ToyotaTercel LE1991Overview/toyota/tercel-le/1991/base/

1991 Toyota Tercel LE

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1991 Tercel LE.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1991 Toyota Tercel LE is a passenger car defined by its straightforward mechanicals, pairing an engine requiring just 2.7 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 API oil with an automatic 3-speed transmission. Delivering EPA fuel economy ratings of 23/26/24 mpg, the platform prioritized efficiency over outright performance. In the broader context of the model's reliability history, this year sits as a notably robust iteration; with zero recalls and only 22 total owner complaints primarily concentrated in the engine and engine cooling category, the Tercel's simple engineering translates directly into dependable, long-term ownership.

Model year199319921991

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity2.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy23/26/24 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 90915YZZN1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZN1
Engine air filter1780111080
Fuel filter2330019265
Spark plug9091901091
Front wiper blades8521220301 alt 8522260120
Serpentine belt993642091083 alt 993640110078
Thermostat9091603046 alt 1632563011

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length161.8 in
Overall width65 in
Overall height53.1 in
Wheelbase93.7 in
Curb weight2015 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined23 / 26 / 24 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume84 cu ft
Cargo volume11 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 2.7 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity2.7 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miUniversal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miFuel Evaporative Canister (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1991 Toyota Tercel LE dominate in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 9 of 22 reports (41%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 2 of the reports describe a crash and 3 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
29
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
22
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 3 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 22 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling9
Seat Belts7
Latches/Locks/Linkages2
Seats2
Electrical System1
Equipment1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 29 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB0032202023-08-17Air BagsTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
Toyota PRO19-022022-01-12TiresPOL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all…
T-SB-0032-20 Rev2021-02-03EquipmentTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
T-SB-0304-17 Obs2020-04-07EquipmentTSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 07, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see…
T-SB-0032-202020-04-06EquipmentTSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Tercel LE. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1991 Tercel LE take?

2.7 qt of ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 50 degrees F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1991 Tercel LE have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Tercel LE get?

EPA figures are 23 city / 26 highway / 24 combined mpg.