Most common 2002 Toyota Celica problems
Share of the 29 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Celica complaints by model year
Best Celica years: 1998, 1997, 1999. Years to avoid: 2000, 2001, 2002, 1995. Compare all years →
2002 Toyota Celica recalls (1)
Fuel system, gasoline
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.
Remedy: 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…
What 2002 Toyota Celica owners say
Air bags
Car was traveling @ 50 MPH ( posted speed for the road). He sneezed, when he looked up the cars suddenly stopped in front of him. He rear ended the car in front of him going 50 MPH. No airbags deployed. The entire front end was crushed. The engine was shoved in. The car is totaled. But not 1 airbag went off. Both are bruised from the seat belts & both driver and passenger have whiplash. I am thankful they were wearing seat belts but very concerned the airbags didn't perform as expected. Both the clean-up crew & officer at the seen were shocked that the airbags did not deploy....updated 07/23/14
While driving at 25 MPH consumer's vehicle was cut off by another vehicle. The other vehicle merged over to the left lane and realized that it was a turning lane. Then, other vehicle detoured back in to the lane in front of consumer's vehicle. Consumer's vehicle, at that time, collided into the rear of the other vehicle. The seat belts were worn, but,the air bags did not deploy. Consumer sustained rib and chest injuries.
Engine & cooling
2002 Celica gt is consuming 3/4 of a quart of oil every 1000 miles. Toyota says that there is not a problem that it must consumer 1 quart every 1200 mile to OK a engine teardown for repair. My car is on track to use 2.63 quarts of oil every oil change of 3500 miles. The recommended interval by the dealer. The car only holds 4.2 quarts of oil. This is a loss of more than half of the engines oil. Toyota says that this engine will burn some oil. I have spoke with service center said that this is not normal but their hands are tied, due to Toyota's consumption policy. I have taken this to the regional zone manager with no success. I believe this to be a danger for myself and others if this engine was to freeze up due to lack of oil, it cause a serious accident. I was not informed when I bought the car that it would consume oil and that it need to be checked regularly. Dt
Consumer complained about engine check light coming on and staying on. Consumer had a diagnostic test done. Took vehicle back to dealership. They just looked at it and charged consumer $55.00.
Body & structure
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.
Consumer's daughter was involved in a minor traffic accident in which the vehicle suffered a considerable amount of damage, consumer feels for such a minor accident in which the other vehicle suffered no damage , the vehicle should not have incurred so much damage, also the airbags failed to deploy.
2002 Toyota Celica engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 25 / 32 / 28 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 24 / 30 / 27 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 29 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Toyota Celica a good car?
Based on 29 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Celica rates avoid: 2.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Celica at the same age. It is one of the Celica years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Toyota Celica?
The air bags — 11 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the engine & cooling (4) and body & structure (4).
How many recalls does the 2002 Toyota Celica have?
There is 1 recall for the 2002 Toyota Celica, the most recent from March 5, 2003 (fuel system, gasoline). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota Celica?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1998, 1997 and 1999. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000, 2001, 2002 and 1995. See the full Toyota Celica years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Toyota Celica problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 35,000 miles; 53% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.