Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Toyota Tacoma owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving home from a neighboring city after picking up a friend and on my way there on the interstate I noticed the back end of the vehicle was very loose. Upon arriving at my apartment and parking the vehicle I contacted a friend who was a prior state safety inspector, he looked under the vehicle and said the frame right where the shackle for the leaf spring on the driver's side had completely blown out and was no longer connected. Checked the passenger side and said it was connected by maybe 1/4 of an inch of frame. I was made aware of a safety recall that expired back in 2019 by Hailey Toyota and was informed they would not fix it for free. Neither myself or the original owner had every received documentation regarding this issue and was never informed that the entire frame had to be replaced under the recall/extended warranty. …
When driving home from having the truck serviced, the front drivers wheel broke and crashed into a curb. After taking it to Toyota and calling there help desk, theye confirmed it had a lower and upper ball joint failure. At this time Toyota will not honor this recall and will not provide any assistance with the repairs.
Takata recall, I am writing this complaint because I own a 2004 Toyota Tacoma . On November 2nd I was driving home , was at a 4way stop, once it was my turn to go I accelerated as usual and had my tire on the drivers side detach completely from the ball joint causing me to nearly wreck my truck, if I had been going faster I would have, this was one of the most scariest experiences I have ever had driving! It cost me nearly 1000.00 dollars to fix and now I am having to have the other passenger side fixed because the mechanic says it's hammered...I noticed that over 150,000 Tacoma's were recalled due to this exact problem, when I entered my VIN it says I have no I repaired recalls on my vehicle! …
Loose steering. Lots of play in the wheel, had to have the steering rack bushings replaced at 48K miles because the rack would just move around and the truck was uncontrollable. After replacing the rack, sway bar bushings, and struts @ 48000 mile with no offroad driving the steering is still extremely loose. Is you hit a bump while in a curve on the freeway you feel like you are just along for the ride with almost no control. Dealership advised no recalls and truck is out of warranty. They could not pinpoint what the problem is but stated it could the rack, the steering shaft, or bad ball joints. I had an 88 Toyota 4x4 that I just sold to a friend this year, I drove that truck as hard as possible offroad and never had any of these problems replace bushings and shocks when needed but never felt out of control. Toyota need to fix these Tacoma steering issues.
We are the second owners of a 2004 Tacoma, purchased 4 years ago. It currently has 104,000 miles on it. The underside is rusted out! We just got the list of things to fix this morning (rusty muffler and steering components needing replacement) and are devastated. My husband was told he could lose control of steering at any moment if we don't make the repairs of $4000+. The steering is very loose and not steady. I opened a case this morning, but fear because it's a 2004, they won't hold themselves accountable. Why would they design a truck that looks great on the outside, but becomes a rust bucket on the inside? Aren't they worried about the safety of their Toyota drivers and others?
My 2004 Tacoma has ~127,500 miles and has been subject to frame corrosion and spare tire retainer corrosion recalls. My dealer recently advised that the left rear leaf spring is broken which is resulting in an unpredictable response when driving, especially in 4wd in snowy weather. This lack of steering control is a safety issue. I believe this fracture is directly linked to the corrosion issues in the Tacoma frame and suspension design on the Tacoma. Toyota USA has reviewed the case and is unwilling to cover the cost of the leaf spring repairs. This is despite an extensive recall on 2005+up Tacoma's for distressed leaf springs.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that there was extensive rust and corrosion pertaining to the frame, which affected the rack and pinion. The vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer. An independent mechanic diagnosed that the rack and pinion and the frame needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not included in a recall. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 151,000.
2004 Toyota Tacoma - 61K miles. Has had its Rack & Pinion replaced 3 times. Sounds like this is a common issue from Google searches but Toyota does nothing about it...
Excessive Corrison through out the frame.Was informed bu certified mechanic really it is unsafe to drive. What can I do I still owe money on this vehicle.
Purchased 2004 Tacoma for $18,000, from right Toyota in scottsdale, az in June 2006, received bill for $25,000+!! So much for agreeing on a price! I also purchased an extended warranty for $2200 (included in the $25,000). Weeks after getting the truck I noticed the rear passenger side seemed to give when turning corners. I assumed I needed to adjust to driving a truck with hard suspension. Unfortunately it persisted so I took it into camelback Toyota and had them check it out. They assured me that everything was in tip top shape, I got the feeling they never really checked anything out. They just assumed that it would be unusual to see this stuff breakdown, a valid thought, but they were of no help. Here it is now, a year and a half later, and its just getting worse! So I took it into earnhardt Toyota and the first 2 visits they performed needed front end alignments and tire balancing. …
Steering complaints in other Tacoma years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2004 Toyota Tacoma?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the steering of the 2004 Toyota Tacoma, 7% of the model year's 414 complaints. The component named most often is column (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Toyota Tacoma steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2004 Toyota Tacoma, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Toyota Tacoma steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 69,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.