1996 Toyota Tercel
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Toyota › Tercel › 1996
These records cover every 1996 Toyota Tercel. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
2 recalls name the 1996 Toyota Tercel. Newest first.
K2 motor IS recalling 1,921 aftermarket headlamps of various models sold for use on the above listed vehicles. these headlamps are missing the amber side reflex reflector which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk and remedy
Risk
Without the amber side reflex reflectors, the lighting visibility may be affected, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
Remedy
K2 motor will notify owners and offer a full refund. the recall began on decemeber 17, 2008. owners may contact K2 motor at 1-909-839-2992.
Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
Remedy
Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. the recall began on april 3, 2006. owners may contact pro-a motors at 323-838-2988.
Owner complaints
40 complaints11 involved a crash4 involved a fire15 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Steering · Unknown or other · Wheels
Steering wheel became loose while parallel parking. Car won't steer.
- Service brakes
Tl*the contact owned a 1996 toyota tercel. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 mph, the front passenger's side brake rotor fractured. As a result, the front passengers wheel seized and the other wheels lost hydraulic pressure causing the vehicle to spin out of control crashing…
Tl*the contact owned a 1996 toyota tercel. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 mph, the front passenger's side brake rotor fractured. As a result, the front passengers wheel seized and the other wheels lost hydraulic pressure causing the vehicle to spin out of control crashing into a concrete wall. The air bags did not deploy. The contact did not disclose if a police report was filed or not. The contact and the passenger sustained unknown minor injuries that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 123,550.
- Seat belts
Front passenger side seat belt will no longer grab. Part seems defective, but no appearance of any crack, or damage. *Jb
- Vehicle speed control
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 toyota tercel. While driving 60 mph the vehicle accelerated and would not stop. He had to drive to a service road and force the gear into park to stop the vehicle. Some WD-40 was sprayed on the engine and they have not had the problem since. The vehicle was purchased in…
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 toyota tercel. While driving 60 mph the vehicle accelerated and would not stop. He had to drive to a service road and force the gear into park to stop the vehicle. Some WD-40 was sprayed on the engine and they have not had the problem since. The vehicle was purchased in 2008 with 128,000 miles. The contact has not called the dealer or taken the vehicle in for inspection. The failure mileage was 145,000. updated 11/11/10 *bf updated 11/18/10*jb
- Electrical system › Wiring
Tl*the contact owns 1996 toyota tercel. while driving 60 mph white smoke was coming from the dashboard. the smoke turned into a fire that was extinguished by the contact. the fire melted a hole in the steering column. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic and the failure was diagnosed as an…
Tl*the contact owns 1996 toyota tercel. while driving 60 mph white smoke was coming from the dashboard. the smoke turned into a fire that was extinguished by the contact. the fire melted a hole in the steering column. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic and the failure was diagnosed as an electrical short caused by a separated wire in the air bag. the purchase date was unavailable. The current and failure mileages were 188,602. updated 01-16-08. *kb the consumer stated white smoke was emitting from the steering column, then the consumer noticed flames coming from the top portion of the steering column. the consumer was able to put the fire out by using some water. the mechanic stated a wire separated from the drivers air bag which caused the short. Updated
- Tires › Tread/belt
TL - while driving 60 mph, the vehicle hit debris in the road causing complete tire tread separation on the passenger rear tire. all four tires were replaced may 2006 due to driver's front tire having had tread separation. the failure mileage on the tire was unknown. the tire has not been…
TL - while driving 60 mph, the vehicle hit debris in the road causing complete tire tread separation on the passenger rear tire. all four tires were replaced may 2006 due to driver's front tire having had tread separation. the failure mileage on the tire was unknown. the tire has not been replaced. the current mileage on the vehicle IS 100,000. there were no injuries. The engine size IS unknown. Kb the consumer provided invoices for the repair. Updated 06/14/07 *tr
- Tires
1996 toyota tercel tire blew out. *ts the vehicle ran off the road to the right and spun to the right striking a guardrail with it's left front. the vehicle again struck the guardrail with it's left rear and spun to the right making a 360 degree turn and came to rest in the right lane. there was severe damage to the left front and left rear of the vehicle. there were no injuries (ohio traffic crash report). *nm
- Air bags › Frontal
(1) automobile accident while avoiding collision with a deer. Accident caused severe front end damage and bending of the uni-body frame. (2) failure of air-bags to deploy. (3) no corrective actions taken as the vehicle was deemed to be a total loss. some parts have been disposed of, ie. Assorted trim and the front fenders.
