IllustrationFRIST REAL SEAL, REAR SEAL AND BEARING, BEARING AND AXLE, NEW AXLE PUT IN THEN FLEW OFF TRUCK AND CRASHED, 3 WEEKS LATER REAR SEALS AXLE AGAIN HELP
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 reportsBOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE REAR LEAF SPRINGS HAV DEVELOPED CRACKS. VEHICLE HAS THREE LEAF SPRINGS. CONSUMER NOTED A TSB TO UPGRADE LEAF SPRINGS FROM THREE TO FOUR. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER REFUSED TO CORRECT THE TSB. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WEAKENED SHOCK ABSORBERS CAUSED THE TRUCK TO BOUNCE TOO MUCH. NLM
WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AT 65 MPH REAR LEAF SPRING BROKE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHICH INFORMED CONSUMER THAT BOTH REAR LEAF SPRINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE MANUFACTURER HAD REDESIGNED THE REAR LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY. *AK *ML
CALLE D TOYOTA SALES TO REPORT COMPLAINT. I WAS INFORMED THAT MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE DEFECT IN THE REAR SUSPENSION AND HAS BEGAN CORRECT IT WITH A STRONGER LEAF SPRING LATER IN 1996. EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE AWARE OF THE DEFECT THEY ARE NOT ISSUING A RECALL.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
REAR LEAF SPRINGS BROKE ON BOTH SIDES OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
BOTH REAR SPRINGS BROKE, CAUSING NOISE IN THE REAR PART OF THE VEHICLE WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
I RECENTLY NOTICED THAT BOTH OF MY REAR #2 LEAF SPRINGS WERE BROKEN IN HALF AND HAD SHIFTED OUT OF PLACE. IN TRYING TO FIGUREE OUT WHERE THE CHEAPEST PLACE TO GET THE LEAF SPRINGS WOULD BE I FOUND OUT THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN "KNOWN PROBLEM" WITH THE TACOMA. ONE PERSON EVEN KNEW THE PROLEM BEFORE I COULD EVEN TELL HIM ABOUT IT. *A…
Read full complaint
I RECENTLY NOTICED THAT BOTH OF MY REAR #2 LEAF SPRINGS WERE BROKEN IN HALF AND HAD SHIFTED OUT OF PLACE. IN TRYING TO FIGUREE OUT WHERE THE CHEAPEST PLACE TO GET THE LEAF SPRINGS WOULD BE I FOUND OUT THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN "KNOWN PROBLEM" WITH THE TACOMA. ONE PERSON EVEN KNEW THE PROLEM BEFORE I COULD EVEN TELL HIM ABOUT IT. *AK
CONTACTED DEALER , THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THEY COULDN'T HELP ME BECAUSE THE TRUCK WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. STEVE IN SERVICE SAID HE HAD NO IDEA HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO REPAIR MY TRUCK, HE SAID HE WOULD TRANSFER ME TO PARTS AT WHICH POINT WE WERE DISCONNECTED. I CONTACTED THE DEALER'S PARTS DEPARTMENT ON MY OWN AND FOUND THA…
Read full complaint
CONTACTED DEALER , THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THEY COULDN'T HELP ME BECAUSE THE TRUCK WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. STEVE IN SERVICE SAID HE HAD NO IDEA HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO REPAIR MY TRUCK, HE SAID HE WOULD TRANSFER ME TO PARTS AT WHICH POINT WE WERE DISCONNECTED. I CONTACTED THE DEALER'S PARTS DEPARTMENT ON MY OWN AND FOUND THAT THE PART NUMBERS HAD BEEN CHANGED FROM THE ORIGINALS WHIC DENOTES A CHANGE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT TOYOTA ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN ( #SU00197) DENOTING A CHANGE OF THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS IN RELATION TO RIDE COMFORT. THERE WERE TWO OTHER BULLETINS (#COM0401K) RELATING TO REAR SPRING SQUEAKS AND (TC96018) RELATING TO CRACKED FRAMES. WHY WOULD THE DEALER THAT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM NOT KNOW THIS OR ATTEMPT TO FIND IT SINCE IT CERTIANLY IS A SAFTEY FACTOR. THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY IS 36/MONTH/36000 COMPREHENSIVE AND 5 YEAR/60,000 MILES ON THE POWERTRAIN. *AK
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