2000 Toyota Tacoma Suspension Problems

My son was driving the 2000 Toyota Tacoma across very smooth transition railroad tracks at about 25 mph and the right front ball joint failed, collapsing the suspension. He lost all control and the vehicle skidded to a stop. Had he been going any faster, the vehicle could have rolled over. I have reviewed the recalls for Toyota ball joints and found the there is a 50J recall for 2001-2005 Tacomas. Interestingly enough, the trucks/Tacomas from 1995-2000 have the same ball joint but were not included in the recall. I have tried to work with Toyota directly on this matter and they don't seem to want to help me. This is a safety issue and should be elevated to recall levels for all vehicles with this ball joint.

NHTSA ID

11738782

Incident

May 11, 2026

The frame is rusted and I don't feel safe driving it at highway speeds. The electrical system The horn, air bags and radio don't work. Toyota said they had a program to repair the frame but they no longer honor it

NHTSA ID

11587164

Incident

Dec 2, 2023

The Frame of the truck in the back above the rear tire has rusted out and the Frame has broke.

NHTSA ID

11500019

Incident

Dec 26, 2022

The contact owns a 2000 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that he received a recall notification for an unknown safety recall. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and informed the contact that the vehicle did not need the recall repair at the time. The contact stated upon taking the vehicle to the independent mechanic for a repair, he was informed that the entire subframe was corroded. The dealer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact that they could not assist as the vehicle was not included in a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11434851

Incident

Sep 27, 2018

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS SON WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE PAVEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT REACHED OUT TO VANN YORK TOYOTA (500 EASTCHESTER DR, HIGH POINT, NC 27262) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT LINKED THE FAILURE TO A LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.

NHTSA ID

11374881

Incident

Nov 14, 2020

Mileage

140,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR A RECALL REPAIR FOR VERIFYING IF THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE REPAIR WAS DONE BETWEEN 2010 AND 2013. THE UNKNOWN DEALER SPRAYED THE FRAME WITH AN UNDERCOAT AFTER INSURING THAT IT WAS NOT RUSTED. THE UNDERCOAT WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT FRAME FROM ANY FUTURE RUSTING. THE FRAME WAS NOT RUSTED PRIOR TO THE COATING BEING APPLIED. THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE THAT THE FRAME STARTED TO RUST WHILE WASHING THE VEHICLE AT UNDER THE REAR FENDER WELLS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SUBFRAME. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.*DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11350677

Incident

Aug 1, 2014

Mileage

150,000 mi

FRAME RUSTED INTO PIECES AND BROKE OFF WAS NOW INFORMED THERE WAS A RECALL ABOUT IT .I WAS NOT INFORMED. DROVE INTO DITCH .TOWED HOME AND WELDED BACK TOGETHER FOR NOW .

NHTSA ID

11152997

Incident

Oct 28, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT DETACHED AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 270,000.

NHTSA ID

11144870

Incident

Nov 1, 2018

Mileage

270,000 mi

AFTER RECEIVING A RECALL NOTICE FOR A RUSTED FRAME IN 2008 OUR 2000 TACOMA WAS INSPECTED AND SAID TO BE OK. RECENTLY THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISE IN THE REAR END, SO WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED US THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT RUST TO THE FRAME AND THE BACK SUSPENSION MOUNT WAS COMPLETELY DETACHED, LEAVING THE TRUCK UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE INITAL NOISE WAS NOTICED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID

11123859

Incident

Aug 3, 2018

Mileage

135,000 mi

THE FRAME RUSTED THROUGH DUE TO DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING CAUSING TRUCK TO BEND LIKE A BANANA AND POSING A GREAT SAFETY HAZARD. WHEN IN MOTION THE DANGER IS THAT THE PICKUP COULD VEER IN ANY DIRECTION, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL AND LEAVE THE ROAD OR CROSS INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HAPPENED OVER YEARS; DISCOVERED 3/29/17

NHTSA ID

11082139

Incident

Mar 29, 2018

Mileage

68,575 mi

I RECEIVED A LETTER AROUND 2008 REGARDING FRAME ISSUES WITH MY 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. TOOK IT TO METRO TOYOTA IN KALAMAZOO, MI TO INSPECT IT AND THEY SAID IT WAS OK. YEARS LATER, I SEE THAT THE FRAME ROTTED NEAR THE LEAF SPRING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE.

