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1997 Toyota Tacoma

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Toyota Tacoma do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 228.5.

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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

58 reports with mileage · 73 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 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

13 crash reports0 fire reports8 injury reports

Structure complaints

46 reports
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160,000 miles · May 23, 2016
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED, WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

NHTSA ODI #10870401

223,000 miles · Jun 26, 2015
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 223,000. UPDATED 09/10/15*LJ MA 10/22/2015 UPDATED 10/31/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI #10730639

157,000 miles · Jun 9, 2015
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,000.

NHTSA ODI #10724288

195,000 miles · Nov 18, 2014
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRAMES WERE CORRODED. AS A RESULT, THE FRAMES WERE RUSTING AND FALLING APART. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000.

NHTSA ODI #10658995

126,000 miles · Sep 2, 2014
StructureSuspension

I BOUGHT THE ABOVE MENTIONED TRUCK NEW IN 1997. FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS IT'S JUST BEEN SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY BECAUSE THE FRAME IS SO RUSTED IT'S NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. A MECHANIC FRIEND OF MINE SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THAT YEAR OF TRUCK. MY WIFE CALLED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THE RECALL WAS EXPIRED BUT THEY COULDN'T GIVE A DATE. I CA…

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I BOUGHT THE ABOVE MENTIONED TRUCK NEW IN 1997. FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS IT'S JUST BEEN SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY BECAUSE THE FRAME IS SO RUSTED IT'S NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. A MECHANIC FRIEND OF MINE SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THAT YEAR OF TRUCK. MY WIFE CALLED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THE RECALL WAS EXPIRED BUT THEY COULDN'T GIVE A DATE. I CALLED TODAY AND THEY SAID IT WASN'T A RECALL BUT AN EXTENSION ON THE LIFE OF THE FRAME FOR FIFTEEN YEARS (SAME THING). THE BODY OF THE TRUCK IS IN GOOD SHAPE FOR ITS AGE. THE ENGINE ONLY HAS 126K MILES WHICH IS NOTHING FOR A TOYOTA. I SHOULD STILL BE DRIVING THIS TRUCK TODAY. I TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING I HAVE SO IT WILL LAST. BIGGEST ISSUE HERE IS I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE FRAME. I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER SO IT'S NOT LIKE TOYOTA DIDN'T KNOW WHO HAD THE TRUCK OR WHERE I WAS LIVING. IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED OR I SHOULD RECEIVE COMPENSATION FOR THE TRUCK AND NOT BEING ABLE TO USE IT FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10630025

307,700 miles · May 13, 2014
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED. THE DEALER APPLIED AN ANTI-RUST COATING BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 307…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED. THE DEALER APPLIED AN ANTI-RUST COATING BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 307,700.

NHTSA ODI #10588103

135,000 miles · Nov 8, 2013
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FRAME WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FRAME WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

NHTSA ODI #10551504

180,000 miles · Aug 25, 2013
Structure

MY TRUCK WAS BROUGHT IN FOR INSPECTION AFTER THE FRAME ROT RECALL AT PARKWAY TOYOTA AT 50 SYLVAN AVE ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS NJ IN JULY 2008. THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND TOLD US THE FRAME WAS SAFE THOUGH THERE WAS SOME SURFACE RUST. IT WAS DEEMED NO REPAIR NECESSARY. NOW IN APRIL OF 2013 MY TRUCK NEEDED A TUNE UP AND AFTER THAT WAS …

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MY TRUCK WAS BROUGHT IN FOR INSPECTION AFTER THE FRAME ROT RECALL AT PARKWAY TOYOTA AT 50 SYLVAN AVE ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS NJ IN JULY 2008. THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND TOLD US THE FRAME WAS SAFE THOUGH THERE WAS SOME SURFACE RUST. IT WAS DEEMED NO REPAIR NECESSARY. NOW IN APRIL OF 2013 MY TRUCK NEEDED A TUNE UP AND AFTER THAT WAS DONE WE WERE TOLD THEY SPOTTED POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CORROSION OF THE FRAME. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A BODY MECHANIC WHO ADVISED ME NOT TO DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE THE FRAME IS DANGEROUSLY ROTTED AND IS NOT REPAIRABLE. TOYOTA HAS TOLD US THEY WILL NOT REPAIR OR REPLACE THE TRUCK. I BELIEVE WHEN I ORIGINALLY BROUGHT MY TRUCK IN TO BE INSPECTED FOR RUST THEY MISSED THE EARLY STAGES OF FRAME ROT WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AT THAT TIME AND THEREFORE SHOULD HONOR THE FRAME WARRANTY EXTENSION ISSUED IN THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10537160

124,000 miles · Aug 19, 2013
StructureSuspension

THE TOYOTA TACOMA I BOUGHT IN 1997 IS IN EXCELLENT MECHANICAL CONDITION. HOW EVER IT IS IN HORRIBLE STRUCTURAL CONDITION, WITH A FRAME THAT IS ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH, AND NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO KINGS TOYOTA TO GET INSPECTED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE THE TRUCK HAS PASSED THE 15 YR WARRANTY EXTE…

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THE TOYOTA TACOMA I BOUGHT IN 1997 IS IN EXCELLENT MECHANICAL CONDITION. HOW EVER IT IS IN HORRIBLE STRUCTURAL CONDITION, WITH A FRAME THAT IS ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH, AND NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO KINGS TOYOTA TO GET INSPECTED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE THE TRUCK HAS PASSED THE 15 YR WARRANTY EXTENSION, THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME AND ALLOWED ME TO DRIVE THE TRUCK OFF OF THEIR LOT. I THEN CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THAT UNFORTUNATELY I AM OUT OF LUCK, SINCE THE TRUCK IS A YEAR PAST THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THIS WAS THE RESULT OF TOYOTA NOT HAVING ADEQUATE CORROSION-RESISTANT PROTECTION. THEY INVESTIGATED THIS PROBLEM AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE PROTECTION WAS IN FACT INADEQUATE. YET THEY ALLOW PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE ON THE ROADS WITH THEIR PRODUCT THAT THEY KNOW IS UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10536056

88,518 miles · Jun 10, 2013
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS FAILURE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER FOUND CORROSION ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE FRAME AND THE SPRINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS FAILURE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER FOUND CORROSION ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE FRAME AND THE SPRINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER, WHO REFUSED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88,518.

NHTSA ODI #10516071

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.