1996 Toyota Tacoma complaints

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE BALL JOINT SNAP CAUSING THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL TO SEPARATE AND THE CONSUMER WILL HAVE TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

THE VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS STARTING FAILURES BEGINNING APPROXIMATELY 05-JUNE-2002. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER THREE TIMES AND WAS NOT PROPERLY DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. EVENTUALLY THE TRUCK WAS BROUGHT TO AN A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS TO HIGH AMPERAGE FOR FUEL RELAY BLOW LINES.*SCC

EXISTING ENGINE STALLING PROBLEM IS PROGRESSING. HAVING TO KEEP VEHICLE IDLING HIGH, AND IN NEUTRAL SO IT WILL NOT CUT OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MROE INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS BROKE AND FRONT END FELL, CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO OTHER COMPONENTS IN VEHICLE.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE I SMELL GAS ON THE OIL STICK INDICATING THAT FUEL IS IN THE CRANK CASE (CONFIRMED BY DEALER). I WAS ADVISED (BY DEALER)THAT IT IS NOT ABNORMAL FOR VEHICLES MOSTLY DRIVEN SHORT DISTANCES, BUT I HAVE DRIVEN LONG DISTANCES HAD OIL CHANGED AND STILL HAVE PROBLEM. ALSO, I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES, INCLUDING TOYOTA TRUCKS, AND HAVEN'T HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. OCCASIONALLY I HAVE A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I AM TRYING TO VERIFY IF THIS IS INDEED "NORMAL" OIL LEVEL DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE AFFECTED.*AK

FRONT SUSPENSION SUPPORT BRACKET BAR SNAPPED FROM FRAME.*AK

REAR SUSPENSION SUPPORT SPRING HAS CRYSTALLIZED. *AK

I COMPLAINED OF A RAPPING, TAPPING NOISE IN ENGINE ON 8/26/97. TRUCK HAD 15877 MILES ON IT. WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. I AGAIN COMPLAINED OF NOISE 1/29/98. TRUCK HAD 21851 MILES ON IT. SOUNDED LIKE TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM TOP OF ENGINE . SAME NOISE AS BEFORE. THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. AT 56500 MILES TAPPING GOT SLIGHTLY LOUDER. I AGAIN COMPLAINED OF NOISE AT BEGINNING OF DECEMBER 2001. I WAS TOLD THEY COULD HEAR IT THEN (AFTER WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED!) THEY TOLD ME I HADNT CHANGED MY OIL AND IT WOULD COST 4400 DOLLARS FOR A NEW SHORT BLOCK. I KNEW I WASNT AT FAULT. I REMOVED ENGINE SO I COULD DETERMINE CAUSE OF NOISE. THE PROBLEM IS A DEFECTIVE CRANKSHAFT. IT IS NOT MACHINED CORRECTLY. IT IS NOT DRILLED THRU TO ALLOW THE FLOW OF OIL THRU THE BEARING. I SHOWED THEM THE CRANK. THEY ADMITTED IT WAS A FACTORY DEFECT. THEY WILL NOT PUT IT IN WRITING. THEIR MAY BE THOUSANDS OF OTHER TRUCKS WHOSE OWNERS ARE GETTING RIPPED OFF FOR THE COST OF A NEW ENGINE. THEY WILL BE TOLD THEY DIDNT CHANGE THEIR OIL. TOYOTA WILL POCKET ALOT OF MONEY. THE OWNERS WILL BE COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF THIS MAJOR SCAM. TOYOTA MUST ADMIT IN WRITING THEY WERE MADE AWARE OF THIS. THEY MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. THE ENGINE COULD FAIL IN TRAFFIC CAUSING SEVERE ACCIDENTS.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THE HEAD GASKET BEGAN TO LEAK RED FLUID, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BOTH HEAD GAKSKETS WERE CRACKED, CONSUMER HAS SINCE RETURED TO THE DEALER ON 3 OTHER OCCASIONS COMPLAING ABOUT AN ENGINE NOISE, CONSUMER THEN LEARNED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS NEVER REPLACED, CONSUMER FINALLY HAD THE GASKET REPLACED AND THE NOISE BECAME EVEN LOUDER, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT AFTER HEAD GASKET WORK IS PERFORMED THAT POTENTIAL FOR LATER DAMAGE WAS COMMON.*JB

