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Model Year Problem Record

Toyota Tacoma 1997 - Problems, Recalls, and Investigations

The complete public record for the 1997 Toyota Tacoma: what owners reported, which systems drew recalls, and where complaints exist that no recall has ever covered.

131Distinct owner complaintsSource: NHTSA Complaints
0Recall campaignsSource: NHTSA Recalls
0Defect investigationsSource: NHTSA Investigations
16Complaints reporting a crash or fireOwner Reports, Unverified

Complaints by System

Distinct complaints naming each system, most reported first. Select a system for its own page.

Did a Recall Cover It?

The join between complaints and recalls for this model year, system by system. A gap does not prove a defect - it means owners reported the problem and no recall campaign covers that system on this model year.

Vehicle Structure46 complaints

46 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Suspension26 complaints

26 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Tires14 complaints

14 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seat Belts11 complaints

11 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Power Train9 complaints

9 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Brakes7 complaints

7 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Unknown Or Other6 complaints

6 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Speed Control6 complaints

6 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Air Bags5 complaints

5 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Steering5 complaints

5 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Wheels4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Fuel and Propulsion System2 complaints

2 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Visibility2 complaints

2 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Engine2 complaints

2 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Lighting1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Equipment1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Electrical System1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Recall Campaigns

Every campaign covering this model year, in our own words. The campaign number is the official reference.

No recall campaigns cover this model year.

Complaints by Year Received

When this model year's complaints reached NHTSA - whether its problems surfaced early or late in its life.

199713
19986
199911
200013
20016
20024
20035
20042
20052
20061
200711
20088
20091
20104
20125
20137
20146
20156
20167
20173
20184
20191
20203
20211
20251
How to Read These Counts: complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not failure rates. Older and higher-volume vehicles accumulate more reports, and counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold - no per-sales rate or reliability ranking is shown, because the public data does not support one.

Data as of October 30, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.