• 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 5, 2004Seat belts

  Toyota/mislabeled driver side seat belts

  NHTSA campaign 04V-214 · 8 vehicles potentially affected · Seat belts

  The defect: Certain pickup trucks fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, 'seat belt assemblies.' the driver's side seat belt has incorrect markings.

  The risk: This does not meet the standard.

  The remedy: Dealers have replaced the seat belts. No vehicles were sold to consumers.

Check by VIN

A campaign rarely covers every Tacoma built in 2004. 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.

Vehicle identification number Find my recalls

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.

Copy VIN and open NHTSA.gov

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.

Other Toyota Tacoma model years

• 2025 5
• 2023 4
• 2022 3
• 2020 1
• 2019 4
• 2018 3
• 2017 5
• 2016 4
• 2015 4
• 2014 4
• 2013 6
• 2012 7
• 2011 9
• 2010 13
• 2009 13
• 2008 11
• 2007 10
• 2006 11
• 2005 10
• 2003 3
• 2002 3
• 2001 4
• 1998 1
• 1996 1
• 1995 2

Common questions

Does the 2004 Toyota Tacoma have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 campaigns for the 2004 Toyota Tacoma: 12V-542 (Spare Tire Carrier may Fail); 05V-225 (Ball joint failure); 04V-214 (Toyota/mislabeled driver side seat belts).

How do I know if my 2004 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 2004 Toyota Tacoma?

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