general problems of the 1997 Toyota Tacoma

Ten problems related to suspension have been reported for the 1997 Toyota Tacoma. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 1997 Toyota Tacoma based on all problems reported for the 1997 Tacoma.

1 Suspension problem

Failure Date: 10/31/2025

When’s he start and you get gas it won turn off but don’t do it , and whend I hit a jump and I tuning he shake it wild.

2 Suspension problem

Failure Date: 07/10/2020

My lee springs are rusted frame is to lee's springs are broken.

3 Suspension problem

Failure Date: 03/08/2017

The contact owns a 1997 Toyota Tacoma. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop for an alignment. The technician stated that a part of the frame was missing due to extreme rust. The vehicle was serviced per NHTSA campaign number: 07v013000 (suspension), but the remedy failed to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was invalid. The approximate failure mileage was 240,000.

4 Suspension problem

Failure Date: 12/03/2016

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.

5 Suspension problem

Failure Date: 10/10/2016

I have rusty holes in my frame and Toyota wont fix something that is so dangerous and now my Tacoma is unsafe to drive, what am I suppose to do now?!.

6 Suspension problem

Failure Date: 08/29/2016

Recently purchase 1997 Tacoma took it to replace rear tires shop informed me the frame had major rot and is not safe for highway. Contacted local Toyota dealer they preformed a free inspection on 08-29-16 upon completion of this inspection dealership informed me both in writing and verbally that this vehicle is not safe for highway use. Multiple rust perforations through out frame of this truck. Dealership informed me that the recall on the frame had expired however they stated that if we file a formal complaint with Toyota through your organization that we could possiblily get a cash settlement for this Tacoma.

7 Suspension problem

Failure Date: 09/02/2014

I bought the above mentioned truck new in 1997. For the past few years it's just been sitting in my driveway because the frame is so rusted it's not safe to drive. A mechanic friend of mine said there was a recall on that year of truck. My wife called Toyota and was told the recall was expired but they couldn't give a date. I called today and they said it wasn't a recall but an extension on the life of the frame for fifteen years (same thing). The body of the truck is in good shape for its age. The engine only has 126k miles which is nothing for a Toyota. I should still be driving this truck today. I take care of everything I have so it will last. Biggest issue here is I was never notified there was anything wrong with the frame. I'm the original owner so it's not like Toyota didn't know who had the truck or where I was living. It needs to be fixed or I should receive compensation for the truck and not being able to use it for quite some time now.

8 Suspension problem

Failure Date: 07/17/2014

The forward leaf spring mount on the drivers side rear leaf spring broke up and into the frame rail. This vehicle easily had another 100,000 miles of life left in it, but NHTSA evidently does not think that frame rails rotting away due to a manufacturing defect is a safety concern, and has not forced Toyota into recall mode. There is a great number of these vehicles on the road yet. I was lucky that when mine failed, it did not cause an accident. I'm sure there will be some that won't be as lucky.

9 Suspension problem

Failure Date: 08/19/2013

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.

10 Suspension problem

Suspension is very unstable, causing loss of control.



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