IllustrationWHEN PUTTING THE TRUCK IN THE PARK POSITION THE WHOLE HANDLE CAME OFF. TOOK TO A DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE WASN'T CONNECTED TO HOLD THE HANDLE.
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.
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
125–50K
550–75K
775–100K
15100–150K
29150K+
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
What owners actually said
131 reportsCONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 50 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. PLEASE GIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
VEHICLE'S FRONT WHEELS DO NOT STAY IN CONTACT WITH THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS MOST NOTICEABLE AROUND CORNERS AND TRAVELING OVER POTHOLES ,OCCURS AT ANY SPEED.CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT REAR LEAF SPRINGS DO NOT MEET LOAD SPECS AS SPECIFIED BY MANUFACTURER, CAUSING VIBRATION.
DRIVER MUST SIT TOO CLOSE TO STEERING WHEEL TO REACH THE CLUTCH DUE TO HEIGHT; DRIVER IS 5'2" TALL. *AK
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE; CAME TO COMPLETE STOP; TOOK FOOT OFF BRAKES; VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD SUDDENLY; REARENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT; TOOK TO DEALER & HAD PROBLEM FIXED; HAPPENED AGAIN; TOOK TO DEALER BROUGHT IT FROM & INFORMED NOT ABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM; WAS SET AT MFGR. *AK
THE CONSUMER WAS IN A LINE OF CARS WHEN HE TOOK FOOT OFF BRAKES TO ACCELERATE BUT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD AT FAST MODERATE SPEED. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. *AK
TRANSFER CASE SHIFT LEVER DESIGNED WITHOUT SAFETY SWITCH, ALLOWING VEHICLE TO ROLL WHILE IN PARK GEAR IF THIS SHIFT LEVER IS ACCIDENTLY BUMPED.
VEHICLE ROLLED DOWNHILL DUE TO TRANSFER CASE SHIFTER BEING BUMPED INTO NEUTRAL WHICH NEUTRALIZED THE TRANSMISSION.
UPON IMPACT, DURING FRONT CRASH, AT APPROX. 40MPH, REAR ENDED VEHICLE, 12:30 ON FRONT BUMPER, DRIVER'S AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.