2005 Toyota Tacoma Problems

High Complaint Volume

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2005 Toyota Tacoma. Part of Generation 2 — 2005–2015.

20042006
Complaints
870
per 10K Sold
51.5
US Sales
168,811
Crashes
64
Fires
4
Injuries
21
Fatalities
Recalls
5

Worst 2005 Toyota Tacoma Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1135 complaints

Body Structure

Avg mileage:128,534 mi
Crash-related:3
#2124 complaints

Suspension Failures

Avg mileage:128,074 mi
Crash-related:2
#382 complaints

Unintended Acceleration

Avg mileage:71,363 mi
Crash-related:30
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2005 Toyota Tacoma.

Body Structure
135
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
128,534
Suspension Failures
124
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
128,074
Unintended Acceleration
82
complaints
Crashes
30
Fires
Avg Miles
71,363
Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields
72
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
109,648
Steering Defects
57
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
112,267
Airbags
39
complaints
Crashes
6
Fires
Avg Miles
85,186
Structure:Frame And Members
33
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
92,461
Transmission / Drivetrain
22
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
95,069
Engine Problems
18
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
147,742
Electrical Faults
16
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
89,622
Structural Problems
15
complaints
Crashes
Fires
2
Avg Miles
65,073
Automatic Transmission
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
30,917
Manual Transmission
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
7,840
Tire Defects
13
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
18,381
Engine & Cooling
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
81,097
Hydraulic Brakes
10
complaints
Crashes
6
Fires
Avg Miles
37,067
Tires:Tread/Belt
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
4,690
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal
9
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
33,999
Air Bags:Frontal
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
77,053
Visibility
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
55,000
Wheel Issues
8
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
88,548
Brakes
7
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
94,394
Gasoline Fuel System
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
166,365
Fuel System
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
147,167
Seat Belt Issues
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
174,500
Structure:Body:Tailgate
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
26,920
Wipers & Visibility
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
103,600
Suspension:Front
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension:Rear
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2005 Toyota Tacoma. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2005 Toyota Tacoma

5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,973,467 vehicles.

14V604000Suspension:rear:springs:leaf Spring Assembly:leaf
~710,711 affected

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 stress or corrosion. While being driven, the broken leaf could move out of position and contact surrounding components including the fuel tank, possibly puncturing the tank and causing a fuel leak.

13V337000Seat Belts
~342,451 affected

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 repeatedly and forcefully closed, the screws that attach the seat belt pre-tensioner to the seat belt retractor can loosen over time. If the screws loosen completely, the seat belt pre-tensioner and the retractor spring cover could detach from the seat belt retractor.

12V092000Air Bags:frontal
~495,470 affected

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 DRIVER’S AIR BAG MODULE. IF DAMAGE OCCURS, THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP WILL ILLUMINATE AND THE AIR BAG MAY BECOME DEACTIVATED.

10V035000Equipment:other:labels
~271,417 affected

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 WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.

10V036000Equipment:other:labels
~153,418 affected

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 CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.

Other Toyota Tacoma Years

2005 Toyota Tacoma — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2005 Toyota Tacoma reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 2005 Toyota Tacoma has 870 NHTSA complaints, 64 crash-related, and 5 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Body Structure with 135 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2005 Toyota Tacoma?
Top reported problems: Body Structure (135 complaints, avg 128,534 mi); Suspension Failures (124 complaints, avg 128,074 mi); Unintended Acceleration (82 complaints, avg 71,363 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2005 Toyota Tacoma?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 100,013 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2005 Toyota Tacoma?
NHTSA complaints for the 2005 Toyota Tacoma include 64 crash-related reports, 4 fire reports, 21 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2005 Toyota Tacoma have any recalls?
Yes — 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,973,467 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2005 Toyota Tacoma?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (body structure) and verify open recalls have been addressed.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Toyota Tacoma reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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