2002 Toyota Celica recalls and problems

The 2002 Toyota Celica has 1 safety recall and 29 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Toyota dealer.

Recalls

Complaints

Crashes / fires

13 / 0

Injuries / deaths

7 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2002 Toyota Celica vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2002 Toyota Celica recalls

Recall 03V-074: Fuel System, Gasoline

Reported Mar 5, 2003 · 15,048 vehicles affected · TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel tank check valve, located in the fuel tank inlet pipe, may become separated from the inlet pipe and fall into the fuel tank. If the check valve falls into the tank, fuel may spill from the fuel inlet pipe when the fuel pump automatically shuts off during fueling.

Risk: This condition may result a fire in the presence of an ignition source.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair the fuel tank check valve. Owner notification began april 4, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

2002 Toyota Celica problems reported by owners

Problem area	Reports
Air Bags	13
Engine and Engine Cooling	4
Structure	4
Fuel System, Gasoline	4
Suspension	3
Power Train	3
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	2
Steering	1
Tires	1
Vehicle Speed Control	1
Wheels	1

Most reported parts

Air Bags › Frontal — 6
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine — 2
Power Train › Manual Transmission — 2
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline — 1
Structure › Body › Trunk Lid — 1
Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil Springs — 1
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly — 1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 35,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2002 Toyota Celica complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Structure · at 118,000 miles · reported May 7, 2013

Daughter (17) lost control of car in a curve due to wet roads and speed. The car spun then struck a tree head on. The car was a total loss. The impact was great enough to bust the radiator and kill the motor but neither air bag deployed. My younger daughter (15) was in the passenger's seat. Both girls were wearing seatbelts. Luckily there were no major injuries.

Vehicle Speed Control · at 165,000 miles · reported Feb 20, 2010

Twice when coming to a stop at a stop light, my toyota celica continued to idle at about 4000 RPM. I tried pulling the car mat toward the seat to be sure it wasn't interfering with the accelerator pedal. I also tried jiggling the accelerator pedal to be sure nothing was stuck. Neither of these stopped the high RPM idle. Each time the only thing that would reduce the RPM was to turn off the engine and restart it. The toyota has a manual transmission and the clutch was depressed each time during the high RPM idle.

Air Bags · at 105,000 miles · reported Jul 13, 2009

Was turning out on a highway out of a side road. When struck on my front/driverside fender at a high speed approximate 60mph, my car is totaled, or will be totaled in the next few days, my airbag did not deploy making my injuries worse than they should be. Im trying to figure out why my airpad didn not deploy when the car was struck at those speeds.

Fuel System, Gasoline · at 65,000 miles · reported Nov 14, 2008

The contact owns a 2002 toyota celica. Every time the contact finishes pumping fuel, the gas tank overflows. The previous owner of the vehicle had it repaired according to NHTSA campaign id number 03v074000 (Fuel system :gasoline), but the failure still persists. The dealer would not repair the vehicle and it is currently at a repair shop. The failure and current mileages were 65,000. Updated 12-02-08 updated 12/02/08.

Steering · at 85,000 miles · reported Sep 30, 2008

We own 2002 celica gt-s. It has had to have 4 sets of tires in 85,000 miles. At the last alignment the technician could not get the 2 rear tires in alignment with the front 2 tires. The problem were the rear tie rods. He got a set of adjustable tie rods & replaced the factory tie rods and was able to get all 4 tires in proper alignment. My son had an accident previously where he lost traction and skidded off the road but with no injuries thank god. I took the tie rods to the anderson toyota dealer & they said they had never seen that problem. But they did not show any concern whatsoever. I…

Other Toyota Celica years

2005 2004 200320022001 2000

Compare all Toyota Celica years · All Toyota models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Toyota Celica have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2002 Toyota Celica: 03V-074 (fuel system, gasoline). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2002 Toyota Celica?

Owners report air bags problems most often (13 reports), followed by engine and engine cooling (4). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 35,000 miles.

Are Toyota recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Toyota dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.