2005 Toyota Tacoma Problems, Recalls & Reliability
871 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2005 Toyota Tacoma, alongside 10 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 84/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Body & structure leads the reports, typically around 110,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2005 Toyota Tacoma sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1997, 2013–2015, 2020–2022.
Avoid
Where 2005 sits among all Tacoma years
What owners report
“2005 toyota tacoma frame rust recall. Toyota rep inspected the frame and stated it has failed due to rust and corrosion. Toyota refuses to offer any remedy for this problem. Frame could break and cause personal or vehicle damage.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Tacoma
“Rear leaf springs are bottoming out and the the rear axle is coming in contact with the truck frame”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Tacoma
“Short in the button to turn the cruse control on sometimes it works but i have to push it at least 200 times. The second thing is a short in the over head compas/temperature gauge it just does not work any more.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Tacoma
“Intermediate steering shaft u-joint is siezing leading to difficult to operate steering.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Tacoma
“I have had the rear end on my vehicle replaced 2x. No hard driving. No signs of abuse or regular wear but has cost me over 2200 each time. The head gasket have now failed and in reading many online sites this is a common problem. My vehicle has been serviced and never over heated. This job is now…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Tacoma
“I took my tacoma to a toyota dealership to have the frame replaced as per the recall but toyota would not replace the frame because truck has a rebuilt title but still has the same frame is this legal for toyota to deny this frame replacement?”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Tacoma
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 642 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 90,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 45,000 and 140,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (10)
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Toyota Tacoma Pre-Runner and 4x4 vehicles manufactured September 14, 2009, to October 11, 2010. In the affected vehicles, one of the leaf springs may fracture due to…
Fix: Toyota will notify owners and dealers will install new rear leaf spring assemblies. The recall began on January 29, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Tacoma Access Cab vehicles manufactured September 14, 2004, through March 29, 2010; and model year 2011 Tacoma Access Cab vehicles manufactured July 1, 2010, through September 7, 2011. If the access doors are…
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat belt assemblies. Based on the inspection, the seat belt assembly will be replaced or new pre-tensioner screws will be installed with…
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2009 TACOMA VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 14, 2004, THROUGH AUGUST 29, 2008. OVER TIME, STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION MAY DAMAGE THE SPIRAL CABLE ASSEMBLY (CLOCKSPRING) THAT POWERS THE DRIVERS AIR BAG MODULE.…
Fix: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SPIRAL CABLE ASSEMBLY, FREE OF CHARGE. AN INTERIM LETTER IS EXPECTED TO BE MAILED TO OWNERS DURING APRIL 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT…
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008…
Fix: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY…
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD…
Fix: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT…
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.
Fix: TOYOTA FILED AN AMENDED DEFECT REPORT ON NOVEMBER 25, 2009, STATING THAT DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND, ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, ALTER THE SHAPE OF THE FLOOR SURFACE UNDER THE PEDAL.…
TOYOTA IS RECALLING 27,080 MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2010 PASSENGER CARS BUILT FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 TO MAY 4, 2009. THESE VEHICLES WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR…
Fix: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH A NEW, ACCURATE LABEL TO BE INSTALLED OVER THE INACCURATE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 18, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA…
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF THE AIR BAG INFLATOR, WHICH IS USED IN THE SIDE AIR BAG, THE CURTAIN SHIELD AIR BAG, AND THE KNEE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY, SOME INFLATORS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF THE HEATING AGENTS NECESSARY FOR…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SPECIFIC SRS AIR BAG. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 6, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371, SCION AT 1-866-548-1851, OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.
ON CERTAIN REGULAR CAB PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH A BENCH SEAT, THE SEAT POSITION AND SEAT BELT BUCKLE SENSOR CONNECTOR PINS ARE INCORRECTLY POSITIONED DUE TO A WIRE HARNESS MANUFACTURING PROCESS ERROR.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SEAT POSITION AND SEAT BELT FASTENING CONDITION SENSOR CONNECTOR. AN ADDITIONAL SUB-WIRE HARNESS WILL BE INSTALLED TO CORRECT THE CONNECTOR PIN MANUFACTURING ERROR, IF…
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE PARKING BRAKE PEDAL CABLE LOCK NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATION. IN THIS CONDITION, THE LOCK NUT MAY LOOSEN AND COME OFF,…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND TIGHTEN THE PARKING BRAKE PEDAL CABLE LOCK NUT TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATION FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 3, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT…
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2005 Toyota Tacoma reliable?
The 2005 Toyota Tacoma drew 871 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 84/100, scored against the model's worst year (2006).
What are the most common 2005 Toyota Tacoma problems?
The top reported problems for the 2005 Toyota Tacoma are body & structure (264 complaints), suspension (138), and speed control (93).
At what mileage do 2005 Toyota Tacoma problems show up?
Owners most often report 2005 Toyota Tacoma problems around 90,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 45,000 and 140,000 miles.
Does the 2005 Toyota Tacoma have recalls?
10 recall campaigns apply to the 2005 Toyota Tacoma. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.