1997 Toyota Prerunner Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1997 Toyota Prerunner, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes133.3%
- Powertrain (other)133.3%
- Tires & wheels133.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO REAR BRAKES. THERE WAS A SEAL FAILURE IN REAR AXLE BRAKES. REPAIRS WERE MADE, BUT CURRENTLY REAR BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
REAR AXLE SEALS ON VEHICLE NEED REPLACING. HAS LEAD TO DAMAGE OF REAR BRAKES AND ROTORS THAT WILL IN TURN NEED TO BE REPLACED. WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL OR SOME BULLETIN TO OWNERS AS THIS COULD BE A DANGEROUS EQUIPMENT FAILURE? CAR HAS 75K MILES AND VERY WELL MAINTAINED, NO OFF ROAD USE. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE WRANGLER AT/D2 I PURCHASED YESTERDAY AT SAMS CLUB MAY HAVE A FACTORY DEFECT. I BOUGHT A PAIR OF LT265/75/R16. IT ALREADY HAD THIS SIZE OF TIRES WHEN I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED 7 YEARS AGO. THE TECHNICIAN AT THE STORE SAID HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO INSTALL THEM BECAUSE MY SUV SHOULD HAVE 265/70/16 TIRES. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. I PURCHASED A PAIR OF 265/75/R16 AT DISCOUNT TIRES A YEAR AGO WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM. SO, I PURCHASED THIS PAIR OF TIRES AT SAMS, ANYWAY, AND HAD THEM INSTALLED THIS MORNING AT A LOCAL TIRE SHOP. THE TIRES WERE MOUNTED AND BALANCED AND I DROVE OUT OF THE SHOP AND HEADED TO WORK ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS ON THE FREEWAY FOR ONLY 2 MILES, AT 60MPH, WHEN A HEARD A HISSING NOISE AND THE SUV PULLED TO ONE SIDE. I MANAGED TO PULLED OUT OF THE FREEWAY AND ONE OF MY NEW TIRES WAS FLAT. I INSPECTED THE TIRE AND THERE WERE NO NAILS, SCREWS OR HOLES ON THE THREAD. HOWEVER, I NOTICED THAT THERE IS A LITLE DEFECT ON THE THREAD PATTERN AND WHAT APPEARS TO BE A HOLE, OR A CHUNK OF RUBBER MISSING, RIGHT NEXT TO THIS PATTERN DEFECT WHERE THE THREAD ENDS AND SIDEWALL BEGINS. THE REST OF THE TIRE LOOKS TO BE RADIALLY SYMMETRICAL AS IS THE OTHER TIRE ENTIRELY. COULD YOU PLEASE HELP ME WITH MY PROBLEM? I PURCHASED GOODYEAR TIRE PRECISELY BECAUSE ITS QUALITY REPUTATION. NOW, THE TECHNICIAN AT SAMS WHO SOLD ME THE TIRES SAYS THAT HE CANNOT HELP ME AND THE OWNER OF THE LOCAL TIRE SHOP(SAHUAYO TIRES, LYNWOOD, CA, 310-638-7077) WOULD PROBABLY DENY ANY INSTALLATION WORKMANSHIP DEFECTS. I AM TAKING THE SUV BACK TO THE TIRE SHOP TOMORROW TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I AM GOING TO ASK THEM TO DISMOUNT THE TIRE AND TAKE A CLOSER LOOK FROM THE INSIDE. BUT, IF THE TIRE IS RUINED AND IS DETERMINED TO BE BECAUSE OF THIS SUSPECTED FACTORY DEFECT, THEN I WOULD APPRECIATE VERY MUCH YOUR HELP TO RESOLVE THIS SITUATION. I AM CERTAIN THAT I DIDN'T RUN OVER ANY DEBRIS ON THE ROAD AND I SHOULD BE ENTITLE TO SOME KIND OF BASIC FACTORY WARRANTY. I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .