Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
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).
The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tacoma equipped with Toyo Tires, Tire Line: Open Country HT, Tire Size: 265/70/R16, DOT Number: CXLJA881918. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was shuddering significantly. The vehicle was taken to Walmart for the tires to be balanced and the wheels rotated. The mechanic informed the contact that the service could not be performed because the front tires were out of round, the tires belts were separated, and the tire beads were fractured. The tires were not replaced. The tires were replacement tires. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the tire warranties were not transferable from the previous owner. The vehicle failure mileage was approximately 144,549. The tires failure mileage was approximately 20,000. The VIN was not available.
While driving down the highway my front passenger wheel completely disconnected from the ball joint. There was nothing indicating that the wheel was even loose; no wobbling or shaking or grinding. Luckily the wheel itself slid under the frame of the vehicle and I was able to maneuver the truck off of the highway; a very serious crash could have occurred. Since that incident I have been witness to two other Toyota trucks suffering from the same sudden issue. One was a Toyota Forerunner of a similar year where its wheel had completely fallen off at the ball joint. Another was a 2004 or earlier model Toyota Tacoma. I was merely driving past these vehicles as they were off to the side of the road and saw that their respective front passenger-side wheels had fallen off in the exact same manner as mine had, with the wheels being dragged under the body / frames of the vehicles. …
I was driving on a highway at the posted speed and suddenly the front right wheel broke off the vehicle and caused me to roll 6 times on the highway and I was wrongly accused of being at fault.
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.
I was at the local tire shop getting two tires installed and I noticed that the right rear of my vehicle was not level with the left. I asked that they do an alignment to even the vehicle out and they notified me that the frame was severly rusted. I was told that there was a campain recall on thi same issue and my VIN was in range. When I went to the dealership they notified me that there was another part of this recall, that they did not do, so my frame was not covered. I never received any notice of either recall. I sent a email to Toyota and they called back with the same responce "you never did the ani-corrosion part of the recall so you do not qualify". I have heard of countless persons in my area that have just purchased the same age vehicle and had frame rust that got there vehicles repaired. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tacoma. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 12V542000 (tires); however, the manufacturer and the dealer refused to remedy the recall due to excessive corrosion of the subframe. The contact stated that the vehicle received an anti-corrosion coating treatment prior to the recall notification. The contact was informed by the manufacturer that the anti-corrosion treatment was performed outside of the recall; therefore, nullifying the recall remedy to the lift plate for the spare tire. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 99,876.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tacoma. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 12V542000 (tires).the vehicle was taken to nourse Toyota located at 423 n bridge st, chillicothe, oh 45601 where diagnosed that the frame was corroded and would crumble if the recall was completed. The dealer informed the contact that they did not want to be responsible for any damages to vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and opened case 1803261619 but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 133,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tacoma equipped with blacklion tires, tire line: cilerro, tire size: 205/70/r15, dot number: 5417. The contact stated that the tires were dry rotted and cracking on the tread and sidewalls causing air to leak from the tires. The failure had occurred on the front driver's side tire and the rear passenger's side tire. The local mr. Tire was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 75. The VIN was not available.
On January 19, 2011 at approximately 7:15 am, I was driving approximately 15 MPH on a dirt road, came around an approximate 90 degree right hand turn heading down hill, slid on mud or ice and hit a rut. After all wheels had passed through the rut the vehicle drove up and over a small rise (bump) in the road. After coming over the rise, the right front of the vehicle dove into the dirt and the truck came to an abrupt stop. I turned off the truck and got out of the vehicle to inspect the front end. The right front ball joint had completely separated from ... ??? ... What ever it is supposed to be attached to. The right front wheel was perpendicular to the wheel well with the inside leaning toward the front of the vehicle. I have several photographs of the vehicle taken moments after the equipment failure. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an unrelated repair when they noticed that the entire frame was completely rusted and caused the fuel tank to become slightly detached from the vehicle. The mechanic strapped the fuel tank back onto the vehicle as a temporary remedy. There was a voluntary recall issued by the manufacturer related to the frame, however the recall had expired. There was also a recall associated with NHTSA campaign id number 12V542000 (tires) but the dealer refused to honor the recall because the vehicle was not previously repaired under the manufacturer's voluntary recall. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 104,000. The consumer stated she was never notified of the recall, involving frame rust. Updated 01/08/14 invoice received 01/28/14
Related recalls
Tires › Temporary/emergency spare tire
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,…
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.
Wheel & Tire complaints in other Tacoma years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 2004 Toyota Tacoma?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 2004 Toyota Tacoma, 5% of the model year's 414 complaints. The component named most often is sidewall (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Toyota Tacoma wheel & tire problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 12V-542 (temporary/emergency spare tire, Nov 23, 2012). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2004 Toyota Tacoma wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 104,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to wheels & tires 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.