2004 Toyota Tacoma Structure Problems
Owners have filed 203 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the 2004 Toyota Tacoma, 49% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 119,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “frame rusted” (13% of reports).
- 203structure complaints
- 119,000median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 13%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 27 of 203 complaints (13%)
- Spare tire: mentioned in 16 of 203 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do structure problems happen?
Based on 154 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 203 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 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 2004 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.
Immediately after the manufacturer recall requiring full frame replacement (completed November 2017 by the same dealership referenced below), the vehicle developed abnormal handling not present before the repair, including improper tracking and rear end instability. No warning lights/diagnostic…
The frame broke
The vehicle has an open recall (NHTSA Recall #12V542) for the spare tire carrier lift plate. I brought the vehicle to a Toyota dealership to have the recall addressed, but the dealership refused to perform the repair, stating that the frame is too rusted to proceed safely. They recommended a full…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2004 Toyota Tacomas have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 203 owner complaints about structure for the 2004 Toyota Tacoma (49% of the 414 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 2004 Toyota Tacoma structure?
No recall currently lists structure for this vehicle.
At what mileage do structure problems start?
The median reported mileage is 119,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about structure problems on the 2004 Toyota Tacoma?
The most frequent phrase is “frame rusted”, in 27 of 203 complaints, followed by “spare tire” (16).
Other 2004 Toyota Tacoma problems
- Suspension problems (84)
See all 2004 Toyota Tacoma problems or structure problems across all Tacoma years.