2003 TOYOTA CELICA Recalls, Complaints & Safety

Lf wheel bearing is gone and axle is only thing holding on the wheel. The steering knuckle is damaged, caliper/bracket is damaged, rotors damaged, axle damaged. Extremely unsafe to drive

Belt tensioner won't retract when trying to replace serpentina belt. Most likely a defective part , original. Have to creative finding other ways to replace belt without breaking the tensioner.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CELICA. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE HORN WAS NOT ALWAYS AUDIBLE WHEN PRESSING THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE AIR BAG SENSOR INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL SPRING INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER (SOUTH BAY TOYOTA, 310-323-7800) WAS CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,476.

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN A CRASH. I'VE HAD THE SENSOR RESET 4 X, IT STILL FLASHES AND STAYS ON.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CELICA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD EXHIBIT AN ABNORMAL AND CONTINUAL SQUEAKING WHEN THERE WAS ANY TYPE OF PRECIPITATION. THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES BY A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE HYDRAULIC TENSIONER WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE REPAIRS WOULD CORRECT THE FAILURE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH BEFORE RECURRING. ONCE THE ENGINE WAS HOT, THE NOISE WOULD CEASE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 129,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000.

I HAD TO HAVE CLUTCH REPLACED AT 25,77 MILES ON MY 2003 TOYOTA CELICA GT PURCHASED NEW APRIL 2003. AGAIN I HAD TO REPLACE CLUTCH @ 56,089. FROM THE DAY I PURCHASED THIS CAR I HAD PROBLEMS WITH PUTTING CAR IN GEAR AND COMPLAINED TO DEALER, WHO SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I'VE DRIVEN MANUAL TOYOTA CARS SINCE 1966 AND NEVER HAD ANY CLUTCH REPAIRS ON ANY OF MY TOYOTAS. I HAD OVER 144,000 MILES ON MY 1987 TOYOTA MR2 WHEN I TRADED IT IN 1994. I THINK IT IS EXCESSIVE TO HAVE A TOTAL OF 3 CLUTCHES AT 56,089. *TR

PURCHASED NEW 2003 CELICA GTS. FROM DEALER. 26,398 MILES PAINT BUBBLING ON ALL WHEELS. DEALER/FACTORY REP. WOULD NOT REPLACE WHEELS. REPAINTED INSTEAD AND STATED " THEY WOULD REPLACE IF ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN. 42,197 MILES PAINT BUBBLING AGAIN ON ALL WHEELS. FACTORY REP. REFUSED TO REPLACE/REPAIR." DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE EITHER. *TR

THIS MAY BE RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 03V074000 PER ORIGINAL RECALL, FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON 07/08/2003. ON 10/08/2006, THE SAME PROBLEM WAS ENCOUNTERED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUT FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. FUELING IS NOW DIFFICULT AND VERY TIME CONSUMING. ONLY ABOUT ONE-TENTH OF A GALLON CAN BE PUMPED BEFORE THE FUEL PUMP AUTOMATICALLY SHUTS OFF. THIS APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY FUEL BACKING UP IN THE FUEL INLET PIPE AND FUEL SPLASHING BACK OUT. TOYOTA HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND A SERVICE APPOINTMENT SCHEDULED AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP. HOWEVER, I GOT THE IMPRESSION THEY ARE RELUCTANT TO REMEDY THIS FREE OF CHARGE SINCE THE PROBLEM WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED 3 YEARS AGO. *NM

I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA CELICA AND THE HATCHBACK WILL NOT STAY UP. TOYOTA HAS TRIED TO FIX IT, BUT FINALLY SAID TOUGH LUCK, THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS AND I FEEL THIS IS WRONG. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATES WHILE DRIVING THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALL ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THE SEPARATION WAS APPROXIMATELY TEN INCHES LONG. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE TIRE, BUT NO ONE HAS LOOKED AT THE TIRE TO DETERMINE WHY THIS OCCURRED. *AK

WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE GAS WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE VALVE CLAMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER TOLD DEALER THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE GAS TANK HAD NOT BEEN PUT IN PROPERLY. *TC

CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 03V704000 REGARDING THE FUEL TANK. DEALERSHIP URGED CONSUMER TO BRING THE VEHICLE WITH THE FUEL TANK EMPTY. CONSUMER ARRIVED TO THE APPOINTMENT AT 7 AM AND WAITED FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS. THE FLOOR MANAGER INDICATED TO CONSUMER STILL PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO CONDUCT RECALL REPAIRS. CONSUMER WAS UPSET WITH TOYOTA MANUFACTURER, NOT WITH THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

