TOYOTA TACOMA 4 DOOR; REAR DOOR LOCKS NOT WORKING. STAYS LOCKED, AND CANNOT OPEN DOORS. *AK
2001 Toyota Tacoma
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2001 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
Compare all Tacoma years →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
295 reports with mileage · 101 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 228 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 81 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
396 reportsTHE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN ALL THE WAY OFF. IT WILL GO ONE NOTCH TO THE LEFT TO ALT. AND TURN THE MOTOR OFF BUT WILL NOT LET THE KEY COME OUT. I'VE BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY DON'T KNOW THE PROBLEM. THEY 1ST SAID IT WAS THE KEY BUT HAS PROVEN WRONG. I CANNOT LOCK THE DOOR WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION EXCEPT TO USE…
Read full complaint
THE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN ALL THE WAY OFF. IT WILL GO ONE NOTCH TO THE LEFT TO ALT. AND TURN THE MOTOR OFF BUT WILL NOT LET THE KEY COME OUT. I'VE BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY DON'T KNOW THE PROBLEM. THEY 1ST SAID IT WAS THE KEY BUT HAS PROVEN WRONG. I CANNOT LOCK THE DOOR WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION EXCEPT TO USE ANOTHER KEY. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH A NOISE WAS HEARD THAT GRADUALLY BECAME LOUDER. WITHOUT WARNING, THE WHEELS LOCKED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED OFF THE ROAD. IT WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE TRANSFER CASE LOCKED UP AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NO SIN OF A LEA…
Read full complaint
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH A NOISE WAS HEARD THAT GRADUALLY BECAME LOUDER. WITHOUT WARNING, THE WHEELS LOCKED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED OFF THE ROAD. IT WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE TRANSFER CASE LOCKED UP AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NO SIN OF A LEAK PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. UPDATED 08//25/06. *JB
I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA EXTENDED CAB WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT ME BEHIND THE DRIVERS DOOR AND MY TRUCK EXPLODED IN TO FLAMES. I COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE AND HAD TO GO THROUGH THE FLAMES IN THE CAB TO GET OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE. I SUFFERED BURNS AND WAS HOSPITALIZED IN THE BURN UNIT. *J…
Read full complaint
I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA EXTENDED CAB WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT ME BEHIND THE DRIVERS DOOR AND MY TRUCK EXPLODED IN TO FLAMES. I COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE AND HAD TO GO THROUGH THE FLAMES IN THE CAB TO GET OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE. I SUFFERED BURNS AND WAS HOSPITALIZED IN THE BURN UNIT. *JB
NO FAILURE AS OF YET, BUT HAVE TWO LOWER BALL JOINTS ON MY VEHICLE THAT BOTH ARE OUT OF TOLERANCE AT THE SAME TIME. SEEMS THAT MY MAKE AND MODEL YEAR HAD A RECALL ON THE LOWER BALL JOINTS BUT THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT MY VEHICLE WASN'T INCLUDED. IT SEEMS VERY ODD THAT THE BALL JOINTS ARE BOTH OUT AT THE SAME TIME, ALMOST LIKE T…
Read full complaint
NO FAILURE AS OF YET, BUT HAVE TWO LOWER BALL JOINTS ON MY VEHICLE THAT BOTH ARE OUT OF TOLERANCE AT THE SAME TIME. SEEMS THAT MY MAKE AND MODEL YEAR HAD A RECALL ON THE LOWER BALL JOINTS BUT THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT MY VEHICLE WASN'T INCLUDED. IT SEEMS VERY ODD THAT THE BALL JOINTS ARE BOTH OUT AT THE SAME TIME, ALMOST LIKE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH MORE OF THE JOINTS THAN THEY INITIALLY EXPECTED. *NM
FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT. MY 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA DOUBLE CAB VIN [XXX] HAS DIAGNOSED WITH A WORN LOWER RIGHT FRONT BALL JOINT. I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT A NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION FOR THE PAST 50,000+ MILES. INITIALLY THE NOISE OCCURRED WHILE TAKING LEFT TURNS, NOW THE NOISE OCCURS DURING ALL PHASES OF OPERATION …
Read full complaint
FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT. MY 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA DOUBLE CAB VIN [XXX] HAS DIAGNOSED WITH A WORN LOWER RIGHT FRONT BALL JOINT. I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT A NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION FOR THE PAST 50,000+ MILES. INITIALLY THE NOISE OCCURRED WHILE TAKING LEFT TURNS, NOW THE NOISE OCCURS DURING ALL PHASES OF OPERATION (LEFT& RIGHT TURNS, AND STOPPING). TOYOTA CLAIMS MY THAT THE RECALL IS VIN SPECIFIC AND MINE IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL/TSB. YET MY VEHICLE EXHIBITS ALL THE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED IN TSB 05015 (NHTSA #100015504) AND HAS FOR SEVERAL YEARS. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS CAUSING THE NOISE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V225000, REGARDING THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDI…
Read full complaint
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS CAUSING THE NOISE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V225000, REGARDING THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. UPDATED 3/20/2006 - *NM
ON FEB 2.01 WHEN REVIVING A NEW 200L TOYOTA TACOMA, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED (WOULDN'T TURN AT ALL). I GOT THE SALESPERSON WHO CAME WITH ME. HE JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL HARD AND IF WAS FREED. I ASKED IF THAT IS NORMAL, HE RESPONDED "IT'S OK, THEY ALL DO THAT." OVER THE YEARS WHENEVER IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE RIGHT, I REMEMBE…
Read full complaint
