Structure. Review the 203 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Suspension. Review the 84 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

27 crash reports3 fire reports15 injury reports

Parking Brake complaints

2 reports

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38,000 miles · Mar 11, 2008

Parking Brake

PARKING BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON. VEHICLE IS SLUGGISH. BRAKES ARE SQUEALING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10220835

Mileage unknown · Jul 16, 2004

Parking BrakeCrash

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IT'S THE 5TH TACOMA I'VE OWNED. THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER IN EACH OF THE OTHER TRUCKS ALWAYS CAME OUT 4 INCHES FROM THE DASH. THE "ON" LIGHT CAME ON WHEN AT THE 3" MARK. THIS NEW TRUCK COMES OUT 11.5 INCHES, HITS ME IN THE KNEE, MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET IN AND OUT, ALMOST COLLIDES WITH THE STICK SHIFT WHEN ITS IN 1ST GEAR. THE "ON" LIGHT COMES ON BEFORE ITS PULLED A QUARTER OF AN INCH. THE MANUAL DIRECTS THE OPERATOR, WHEN IN STOPPED ON AN INCLINE, NOT TO USE THE CLUTCH TO HOLD THE CAR BUT RATHER PLACE THE CAR IN NUETRAL AND USE THE PARKING BRAKE. AFTER 26 HOURS OWNING THE CAR, IT ROLLED DOWN MY DRIVEWAY. AT THE TIME, THE CAR WAS IN NUETRAL WITH THE BRAKE ON TO THE EXTENT ALL MY OTHER ( 4) TACOMAS WOULD HAVE BEEN. THE "ON" LIGHT WAS ON. I JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR FOR JUST A SECOND AND IT ROLLED AWAY. THE INSURANCE MAN RENACTED THE INCIDENT .HE AGREED SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT. AS THE CAR BEGAN TO ROLL DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, HE GOT BEHIND IT AND BEGAN TRYING TO STOP IT. I WAS ABLE TO JUMP IN AND STOP IT. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT. BEFORE I APPROACH TOYOTA, I WANTED HIS REPORT DETAILING HOW THE BRAKE FAILED. I'VE YET TO SEE IT. I 'M NOT COMFORTABLE APPROACHING THE DEALER, NOR TOYOTA, WITHOUT SOME AUTHORITATIVE BACKING. THE BRAKE NEEDS TO BE FIXED. THE BUMPER AND SLIGHT BODY DAMAGE NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED . I WAS NEVER "WALKED THROUGH" IT AT THE DEALER. NOR DO I HAVE ANYTHING THAT SAYS THE PRE-DELIVERY INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED. I DON'T KNOW IF THE DEALER IS MANDATED TO WALK ONE THROUGH THE CAR OR WHAT IF ANY, INSPECTION IS SUPPOSED TO BE PERFORMED AND DOCUMENTED FOR THE CUSTOMER. WHAT IS IN PLACE TO ENSURE A NEW CAR IS NOT UNSAFE? I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE ANY RESPONSE YOU MAY DEEM APPROPRIATE. I HAVE E-MAILED THE TOYOTA WEB SITE TWICE IN AN ATTEMPT TO GATHER SOME INFORMATIONABOUT THE VERY QUESTIONS I RAISE HERE. THEY DO NOT APPEAR TO BE RESPONDING. THANKS AGAIN, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10081212

Official recalls

12V542000 · 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.

04V214000 · Seat Belts:front

May 5, 2004

CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, 'SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES.' THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT HAS INCORRECT MARKINGS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD.

Remedy: DEALERS HAVE REPLACED THE SEAT BELTS. NO VEHICLES WERE SOLD TO CONSUMERS.

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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.