RoadVitals

1996 Toyota Tacoma Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Jul 10, 2007
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 253 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Toyota Tacoma submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed Jul 10, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START IN 80 DEGREE WEATHER. WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. SHE MUST WAIT UNTIL THE VEHICLE COOLS DOWN FOR IT TO RESTART. THE DEALER REPLACED SEVERAL PARTS, BUT DISCOVERED THAT THE BATTERY CABLE HAD TO BE REMOVED TO ALLOW THE COMPUTER TO RESET. THE MANUFACTURER DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF FAILURE AS THE E.C.U. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT NO REPAIR IS AVAILABLE FOR THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 123,400 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ID
10195942
Incident
May 1, 2001
Mileage
60,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 22, 2002

THE VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS STARTING FAILURES BEGINNING APPROXIMATELY 05-JUNE-2002. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER THREE TIMES AND WAS NOT PROPERLY DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. EVENTUALLY THE TRUCK WAS BROUGHT TO AN A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS TO HIGH AMPERAGE FOR FUEL RELAY BLOW LINES.*SCC

NHTSA ID
786443
Incident
Jun 5, 2002
ElectricalEngineSuspension
Filed Mar 26, 2002

CONSUMER STATED THE HEAD GASKET BEGAN TO LEAK RED FLUID, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BOTH HEAD GAKSKETS WERE CRACKED, CONSUMER HAS SINCE RETURED TO THE DEALER ON 3 OTHER OCCASIONS COMPLAING ABOUT AN ENGINE NOISE, CONSUMER THEN LEARNED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS NEVER REPLACED, CONSUMER FINALLY HAD THE GASKET REPLACED AND THE NOISE BECAME EVEN LOUDER, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT AFTER HEAD GASKET WORK IS PERFORMED THAT POTENTIAL FOR LATER DAMAGE WAS COMMON.*JB

NHTSA ID
564825
Incident
Dec 1, 1996
Electrical
Filed Nov 22, 1999

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING 55MPH, WENT TO APPLY BRAKES AND THE TURN SIGNAL CAME ON. *AK

NHTSA ID
853211
Incident
Nov 21, 1999
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Nov 12, 1998

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ALSO ACTIVATING THE A/C, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES UP TO 20 MILES. DEALER REPLACED ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. PROBLEMS IS STILL OCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
830699
Incident
Jun 10, 1996
Electrical
Filed Oct 14, 1998

TAIL LIGHT FUSE BURNED OUT, CAUSING TAIL LIGHTS TO FAIL.

NHTSA ID
781246
Incident
Oct 12, 1998
Electrical
Filed Oct 7, 1998
Fire reported

WHILE VEHICLE WAS OFF AND PARKED CONSUMER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. WITHOUT ANY WARNING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.*AK ORIGINALLY SEEN SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER DASH. THEN OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM BETWEEN CAB AND BODY OF TRUCK. LOOKED UNDERNEATH AND SEEN WIRING HARNESS ON FIRE. *YH

NHTSA ID
828660
Incident
Sep 28, 1998
Electrical
Filed Nov 20, 1997

ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONED, RESULTING IN STALLING. *AK

NHTSA ID
523460
Electrical
Filed Mar 13, 1997

WHEN DRIVING AT 60 MPH AND UP THE TRUCK STALLS. *AK

NHTSA ID
807870
Incident
Feb 27, 1997
ElectricalEngineSuspension
Filed Aug 15, 1996

WHILE DRIVING, EXPERIENCES ERRATIC OPERATION IN FRONT SUSPENSION, WHEN HIT POT HOLES OR SLIGHT INDENTATION IN ROAD, VEHICLE STEERING COLUMN AND FRONT END SHAKES AND VIBRATES VIOLENTLY, DLR/MFR CAN'T CORRECT PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT MANUFACTURER ADMITTED PROBLEM AND THEY WERE PUTTING OUT HEAVIER FRONT SPRINGS AND SHOCKS, HOWEVER THIS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S COST, CONSUMER STATES FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION NEEDS BALANCED. SPEAKER HAD TO BE REPLACED. RADIATOR WAS REPLACED DUE TO LEAKING COOLANT. *SLC

NHTSA ID
800932

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .