had previously been in accident where the airbags did not deploy.”

NHTSA complaint #877426, filed 2001-01

Seat belts: “Both the driver and passenger side seat belts stopped working about the same time. I would buckle myself up and my passenger would the seat buckle pop's right out of the anchor. I am breaking the law every time I get in my car. I can not go on highways or freeways. I can not have a passenger ride in the front seat.”

NHTSA complaint #10995326, filed 2017-06, 150,000 miles

Engine cooling: “While I was adding oil to the engine of my 1997 Toyota Tercel, I noticed a bolt attaching the belt assembly to the engine was sticking out 4 or 5 inches past the belt assembly, rubbing against a hose. It didn't look right, so I took it to a mechanic who tightened it back up. He said the bolt had just worked itself loose . My concern is that this loose bolt is indicative of a more serious problem, or that someone has been tampering with my car. The car has around 159,000 miles on it.”

NHTSA complaint #10275101, filed 2009-06, 159,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

0% of the 2 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 150,000 and 159,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–250%25–500%50–750%75–1000%100–150100%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (2 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 154,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

1998200042002420092019
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 1997 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 · coupe not rated4 / 4———
Tercel · sedan not rated3 / 4———

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 1997 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-cyl5-speed manual283531$2,150
Tercel FWD1.5L 4-cyl4-speed automatic263429$2,300
Tercel FWD1.5L 4-cyl3-speed automatic253127$2,500

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 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. 29 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 29 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 1997 Toyota Tercel have?

NHTSA recorded 20 consumer complaints for the 1997 Toyota Tercel as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

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

Air bags is named most often, in 8 complaints (40% of the total), followed by seat belts with 4.

Has the 1997 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 1997 Toyota Tercel get?

The EPA rates the 1997 Toyota Tercel (Tercel, 1.5L 4-cyl) at 29 mpg combined, 26 city and 34 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,300 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

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

Among the 2 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 154,500 miles and the middle half falls between 150,000 and 159,000 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 27, 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.