IT APPEARS TO ME THAT TOYOTA HAS USED A BAD QUALITY SPRING STEEL NOT ONLY HAVE MY CRACKED BUT SO HAVE EVREYONE THAT I HAVE TALK TO. THE SALVAGE YARD HAS TOLD ME THAT AS SOON AS THEY GET SOME IN THAT ARE NOT CRACKED THEY ARE SOLD FAST, I WAS TOLD BY TWO DIFRENT SPRING SERVICE COMPANYS IN TOWN THAT ALL THE TACOMA SPRINGS CRACK WHAT IS THIS AM I THE FIRST PERSON TO REPORT THIS THE DANGER HERE IS IF THE CENTER LEAF FALLS OUT LIKE MINE DID IT COULD STAB THE TIRES AND CAUSE ONE HECK OF A ACCIDENT, I ALWAYS LOVED MY TOYOTA BUT COME ON A CRACKED LEAF SPRING AND THEY WANT 375.00 EACH FOR THEM AT A SPRING SHOP LORD KNOWS WHAT TOYOTAS GETTING. THANK YOU MARK GIANOPOULOS. *AK

DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET LEADS TO ENGINE FAILURE - TOYOTA WILL NOT ADDRESS FAILURE BUT WILL REPLACE HEAD GASKETS. *AK

BRACKET THAT HOLDS COIL SPRING ONTO FRAME ON DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK

TAPPING NOISE IN ENGINE HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 4-12-97. CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN, AND OTHER PROBLEMS HAD BEEN HAPPENING, TOYOTA HAS NOT BEEN ASSISTING CONSUMER WITH ANY OF THE VEHICLES ISSUES, A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET WAS NOT REPLACED AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, AND FROM ONE TOYOTA DEALER TO THE NEXT HAS FOUND MORE AND MORE PROBLEMS. TOYOTA STATED THEY WILL NOT COVER HEAD GASKET PROBLEM REGARDLESS OFTHE PAST PROBLEM. *AK. CONSUMER STATES SINCE HEAD GASKET WAS DONE THE EXHAUST STUDS WERE TIGHTENED DUE TO THE ENGINE MAKING NOISE, IT SOUNDS LIKE VALVE RAPPING, THUMBING NOISE OVER BUMPS AT LEFT FLOOR AREA, REAR SPRINGS WERE BROKEN AND NOISE FROM FRONT END AND ALSO NOISE AT IDLE. *YD

THE SPRING THAT HOLDS WHEEL COVER ON THE WHEEL IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO KEEP THE HUP CAP ON. *AK THE HUB CUPS WERE NOT WELDED PROPERLY AND CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE RUST BUILD UP ON REAR WHEEL CAUSED REAR BRAKE FAILURE. *YH

NOTICED RIGHT REAR WHEEL BOUNCE, INVESTIGATED NOTICED MIDDLE LEAF PROTRUDING AND RUBBING ON SHOCK ABSORBER. CALLED TOYOTA ABOUT PROBLEM, THEY INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT, AND I HAD TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR AT MY EXPENSE. CALLED DEALER, DEALER SAID BOTH LEAF SPRINGS SHOULD BE REPLACED ON LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES. REPAIR COST WOULD BE AROUND $1200.00. ONE OTHER NOTE, THIS TRUCK WAS NEVER USED TO CARRY LARGE LOADS. *AK

WHILE MAKING TURNS TIRES WERE RUBBING. A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT RIGHT REAR LEAF SPRING BROKE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.*AK

THE MIDDLE LEAF SPRING ON MY TRUCK BROKE IN HALF. I BOUGHT REPLACEMENT SPRINGS AT LEXINGTON AUTO SPRINGS, THE SALESMAN TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE REAR SPRINGS ON ABOUT 30 TACOMA'S (ALL 96 OR 97 MODELS) IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.*AK

RIGHT REAR SPRING IS BROKEN, I HAD IT FIXED ONCE BEFORE AT AN INDIPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH TOYOTAS REAR SPRINGS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE NHTSA IS DOING ABOUT IT SINCE IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM. *AK

I HAVE HEARD A NOISE IN REAR FOR SOME TIME. I DISCOVERED RECENTLY THAT THE MIDDLE OF RIGHT REAR LEAF SPRING WAS POPPED OUT AND RUBBING THE SHOCK. NO USED PART CAN BE FOUND AND NEW PART VERY UNAFFORDABLE CONSIDERING 5000.00 LEFT OWING ON 18000 FOR THE VEHICLE. WORK FOR LOCAL TAG OFFICE AND HAVE HEARD MANY SIMILIAR REPORTS ON SAME PART. REPORTS CAME FROM INDIVIDUALS, MECHANICS, AND DEALERS.

