2001 Toyota Tacoma recalls

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns for the 2001 Toyota Tacoma. Between them they involve tires, suspension and fuel system. The most recent was received on November 23, 2012.

November 23, 2012Tires

Spare Tire Carrier may Fail

NHTSA campaign 12V-542 · 150,000 vehicles potentially affected · Tires

The defect: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2001 through 2004 Tacoma light trucks manufactured from August 28, 2000, through August 27, 2004, and originally sold, or currently registered, in the following cold climate states with high road salt usage: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. The spare tire in the subject vehicles is located underneath the rear of the vehicle and held by a spare tire carrier. A lift plate on the carrier is used to help raise, lower and retain the tire…

The risk: Corrosion of the plate could cause it to break, which could result in detachment of the spare tire from the vehicle. Detachment of the spare tire could result in a road hazard which may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

The remedy: Toyota will notify owners, dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace the spare tire carrier lift plate as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in February 2013. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.
May 17, 2005Suspension

Ball joint failure

NHTSA campaign 05V-225 · 768,379 vehicles potentially affected · Suspension

The defect: On certain sport utility vehicles, due to a manufacturing issue in the front suspension lower ball joint, there is a possibility that the surface of the ball of the joint may have been scratched. The ball joint may eventually experience excessive wear and looseness, resulting in increased steering effort.

The risk: The lower ball joint may separate from the knuckle causing loss of steering control and a crash could occur.

The remedy: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints free of charge. The recall began on july 5, 2005. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
May 19, 2003Fuel system

Toyota/fuel leakage

NHTSA campaign 03V-189 · 123,360 vehicles potentially affected · Fuel system, gasoline

The defect: On certain pickup trucks, during side impact ncap test (I.e. Lincap test), a flange at the rear end of the double cab body deformed and interfered with the fuel inlet hose that connects the fuel filler pipe and fuel tank, resulting in damage to the fuel inlet hose.

The risk: This damage could result in fuel leakage, which could result in a fire if in the presence of an ignition source.

The remedy: Dealers will install a fuel hose protector on the body flange. Owner notification began june 3, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
June 7, 2001Tires

Southeast toyota/tires

NHTSA campaign 01V-186 · 43 vehicles potentially affected · Tires

The defect: Vehicle description: 4x2 trucks equipped with tu4 white letter tire upgrade option and distributed by southeast toyota distributors in the states of alabama, florida, georgia, north and south carolina. Tire damage may have occurred due to improper installation, which could cause the tire to deflate or a bulge appearing in the sidewall of the tire.

The risk: An improperly inflated tire could result in vehicle handling problems or a blow out of an improperly installed tire.

The remedy: Dealers will check all four tires, rebalance and, if necessary, replace any damaged tire. Owner notification began july 3, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact southeast toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

Check by VIN

A campaign rarely covers every Tacoma built in 2001. Enter your 17-character VIN to find the recall campaigns filed for your make, model and model year. The VIN is on the driver’s side of the dashboard (visible through the windshield), on the door-jamb label, and on your registration and insurance documents.

Is a recall still open on your vehicle? Only NHTSA’s official VIN check can say whether a campaign applies to your exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been done.

Your VIN is decoded with NHTSA’s public vPIC service to identify the make, model and year. It is not stored and is not added to any page address.

What 2001 Toyota Tacoma owners should do

Check your VIN on NHTSA’s lookup to see which of these campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether any are still open.
Call a Toyota dealer and book the repair, quoting the campaign numbers (12V-542, 05V-225, 03V-189, 01V-186).
If you have bought the vehicle used, the recall still applies: the repair is free whoever owns the vehicle now.
Make sure your current address is on file with the manufacturer so the owner letters reach you.

Other Toyota Tacoma model years

Common questions

Does the 2001 Toyota Tacoma have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 4 campaigns for the 2001 Toyota Tacoma: 12V-542 (Spare Tire Carrier may Fail); 05V-225 (Ball joint failure); 03V-189 (Toyota/fuel leakage); 01V-186 (Southeast toyota/tires).

How do I know if my 2001 Toyota Tacoma has an open recall?

Enter your VIN in NHTSA’s recall lookup. Most campaigns cover only part of a model year’s production, and the lookup also shows whether the repair has already been done on your vehicle.

Will the dealer charge to fix the 2001 Toyota Tacoma?

No. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge by Toyota dealers. Quote the NHTSA campaign number when you book.