NHTSA vehicle safety data

1997 Toyota Celica Recalls & Complaints

The 1997 Toyota Celica has no NHTSA recall campaigns and 8 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Toyota dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1997 Toyota Celica. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

1997 Toyota Celica owner complaints

Owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Toyota Celica, describing incidents dated September 12, 1997 to October 16, 2012.

Most-cited components

Visibility/Wiper 3 complaints
Electrical System 2 complaints
Air Bags 1 complaint
Service Brakes 1 complaint
Structure 1 complaint
Tires 1 complaint

Of the 8 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash and 1 a fire; across all 8 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10498061 · Filed February 13, 2013
MY REAR DEFROST HAS NOT WORKED IN YEARS. I LOOK AT THE CONNECTION WHERE THE HATCH MEETS THE CAR AND FIND THAT THE CONNECTOR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND MELTED THE CONNECTOR AND THE WIRE. I AM HAVING TO RECONNECT THE 2 WIRES TO GET MY REAR DEFROST WORKING AGAIN. *TR
ODI #10481401 · Filed October 22, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CELICA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL AND APPLYING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LINES…
ODI #10106136 · Filed January 11, 2005
WHILE LOWERING CONVERTIBLE TOP UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AND WITH NO OBSTRUCTIONS, BACK GLASS EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON.*AK

Read all 8 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1997 Toyota Celica in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Defect Petition DP02-004: ENGINE SEIZURE
Closed June 20, 2002

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1997 Toyota Celica as of November 3, 2026. New recalls can be issued at any time, so check the specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before buying.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 1997 Toyota Celica. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

8 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Toyota Celica.

Electrical System; Visibility

ODI #10498061

Fire

Incident: January 28, 2011 · Filed: February 13, 2013

MY REAR DEFROST HAS NOT WORKED IN YEARS. I LOOK AT THE CONNECTION WHERE THE HATCH MEETS THE CAR AND FIND THAT THE CONNECTOR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND MELTED THE CONNECTOR AND THE WIRE. I AM HAVING TO RECONNECT THE 2 WIRES TO GET MY REAR DEFROST WORKING AGAIN. *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #10481401

Incident: October 16, 2012 · Filed: October 22, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CELICA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL AND APPLYING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,000. UPDATED 02/13/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS DRIVING 45 MPH AND WHEN APPROACHED SOME CURVES IN THE ROAD, HE APPLIED THE BRAKE. HE SOON REALIZED THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING AND PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE . THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED AND HE SPUN OUT TO A STOP. THE CONSUMER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THERE WAS NO BRAKE FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR, WHICH LEAKED OUT ONTO THE BRAKE LINES, WHICH HAD ROTTED. UPDATED 02/14/13

Visibility

ODI #10106136

Incident: December 27, 2004 · Filed: January 11, 2005

WHILE LOWERING CONVERTIBLE TOP UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AND WITH NO OBSTRUCTIONS, BACK GLASS EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON.*AK

Structure

ODI #10075595

Incident: June 2, 2004 · Filed: June 2, 2004

CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PAINT SHOP FOR A PAINT JOB. TECHNICIAN INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE TWO PILLAR ATTACHMENTS FOR THE ROOF WERE BONDED TOGETHER BY GLUE. TECHNICIAN WOULD NOT TOUCH THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT WAS FIXED. *AK

Air Bags

ODI #10023813

Crash 1 injury

Incident: June 19, 2003 · Filed: June 26, 2003

MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN A VERY MINOR ACCIDENT, AND THERE WAS AN APPROXIMATELY 10-15 SECOND DELAY AFTER THE CAR WAS PLACED IN PARK WHEN HER AIRBAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED, CAUSING MINOR INJURY TO HER, AND MORE DAMAGE THAN THE ACCIDENT ITSELF CAUSED TO HER VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED TO KNOW WHY THEY DEPLOYED AT ALL CONSIDERING HER SPEED OF APX 5 -7 MPH,. AND IF THERE HAD BEEN A HIGH SPEED ACCIDENT IF THEY WOULD HAVE DEPLOYED IN TIME TO PROTECT HER AS THEY ARE DESIGNED. THE PERSON SHE BUMPED INTO AND PASSENGER ARE WITNESSES TO THE DELAYED DEPLOYMENT, AS WELL AS THE OFFICER ON SCENE.*AK

Tires

ODI #871680

Incident: September 21, 2000 · Filed: September 27, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. TIRE WAS A CONTINENTAL GT8000, TOURING, P205/55R15. TIRE WAS A REPLACEMENT TIRE PURCHASED AT A PRIVATE OWNED TIRE DEALERSHIP. TIRE'S MILEAGE WAS 27,000. *AK CONSUMER STATED ANOTHER TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AND THE OTHER TIRES HAVE CRACKED SIDEWALLS, VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE DUE TO FAULTY TIRE.. *SLC

Visibility

ODI #816744

Incident: September 12, 1997 · Filed: September 30, 1997

DURING NORMAL CONDITIONS WHILE LOWERING CONVERTABLE TOP OF CAR THE REAR WINDOW GLASS SHATTERED. THERE WAS NOTHING OBSTRUCTING THE LOWERING OF TOP, SO THERE WAS NO REASON FOR IT TO BREAK. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. *AK

Electrical System

ODI #700708

Filed: November 18, 1998

THE SAME EVENING THAT I PURCHASED MY CELICA AND EVERY EVENING SINCE THEN I NOTICE THAT MY HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT LIGHTS DIM WHEN I APPLY MY BRAKES. ONLY WHEN I RELEASE MY BRAKES DO THEY BRIGHTEN BACK-UP. I'VE TAKEN MY CELICA IN TWICE TO HAVE IT TESTED BUT TOYOTA SAID THAT EVERYTHING TESTED NORMAL BOTH TIMES. IS THIS NORMAL ON THESE CARS.

Other Toyota Celica model years

Check your 1997 Toyota Celica VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Toyota Celica at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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