Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Toyota Tacoma, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Structure46
- Suspension24
- Tires14
- Seat belts11
- Power train9
- Vehicle speed control6
- Unknown or other6
- Service brakes, hydraulic5
- Air bags5
- Wheels4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 9 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 34 1997 Tacoma vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 27 people died inside them, and 12 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Toyota Tacoma failed the safety check 2.03% of the time — 27% more often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 184,485 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 5 variants: combined 10.7–15.0 L/100 km (about 16–22 mpg US), CO₂ 246–345 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma · Pickup truck: Small · Regular gasoline | 12.0 | 9.0 | 10.7 |
| Tacoma · Pickup truck: Small · Regular gasoline | 12.6 | 10.3 | 11.5 |
| Tacoma 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 14.5 | 11.7 | 13.2 |
| Tacoma 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 16.1 | 13.3 | 14.8 |
| Tacoma 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 16.1 | 13.6 | 15.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1997 Toyota Tacoma.
| 1997141 14 Aug 1997 | Other THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 120 - TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS. COMPLIANCE LABEL CONTAINS AN INCORRECT REAR … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1997 Toyota Tacoma.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Toyota told its dealers about the 1997 Toyota Tacoma: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 627389 | SUBJECT REGARDING HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT. *YD |
| 622728 | INFORMATION REGARDING SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR TAPE SET. *JB |
| 621316 | ELECTRONIC MAIL REGARDING EXTERIOR MIRROR ASSEMBLY. *TT |
| 618300 | INFORMATION ON WATER LEAK FIELD-FIX REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS. *JB |
| 616050 | SUBJECT REGARDING WATER LEAK FIX REPAIR. *TT |
| 614201 | SUBJECT REGARDING FRONT MUDGUARDS FOR VEHICLES STARTING WITH VIN 4TAPM62N*YZ653866. *TT |
| 610976 | SUBJECT REGARDING 5VZ OXYGEN SENSOR IMPROVEMENT. *TT |
| 610958 | INFORMATION INTRODUCING CHANGES MADE TO IMPROVE THE ADJUSTABILITY OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE EXTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR ON VEHICLES STARTING WITH VIN 4TAWN72N9XZ564100. *TT |
| 610061 | INFORMATION INTRODUCING DESIGN CHANGES TO THE 5VZ OXYGEN SENSOR TO REDUCE POSSIBILITY OF MOISTURE CONTACTING THE CERAMIC ELEMENT. *TT |
| 610052 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES THE LOCATION OF THE GREASE FITTINGS FOR THE PROPELLER SHAFT JOINTS AS WELL AS THE TYPE OF GREASE TO USE WITH EACH FITTING LOCATION. *TT |
| 610045 | INFORMATION REGARDING A NEW ANTI-CHIP TAPE DEVELOPED TO HELP PREVENT REPEAT OCCURRENCES OF PAINT CHIPPING ON THE REAR QUARTER PANELS. *TT |
| 609187 | SUBJECT REGARDING 5VZ OXYGEN SENSOR IMPROVEMENT. *TT |
| 6088659 | THIS SERVICE BULLETIN PROVIDES THE LOCATION OF THE GREASE FITTINGS FOR THE PROPELLER SHAFT JOINTS. *TT |
| 6082124 | INFORMATION ON MINIMIZING CLUTCH PEDAL SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN DEPRESSING OR RELEASING THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. *TT |
| 608124 | INFORMATION TO MINIMIZE CLUTCH PEDAL SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN DEPRESSING OR RELEASING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. *TT |
| 607877 | SOME VEHICLES STARTING WITH VIN 4TAVL52N*XZ469062 MAY EXHIBIT A RATTLE NOISE CAUSED BY THE FRONT LOWER WINDOW GLASS FRAME. *TT |
| 606186 | SUBJECT REGARDING 5VZ OXYGEN SENSOR IMPROVEMENT FOR VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE CERTAIN VIN RANGES. *TT |
| 605423 | PARTS INFORMATION FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION (EGR). *TT |
| 605350 | SUBJECT REGARDING UPPER AND LOWER RADIATOR HOSE. *TT |
| 604940 | THIS BULLETIN STATES THAT THE OPERATING LOGIC ON CERTAIN VEHICLES' ECMS HAS BEEN REVISED TO IMPROVE ENGINE IDLE SMOOTHNESS (WITH TRANSMISSION IN D RANGE). *TT |
| 604869 | SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN X01 INVOLVING REPLACEMENT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS INSTALLED ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 3.4 LITER V6 ENGINE. *TT |
| 604667 | SUBJECT REGARDING TOYOTA DINGHY TOWING GUIDE. *TT |
| 604644 | PRODUCTION CHANGES TO THE COWL TOP LOUVER AND HEATER UNIT HAVE BEEN MADE TO IMPROVE RESISTANCE TO SNOW ENTRY INTO THE HEATER UNIT AND IMPROVE DURABILITY OF AIR MIX DOOR ON VEHICLES WITHIN CERTAIN VIN RANGES. *TT |
| 603966 | SUBJECT ON SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN X01 TO REPLACE THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS. *YC |
| 601603 | A GROOVE HAS BEEN ADDED TO BOTH THE INNER AND OUTER WHEEL FLANGES TO IMPROVE WHEEL WEIGHT RETENTION. *YC |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)