ON FEB 2.01 WHEN REVIVING A NEW 200L TOYOTA TACOMA, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED (WOULDN'T TURN AT ALL). I GOT THE SALESPERSON WHO CAME WITH ME. HE JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL HARD AND IF WAS FREED. I ASKED IF THAT IS NORMAL, HE RESPONDED "IT'S OK, THEY ALL DO THAT." OVER THE YEARS WHENEVER IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE RIGHT, I REMEMBERED THE STATEMENT "IT'S OK, THEY ALL DO THAT". ON SEP 8, 2005 IN THE WALL-MART PARKING LOT WITH 18 CASES OF BOTTLED WATER TO TAKE TO MY CHURCH FOR SHIPMENT TO HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIMS IN BILOXI, MS, MY IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN NOR WAS I ABLE TO GET THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED, REPAIRED, AND PICKED IT UP. THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT MY HISTORICAL PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING/IGNITION SINCE THE DAY I PICKED IT UP NEW. I MAILED THEM A LETTER BUT THEY TOTALLY IGNORED IT. I BELIEVE THEY ARE BEING NEGLIGENT BY NOT DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS RELATED TO 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA PICKUPS STEERING COLUMN/IGNITION PROBLEMS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANKS AND I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A NICE DAY. *NM
DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HIS 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA WAS TRAVELING AT 35 MPH WHEN THE TIRE STARTED MAKING NOISE. VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE PROBLEM. DISCOVERED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE. THE CONSUMER CALLED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECA…
Read full complaint
DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HIS 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA WAS TRAVELING AT 35 MPH WHEN THE TIRE STARTED MAKING NOISE. VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE PROBLEM. DISCOVERED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE. THE CONSUMER CALLED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN, ALTHOUGH IT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. THE LOCATION OF THE BALL JOINT WAS THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT BALL JOINT. THE CONSUMER WAS HAVING THAT FIXED TODAY. TOYOTA OFFERED NO FREE REMEDY TO THE CONSUMER.*AK UPDATED 11/2/2005. *NM
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A TOYOTA RECALL ON 2004-2004 TOYOTA TACOMAS REGARDING THE FRONTAL BALL JOINTS. THE CONSUMER HAS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA WHICH DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN, BUT THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT BALL JOINTS ON JUNE 8, 2004. THERE WAS A VIBRATION AND A RUBBING NOISE COMING FROM TH…
Read full complaint
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A TOYOTA RECALL ON 2004-2004 TOYOTA TACOMAS REGARDING THE FRONTAL BALL JOINTS. THE CONSUMER HAS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA WHICH DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN, BUT THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT BALL JOINTS ON JUNE 8, 2004. THERE WAS A VIBRATION AND A RUBBING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE. THIS WAS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WAS STATED IN THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER; THEY OPENED A CASE AND DID PROVIDE THE CONSUMER WITH CASE NUMBER 200508100951. *AK THE ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED.
Official recalls
412V542000 · Tires:temporary/emergency Spare Tire
Nov 23, 2012
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2001 through 2004 Tacoma light trucks manufactured from August 28, 2000, through August 27, 2004, and originally sold, or currently registered, in the following cold climate states with high road salt usage: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. The spare tire in the subject vehicles is located underneath the rear of the vehicle and held by a spare tire carrier. A lift plate on the carrier is used to help raise, lower and retain the tire. During its manufacture, the lift plate may not have been sufficiently coated with anti-corrosion materials. If the plate is insufficiently coated and the vehicle is operated in cold climate regions where road salts are frequently used, road spray can reach the carrier assembly and corrode the lift plate.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Corrosion of the plate could cause it to break, which could result in detachment of the spare tire from the vehicle. Detachment of the spare tire could result in a road hazard which may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace the spare tire carrier lift plate as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in February 2013. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.
05V225000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
May 17, 2005
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ISSUE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SURFACE OF THE BALL OF THE JOINT MAY HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED. THE BALL JOINT MAY EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND LOOSENESS, RESULTING IN INCREASED STEERING EFFORT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE LOWER BALL JOINT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
03V189000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
May 19, 2003
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, DURING SIDE IMPACT NCAP TEST (I.E. LINCAP TEST), A FLANGE AT THE REAR END OF THE DOUBLE CAB BODY DEFORMED AND INTERFERED WITH THE FUEL INLET HOSE THAT CONNECTS THE FUEL FILLER PIPE AND FUEL TANK, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE FUEL INLET HOSE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS DAMAGE COULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE IF IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUEL HOSE PROTECTOR ON THE BODY FLANGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 3, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
01V186000 · Tires:sidewall
Jun 7, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 4X2 TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH TU4 WHITE LETTER TIRE UPGRADE OPTION AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. TIRE DAMAGE MAY HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE TIRE TO DEFLATE OR A BULGE APPEARING IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: AN IMPROPERLY INFLATED TIRE COULD RESULT IN VEHICLE HANDLING PROBLEMS OR A BLOW OUT OF AN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED TIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL CHECK ALL FOUR TIRES, REBALANCE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE ANY DAMAGED TIRE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 3, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
Illustration