1996 Toyota Tacoma Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 87 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 1996 Toyota Tacoma, 34% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 137,345 miles. The words owners use most often: “rear leaf” (23% of reports).
- 87suspension complaints
- 137,345median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 44%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Rear leaf: mentioned in 20 of 87 complaints (23%)
- Front suspension: mentioned in 7 of 87 complaints (8%)
- Springs broke: mentioned in 5 of 87 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 21 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 87 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
Toyota Tacoma suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Tacoma | 9 | 8% | — |
| 2024 Tacoma | 5 | 3% | — |
| 2023 Tacoma | 2 | 4% | — |
| 2021 Tacoma | 3 | 4% | — |
| 2020 Tacoma | 1 | 1% | 2,527 |
| 2019 Tacoma | 4 | 2% | 12 |
| 2018 Tacoma | 6 | 3% | 2,700 |
| 2017 Tacoma | 6 | 2% | 2,000 |
| 2016 Tacoma | 14 | 4% | 30,000 |
| 2015 Tacoma | 4 | 4% | 38,000 |
| 2014 Tacoma | 8 | 9% | 20,500 |
| 2013 Tacoma | 14 | 11% | 38,423 |
| 2012 Tacoma | 21 | 7% | 55,000 |
| 2011 Tacoma | 60 | 32% | 96,193 |
| 2010 Tacoma | 95 | 32% | 44,946 |
| 2009 Tacoma | 119 | 23% | 78,700 |
| 2008 Tacoma | 124 | 28% | 78,000 |
| 2007 Tacoma | 118 | 22% | 96,234 |
| 2006 Tacoma | 154 | 20% | 95,000 |
| 2005 Tacoma | 137 | 19% | 102,000 |
| 2004 Tacoma | 84 | 20% | 120,000 |
| 2003 Tacoma | 66 | 18% | 136,000 |
| 2002 Tacoma | 82 | 25% | 131,000 |
| 2001 Tacoma | 81 | 20% | 168,418 |
| 2000 Tacoma | 52 | 25% | 155,000 |
| 1999 Tacoma | 35 | 14% | 133,000 |
| 1998 Tacoma | 28 | 9% | 167,276 |
| 1997 Tacoma | 24 | 18% | 189,000 |
| 1996 Tacoma | 87 | 34% | 137,345 |
| 1995 Tacoma | 90 | 51% | 180,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Suspension:front
Problem: Under certain driving conditions, the front suspension support can crack leading to failure of the support.
Risk: This condition can result in loss of vehicle control.
Fix: Dealers will repair the suspension support.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Rear passenger frame rusted/rotted, rear passenger shock mount completely torn off frame at rust area and rear passenger leaf spring assembly cracked. Vehicle is not drivable and completely unsafe. This vehicle was recalled in May 2008 for inspection of frame rust and passed the inspection with…
I purchased truck in 2005 from toyota of nicholasville ky i heard there was a recall never received recall notice took truck to have brakes done mechanic refused to work on it because of dangerous frame holes rust can push in sides of frame with fingers and make a hole mechanic said it was very…
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 toyota tacoma. The contact stated that while driving, the rear passenger's side of the vehicle started to lower. After stopping to inspect the vehicle, the contact discovered the rear center leaf spring had fractured and had also punctured the fuel tank causing the fuel…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1996 Toyota Tacomas have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 87 owner complaints about suspension for the 1996 Toyota Tacoma (34% of the 253 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Toyota Tacoma suspension?
Yes: 1 safety recall list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 137,345 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 1996 Toyota Tacoma?
The most frequent phrase is “rear leaf”, in 20 of 87 complaints, followed by “front suspension” (7).
Other 1996 Toyota Tacoma problems
- Structure problems (64)
See all 1996 Toyota Tacoma problems or suspension problems across all Tacoma years.