2001 Toyota Tacoma Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Tacoma years
- More complaints than other years 7th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 396 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Toyota Tacoma. That ranks 7th out of 32 Tacoma model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (228 complaints, 58%), typically at around 144,117 miles. Complaints mention 40 crashes, 4 fires, 36 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 396owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 40complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 Toyota Tacoma problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure problems | 228 | 58% | 144,117 | “frame rusted” (18%) | — |
| Suspension problems | 81 | 20% | 168,418 | “lower ball” (30%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 40 | 10% | 176,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 20 | 5% | 148,450 | — | — |
| Steering | 20 | 5% | 161,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 15 | 4% | 105,895 | — | — |
| Tires | 13 | 3% | 87,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 12 | 3% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 3% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 7 | 2% | 143,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 7 | 2% | 144,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 1% | 24,900 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 1% | 104,718 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 4 | 1% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 1% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | 112,218 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 228,296 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 1% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 Toyota Tacoma recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Tires:temporary/emergency spare tire
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2001 through 2004 Tacoma light trucks manufactured from August 28, 2000, through August 27, 2004, and originally sold, or currently registered, in the following cold climate states with high road salt usage: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. The spare tire in the subject vehicles is located underneath the rear of the vehicle and held by a spare tire carrier. A lift plate on the carrier is used to help raise, lower and retain the tire. During its manufacture, the lift plate may not have been sufficiently coated with anti-corrosion materials. If the plate is insufficiently coated and the vehicle is operated in cold climate regions where road salts are frequently used, road spray can reach the carrier assembly and corrode the lift plate.
Risk: Corrosion of the plate could cause it to break, which could result in detachment of the spare tire from the vehicle. Detachment of the spare tire could result in a road hazard which may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace the spare tire carrier lift plate as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in February 2013. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, due to a manufacturing issue in the front suspension lower ball joint, there is a possibility that the surface of the ball of the joint may have been scratched. The ball joint may eventually experience excessive wear and looseness, resulting in increased steering effort.
Risk: The lower ball joint may separate from the knuckle causing loss of steering control and a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints free of charge. The recall began on july 5, 2005. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: On certain pickup trucks, during side impact ncap test (i.e. Lincap test), a flange at the rear end of the double cab body deformed and interfered with the fuel inlet hose that connects the fuel filler pipe and fuel tank, resulting in damage to the fuel inlet hose.
Risk: This damage could result in fuel leakage, which could result in a fire if in the presence of an ignition source.
Fix: Dealers will install a fuel hose protector on the body flange. Owner notification began june 3, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Tires:sidewall
Problem: Vehicle description: 4x2 trucks equipped with tu4 white letter tire upgrade option and distributed by southeast toyota distributors in the states of alabama, florida, georgia, north and south carolina. Tire damage may have occurred due to improper installation, which could cause the tire to deflate or a bulge appearing in the sidewall of the tire.
Risk: An improperly inflated tire could result in vehicle handling problems or a blow out of an improperly installed tire.
Fix: Dealers will check all four tires, rebalance and, if necessary, replace any damaged tire. Owner notification began july 3, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact southeast toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Lower ball joint separated from knuckle and it says 0 recalls repaired i want it replaced because there oem they were never replaced when recalled
We purchased a 2001 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner from a used car lot in Omaha NE. We have had it for 3 months and recently had a mechanic look over the vehicle for repairs. The mechanic indicated the frame is rusted through and the truck is unsafe to drive. The mechanic indicated that there was a recall…
My Toyota truck frame is rusted with big holes and could break in two at any time.
The contact owns a 2001 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced under recall for corrosion underneath the vehicle. The contact became aware that there was corrosion underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and rust protection was sprayed on…
The contact owns a 2001 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the contact swerved to the left to avoid another vehicle and the steering had stiff. The contact stated that the front driverâs side wheel then collapsed inside the wheel well. The contact lost control…
Other Toyota Tacoma years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Tacoma | 10 | 0 |
| 2025 Tacoma | 106 | 5 |
| 2024 Tacoma | 152 | 5 |
| 2023 Tacoma | 54 | 4 |
| 2022 Tacoma | 59 | 3 |
| 2021 Tacoma | 81 | 0 |
| 2020 Tacoma | 90 | 1 |
| 2019 Tacoma | 219 | 4 |
| 2018 Tacoma | 209 | 3 |
| 2017 Tacoma | 242 | 5 |
| 2016 Tacoma | 323 | 4 |
| 2015 Tacoma | 101 | 4 |
| 2014 Tacoma | 93 | 4 |
| 2013 Tacoma | 125 | 6 |
| 2012 Tacoma | 295 | 7 |
| 2011 Tacoma | 186 | 9 |
| 2010 Tacoma | 294 | 13 |
| 2009 Tacoma | 519 | 13 |
| 2008 Tacoma | 447 | 11 |
| 2007 Tacoma | 541 | 10 |
| 2006 Tacoma | 782 | 11 |
| 2005 Tacoma | 707 | 10 |
| 2004 Tacoma | 414 | 3 |
| 2003 Tacoma | 360 | 3 |
| 2002 Tacoma | 333 | 3 |
| 2001 | 396 | 4 |
| 2000 Tacoma | 211 | 0 |
| 1999 Tacoma | 249 | 0 |
| 1998 Tacoma | 300 | 1 |
| 1997 Tacoma | 131 | 0 |
| 1996 Tacoma | 253 | 1 |
| 1995 Tacoma | 177 | 2 |
See all Toyota Tacoma problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
Similar Toyota models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Toyota Tacoma?
Owners most often report structure, suspension, unknown or other problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 228 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Toyota Tacoma?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 Toyota Tacoma a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Tacoma model years, the 2001 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.