← New search

2003 Toyota Tacoma

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Toyota Tacoma do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 228.5.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

268 reports with mileage · 91 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 181 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 66 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

30 crash reports1 fire reports18 injury reports

Steering complaints

12 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jun 12, 2009
SteeringSuspension

VERY LOOSE STEERING WHEEL. PROBLEM IS THE SLIP SHAFT IN THE STEERING COLUMN. OVER TIME THE LOVER SHAFT WEARS AND THE STEERING BECOMES LOOSE AND SLOPPY. PROBLEM FIRST SHOWS UP AS LOOSENESS IN THE WHEEL AND EVENTUALLY TURNS INTO A CLUNK WHEN DRIVING OVER MINOR ROUGH ROADS. FROM TALKING TO MECHANICS AND OTHER TACOMA OWNERS THIS IS …

Read full complaint

VERY LOOSE STEERING WHEEL. PROBLEM IS THE SLIP SHAFT IN THE STEERING COLUMN. OVER TIME THE LOVER SHAFT WEARS AND THE STEERING BECOMES LOOSE AND SLOPPY. PROBLEM FIRST SHOWS UP AS LOOSENESS IN THE WHEEL AND EVENTUALLY TURNS INTO A CLUNK WHEN DRIVING OVER MINOR ROUGH ROADS. FROM TALKING TO MECHANICS AND OTHER TACOMA OWNERS THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT ADDRESS. PROBLEMS INCLUDE DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING CONTROL OVER ROUGH PAVEMENT. WANDERING AT ALL SPEEDS. MAJOR DIRECTION CHANGES WHEN BREAKING ON ALL ROADS. SMOOTH OR ROUGH. OVER ALL THE TRUCK IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. I'VE HAD THE TRUCK ACTUALLY CHANGE LANES WHEN I HIT AN UNEXPECTED ROUGH PATCH OF ROAD AT APPOX 30 MPH. THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DUE BECAUSE OF THE SLOP IN THE STEERING WHEEL. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS TRUCK IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND I HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION AND STEERING TRYING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WITH NO LUCK. I'M NOW FACED WITH SPENDING EVEN MORE MONEY TO REPLACE A STEERING COLUMN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10273603

47,500 miles · Sep 8, 2005
Steering

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOW AND WAS DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS HEAR A NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD GR…

Read full complaint

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOW AND WAS DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS HEAR A NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD GROWLING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE DEALER REPLACED THE HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE LINE POWER STEERING PUMP, AND THE POWER STEERING SWITCH. THESE COMPONENTS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY, AND THE CONSUMER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIRS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10135791

Official recalls

3

12V542000 · 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.

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.