1993 Toyota Tercel

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

76/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA about the 1993 Toyota Tercel, and it carries no recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Air bags	24	48%
Engine and engine cooling	5	10%
Seat belts	4	8%
Tires	3	6%
Service brakes	2	4%
Structure	2	4%
Vehicle speed control	2	4%
Electrical system	2	4%
Fuel system	1	2%
Visibility	1	2%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

AIR BAG, DRIVERS SIDE DID NOT DEPLOY DURING REAR-END CAR ACCIDENT. *NM
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED SMELL STRONG CHEMICAL FUMES INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT(PLASTIC MATERIAL) DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system

CONSUMER STATED THAT ALL SIX TIRES SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING. THE TIRE TURNED INTO AN EGG AND WERE NOT DRIVABLE. TIRE INFO: YOKOHAMA-185R-14D/DOT #NOT AVAILABLE. THERE WAS PLENTY OF TREAD REMAINING AT THE TIME OF FAILUR
NHTSA complaint: Tires

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE EXHIBITS WHITE SMOKE, CONSUMER HAD TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS INSPECT VEHICLE AND BOTH STATED THAT THE RINGS ARE SHOT AND ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT THE ENGINE OVERHEA
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

DEALER FIRST SAID NOTHING WRONG. RESET . THEN CAME ON AGAIN. SAID MAY BE BAD SENSOR. I NOTICED 50 AIRBAG COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE. THIS AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND DEALER/TOYOTA WILL NOT REPAIR THIS OBVOIUS SAFTE
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

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 F
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

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 TE
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

The seven scores

Reliability raw	86	excellent
Longevity est.	86	excellent
Maintenance	90	excellent
Depreciation	67	good
Performance	39	below average
Efficiency	51	average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 50% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 94% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 100% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 70% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 86: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 86: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 1993 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 90: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 1993 Toyota Tercel?

Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 24 of them (48%). No recalls are on record for it.

Is the 1993 Toyota Tercel reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 86/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 1993 Toyota Tercel last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 86/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1993 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 1993 Toyota Tercel?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 76/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.