NHTSA ID

11073302

Incident

Feb 15, 2008

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR LOCKS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND BRAKES FAILED. ALSO, THE REAR AXLE FRACTURED AND THE BUMPER DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE TOYOTA OF THE DESERT DEALER (LOCATED AT 68105 KYLE ROAD, CATHEDRAL CITY, CALIFORNIA 92234; 760-328-0871) WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE OF ALL THE REPAIRS THAT WERE MADE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11020097

Incident

Jan 1, 2000

MY FRAME IS RUSTED REALLY BAD AND MY FRONT MOTOR MONT IS RUSTED AWAY

NHTSA ID

11011185

Incident

Jul 28, 2017

THIS TRUCK WAS CHECK OUT AT A TOYOTA DEALER IN 2014 OR 2013 I DO NOT RECALL THE DATE BUT THEY SAID THE FRAME AND SUSPENSION IS OK BUT AS OF 6-2017. THEY FRAME IS VERY RUSTED AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE ANY MORE . AND I AM AFRAID TO SELL THIS TO ANY BODY FOR SAFETY ISSUES ,

NHTSA ID

11002753

Incident

Jul 2, 2017

Mileage

225,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, AN ABNORMAL DRAGGING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 177,000.

NHTSA ID

10911146

Incident

Oct 2, 2016

Mileage

177,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS CORRODED AND FRACTURED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CORROSION WAS ON THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,000.

NHTSA ID

10898725

Incident

Aug 21, 2015

Mileage

250,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE LEAF SPRING FRACTURED IN HALF. IN ADDITION, THE FRAME WAS RUSTED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10896644

Incident

Jun 13, 2010

I PURCHASED MY 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA IN 2000. IN 2008 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICED FROM TOYOTA IN REFERENCE TO A FRAME ISSUE. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO TOYOTA AND THE SERVICE TECH ADVISED ME THAT THE TRUCK WAS FINE. IN APRIL 2016, I NOTICED THAT MY REAR LEAF SPRING WAS NO LONGER CONNECTED TO THE FRAME BECAUSE THE FRAME HAS ROTTED. MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP COULD NOT HELP ME AND ADVISED ME TO CONTACT TOYOTA. I MADE A CLAIM WITH TOYOTA AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT I AM PAST THE 15 YEAR WARRANTY WITH THE FRAME. I BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A NEW FRAME BACK IN 2008 WHEN THE RECALL WAS ACTIVE.

NHTSA ID

10862901

Incident

Apr 26, 2016

Mileage

179,000 mi

PURCHASED TRUCK USED. HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A CAMPAIGN ON THE REAR FOR RUST THRU. MINE IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THRU, BROKEN. DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AS PER BODY SHOP. TOYOTA OFFERS NO ASSISTANCE - HOW CAN THEY NOT? SUPPOSEDLY THIS ONE WAS INSPECTED IN 2011 AND WAS OK. THERE IS NO WAY THAT IT WAS OK IN 2011 AND IS NOW BROKEN, RUSTED THRU AND CANNOT BE DRIVEN. THE REAR END SHIMMYS SO BAD DUE TO BROKEN COMPONENTS, RUSTED THRU, THAT IT IS A DANGER TO DRIVER AND OTHER MOTORISTS.

NHTSA ID

10852048

Incident

Mar 28, 2016

DO TO AN ERROR BY TOYOTA, THE FRAME ON MY VERY WELL MANTAINED TACOMA IS ALMOST UNSAFE TO DRIVE DO TO THE THE CORROSION ON THE FRAME, MAYBE ONE MORE YEAR.MY TRUCK HAS ONLY 80,000 MILES,NO SUFACE RUST,ENGINE RUNS GREAT.I KNOW I'M NOT ALONE WHY IS TOYOTA ALOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THIS? THERE ARE OWNERS ALL OVER WHO TOYOTA REFUSES TO HELP,AND MAKE THINGS RIGHT.TRUCKS ARE BREAKING IN HALF HELP!!!

