10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 82,460 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
Purchased 2004 Tacoma in 2016. Dealership of purchase said vehicle was not affected by frame recall and did not inform me that it was under warranty for frame related issues. Since purchasing vehicle I've encountered countless frame related issues and have put thousands into frame related repairs. I contacted Toyota in 2018 on several occasions to ask about frame warranty. Toyota said vehicle was not covered. Did not look up VIN or any other information related to vehicle. I contacted Toyota again this year to see if there's anything that can be done as frame issues were becoming significant and beyond my financial means to keep fixing. Toyota notified me at this time that the vehicle had in fact been under warranty but that now the warranty had expired 6 months prior (which was within the timeframe that I had initially contacted Toyota). Toyota told me that frame had been undercoated with corrosion resistance treatment in 2010 and warranty was good for 10 years (until 2020). Because dealership of purchase failed to comply with a warranty letter and Toyota also failed to notify me as I was not the original owner, I was not aware that I could have had the frame fixed. Which I would have if I had known. Now because of no fault of my own, the warranty window has closed and Toyota is not willing to rectify the situation. I still owe over $3K on a vehicle I paid over $11K for and have put $4K-$8K into for repairs. Frame is rotting faster than I can fix it and is now unsafe to drive and ineligible for trade-in or sale because the vehicle is essentially worthless at this point. Frame bolts are now rotted, tailpipe and exhaust fell off just this morning due to corrosion, suspension is corroded, brackets are rotting off frame, flakes of corroded metal are in piles beneath vehicle- and these are just the most recent issues.
- Hubbardston, MA, USA
Takata recall, I am writing this complaint because I own a 2004 Toyota Tacoma. On November 2nd I was driving home, was at a 4way stop, once it was my turn to go I accelerated as usual and had my tire on the drivers side detach completely from the ball joint causing me to nearly wreck my truck, if I had been going faster I would have, this was one of the most scariest experiences I have ever had driving! it cost me nearly $1000 dollars to fix and now I am having to have the other passenger side fixed because the mechanic says it's hammered...I noticed that over 150,000 Tacoma's were recalled due to this exact problem, when I entered my VIN it says I have no I repaired recalls on my vehicle! which obviously is not true, or my balk joints would be good to go, I have never taken my truck off road or even had it in 4 wheel drive, I have not beat on my truck I take excellent care of my vehicle, I feel this ball joint problem should of been part of your recall, I could of been severely hurt or even died as well as my son who was riding with me, thank god we weren't...I am prepared to turn you into the BBB if I dont get a reasonable response
- Laverkin, UT, USA
Letter from congressman tonko on behalf of constituent re 2004 Toyota Tacoma recall. The consumer stated the vehicle could not be inspected due to frame rust. The consumer was not notified of all recalls. The last recall expired; therefore, the consumer was ineligible for assistance.
- Selkirk, NY, USA
Both rear axel seals leak gear oil onto and into the rear brake drums which substantially reduce the effectiveness of the rear brakes. This condition began around the 60,000 mile mark and will continue indefinitely until the gear lube is all drained off, which then will most certainly cause severe power train damage.
- Ravenna, OH, USA
Going 35 miles an hour the vehicle will start to pull to the side and the ball joint will come out also the ABS sensor cable will brake and you will have to replace it a $2500 dollar spence for a Toyota malfunction in the suspension I have a friend in California that has one a year early model than mine a 2003 Toyota Tacoma and he told me about this problem had happen to him in the freeway about 60 mph to him a had to learn the hard way if you have a Toyota Tacoma please I am warning you to have the ball joint replace before its to late the new ball joints are warranty for life but I will check in to that if I still have the pick up in four years
- Spokane, WA, USA
The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tacoma. While idling at a stop, the vehicle suddenly accelerated independently. The vehicle did not respond when the brake pedal was depressed. As a result, the contact crashed the vehicle into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. No injuries were reported and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure recurred three times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 131,200. Updated 12/30/14 updated 05/26/2015
- Lancaster, OH, USA
ABS actuator assy fell off the vehicle, it was mounted on right rear axle housing, and banged around vehicle and ground. Vehicle appears to be ok and assy is held in place by wire. Is it safe to drive?
- Avon, CT, USA
Parking brake seized at wheel hub.
- Fredreicton, Canada, ME, USA
Lever assembly and brake drum for real wheel emergency brakes rusted to the point that the emergency brake is inoperable (seized). Condition has caused rear brake to be partially engaged whether parking brake is pulled or not. This wears out the rear brake pads very fast, and makes it impossible to apply the emergency brake on an incline. Will not prevent the vehicle from rolling down hill, nor will it stop the vehicle during an emergency application of the brake. It is no longer functioning as an emergency brake.
- Newark, DE, USA
- Frostburg, MD, USA