BOTH REAR LEAF SPRINGS CRACKED, THIS IS A PROBLEM TOYOTA IS AWARE OF BUT WON'T REPAIR AT THEIR EXPENSE, TOYOTA CLAIMS IT IS NOT DANGEROUS, PERHAPS AFTER FIRST DEATH THEY WILL TAKE NOTICE

REAR LEAF SPRING BROKE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS REAR LEAF SPRINGS BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES BROKE AND SEPARATED.*AK (TIRESIZE: 10.5 30 15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 10.5 30 15 )

REAR MIDDLE LEAF SPRING BROKE IN HALF, CAUSEING VEHICLE TO VIBRATE WHEN DRIVING.*AK

RIGHT REAR LEAF SPRING SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING IT TO SWING OUT OF ASSEMBLY, WHICH COULD HAVE GOTTEN CAUGHT ON BRAKE LINE OR CAUSED A TIRE TO BLOWOUT. *AK *TT

BOTH REAR LEAF SPRINGS BROKE, CAUSING SPRING TO CUT INTO BRAKE LINE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BROKEN LEAF SPRING DUE TO WEIGHT OF TRUCK BED AND UNDERCARRIAGE, AN EX-TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE ALONG WITH 1995-1997 MODELS WERE MADE WITH PASSENGER CAR SUSPENSIONS. *SLC

THE AIRBAG HAS NEVER DEPLOYED AND HAS NEVER NEEDED TO. IT SIMPLY STOPPED WORKING. SHOULDN'T THIS BE A RECALL BY TOYOTA? AS THE FEDS REQUIRE THIS SYSTEM, SHOULDN'T I RECEIVE ASSISTANCE FROM THEM. OR, CAN I HAVE THE AIRBAG DISENGAGED COMPLETELY? THANKS, JOHN M. PEEPLES. *AK

WHILE TURNING LEFT INTO A PARKING SPACE LEFT FRONT OF VEHICLE FELL TO GROUND. DEALER VERIFIED THAT FRONT LEFT BALL JOINT BROKE. SIMILAR TO RECALL 96V129000. *AK

THROTTLE VALVE CABLE BROKE DURING NORMAL USE OF THE TRUCK. NOTICED A CHANGE IN TRANSMISSION FUNCTION AND THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT TOO SOON AND WAS NOT ABLE TO SPEED UP NORMALLY. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT FROM FIRST TO THIRD GEAR AT 10MPH AND THEN TO 4TH GEAR AT 30 MPH. IT WOULD BYPASS 2ND GEAR SO I HAD TO SHIFT IT MANUALLY IN ORDER TO ACHEIVE A SPEEDY ENOUGH START TO GET ON THE FREEWAY. ALSO OCCURRED IN MY BROTHERS 96 TACOMA ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT IS TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE FOR IT TO BE OCCURRING IN THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR TRUCK ALMOST AT THE SAME TIME. TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR AND THE CABLE WAS RUSTED SO IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS EXPOSED SOMEWHERE IN THE ENGINE THUS CAUSING IT TO GET WEATHERED AND BREAK. REPAIRS WERE OVER $300 DOLLARS AT DEALERSHIP AND I THINK IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER SOME WARRANTY SINCE IT SEEMS LIKE THAT PART SHOULD HAVE HAD A HOUSING TO PROTECT IT FROM BEING WEATHERED AND RUSTED. I BELIEVE THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO GO THROUGH THIS SAME THING WITH THIS SAME MODEL AND YEAR TRUCK SINCE IT HAPPENED TWICE IN THE SAME FAMILY HERE. *AK

JUST INQUIRING TO SEE IF WILDERNESSHT HAS DEFECTIVE STATUS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HYAWA TIRESIZE: P215/70R14)