NHTSA ID

10837087

Incident

Feb 1, 2016

THE TRUCK HAS FRAME CORROSION THAT MAKES THE CAR ILLEGAL TO DRIVE. IN 2010, IT WAS RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE. I BROUGHT IT IN TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN 2010 AND 2013 FOR THE WARRANTY. BASED ON A LETTER I RECEIVED FROM TOYOTA, TOYOTA WAS SUPPOSED TO BUY BACK THE VEHICLE IF CORROSION WAS PRESENT OR SPRAY CORROSIVE RESISTANT COMPOUNDS (CRCS) AT NO COST TO ME. THE DEALERSHIP DID NEITHER. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THEY SPRAYED CRCS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE DEALERSHIP. TURNS OUT THEY DID NOT SPRAY AND SIX MONTHS AFTER THE WARRANTY ENDED THE FRAME WAS DEEMED SO CORRODED BY AN OIL CHANGE MECHANIC AT AN INDEPENDENT BUSINESS, I CAN NO LONGER DRIVE THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA AND THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WILL NOT ADDRESS THE LETTER THEY SENT ME AND THE FACT THEY DID NOT SPRAY CRCS AS DISCUSSED. THE VEHICLE IS VERY UNSAFE, I DID WAS I WAS TOLD, AND THE DEALERSHIP IS NEGLIGENT IF FOLLOWING BINARY RULES OF THE WARRANTY--REPLACE THE VEHICLE OR SPRAY CRCS. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS "THEY HAD NO RESPONSIBILITY TO DO ANYTHING" BUT A LETTER I RECEIVED FROM TOYOTA SAYS DIFFERENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED REGULARLY AND RAN WELL AND HAS NO ISSUES BUT THE FRAME MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSAFE AND INOPERABLE. THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE IS NO COLLAPSING AS WELL. THE FRAME IS ROTTED THROUGH.

NHTSA ID

10821528

Incident

Sep 8, 2015

WHILE HAVING A TIRE REPAIRED, MECHANIC NOTICED A BROKEN SHOCK ABSORBER MOUNT. UPON HIS ATTEMPT TO REPAIR, HE FOUND SEVERE FRAME RUST, WITH INSUFFICIENT METAL REMAINING TO REATTACH THE MOUNT. AFTER AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRAME WAS UNREPAIRABLE, AND THAT SINCE THE "PUT IN SERVICE" DATE WAS FEB 2000, I WAS TOO LATE FOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PROGRAM. APPARENTLY, IF I HAD FOUND THE PROBLEM 5 MONTHS EARLIER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE FOR A BUY-BACK. AS THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND THE MANUFACTURER'S TIME LIMITATIONS. I AM THE SECOND OWNER, AND OTHER THAN THE FRAME RUST, THE TRUCK SHOWS NO CORROSION. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICE OF FRAME RUST PROBLEMS, OR THE INSPECTION AND EXTENDED FRAME WARRANTY OFFER FROM TOYOTA. SINCE GETTING THE BAD NEWS, I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS SIMILAR STORIES ONLINE. THIS WAS AN ADMITTED MANUFACTURING DEFECT, AND DEFINITELY IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AS THE FRAME CAN COLLAPSE OR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS CAN BREAK LOOSE. THERE ARE THOUSNDS OF THESE VEHICLES IN DAILY USE, AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR, REPLACEMENT, OR BUY-BACK. PLEASE HELP!!!

NHTSA ID

10744113

Incident

Jul 6, 2015

Mileage

199,000 mi

VEHICLE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY AND DRUNK DRIVER HIT 2 VEHICLES, TOTALED ONE & 99% ON TOYOTA. AFTER REPAIRS, REPAIRMAN MADE STATEMENT THAT WE HAD RUST ON UNDERSIDE AND WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND HOW TO FIX IT. JUST THIS MONTH A FRIEND TOLD US ABOUT THE RECALLS AND HOW TO FIND OUT MORE. WE FOUND THE RECALL AND WAS GIVEN A CASE MANAGER AND TOLD THAT IT WAS A WARRANTY AND IT EXPIRED AND THE NEXT DAY THE ARTICLE ON THE RECALL WAS NO LONGER ON THE INTERNET.

NHTSA ID

10724275

Incident

Oct 31, 2014

Mileage

180,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SHAKE FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACTED DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVE LINE FAILED FROM THE REAR END. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT LINE, SPRINGS, AND SHOCKS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

NHTSA ID

10715749

Incident

Apr 22, 2015

Mileage

160,000 mi

FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH LEAF SPRING WENT INSIDE THE FRAME RAILS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10621287

Incident

Aug 8, 2014

Mileage

246,000 mi