IllustrationWHILE DRIVING ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY, THE PASSENGER WINDOW STARTED GOING UP AND DOWN THE DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW/POWER LOCK CONTROL PANEL STARTED REALLY SMOKING. I PULLED OVER AND THE PANEL EVENTUALLY STOPPED SMOKING LEAVING BOTH WINDOWS PERMANENTLY DOWN.
2001 Toyota Tacoma
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2001 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
80–25K
2025–50K
2150–75K
2775–100K
81100–150K
138150K+
295 reports with mileage · 101 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 228 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 81 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. 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.
40 crash reports4 fire reports25 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
4 reportsTHE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN ALL THE WAY OFF. IT WILL GO ONE NOTCH TO THE LEFT TO ALT. AND TURN THE MOTOR OFF BUT WILL NOT LET THE KEY COME OUT. I'VE BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY DON'T KNOW THE PROBLEM. THEY 1ST SAID IT WAS THE KEY BUT HAS PROVEN WRONG. I CANNOT LOCK THE DOOR WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION EXCEPT TO USE…
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THE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN ALL THE WAY OFF. IT WILL GO ONE NOTCH TO THE LEFT TO ALT. AND TURN THE MOTOR OFF BUT WILL NOT LET THE KEY COME OUT. I'VE BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY DON'T KNOW THE PROBLEM. THEY 1ST SAID IT WAS THE KEY BUT HAS PROVEN WRONG. I CANNOT LOCK THE DOOR WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION EXCEPT TO USE ANOTHER KEY. *NM
ON FEB 2.01 WHEN REVIVING A NEW 200L TOYOTA TACOMA, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED (WOULDN'T TURN AT ALL). I GOT THE SALESPERSON WHO CAME WITH ME. HE JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL HARD AND IF WAS FREED. I ASKED IF THAT IS NORMAL, HE RESPONDED "IT'S OK, THEY ALL DO THAT." OVER THE YEARS WHENEVER IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE RIGHT, I REMEMBE…
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ON FEB 2.01 WHEN REVIVING A NEW 200L TOYOTA TACOMA, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED (WOULDN'T TURN AT ALL). I GOT THE SALESPERSON WHO CAME WITH ME. HE JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL HARD AND IF WAS FREED. I ASKED IF THAT IS NORMAL, HE RESPONDED "IT'S OK, THEY ALL DO THAT." OVER THE YEARS WHENEVER IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE RIGHT, I REMEMBERED THE STATEMENT "IT'S OK, THEY ALL DO THAT". ON SEP 8, 2005 IN THE WALL-MART PARKING LOT WITH 18 CASES OF BOTTLED WATER TO TAKE TO MY CHURCH FOR SHIPMENT TO HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIMS IN BILOXI, MS, MY IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN NOR WAS I ABLE TO GET THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED, REPAIRED, AND PICKED IT UP. THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT MY HISTORICAL PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING/IGNITION SINCE THE DAY I PICKED IT UP NEW. I MAILED THEM A LETTER BUT THEY TOTALLY IGNORED IT. I BELIEVE THEY ARE BEING NEGLIGENT BY NOT DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS RELATED TO 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA PICKUPS STEERING COLUMN/IGNITION PROBLEMS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANKS AND I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A NICE DAY. *NM
INTERMITTENTLY ALARM SYSTEM WILL NOT OPEN VEHICLE . VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FIVE OCCASION S,AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
Official recalls
412V542000 · Tires:temporary/emergency Spare Tire
Nov 23, 2012
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2001 through 2004 Tacoma light trucks manufactured from August 28, 2000, through August 27, 2004, and originally sold, or currently registered, in the following cold climate states with high road salt usage: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. The spare tire in the subject vehicles is located underneath the rear of the vehicle and held by a spare tire carrier. A lift plate on the carrier is used to help raise, lower and retain the tire. During its manufacture, the lift plate may not have been sufficiently coated with anti-corrosion materials. If the plate is insufficiently coated and the vehicle is operated in cold climate regions where road salts are frequently used, road spray can reach the carrier assembly and corrode the lift plate.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Corrosion of the plate could cause it to break, which could result in detachment of the spare tire from the vehicle. Detachment of the spare tire could result in a road hazard which may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace the spare tire carrier lift plate as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in February 2013. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.
05V225000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
May 17, 2005
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ISSUE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SURFACE OF THE BALL OF THE JOINT MAY HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED. THE BALL JOINT MAY EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND LOOSENESS, RESULTING IN INCREASED STEERING EFFORT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE LOWER BALL JOINT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
03V189000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
May 19, 2003
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, DURING SIDE IMPACT NCAP TEST (I.E. LINCAP TEST), A FLANGE AT THE REAR END OF THE DOUBLE CAB BODY DEFORMED AND INTERFERED WITH THE FUEL INLET HOSE THAT CONNECTS THE FUEL FILLER PIPE AND FUEL TANK, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE FUEL INLET HOSE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS DAMAGE COULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE IF IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUEL HOSE PROTECTOR ON THE BODY FLANGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 3, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
01V186000 · Tires:sidewall
Jun 7, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 4X2 TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH TU4 WHITE LETTER TIRE UPGRADE OPTION AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. TIRE DAMAGE MAY HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE TIRE TO DEFLATE OR A BULGE APPEARING IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: AN IMPROPERLY INFLATED TIRE COULD RESULT IN VEHICLE HANDLING PROBLEMS OR A BLOW OUT OF AN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED TIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL CHECK ALL FOUR TIRES, REBALANCE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE ANY DAMAGED TIRE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 3, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.
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.