2004 Toyota Tacoma: common problems

Owners of the 2004 Toyota Tacoma filed 415 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 415
involving a crash: 27

What fails most often

1 Structure 49% of all complaints
2 Suspension 20% of all complaints
3 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
4 Steering 7% of all complaints
5 Powertrain 5% of all complaints
6 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
7 Electrical system 4% of all complaints
8 Air bags 4% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Structure: 203 complaints (49% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Suspension: 85 complaints (20% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Vehicle speed control: 30 complaints (7% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 29 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 22 complaints (5% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2.4 L · petrol · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
2.7 L · petrol · 4 cyl
3.4 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 6 complaints
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speednamed in 3 complaints

Drive: RWD, AWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 415 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

rust, corrosion209 · 50%
warning lights, check engine21 · 5%
knocking, grinding or other noise18 · 4%
seat belts8 · 2%
airbags did not deploy7 · 2%
vibration7 · 2%
brake failure6 · 1%
rollaway, parking brake6 · 1%
jerking, harsh shifts5 · 1%
stalls while driving5 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Structure	203	5
Suspension	85	7
Vehicle speed control	30	5
Steering	29	1
Powertrain	22	0
Service brakes	22	2
Electrical system	17	0
Air bags	15	10
Fuel/propulsion system	15	0
Tires	12	0
Engine	11	0
Wheels	11	2
Fuel system	9	0
Seat belts	6	2

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

I was driving on a highway at the posted speed and suddenly the front right wheel broke off the vehicle and caused me to roll 6 times on the highway and I was wrongly accused of being at fault.
Wheels · crash · 2023-03-16 · NHTSA complaint #11512108
The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to valley hi toyota (14612 valley center drive, victorville, [ZIP], [phone]), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and no assistance was provided.
Suspension · crash · 2018-08-13 · NHTSA complaint #11119621
While in reverse, idling slowly to a stop to pick up a hot water heater, the vehicle suddenly accelerated independently. The vehicle did not respond when the brake pedal was depressed.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2018-06-20 · NHTSA complaint #11102755
The contact stated that the vehicle experienced severe corrosion on the frame. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the frame needed to be coated with an anti-corrosive adhesive. The vehicle was involved in a crash while being operated at 2 mph. A police report was filed.
Structure · crash · 2017-02-23 · NHTSA complaint #10956548
Upon inspection by insurance inspector, the inspector stated the frame failed, cross-member broke off frame due to excessive rust and rear of frame was rotted. This vehicle had received frame recall, but was only offered undercoating, which was done, but was obviously not done on rear of frame.
Structure · crash · 2016-09-20 · NHTSA complaint #10908313
When body shop went to pull frame to straighten out they would not do it because how badly rusted the frame was. Truck had 88,000 miles on it. Toyota will do nothing. This is my second tacoma this has happened too. They recalled my 97 tacoma because of the same issue, at least they treated me fairly on that.
Structure · crash · 2015-01-26 · NHTSA complaint #10678860
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
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2014-11-12 · NHTSA complaint #10654452
The airbags did not deploy. My passenger's head hit the windshield even though she was wearing a seatbelt (the interior design required me to have the seat positioned quite close to the windshield).
Air bags · crash · 2014-05-13 · NHTSA complaint #10588230

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20031
200410
200525
200615
20077
20086
20099
201020
20118
201213
201340
201443
201550
201635
201732
201820
201924
202017
202110
202213
20237
20243
20254
20263

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 933 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 3% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Tacoma has 258 complaints (33 years in the data). This year has 415, above average.

What to check before buying

Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Toyota Tacoma?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, suspension, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 415. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (50%), warning lights, check engine (5%), knocking, grinding or other noise (4%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 Toyota Tacoma?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2004 Toyota Tacoma from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2004 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.