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1.4

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
124,235 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1997 Toyota Tacoma body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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1997 Toyota Tacoma Owner Comments

problem #19

Jul 172020

Tacoma

  • 172,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 1997 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle shook and the subframe fractured half. The vehicle was driven to the smithtown Toyota dealer located at 360 jericho turnpike, smithtown, NY 11787. Where it was stated that there was no recall on the vehicle. The contact stated that the technician had not inspected the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 172,000.

- Brentwood, NY, USA

problem #18

Oct 242019

Tacoma 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 105,000 miles
The contact owns a 1997 Toyota Tacoma. While the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for routine maintenance, the mechanic found that the driver's side frame area was corroded and had holes. The contact stated that the manufacturer performed a repair under warranty for the frame undercoating for 1995 to 2005 Tacoma vehicles, which did not correct the corrosion failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was 105,000. Consumer stated frame was once coated in 2011, now peeling and corroded.

- Plainwell, MI, USA

problem #17

Apr 122018

Tacoma

  • 181,747 miles
Took vehicle to curry Honda to have part installed and they performed multi point inspection. Upon inspection found frame is rusted out and vehicle is unsafe to drive. Have not driven it since, and am without a vehicle. Can provide photos and documentation.

- Prospect, CT, USA

problem #16

Nov 202017

Tacoma

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I bought this pick up from wilson Toyota, (ames, ia), on Jan.17,2009.in the walk around/inspection of the vehicle, while talking with the salesman I layed on the ground, and crawled under the pick up looking for any signs of trouble. Noting the frame problems I'd had with another Toyota(1984) asked if Toyota had "cleaned" up their act and made the under carriage any better? was assured "that those problems were all behind them".fast forward ^ years I'm paying a local body shop to replace the rear 60% of the frame @ a cost of $1800.now I find I'm having to fix/replace parts of the front end frame.

- Nevada, IA, USA

problem #15

Feb 202017

Tacoma

  • miles
The contact owns a 1997 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the vehicle structure was corroded. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage and VIN were unknown.

- Leon, WV, USA

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problem #14

Dec 032016

Tacoma

  • miles
The truck had been riding rougher on the roads when family following one day noticed the truck leaning left. It was brought to the repair shop thinking it was a suspension problem. It ended up being major rust and corrosion to the frame that was so bad there was no structural support of the struts and springs. Owner of the auto shop as well as a body repair shop it was taken to said I was extremely lucky there was no wreck or injury. The problems are so extensive that it is not safe to drive. Now I am stuck with a Toyota truck that should have lasted easily another 100,000 miles. The frame was expected to last longer then the truck when purchased as Toyota used to be a good company and product. My first truck was a Toyota back in 1976. There was a recall that I was never notified of regarding this problem. The personal and financial impact this has caused is significant. Toyota needs to make restitution as evidence indicates it has been a long standing problem with cheaper/inferior frames used by Toyota going back several years. The current mileage is 188,000, but the problems has existed for awhile based on the amount of damage.

- Franklin, TX, USA

problem #13

Jul 092016

Tacoma

  • 137,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

1997 Tacoma frame rust at leading edge of rear axle leaf springs allowed the leaf springs to become detached from the vehicle rendering the vehicle unsafe to drive. The shoulder lap seat belts do not recoil.

- Ashland, MO, USA

problem #12

May 192016

Tacoma

  • 160,000 miles
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.

- Burnsville, NC, USA

problem #11

May 262015

Tacoma 4-cyl

  • 223,000 miles
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 MA 10/22/2015 updated 10/31/2017

- Rolla City, MO, USA

problem #10

May 102011

Tacoma

  • 307,700 miles
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.

- Churchvill, VA, USA

problem #9

Oct 252013

Tacoma

  • 135,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #8

Jul 012008

Tacoma 6-cyl

  • 180,000 miles
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.

- Northvale, NJ, USA

problem #7

Aug 192013

Tacoma 6-cyl

  • 124,000 miles
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.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #6

Jun 062013

Tacoma

  • 88,518 miles
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.

- Ottawa , KS, USA

problem #5

Mar 162013

Tacoma 6-cyl

  • 122,500 miles
The contact owns a 1997 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that after having an independent mechanic weld a muffler onto his vehicle, they informed him that the frame was severely rusted. The contact stated that if you pull on the frame, it fell apart. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they advised him that the manufacturer's recall was expired and offered no assistance. The failure and current mileages were approximately 122,500.

- Linch State, VA, USA

problem #4

Aug 222012

Tacoma

  • 212,000 miles
The contact owns a 1997 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while having his tires replaced, as the mechanic lifted the vehicle the frame bent severely due to rust. The mechanic refused to work on it and advised the contact not to drive the vehicle as it appeared the frame could split in half. The manufacturer was notified and stated the vehicle was too old for them to offer any assistance. The vehicle had not been repaired. The VIN was unavailable. The failure and current mileage was 212,000.

- Elkmont, AL, USA

problem #3

Apr 172012

Tacoma

  • 212,000 miles
The contact owns a 1997 Toyota Tacoma. While parked, the contact noticed severe corrosion on the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for a diagnostic test. The mechanic stated that the frame was severely corroded and there were holes in the cross member. The mechanic stated that the frame would have to be rebuilt. There was a voluntary recall issued by the manufacturer for the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the recall had expired two months prior. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 212,000.

- Derby, CT, USA

problem #2

Jan 122012

Tacoma 4-cyl

  • miles
Found out I have a whole in the body frame.

- West Bend, WI, USA

problem #1

Apr 112001

Tacoma

  • miles
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.

- Princeville, HI, USA

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