- Seat belts › Front
The seat belt latch in the consumer's 1996 toyota tercel was installed incorrectly. *nm the consumer stated the velt must be worn twisted. *jb
- Engine and engine cooling
Oil sludge 1996 toyota tercel. The motor started to knock. The dealership picked up the car and said it was a lack of maintence problem. My husband had done the maintence. The oil looked like sludge. I could not afford to fix the motor so it was reposed and sold at auction for about $3,000. Which…
Oil sludge 1996 toyota tercel. The motor started to knock. The dealership picked up the car and said it was a lack of maintence problem. My husband had done the maintence. The oil looked like sludge. I could not afford to fix the motor so it was reposed and sold at auction for about $3,000. Which left me to pay the difference I am still paying for the car. I was in lpn school and pregnant at the time the car broke down. from what I understood on the lemon law was that the car had to be in the shop 5 times for the same condition before the lemon law would apply. I almost miscarried my third child and was advised by my doctor to get rid of my stress so I dropped out of school and forgot about the car. I have been reading about the toyota oil sludge problem and I believe that IS what happened to my car. Here IS the list of problems that my car had. 11-20-97 o-ring and seal, 12-15-97 transmission leak, front pump seal, o-ring, rr transmission axle and replace o-ring, torque converter, 2-25-98 slow to lock into reverse when cold and was low in fluid (dealership could not find the problem), 3-17-98 slow to lock into reverse again (dealership could not find the problem), 11-98 damage to valve steam seals, waved surface on top of cylinder boor, piston striking cylinder head, spun #4 rod bearing, crank shaft damaged, #4 connecting rod damaged, oil pump pick-up tube screen plugged with sludge build up, cylinder head and oil pan sludge build up. I could not afford to pay for a new motor or for a car that did not run. Toyota dropped my warranty. My husband had changed the oil. The car never got hot. The oil looked almost like black glue. The car gave me no indication that anything was wrong. I was on my way to school and it started making a loud knocking sound so I called the dealership and they came and towed it. Toyota has offered to fix some of the toyota's with the toyota oil sludge problem starting with the 97 but mine was a 96.
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Oil sludge problem with 1996 toyota tercel. The car was under warranty and toyota would not pay. Car was taken and sold at an auction leaving me to pay the difference. *jb
- Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
The driver's seat belt buckle failed which made the seat belt inoperative. *jb *nm
- Air bags › Frontal
While driving 45mpph had a head-on collision and driver's air bag deployed and split down the middle, causing serious injuries.*ak
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder
Master cylinder failure. manufacturer has no replacement parts forcing me to drive with defective brakes. The dealership was not helpful in resolving the problem.
- Air bags
No deployment of drivers side airbag during vehicle collision.
- Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system
Front and rear window defoggers function poorly causing poor visibility.
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine · Power train › Automatic transmission › Cooling unit and lines
Transmission and the engine oil pan cracked, and are leaking fuel which could eventually cause a fire. please give any further details.*ak
- Exterior lighting › Headlights
Head light failed.
- Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system
Rear window defroster failed.
- Electrical system › Ignition
Ignition key did not turn resulting in the engine being hard to start.
- Unknown or other
Ok here IS what happened. when we were ran off the road we hit a sign and both of the airbags in my car deployed. we had jumped a median and was headed downhill. when the airbags were deployed a powder substance was deployed with it. being that we had never had an airbag deploy on us, we had no…
Ok here IS what happened. when we were ran off the road we hit a sign and both of the airbags in my car deployed. we had jumped a median and was headed downhill. when the airbags were deployed a powder substance was deployed with it. being that we had never had an airbag deploy on us, we had no idea what this was. my friend thought it was smoke and freaked out and we all jumped out of the car because we thought it was on fire. it smelt just like smoke from a fire. so my problem IS with airbags and them not being properly labeled that this powder substance IS also deployed. if we had known this before my friend would not have had to go through months of physical therapy and have a big scar on her leg today. my other friend would not have scars eitehr. so do you think it IS possible to put some sort of warning on airbags in the future to prevent these kinds of accidents?
- Fuel system, other › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Fuel line failure resulting in explosion.
- Air bags › Frontal
Dual airbags did not deploy during front end collision. Hit divider at 60 mph and bounced into guardrail. Driver sustained injuries.
- Air bags › Frontal
Air bag did not deploy during a 35 mph frontal impact.
- Parking brake
Emergency brake failed, causing accident.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10244113TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2023 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate.
- 10207946POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Toyota. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be available to any customer that requests it. Customers can find this information on the Owner?s section of Toyota.com. Dealers can locate a copy of this guide on the Claims Processing & Resource Center in Dealer Daily as well.
- 10197476Replacement vin plates.
- 10197473Product general information.
- 10188913TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2021 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate.
- 10174891TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 07, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0032-20. Replacement Certification Labels and VIN Plates
- 10174890TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, PG006-01, PG004-97, T-SB-0144-08, and T-SB-0304-17. The aforementioned bulletins are obsolete, and any printed versions should be discarded. Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2020 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate.
- 10152205TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes SB No. T-SB-0101-11. Applicability has been updated to include 2016 ? 2017 model year vehicles. Service Bulletin No. T-SB-0101-11 is Obsolete and any printed versions should be discarded. Be sure to review the entire content of this bulletin before proceeding. When servicing interior electrical switches and components, please note the precautions in this bulletin to avoid damaging electrical components and switches. Many lubricants, cleaners, and automotive chemicals contain silicone or other compounds that may contaminate electrical contacts, and therefore increase electrical resistance and decrease switch performance. The use of any cleaners or fluids may increase the risk of further damage to electrical components.
