2003 Toyota Tacoma Structure Problems
Owners have filed 181 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the 2003 Toyota Tacoma, 50% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 123,208 miles. The words owners use most often: “frame rusted” (15% of reports).
- 181structure complaints
- 123,208median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 27%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.
- Frame rusted: mentioned in 28 of 181 complaints (15%)
- Spare tire: mentioned in 27 of 181 complaints (15%)
- Rust corrosion: mentioned in 10 of 181 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do structure problems happen?
Based on 139 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 181 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 4 an injury.
Toyota Tacoma structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Tacoma | 2 | 20% | 12,000 |
| 2025 Tacoma | 42 | 40% | 5,238 |
| 2024 Tacoma | 8 | 5% | — |
| 2022 Tacoma | 8 | 14% | — |
| 2021 Tacoma | 6 | 7% | 281 |
| 2020 Tacoma | 3 | 3% | 9,014 |
| 2019 Tacoma | 12 | 5% | 7,750 |
| 2018 Tacoma | 16 | 8% | 76,000 |
| 2017 Tacoma | 27 | 11% | 20,000 |
| 2016 Tacoma | 22 | 7% | 32,000 |
| 2015 Tacoma | 15 | 15% | 6,500 |
| 2014 Tacoma | 20 | 22% | 35,900 |
| 2013 Tacoma | 11 | 9% | 82,500 |
| 2012 Tacoma | 9 | 3% | 51,000 |
| 2011 Tacoma | 21 | 11% | 86,000 |
| 2010 Tacoma | 30 | 10% | 104,000 |
| 2009 Tacoma | 54 | 10% | 75,000 |
| 2008 Tacoma | 78 | 17% | 115,600 |
| 2007 Tacoma | 109 | 20% | 87,781 |
| 2006 Tacoma | 242 | 31% | 93,000 |
| 2005 Tacoma | 260 | 37% | 109,450 |
| 2004 Tacoma | 203 | 49% | 119,000 |
| 2003 Tacoma | 181 | 50% | 123,208 |
| 2002 Tacoma | 180 | 54% | 122,500 |
| 2001 Tacoma | 228 | 58% | 144,117 |
| 2000 Tacoma | 78 | 37% | 132,000 |
| 1999 Tacoma | 102 | 41% | 124,000 |
| 1998 Tacoma | 98 | 33% | 135,000 |
| 1997 Tacoma | 46 | 35% | 158,500 |
| 1996 Tacoma | 64 | 25% | 170,000 |
| 1995 Tacoma | 29 | 16% | 177,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists structure for the 2003 Toyota Tacoma. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
While driving at both high speeds (highway) and local road speed limits, Toyota Tacoma's rear passenger side frame split completely in half. While performing maneuvers such as right turns, vehicle wobbled and I, driver, lost temporary control of vehicle. Upon further inspection, rear driver side…
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the rear subframe of the vehicle was corroded and the subframe had detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle…
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that the rear sub frame on the driver's and passenger's side were corroded. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Toyota Tacomas have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 181 owner complaints about structure for the 2003 Toyota Tacoma (50% of the 360 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 2003 Toyota Tacoma structure?
No recall currently lists structure for this vehicle.
At what mileage do structure problems start?
The median reported mileage is 123,208 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about structure problems on the 2003 Toyota Tacoma?
The most frequent phrase is “frame rusted”, in 28 of 181 complaints, followed by “spare tire” (27).
Other 2003 Toyota Tacoma problems
- Suspension problems (66)
See all 2003 Toyota Tacoma problems or structure problems across all Tacoma years.