Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1997 record →
REOCCURRING PROBLEM WITH SEAT BELT RETRACTORS. BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE EXPERIENCE PROBLEM, BUT PROBLEM IS MORE COMMON ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. SEAT BELT COMMONLY HANGS OUT OF VEHICLE DOOR UNLESS NOTICED PRIOR TO CLOSING DOOR. A REAL HASSLE - DESTROYING PAINT ON DOOR SILL. *AK
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT IS LOCKED IN THE RETRACTED POSITION, THE BELT WILL NOT DISENGAGE FROM THE RETRACTING MECHANISM. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO REPLACE PARTS.TOYATA DEALERS DO NOT KEEP THIS PART IN STOCK.. *AK
INOPERATIVE SEAT BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPLACED SEAT BELT. CONSUMER WANTS THIS INCIDENT ON RECORD WITH NHTSA. *AK
VEHICLE HAS SURGED TWICE NOW WITH MYSELF AND ONCE WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WHILE APPLING THE BRAKES. IT FEELS LIKE THE ACCELERATOR IS BEING DEPRESSES. IT HAS HAPPENED BOTHE TIME WITH ME WHEN BRAKING ON HARD BUMPY SURFACE. ALSO THEE IS A DISTINCT CLUNK IN THE REAR END OF THE TRUCK WHEN THE BRAKES ARE RELEASED AFTER STOPPING. THIS HAS BEEN IN THE TRUCK SINCE THE DAY I GOT IT AND THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM AS IT DOESN'T DO IT ALL THE TIME.
BRAKE SYSTEM HAS CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS SINCE 3,000 MILES, REPLACEMENTS MADE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, HOWEVER COMPONENTS CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE WEAR DUE TO DEFECTIVE SYSTEM. MJS
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS STUCK-CAN NOT USE-WILL NOT PULL OUT OF ASSEMBLY-DEALER UNABLE TO REPAIR-MUST WAIT 3 DAYS FOR THEM TO LOOK AT. *AK
CENTER HOLE IN STAMPED STEEL RIM IS TOO SMALL TO PROPERLY FIT OVER CENTER HUB. TIGHTENING THE LUG NUTS WILL EFFECT A "PRESS FIT" OVER THE HUB, MAKING IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE FRONT WHEEL IN THE EVENT OF A FLAT TIRE, ETC. ROAD SERVICE TRUCK DRIVER UNABLE TO REMOVE WHEEL. TRUCK DRIVER HAD TO HAUL TRUCK ON FLATBED TO A GARAGE WHERE AN IMPACT HAMMER HAD TO BE USED TO REMOVE THE WHEEL FROM THE HUB. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN A DRIVER CANNOT CHANGE A TIRE, AND MUST RESORT TO TOWING TO A GARAGE FOR WHAT SHOULD BE AN EASILY PERFORMED TASK. *AK
DRIVERS SEAT BELT LOCKED UP/INOPERATIVE.
WHEN APPLYING THE GAS PEDAL IT GETS STUCK IN AN ACCELERATING POSITION. DEALER SAYS THE PROBLEM IS NORMAL. *AK
TIRES FAILED - ( FIRESTONE R14 ). *YC
SEAT BELT RETRACTORS DO NOT RETACT PROPERLY WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE CAUSING THEM TO GET STUCK IN THE DOOR.
BRAKE PADS FAILED.
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND VEHICLE COLLISION.
BRAKE PADS FAILED. 2 SHOES ON REAR PUT ON BACKWARDS. SHORT NEEDED IN BACK & LONG IN FRONT ACCORDING TO DEALER. FRONT DISC PADS REPLACED DUE TO REAR BRAKES. ALSO, HAD TO REPLACE ROTORS. *AK
WHEN TAKING FOOT OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE TRUCK IDLES TOO FAST. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
REAR SUSPENSION AND BODY OF VEHICLE SAGS AND DRIVING AND HANDLING ARE NEGATIVELY EFFECTED.
VEHICLE'S SUSPENSION IS UNSTABLE, DESIGN DOES NOT INCLUDE REAR SWAY BAR AND THE SHOCKS ABSORBERS ARE INADEQUATE.
SUSPENSION IS VERY UNSTABLE, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.
HEAD LIGHTS FAILED.
FRONT DISC BRAKES WILL LOCK UP WHEN APPLIED, WITH THE REAR BRAKES HAVING A DELAY IN SEQUENCE FOR STOPPING FROM THE FRONT, BECAUSE OF THIS ERRATIC PERFORMANCE, THE TRUCK WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION.*AK CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING 30- 35 MPH ON A WET ROAD, HE CAME UPON AN ACCIDENT HE WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKED UP AND WAS UNABLE TO STEER AND SLID INTO THE PATH OF ONCOMING TRAFFICHITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE.*JB
WHEN PUTTING THE TRUCK IN THE PARK POSITION THE WHOLE HANDLE CAME OFF. TOOK TO A DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE WASN'T CONNECTED TO HOLD THE HANDLE.
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 50 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. PLEASE GIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
VEHICLE'S FRONT WHEELS DO NOT STAY IN CONTACT WITH THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS MOST NOTICEABLE AROUND CORNERS AND TRAVELING OVER POTHOLES ,OCCURS AT ANY SPEED.CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT REAR LEAF SPRINGS DO NOT MEET LOAD SPECS AS SPECIFIED BY MANUFACTURER, CAUSING VIBRATION.
DRIVER MUST SIT TOO CLOSE TO STEERING WHEEL TO REACH THE CLUTCH DUE TO HEIGHT; DRIVER IS 5'2" TALL. *AK
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE; CAME TO COMPLETE STOP; TOOK FOOT OFF BRAKES; VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD SUDDENLY; REARENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT; TOOK TO DEALER & HAD PROBLEM FIXED; HAPPENED AGAIN; TOOK TO DEALER BROUGHT IT FROM & INFORMED NOT ABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM; WAS SET AT MFGR. *AK
THE CONSUMER WAS IN A LINE OF CARS WHEN HE TOOK FOOT OFF BRAKES TO ACCELERATE BUT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD AT FAST MODERATE SPEED. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. *AK
TRANSFER CASE SHIFT LEVER DESIGNED WITHOUT SAFETY SWITCH, ALLOWING VEHICLE TO ROLL WHILE IN PARK GEAR IF THIS SHIFT LEVER IS ACCIDENTLY BUMPED.
VEHICLE ROLLED DOWNHILL DUE TO TRANSFER CASE SHIFTER BEING BUMPED INTO NEUTRAL WHICH NEUTRALIZED THE TRANSMISSION.
WHILE DRIVING EXPERIENCED ABS FAILURE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SLOW/STOP, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL FORWARD, REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP, BRAKE ACTION WAS INADEQUATE TO EFFECTIVELY AVOID REAR ENDING AT APPROX. 40MPH FAST ENOUGH. *AK
UPON IMPACT, DURING FRONT CRASH, AT APPROX. 40MPH, REAR ENDED VEHICLE, 12:30 ON FRONT BUMPER, DRIVER'S AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1997 Toyota Tacoma → · Every Tacoma year → · How the figures are calculated →