Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Toyota Tacoma problems

Owners filed 134 complaints about the 1997 Toyota Tacoma with NHTSA between Feb 1997 and Nov 2025. The most-cited component is structure (46).

Complaints
134
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
13
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure46
  2. Suspension23
  3. Tires15
  4. Seat belts11
  5. Power train9
  6. Air bags6
  7. Vehicle speed control6
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic5
  9. Steering4
  10. Wheels4
  11. Engine and engine cooling2
  12. Visibility2
  13. Engine1
  14. Electrical system1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
199713
19987
199912
200014
20016
20024
20035
20042
20052
20061
200711
20088
20091
20104
20110
20125
20137
20146
20156
20167
20173
20184
20191
20203
20211
20220
20230
20240
20251

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Structure

46 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND THE SUBFRAME FRACTURED HALF. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SMITHTOWN TOYOTA DEALER LOCATED AT 360 JERICHO TURNPIKE, SMITHTOWN, NY 11787. WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TECHNICIAN HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 172,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 18, 2020StructureODI 11359783

Suspension

23 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR AN ALIGNMENT. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT A PART OF THE FRAME WAS MISSING DUE TO EXTREME RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V013000 (SUSPENSION) BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 240,000. UPDATED 06/02/17*LJ *AS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 17, 2017Suspension, StructureODI 10966537

Tires

15 reports2 crashes
“CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE, GOT OUT OF TRUCK, AND LOOKED UNDER IT TO SEE WHERE NOISE WAS COMING FROM. DUELER TIRE, APT, 31 X 10.50/R 15LT. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 5, 2001TiresODI 897427

Seat belts

11 reports1 crash
“1997 TACOMA FRAME RUST AT LEADING EDGE OF REAR AXLE LEAF SPRINGS ALLOWED THE LEAF SPRINGS TO BECOME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE SHOULDER LAP SEAT BELTS DO NOT RECOIL.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 8, 2016Seat belts, StructureODI 10904665

Power train

9 reports1 crash
“MY 97 TACOMA TRUCK HAD A RECALL ON THE FRAME RUSTING. IT WAS CHECKED AND SAID IT WAS OK. 2 YEARS AFTER THE RECALL HAS LAPSED THE FRAME HAS RUSTED WITH BIG HOLES SHOWING AND IS A DANGER TO DRIVE. TOYOTA SAYS THEY WON'T DO NOTHING ABOUT THE RUSTED FRAME...WHICH WAS A PROBLEM BEFORE. MY OLDEST SON WHO JUST GOT HIS LICENSE IS DRIVING IT NOW AND I'M AFRAID THE FRAME WILL COLLAPSE AND HE WILL WRECK. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP GET A REPLACEMENT FRAME FOR THE TRUCK? THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP. [XXX] MY CASE # AT TOYOTA IS [XXX] ' *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 24, 2015Power trainODI 10678680

Air bags

6 reports5 crashes
“DRIVING SOUTH ON MACINTOSH RD. TRIED TO AVOID HITTING A CAR THAT MADE AN ILLEGAL U-TURN IN FRONT OF ME. I RAN INTO THE WALL HARD ENOUGH TO KNOCK THE WALL (CEMENT) DOWN. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I RECEIVED A CONCUSSION, AND AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SIDE EFFECTS A YEAR LATER. ACCIDENT HAPPENED MAY 12, 2014.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 3, 2015Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10723308
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.