2005 Toyota Tacoma Steering Problems
Owners have filed 61 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2005 Toyota Tacoma, 9% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 100,200 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering shaft” (25% of reports).
- 61steering complaints
- 100,200median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 15%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.
- Steering shaft: mentioned in 15 of 61 complaints (25%)
- Universal joint: mentioned in 8 of 61 complaints (13%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 57 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 61 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
Toyota Tacoma steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Tacoma | 10 | 9% | — |
| 2024 Tacoma | 4 | 3% | 188,000 |
| 2023 Tacoma | 9 | 17% | 32,500 |
| 2022 Tacoma | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2021 Tacoma | 3 | 4% | 47,000 |
| 2020 Tacoma | 4 | 4% | 525 |
| 2019 Tacoma | 10 | 5% | 4,019 |
| 2018 Tacoma | 6 | 3% | 16,500 |
| 2017 Tacoma | 2 | 1% | 2,825 |
| 2016 Tacoma | 4 | 1% | 200 |
| 2015 Tacoma | 4 | 4% | 10,250 |
| 2014 Tacoma | 8 | 9% | 12,800 |
| 2013 Tacoma | 14 | 11% | 30,000 |
| 2012 Tacoma | 12 | 4% | 38,600 |
| 2011 Tacoma | 17 | 9% | 78,000 |
| 2010 Tacoma | 19 | 6% | 53,176 |
| 2009 Tacoma | 39 | 8% | 83,500 |
| 2008 Tacoma | 40 | 9% | 100,000 |
| 2007 Tacoma | 54 | 10% | 89,000 |
| 2006 Tacoma | 40 | 5% | 105,000 |
| 2005 Tacoma | 61 | 9% | 100,200 |
| 2004 Tacoma | 29 | 7% | 63,000 |
| 2003 Tacoma | 12 | 3% | 80,000 |
| 2002 Tacoma | 9 | 3% | 143,250 |
| 2001 Tacoma | 20 | 5% | 161,000 |
| 2000 Tacoma | 4 | 2% | 130,301 |
| 1999 Tacoma | 10 | 4% | 106,000 |
| 1998 Tacoma | 12 | 4% | 150,750 |
| 1997 Tacoma | 4 | 3% | 55,000 |
| 1996 Tacoma | 9 | 4% | 120,000 |
| 1995 Tacoma | 5 | 3% | 180,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists steering for the 2005 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.
Intermediate steering rod lower ball joint has failed , unable to steer truck safely this is very dangerous toyota needs to look into this i bought this truck brand new in 2005 off the floor
As i was driving i went to make a turn and the steering becomes very difficult and dose not respond as it should, toyota is aware of this problem and told me the steering shaft must be replaced, i almost ran into oncoming traffic because of the steering problem. This problem has occurred numerous…
Vehicle has problem with the steering column, specifically in the upper intermediate shaft. It makes noise while driving.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Toyota Tacomas have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 61 owner complaints about steering for the 2005 Toyota Tacoma (9% of the 707 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 2005 Toyota Tacoma steering?
No recall currently lists steering for this vehicle.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 100,200 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2005 Toyota Tacoma?
The most frequent phrase is “steering shaft”, in 15 of 61 complaints, followed by “universal joint” (8).
Other 2005 Toyota Tacoma problems
- Structure problems (260)
- Suspension problems (137)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (93)
- Power Train problems (57)
See all 2005 Toyota Tacoma problems or steering problems across all Tacoma years.