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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

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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

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

What owners actually said

253 reports
104,000 miles · Oct 6, 2016
Structure

1996 TOYOTA TACOMA FRAME RUST ISSUES. WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA OF THE "PROGRAM" OFFERS TO FIX. TOYOTA CASE #1607184527 CREATED 6/2016. TOOK VEHICLE TO WELDER TO FIX FRAME TO MAKE ROAD WORTHY.

NHTSA ODI #10914353

Mileage unknown · Aug 31, 2016
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED, THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO PUSH HIS FINGER THROUGH THE VEHICLE'S FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION NUMBER: LSC-90-D. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #10902950

73,000 miles · Aug 26, 2016
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE REPAIRS, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY CAMPAIGN RE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE REPAIRS, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY CAMPAIGN RELATED TO THE FAILURE BUT HAD EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000. UPDATED 01/27/17*LJ

NHTSA ODI #10898883

170,000 miles · Jun 1, 2016
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE FRAME RAIL WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR REPAIRS UNDER A MANUFACTURER RECALL RELATED TO CORROSION OF THE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MAD…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE FRAME RAIL WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR REPAIRS UNDER A MANUFACTURER RECALL RELATED TO CORROSION OF THE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

NHTSA ODI #10871889

131,243 miles · May 16, 2016
Air BagsFuel/propulsion System

TAKATA RECALL CONTACTED DEALER WHO VERIFIED AIRBAG RECALL, PUT ME ON LIST DUE TO BACK ORDER STILL WAITING HAVE A PROBLEM WITH LIMP HOME THROTTLE SETTING ACTIVATING WHILE IN MOTION. SO FAR HAS ONLY BEEN WITHIN 1/4 MILE OF START UP BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO A COLD ENGINE. REQUIRES STOP AND RESTART TO RESET.

NHTSA ODI #10865069

Mileage unknown · Mar 26, 2016
Structure

OUR TRUCKS FRAME IS RUSTING AWAY. I'M WORRIED THE TRUCK IS GOING TO BREAK INTO AND KILL MY HUSBAND. I KNOW THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRAME BUT I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. I HAVE ALREADY TALKED TO YOUR PEOPLE AND THEY SAID THEY ALLOWED 15 YEARS EXTENSION ON THE RUSTED FRAME . WE BOUGHT OURS USED YEARS AGO. WE HAD NO CLUE TH…

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OUR TRUCKS FRAME IS RUSTING AWAY. I'M WORRIED THE TRUCK IS GOING TO BREAK INTO AND KILL MY HUSBAND. I KNOW THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRAME BUT I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. I HAVE ALREADY TALKED TO YOUR PEOPLE AND THEY SAID THEY ALLOWED 15 YEARS EXTENSION ON THE RUSTED FRAME . WE BOUGHT OURS USED YEARS AGO. WE HAD NO CLUE THIS WAS A PROBLEM UNTIL I FOUND IT TODAY. I THINK U SHOULD MADE IT GOOD FOR US. WE R POOR AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED. IT SHOULD B FROM THE TIME WE BOUGHT IT. IT IS SO BAD MY HUSBAND S FINGERS WENT THROUGH THE METAL. THIS IS SO UNFAIR. I ALSO FOUND OUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BALL JOINTS AND THAT WAS A RECALL WE HAVE ALREADY SPENT HUNDREDS OF DOLLAR GETTING IT FIXED. IT'S SAD, U SAY U BACK UP YOUR PRODUCT. HOW R WE SUPPOSE TO KNOW WHEN THERE IS S RECALL . IT'S NOT FAIR, AND IF SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED I WILL HOLD ALL OF U RESPONSIBLE . WE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A NOTICE IN THE MAIL, BUT WE RECEIVED NOTHING. U KNOW THAT THE ONLY AUTOMOBILES WE BUY ANYMORE IS TOYOTAS. PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING MY HUSBAND. WE CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER AND HE IS HANDICAPPED SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE R GOING TO DO. THANK U ,[XXX] , EMAIL IS [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10851804

263,884 miles · Feb 27, 2016
StructureUnknown Or Other

I STOPPED AT A GAS STATION TO INVESTIGATE A VIBRATION MY TRUCK HAD JUST STARTED GIVING OFF. FOUND OUT THAT THE FRAME HAS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH AND HAS AN INCH OF STEEL LEFT HOLDING IT TOGETHER. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAULTY STEEL. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM A USED CAR DEALER WHO S…

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I STOPPED AT A GAS STATION TO INVESTIGATE A VIBRATION MY TRUCK HAD JUST STARTED GIVING OFF. FOUND OUT THAT THE FRAME HAS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH AND HAS AN INCH OF STEEL LEFT HOLDING IT TOGETHER. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAULTY STEEL. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM A USED CAR DEALER WHO SAID THE VEHICLE PASSED A MISSOURI STATE INSPECTION AND AM CURRENTLY HAVING TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON IT AND IT CAN NOT BE DRIVEN.

NHTSA ODI #10838741

290,000 miles · Aug 28, 2015
StructureSuspension

FRAME CORRODED AND CRACKED. HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO BRACE WITH SHEET METAL AND WELD. JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE.

NHTSA ODI #10760095

120,000 miles · Aug 2, 2015
Steering

POWER STEERING DID NOT WORK. THEY SAID IT FROZE UP.. IT RUSTED OUT. ..

NHTSA ODI #10745636

314,000 miles · Jul 13, 2015
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIR…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER A MANUFACTURER RECALL IN 2011 WHERE THE DEALER SPRAYED THE FRAME, BUT FAILED TO PREVENT IT FROM RUSTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. 314,000.

NHTSA ODI #10733656

Official recalls

1

96V129000 · 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

1

EA97015 · 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