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1997 Toyota Tacoma

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Toyota Tacoma do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 228.5.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

58 reports with mileage · 73 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Structure. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

13 crash reports0 fire reports8 injury reports

What owners actually said

131 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 2000
Tires

PE00-020; WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT AND HAD A TREAD SEPARATION. HOWEVER, CONSUMER KEPT CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND DROVE OFF ROAD. TOYOTA, TACOMA 1997; FIRESTONE, FIREHAWK ATX, 30X9.5X15 R15LT, DOT VD66/AXC. *AK FIRESTONE DEALER WAS NOT HELPFUL WHEN THE CUSTOMER REPORTED THE FAILED TIRE. THE CUSTOMER WAN…

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PE00-020; WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT AND HAD A TREAD SEPARATION. HOWEVER, CONSUMER KEPT CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND DROVE OFF ROAD. TOYOTA, TACOMA 1997; FIRESTONE, FIREHAWK ATX, 30X9.5X15 R15LT, DOT VD66/AXC. *AK FIRESTONE DEALER WAS NOT HELPFUL WHEN THE CUSTOMER REPORTED THE FAILED TIRE. THE CUSTOMER WANTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE NEW TIRE PURCHASED TO REPLACE THE FAILED ONE. *YH

NHTSA ODI #870733

Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 2000
Unknown Or Other

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ODI #731737

Mileage unknown · Sep 6, 2000
Tires

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1997 TACOMA, 31X10.50R15LT SIZE, W260AX1526. LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD WAS PEELING OFF. *AK

NHTSA ODI #869765

Mileage unknown · Sep 1, 2000
Seat BeltsTiresCrashInjury

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT TIRES P21570R14, DOT WTHYAWA, TOYOTA TAKOMA, EXTEND CAB 1997. PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT WHEN TURNING A CORNER. *AK DUE TO THE TIRE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, WENT INTO A DITCH AND HIT A STUMP, THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED INURIES BECAUSE THE AIRBAG EXPERIENCED NO DEPL…

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ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT TIRES P21570R14, DOT WTHYAWA, TOYOTA TAKOMA, EXTEND CAB 1997. PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT WHEN TURNING A CORNER. *AK DUE TO THE TIRE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, WENT INTO A DITCH AND HIT A STUMP, THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED INURIES BECAUSE THE AIRBAG EXPERIENCED NO DEPLOYMENT. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #869353

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2000
TiresCrashInjury

TIRE FAILED, ON FLAT ROAD, NO INCLINE, ROLLED THREE TIMES, NOT SPEEDING! HOT DAY( DOT NUMBER: )

NHTSA ODI #729349

Mileage unknown · Aug 22, 2000
Tires

THE FIRST FAILURE WAS WRITTEN UP BY THE FIRESTONE DEALER AS "SPLITS IN TREAD AREA". IT WAS SPLITTING AROUND THE CIRCUMFRENCE OF THE TIRE. I NOTICED IT WHILE WASHING THE TRUCK. THE SECOND FAILURE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING. SOME STONES HAD WASHED ON TO THE PAVEMENT, DUE TO HEAVY RAIN. ONE OF THE STONES PENATRATED THE TREAD AREA, IN T…

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THE FIRST FAILURE WAS WRITTEN UP BY THE FIRESTONE DEALER AS "SPLITS IN TREAD AREA". IT WAS SPLITTING AROUND THE CIRCUMFRENCE OF THE TIRE. I NOTICED IT WHILE WASHING THE TRUCK. THE SECOND FAILURE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING. SOME STONES HAD WASHED ON TO THE PAVEMENT, DUE TO HEAVY RAIN. ONE OF THE STONES PENATRATED THE TREAD AREA, IN THE SAME AREA AS THE OTHER ONE HAD SPLIT. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS A VERY WEAK AREA FOR A TRUCK TIRE. I DID NOT CONTACT FIRESTONE BECAUSE I FIGURED THEY WOULD SAY IT WAS A ROAD HAZARD.D( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 31X10.50X1 )

NHTSA ODI #728658

Mileage unknown · Aug 19, 2000
Tires

WHILE MY TIRE SIZE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE CURRENT FIRESTONE RECALL, CRACKS ARE CLEARLLY VISIBLE ALONG THE SIDE OF THE TREAD OF ALL FOUR TIRES. I AM VERY CONCERNED.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/75R15 )

NHTSA ODI #728435

Mileage unknown · Aug 8, 2000
Tires

HAD THE FIRST TIRE INSPECTED FOR A NAIL, SCREW, ANY FOREIGN OBJECT TO IDENTIFY WHY A V-SHAPED WHOLE OCCURRED IN MY TIRE THAT THE STEEL CABLE WAS CUT AND SHOWING. WHEN MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT IN MAY 2000, I ALSO HAD IT INSPECTED TO IDENTIFY WHY MY SIDEWALL OF MY TIRE BLEW OUT SO SUDDENLY. AGAIN, THERE WAS NO NAIL OR FOREIG…

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HAD THE FIRST TIRE INSPECTED FOR A NAIL, SCREW, ANY FOREIGN OBJECT TO IDENTIFY WHY A V-SHAPED WHOLE OCCURRED IN MY TIRE THAT THE STEEL CABLE WAS CUT AND SHOWING. WHEN MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT IN MAY 2000, I ALSO HAD IT INSPECTED TO IDENTIFY WHY MY SIDEWALL OF MY TIRE BLEW OUT SO SUDDENLY. AGAIN, THERE WAS NO NAIL OR FOREIGN OBJECT IN THE TIRE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/75R15 )

NHTSA ODI #727069

Mileage unknown · Jun 5, 2000
Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED ON 1-20-94. BUT THE CHECK VALVE WAS NEVER REPLACED. DEALER WHO REPAIRED VEHICLE WAS INSISTING THAT VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED CORRECTLY. DEALER WAS GIVING CONSUMER HARD TIME. *AK

NHTSA ODI #863008

Mileage unknown · Jun 5, 2000
Steering

POWER STEERING PUMP MAKES A TAPPING & WHINING NOISE. ALSO, STEERING WHEEL HAS TO BE POSITIONED A CERTAIN WAY IN ORDER TO MANEUVER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #862995

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.