IllustrationWHILE TRAVELING AT 5 MPH, THE STEERING TIE ROD HAD BROKEN, AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. STEERING WHEEL TURNED COMPLETELY AROUND. *AK CONSUMER ALSO FELT THAT FORTUNATELY THE SPEED WAS AT A LOW RATE, BECAUSE DEATH COULD HAVE OCCURRED, RESULTING FROM FAILURE, IN WHICH TOYOTAS CUST/SERV WAS UNCOOPERATIVE. *SCC
1997 Toyota T100
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Toyota T100 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 26.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all T100 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
40–25K
325–50K
350–75K
375–100K
10100–150K
13150K+
36 reports with mileage · 35 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 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
71 reportsWHILE DRIVING 35 MPH RACK AND PINION ARM BROKE AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. HAD TOWED TO DEALERSHIP.*AK
CENTER LINK OF THE STEERING WHEEL HAS BROKEN WHILE DRIVING, AUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. PART IS AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER TRIED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, STEERING TURNED BUT THE WHEELS KEPT STRAIGHT. DRIVER FEELS THIS IS VERY UNSAFE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC.*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER, LEAVING CONSUMER WITHOUT ANY HELP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHERE THEY FOUND OUT THAT PROBLEM WAS WITH CLUTCH BRACKET AND REPLACED IT. *AK
STEERING DRAG LINK BROKE, CAUSING STEERING SYSTEM TO BE INOPERATIVE WHICH MAY RESULTIN LOSS OF VEHICLE AND A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
FRONT LAP/SHOULDER BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT FULLY WHEN DISENGAGED. THE RETRACTOR IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO PULL THE WEBBING THROUGH THE D-RING MOUNTED ON THE B-PILLAR. CONSEQUENTLY, THE SLACK IN THE WEBBING SOMETIMES GETS CAUGHT IN THE DOOR JAMB WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE. THE STRENGTH OF THE WEBBING IS DIMINISHED AS IT FRAYS. THE…
Read full complaint
FRONT LAP/SHOULDER BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT FULLY WHEN DISENGAGED. THE RETRACTOR IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO PULL THE WEBBING THROUGH THE D-RING MOUNTED ON THE B-PILLAR. CONSEQUENTLY, THE SLACK IN THE WEBBING SOMETIMES GETS CAUGHT IN THE DOOR JAMB WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE. THE STRENGTH OF THE WEBBING IS DIMINISHED AS IT FRAYS. THE DEALER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INFORMS ME THAT THE RETRACTOR SPRING IS TOO WEAK BUT TOYOTA HAS NO PLANS ON A REPAIR KIT. THE SAFETY BELT WOULD BE REPLACED WITH THE LIKE W/IN THE FIVE YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD. *AK
SPEEDOMETER BOUNCES AT VARIOUS SPEEDS 6 CABLES REPLACED, 1 HEAD, AND 1 GEAR PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. DEALER UNABLE TO REPAIR. WILL NOT SEE AGAIN WITHOUT TOYOTA ENGINEERS PRESENT! DEALER SPECIFIED UNREPAIRABLE PROBLEM!
DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE WHILE DRIVING, RESULTING IN A MINOR COLLISION. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
EGR VALVE AND SWITCH FAILED. NLM
Official recalls
105V389000 · Steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting
Sep 6, 2005
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS REPEATEDLY TURNED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS WHERE HIGH STEERING EFFORT AND POWER ASSIST ARE REQUIRED, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN FULLY TURNING THE WHEEL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, A FATIGUE CRACK MAY DEVELOP IN THE STEERING RELAY ROD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUED TO BE OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION, THE RELAY ROD MAY FRACTURE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING RELAY ROD. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
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
1PE02039 · Clutch Pedal Bracket/firewall
Opened Apr 1, 2002 · Closed Jul 30, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
No summary supplied.