- 10145776Update on Technician Certification Requirements.
- 10145749Technical Service Bulletin: OBSOLETE NOTICE: July 31, 2018: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17.
- 10145748Technical Service Bulletin: OBSOLETE NOTICE: July 31, 2018: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17.
- 10143953TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 31, 2018 Rev2: ? The Supersession Notice has been updated. January 11, 2018 Rev1: ? The Supersession Notice has been updated. Any previous printed versions of this bulletin should be discarded. SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, PG006-01, PG004-97, and T-SB-0144-08. Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, PG006-01, PG004-97, and T-SB-0144-08 are obsolete and any printed versions should be discarded. Vehicle replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) may be available from Toyota, provided the request meets one of the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Replacement Certification Label and VIN Plate Criteria A replacement certification label and/or VIN plate may be requested if: ? The vehicle was in an accident and the label and/or plate is damaged or attached to a part that will be replaced during the repair. ? The label and/or plate was stolen.
- 10133649TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE November 21, 2017: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17.
- 10132812Tech Tip: Low battery voltage can contribute to a MIL "ON" condition for P0335 (Crankshaft Position Sensor Circuit) and/or P0340 (Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit) due to inconsistent rotational speed of the engine's crankshaft.
- 10132136The appearance of spots in tempered glass (when viewed at certain angles) is the result of the heat treating and quick quenching process during manufacturing.
- 10132084The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide precautions to follow when installing an automatic transmission/transaxle assembly to avoid MIL ?ON,? shifting issues, and/or transmission damage. Use the information in this bulletin when installing an automatic transmission/transaxle assembly
- 10131993This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0185-13.
- 10131988The following procedures are recommended during routine maintenance or in the event of a customer concern for wiper performance.
- 10131984A new Special Service Tool (SST 09709-00002) has been introduced to aid in the inspection procedure for certain vehicles equipped with a floor pedal-type parking brake system. This bulletin references the correct method for installing the Brake Pedal Force Gauge. Refer to the appropriate Repair Manual for parking brake pedal travel inspection and adjustment specification.
- 10131961Toyota vehicles are equipped with Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS), including various airbags and in some models, seat belt pre-tensioners, to help reduce the risk of injury in a collision. If a customer expresses any concerns that the SRS airbags or pre-tensioner devices did not perform as expected (including an unintended deployment event), please follow the steps in the recommendations section below.
- 10131713TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, and T-SB-0144-08. Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, and T-SB-0144-08 are obsolete and any printed versions should be discarded. Be sure to review the entire content of this bulletin before proceeding. REVISION NOTICE January 11, 2018 ? The Supersession Notice has been updated. Any previous printed versions of this bulletin should be discarded. Vehicle replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) may be available from Toyota, provided the request meets one of the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin.
- 10123420TSB: Vehicle replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) may be available from Toyota, provided the request meets one of the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin.
- 10111390TSB: When servicing interior electrical switches and components, please note the precautions in this bulletin to avoid damaging electrical components and switches. Many lubricants, cleaners, and automotive chemicals contain silicone or other compounds that may contaminate electrical contacts, and therefore increase electrical resistance and decrease switch performance. The use of any cleaners or fluids may increase the risk of further damage to electrical components.
- 10111197TSB: When servicing interior electrical switches and components, please note the precautions in this bulletin to avoid damaging electrical components and switches. Many lubricants, cleaners, and automotive chemicals contain silicone or other compounds that may contaminate electrical contacts, and therefore increase electrical resistance and decrease switch performance. The use of any cleaners or fluids may increase the risk of further damage to electrical components.
- 10109492TSB: The purpose of this bulletin is to provide precautions to follow when installing an automatic transmission/transaxle assembly to avoid MIL "ON" shifting issues and/or transmission damage. Use the information in this bulletin when installing an automatic transmission/transaxle assembly.
- 10109404TSB: The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide information regarding the installation of the correct torque converter bolts during automatic transmission/transaxle assembly replacement. Incorrect torque converter bolts or missing washers can cause damage to the torque converter assembly.
- 627261Subject regarding engine hard to start.
- 625647Subject regarding shoulder belt anchor tape set.
- 623051Subject regarding owner renotification of non completed special service campaingns.
- 619097Technical service bulletin regarding retro-fit internal trunk release kits.
- 604667Subject regarding toyota dinghy towing guide.
- 600684Replacement of the front axle hub nut.
- 54455Engine control module (ecm) logic has been revised to prevent unnecessary m.i.l "on" conditions at high altitudes with diagnostic trouble codes (dtc) po130 and p0133, on vehicles operating at high altitudes.
- 52240Publication correction information.
- 52153Heater performance improvement.
- 52135Seat belt assembly IS now available with 100 mm increase in webbing length.
- 52134Tercel front passenger seat belt.
- 52126Addition to technical instructions for ssc T04.
- 52121Heater performance improvement.
Every Toyota Tercel model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.