REAR LEAF SPRINGS FAILED AT 80,000 MILES, CAUSING A GASH INTO TIRE. MECHANIC STATED THAT TOYOTA WAS SENDING A SPRING WITH 4 LEAFS INSTEAD OF THREE. APPARENTLY INSTALLED WITH WRONG LEAFS. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT PRIOR TO NEW SPRINGS, VEHICLE ROCKED AND ROLLED AND WAS VERY UNSTABLE, MECHANIC INSTALLED A CLAMP ON THE BROKEN SPRING, HOWEVER THE SPRING GRADUALLY WORKED ITS WAY UNDER THE CLAMP CUASING THE BROKEN LEAF TO SWING OUT INTO THE TIRE. *SLC

BOTH REAR SPRINGS FAILED. NLM

TWO TIRE FAILURES (COMPLETE SEPERATION) WITHIN 20,000 MILE PERIOD.( DOT NUMBER: )

PE 00 020/TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A TREAD SEPARATION WHILE TRAVELING AT 70-75 MPH, WITH ONLY THE DRIVER IN A 1996 TOYOTA, TACOMA; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, P215/70R14, DOT# W2HYAWA275. REAR END DAMAGE RECEIVED, AND TIRE WAS AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30MPH ON THE STREET AND ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS COMING FROM A SIDE STREET, HE COULD NOT AVOID AVOID CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND HE HIT HER HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUFFERED INJURIES TO HIS NECKAND BACK. *AK

THE TIRES ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF SEPARATION OF THE TREADS. THERE ARE CRACKS AROUND THE TREAD BEADING. MY LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER SAYS IT IS DUE TO AGE AND "TIRE ROT" . THE TIRES ARE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION IN ALL OTHER RESPECTS - THERE IS PLENTY OF TREAD LEFT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/70R14 )

NO SUMMARY

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES (P215 70 R14) WERE REPLACED MANY TIMES DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION, HOLE IN THE SIDEWALL, CAUSING VEHICLE VIBRATION. *SLC

I BOUGHT MY 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA EQUPPED WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P215/70R14 96S. WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK I HAD TWO( DOT NUMBER: P215/70R14 TIRE SIZE: P215/70R14 )

PE-00-020; TIRES WERE PURCHASED FOR A 1996 TOYOTA, TACOMA ,15 INCH TIRES, DOT NUMBER NOT AVAILABLE TIRES ONLY HAVE 12 THOUSAND MILES ON THEM. CONSUMER'S BROTHER WAS DRIVING AT 50-55 MPH, AND LEFT FRONTAL TIRE BLEWOUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO FLIP, KILLING THE DRIVER. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 25MPH ON HIGHWAYAND AND RIGHT REAR PASSENGER'S WHEEL CAME OFF, AND WHEEL WENT INTO THE WOOD. SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

FRIST REAL SEAL, REAR SEAL AND BEARING, BEARING AND AXLE, NEW AXLE PUT IN THEN FLEW OFF TRUCK AND CRASHED, 3 WEEKS LATER REAR SEALS AXLE AGAIN HELP

AXLE FALLS OUT CAUSING CRASH REAR SEAL KEEPS GOING AND BEARING

BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE REAR LEAF SPRINGS HAV DEVELOPED CRACKS. VEHICLE HAS THREE LEAF SPRINGS. CONSUMER NOTED A TSB TO UPGRADE LEAF SPRINGS FROM THREE TO FOUR. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER REFUSED TO CORRECT THE TSB. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

EVEN THOUGH THIS SIZE TIRE IS NOT APART OF THE FIRESTONE RECALL, THE TREAD CAME OFF IN A SIMILAR FASHION TO THE RECALLED TIRES AND THEY HAD TO BE REPLACED. I FEEL FIRESTONES PROBLEMS MAY BE EVEN MORE WIDESPRED THAN ANNOUNCED.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/70R14 )

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH STEERING WHEEL WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT DUE TO RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES, SIZE P215/70R14. *AK

PE00020 , FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH TREAD ON REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE CAME OFF. DRIVER DID NOT LOSE CONTROL. TIRE SIZE 21570R14, ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT. DRIVER WAS THE ONLY PASSENGER IN VEHICLE, AND DID NOT HAVE THE TIRE. *AK

WEAKENED SHOCK ABSORBERS CAUSED THE TRUCK TO BOUNCE TOO MUCH. NLM

VEHICLE HAS TWO SAFETY CONCERNS OF A STICKY ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND ENGINE RPMS JUMPING FROM 600 TO NEARLY 1100 WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS RUNNING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO JERK WHILE AT A STOP. *MJS