IllustrationUNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS REAR LEAF SPRINGS BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES BROKE AND SEPARATED.*AK (TIRESIZE: 10.5 30 15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 10.5 30 15 )
1996 Toyota Tacoma
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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
10–25K
225–50K
450–75K
1075–100K
22100–150K
34150K+
73 reports with mileage · 180 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.
- Suspension. Review the 87 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 64 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.
20 crash reports1 fire reports10 injury reports
Suspension complaints
87 reportsREAR MIDDLE LEAF SPRING BROKE IN HALF, CAUSEING VEHICLE TO VIBRATE WHEN DRIVING.*AK
RIGHT REAR LEAF SPRING SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING IT TO SWING OUT OF ASSEMBLY, WHICH COULD HAVE GOTTEN CAUGHT ON BRAKE LINE OR CAUSED A TIRE TO BLOWOUT. *AK *TT
BOTH REAR LEAF SPRINGS BROKE, CAUSING SPRING TO CUT INTO BRAKE LINE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BROKEN LEAF SPRING DUE TO WEIGHT OF TRUCK BED AND UNDERCARRIAGE, AN EX-TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE ALONG WITH 1995-1997 MODELS WERE MADE WITH PASSENGER CAR SUSPENSIONS. *SLC
WHILE TURNING LEFT INTO A PARKING SPACE LEFT FRONT OF VEHICLE FELL TO GROUND. DEALER VERIFIED THAT FRONT LEFT BALL JOINT BROKE. SIMILAR TO RECALL 96V129000. *AK
REAR LEAF SPRINGS FAILED AT 80,000 MILES, CAUSING A GASH INTO TIRE. MECHANIC STATED THAT TOYOTA WAS SENDING A SPRING WITH 4 LEAFS INSTEAD OF THREE. APPARENTLY INSTALLED WITH WRONG LEAFS. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT PRIOR TO NEW SPRINGS, VEHICLE ROCKED AND ROLLED AND WAS VERY UNSTABLE, MECHANIC INSTALLED A CLAMP ON THE BROKEN SPRI…
Read full complaint
REAR LEAF SPRINGS FAILED AT 80,000 MILES, CAUSING A GASH INTO TIRE. MECHANIC STATED THAT TOYOTA WAS SENDING A SPRING WITH 4 LEAFS INSTEAD OF THREE. APPARENTLY INSTALLED WITH WRONG LEAFS. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT PRIOR TO NEW SPRINGS, VEHICLE ROCKED AND ROLLED AND WAS VERY UNSTABLE, MECHANIC INSTALLED A CLAMP ON THE BROKEN SPRING, HOWEVER THE SPRING GRADUALLY WORKED ITS WAY UNDER THE CLAMP CUASING THE BROKEN LEAF TO SWING OUT INTO THE TIRE. *SLC
BOTH REAR SPRINGS FAILED. NLM
NO SUMMARY
AXLE FALLS OUT CAUSING CRASH REAR SEAL KEEPS GOING AND BEARING
Official recalls
196V129000 · Suspension:front
Jul 10, 1996
UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE FRONT SUSPENSION SUPPORT CAN CRACK LEADING TO FAILURE OF THE SUPPORT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE SUSPENSION SUPPORT.
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
1EA97015 · Turn Signal Failures
Opened Jul 22, 1997 · Closed Sep 21, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
There is no summary currently available