MY CRUISE CONTROL DOSE NOT WORK IM MY 2003 TOYOTA CELICA GTS. ALSO I BELIVE THIS I A RESULT OF SOMETHING HAPPENING TO MY CAR 3 MONTHS EARLIER MAKE : TOYOTA MODEL : CELICA YEAR : 2003 SERVICE BULLETIN NUM : TC03015 DATE OF BULLETIN: JUL 24, 2003 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 10003486 I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE THROTTLE BODY ON THE 03 CELICA . NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE CRUISE CONTROL. *AK

THIS CONCERNS A 2003 TOYOTA CELICA GT WITH A POPPING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN BACKING AND TURNING. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE IT; NO REPAIRS WERE DONE. IT DEVELOPED A HUM FROM THE RIGHT FRONT AND A SQUEEK IN THE REAR. A NON-TOYOTA MECHANIC RODE WITH ME AND DIAGNOSED A BAD FRONT WHEEL HUB/BEARING. TOYOTA REPLACED IT. IT STOPPED THE HUM AND THE SQUEEK, BUT NOT THE POP. WE TOOK IT FOR A TIRE ROTATION, BUT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS WORN DOWN TO THE STEEL BELT SO THE TIRE SHOP WOULDN'T DO THE ROTATION. THE CAR HAD A PROBLEM IN THE RIGHT FRONT. WE BELIEVED THE POPPING NOISE AND TIRE WEAR WERE CONNECTED. WE TOOK IT BACK TO TOYOTA. THEY DID A WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND ADJUSTED THE BRAKES. IT DIDN'T STOP THE POP AND THE STEERING SEEMED TO HAVE A PROBLEM; IF THE WHEEL WAS TURNED SLIGHTLY IN EITHER DIRECTION, THE CAR MADE DANGEROUSLY SHARP DIRECTIONAL CHANGES. MY SON TOOK IT BACK TO TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD "IT'S A SPORTS CAR; IT'S SUPPOSE TO BE THAT WAY." TWO DAYS LATER, THE CAR WAS WRECKED. THE CAR VEERED TO THE LEFT AND HIT A CONSTRUCTION BARREL, DROPPED ABOUT A FOOT OFF THE LEFT SHOULDER, AND HIT A CEMENT CURB. I SPOKE TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER ABOUT THE PROBLEMS, THE INABILITY ON THEIR PART TO DUPLICATE AND FIX THE PROBLEMS AND THE STEERING CHANGES. HE TOLD ME TO CONTACT TOYOTA PRODUCT LIABILITY BECAUSE THE CAR PROBLEMS WHICH THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE OR FIX. I AM WAITING FOR A TOYOTA INSPECTOR TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES. BMW ISSUED TSB THAT REQUIRED THEM TO REPLACE THE STEERING RACK AFTER THE SUSPENSION OR WHEELS WERE REPAIRED; IF NOT, THE STEERING COULD LOCK UP. TOYOTA HAS WORKED ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION, BUT NEVER PERFORMED AN ASSOCIATED STEERING FIX. I CONTEND THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM; TOYOTA FAILED TO FIX IT, ADDED TO THE PROBLEM (STEERING) CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CAR. WAS TOYOTA AT FAULT?

Crash

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 03V074000 FOR THE FUEL TANK CHECK VALVE. MS. RICHARDSON HAD 2 CONFIRMED APPOINTMENTS WITH DEALER FOR REMEDY. FOR EACH APPOINTMENT DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR THE ENTIRE DAY, ONLY TO INFORM MS. RICHARDSON THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PART WHEN SHE RETURNED TO PICK UP THE CAR. NOW IT HAS BEEN OVER 2 MONTHS AND THE DEALER ADVISED THEY WOULD CONTACT MS. RICHARDSON ONCE THE PART WAS AVAILABLE.*AK

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL #03V074000 CONCERNING THE FUEL TANK CHECK VALVE. THE DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE FOR FOUR HOURS, AND THEN TOLD CONSUMER THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER WAS SUPPOSE TO CALL WHEN THE PARTS BECAME AVAILABLE.*AK THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THE CONSUMER WASN'T WELCOMED BACK AND HIS VEHICLE WASN'T FIXED. *PH *JB

THE HOOD LATCH FAILED, WHICH CAUSED INJURY TO THE CONSUMER.*JB

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