IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE UPPER BALL JOINT BROKE AND THE FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF, RESULTING IN A ROLLOVER, THERE WERE 2 INJURIES.*AK. CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT PART WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPLACE VEHICLE.*JB
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 reportsLEFT REAR LEAF SPRING SEPARATED/CAUSING LEFT REAR TO SAG.*AK
TREAD SPLITTING/CRACKING ALL THE WAY AROUND TIRES ON ALL TIRES/STEEL BELTS SHOWING THROUGH/TECHNICIAN SAID IT WAS "DRY ROT." *AK (TIRESIZE: 31105R15)
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE, GOT OUT OF TRUCK, AND LOOKED UNDER IT TO SEE WHERE NOISE WAS COMING FROM. DUELER TIRE, APT, 31 X 10.50/R 15LT. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS INOPERABLE. SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT OUT OF HOUSING MECHANISM. ALSO, SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. *AK
SUNVISORS THAT ARWE ON DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE WILL NOT COME DOWN. CONSUMER'S NOT ABLE TO PROTECT VISION IN PRESENT OF A HIGH BEAM OF LIGHT. VISORS ARE STIFF, AND FABRIC ONE OF THEM IS TORN.*AK
DATE OF PURCHASE TOYOTA OF SOMERSET REPORTED THIS WAS A SECOND BUYER. THEY REPORTED A LADY HAD OWNED THE VEHICLE. THROUGH CARFAX I FOUND ME TO BE THE 5TH OWNER. THEY DID NOT HAVE THE WARRANTY INFORMATION IN WITH THE MANUAL INFORMATION. THEY DID NOT SUPPLY THIS AT TIME OF PURCHASE AND HAS NOT OFFERED UPON REQUEST. THEY SAID …
Read full complaint
DATE OF PURCHASE TOYOTA OF SOMERSET REPORTED THIS WAS A SECOND BUYER. THEY REPORTED A LADY HAD OWNED THE VEHICLE. THROUGH CARFAX I FOUND ME TO BE THE 5TH OWNER. THEY DID NOT HAVE THE WARRANTY INFORMATION IN WITH THE MANUAL INFORMATION. THEY DID NOT SUPPLY THIS AT TIME OF PURCHASE AND HAS NOT OFFERED UPON REQUEST. THEY SAID THEY WOULD HONOR THE SERVICE. UPON THE REVERSE COMING OUT THERE WAS DISAGREEMENT AND THE SERVICE MANAGER, MR. TURPIN AND MR. JOHNSON WERE VERY ADAMANT AND REFUSED TO HONOR THE MFG. WARRANTY ON THE DRIVE TRAIN. THEY FIRST ASKED $700 AND THEN NEGOTIATED FOR $450. WHICH I REFUSED. NEEDLESS TO SAY WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CORRESPONDENCE BUT I STILL HAVE TO DRIVE WITHOUT REVERSE IN MY VEHICLE. THIS IS WHY I DID NOT REPORT THE LUG NUTS BREAKING AND CAUSING MY WHEEL TO FALL OFF AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK. TOYOTA OF SOMERSET DOES NOT OFFER ASSISTANCE AND ACCUSES ABUSE.
VEHICLE IS ON ITS 6TH WINDSHIELD DUE TO CRACKS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING BOLTS BROKE OFF THE DRIVESHAFT SEPARATING REAR AXLE AND HITTING THE GAS TANK. *AK ONE OF THE TWO BOLTS HOLDING THE DRIVE SHAFT FELL OUT CAUSING THE DRIVE SHAFT TO FALL AND RESULTING IN REAR AXLE SEPARATION AND RIPING A HOLE IN THE GAS TANK. *YH
TIRE COMPLETELY CAME APART, SAME THING HAPPENED TO A FRIEND OF MINE WITH SIMILIAR TRUCK. THESE TIRES SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THE CURRENT RECALL!( DOT NUMBER: W2HY TIRE SIZE: P215/70R14 )
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.