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#BS-1989-TOYTER-1596

1989 Toyota Tercel

Based on reports from 32 owners and 1 recall for this exact model.

Complaints
32
Crashes
4
Fires
0
Recalls
1
TSBs
20
🟢

Preliminary Verdict

Proceed with Caution

Based on 32 complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, and 1 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

engine turns over but will not start

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
2

jerks when accelerating

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

oil leaking

1 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Fuel System, Gasoline:carburetor SystemHIGH

7 owners reported fuel system, gasoline:carburetor system issues.

!Inspect the Structure:body:trunk LidMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Fuel System, Gasoline:carburetor System (7 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Fuel System, Gasoline:carburetor System7 (22%)
Structure:body:trunk Lid4 (13%)
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch3 (9%)
Speed Control3 (9%)
Visibility:glass, Side/rear2 (6%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components2 (6%)
Seats1 (3%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:pedals And Linkages1 (3%)

1989 Toyota Tercel: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Fuel System, Gasoline:carburetor System Issues

Fuel System, Gasoline:carburetor System complaints account for 22% of all reports filed for the 1989 Toyota Tercel, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA.

Structure:body:trunk Lid Issues

Structure:body:trunk Lid complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 1989 Toyota Tercel, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to structure:body:trunk lid-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch Issues

Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1989 Toyota Tercel, with 3 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1989 Toyota Tercel, with 3 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

1
00
4
02
1
04
1
10

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1989 Toyota Tercel. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (1 recall)

92V111000Sep 1992

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

THERE CAN BE INTERFERENCE WITH THE HEADLAMP HOUSING IF HEADLAMP BULBS ARE REPLACED WITH ANY BRAND OTHER THAN KOITO BRAND BULBS.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Toyota Tercel is the 1993 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

1989 Toyota Tercel vs. Class Average (Subcompact Cars)

This vehicle

32

Class avg

29

Complaint volume is roughly in line with other subcompact cars vehicles from 1989.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 32 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 1 recall found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Toyota Tercel Model Years

200019991998199719961995199419931992199119901989198819871986198519841983198219811980
View all Toyota Tercel years →

1989 Toyota Tercel: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1989 Toyota Tercel?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1989 Toyota Tercel is related to the fuel system, gasoline:carburetor system, with 7 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1989 Toyota Tercel reliable?
The 1989 Toyota Tercel has 32 complaints, 4 crash reports, and 0 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 1989 Toyota Tercel problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1989 Toyota Tercel have any recalls?
Yes, the 1989 Toyota Tercel has 1 recall on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Toyota Tercel problems start?
Mileage data is limited for this vehicle. The full report analyzes available data to identify failure patterns by mileage range.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 32 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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