ToyotaTercel DX1995Overview/toyota/tercel-dx/1995/base/

1995 Toyota Tercel DX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1995 Tercel DX.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1995 Toyota Tercel DX is a passenger car that uses an engine requiring three quarts of oil and is lubricated with 10W‑30 or 5W‑30 API‑rated oil. It achieves EPA fuel‑economy ratings of 27 city, 32 highway and 29 combined miles per gallon and is paired with an automatic three‑speed transmission. Owner feedback documents 59 complaints, with air‑bag concerns forming the primary complaint area, and the model carries two recall actions. These figures place the 1995 model year within a reliability history marked by modest complaint volume and limited recall activity.

Model year19961995

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy27/32/29 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 25 · 360 CCA battery, 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.

Battery groupBCI 25 · 360 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnTURNOEM · verified
Tire size155-80R13OEM · verified
Wheel / rim4.5-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZN1
Engine air filter1780111080
Fuel filter2330019385
Spark plug9091901192
Front wiper blades8522260120 alt 85212YZZ04TM
Serpentine belt909160234183 alt 993642091083
Thermostat9091603046 alt 1632563011

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length162.2 in
Overall width65.4 in
Overall height53.1 in
Wheelbase93.7 in
Curb weight1962 lb
Track (front / rear)54.7 / 56.3 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined27 / 32 / 29 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume80 cu ft
Cargo volume9 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 3 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs9 ft-lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings30 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts66 ft-lbs
Main Bearings43 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs5 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug TypeSK16R11
Spark Plug Gap0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0-15.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.43 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeND 8 oil
Oil Capacity7.61 oz
Standard BCI Group Number25
Standard BCI Cranking Performance360 cca
Optional BCI Group Number25

Service checks

Pressure Test13 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature180 °F
Engine Compression142-185 psi
Engine Oil Pressure4.3 psi @ Idle, 36-71 psi @ 3000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.010 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.012-0.016 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket65 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle76 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0035 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.709 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.709 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.669 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
133 ft. lbs.33 ft. lbs
290 degrees.90 degrees

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; spark plugs every 30,000 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.

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) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Fuel 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 1995 Toyota Tercel DX dominate in one area — the air bags, 20 of 59 reports (34%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 2 recall campaigns target the air bags, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 25 of the reports describe a crash and 1 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the air bags 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.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
49
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
59
Owner complaints
25 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 59 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags20
Seat Belts10
Visibility6
Tires3
Electrical System3
Vehicle Speed Control2
Engine & Engine Cooling2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

08E050000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 11/08/2008

K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF… Remedy: K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.

06E026000Exterior LightingReported 23/03/2006

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL… Remedy: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 49 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 DX. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

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 1995 Tercel DX take?

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

Does the 1995 Tercel DX have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Tercel DX get?

EPA figures are 27 city / 32 highway / 29 combined mpg.