Most common 2005 Toyota Tacoma problems
Share of the 707 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Tacoma complaints by model year
Best Tacoma years: 2014, 2015, 2020. Years to avoid: 2024, 2016, 2025, 2012, 2017. Compare all years →
2005 Toyota Tacoma recalls (10)
Suspension › Rear › Springs › Leaf spring assembly › Leaf
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Toyota Tacoma Pre-Runner and 4x4 vehicles manufactured September 14, 2009, to October 11, 2010. In the affected vehicles, one of the leaf springs may fracture due to stress or corrosion.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and dealers will install new rear leaf spring assemblies. The recall began on January 29, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
Seat belts
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Tacoma Access Cab vehicles manufactured September 14, 2004, through March 29, 2010; and model year 2011 Tacoma Access Cab vehicles manufactured July 1, 2010, through September 7, 2011.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat belt assemblies. Based on the inspection, the seat belt assembly will be replaced or new pre-tensioner screws will be installed with thread-locking sealant…
Air bags › Frontal
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 tacoma vehicles, manufactured from September 14, 2004, through August 29, 2008. Over time, steering wheel vibration May damage the spiral cable assembly (clockspring) that powers the driver's air bag module.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the spiral cable assembly, free of charge. An interim letter is expected to be mailed to owners during April 2012. Owners May contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Gulf states Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between September 1, 2005 and June 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Remedy: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 passenger vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Remedy: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall began on May 27, 2010.
Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 passenger vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.
Remedy: Toyota filed an amended defect report on November 25, 2009, stating that dealers will modify the accelerator pedal and, on certain vehicles, alter the shape of the floor surface under the pedal.
Show 4 more recalls
Equipment › Other › Labels
Toyota is recalling 27,080 model year 2005 through 2010 passenger cars built from September 1, 2005 to May 4, 2009. These vehicles were not equipped with load carrying capacity modification labels which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims."
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with a new, accurate label to be installed over the inaccurate label free of charge. The safety recall began on August 18, 2009. Owners May contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371.
Air bags
On certain vehicles, due to improper assembly of the air bag inflator, which is used in the side air bag, the curtain shield air bag, and the knee air bag assembly, some inflators were produced with an insufficient amount of the heating agents necessary for proper air bag deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the specific SRS air bag. The recall began on April 6, 2006. Owners May contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371, Scion at 1-866-548-1851, or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
Air bags
On certain regular cab pickup trucks equipped with a bench seat, the seat position and seat belt buckle sensor connector pins are incorrectly positioned due to a wire harness manufacturing process error.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the seat position and seat belt fastening condition sensor connector. An additional sub-wire harness will be installed to correct the connector pin manufacturing error, if necessary.
Parking brake
On certain pickup trucks equipped with an automatic transmission, there is a possibility that the parking brake pedal cable lock nut May not have been tightened to the proper torque specification. In this condition, the lock nut May loosen and come off, which will reduce the effectiveness of the parking brake.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the parking brake pedal cable lock nut to the proper torque specification free of charge. The recall began on March 3, 2005. Owners May contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
What 2005 Toyota Tacoma owners say
Body & structure all 260 →
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while his vehicle was parked, he noticed that the subframe was extremely rusted. The contact noticed a 10-inch crack on the inside driver's side rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer dealer and the contact was informed that the subframe needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000. Consumer stated rust is the worst near the catalytic converters. It is also bad just in front of the rear tires. It's a manufacturer flaw where they designed the double wall to where water could get in but not get out and the frame rots from the inside out. This truck was garage kept.
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Tacoma. After a visual inspection of the exterior of the vehicle, the contact observed extreme corrosion on the sub frame. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed the corrosion of the sub frame and deemed the vehicle unsafe for driving. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 130,000.
Suspension all 137 →
The frame is rusting out substantially. The dealer advised me not to drive because the frame could fail at anytime. I have been driving around unaware of the problem. I could have been killed if the framed failed on the highway. There was no warning light. The Vehicle has been into the dealer and no one mentioned the problem until 08/30/2024. The Vehicle has been maintained and garaged. The vehicle is in good condition and has not been in an accident. I called Toyota and was told I was out of luck because the warranty expired even though the frame problem was Toyotas fault. A truck frame should outlast the engine and the body. I plan to keep the truck for 400,00 miles and my finances are very tight. Toyota is penalizing me because the frame didn't rust out sooner and on Toyotas time frame.
I got a recall on my 2005 Toyota frame for rust problem. I took it to magness Toyota in Harrison Arkansas they checked the frame and said it was ok. 2 years later when I had my 2005 toyota serviced they found on both sides the frame was severely rusted through and can and will be a dangerous circumstance
Speed control & acceleration all 93 →
I was slowly turning into my driveway when there was a sudden acceleration of the gas pedal. My truck shot like a bullet (about 40-45 feet) into the corner of my house and deck. The force of the impact sheared a 6x6 deck corner post, knocked the garage small entry door completely loose from it's frame, and did extensive damage to a solid brick wall, as well as damage to the inside of garage. Luckily, I did still have my seat belt fastened; however, the air bag did not deploy. I filed a claim with Toyota, they sent an inspector, and now have denied that there was any malfunction. I am 100% sure that the acceleration was not "driver's error" and that there is a safety issue here and Toyota should be held accountable. The body damage to my truck has been repaired, but I will be getting rid of it. …
I was pulling into a parking spot in front of a building. I was going approx. 1-3 MPH due to the lot being wet & had my foot on the brake. When I was almost to the concrete curb, the truck suddenly accelerated, jumped the curb and hit the building. I still had my foot on the brake & shifted into neutral. The engine was revving full throttle, so I turned off the engine. Before moving, I checked to make sure nothing was touching the accelerator, which was the case. The airbags didn't deploy but that was because of the angle at which I hit the building. I then restarted the engine an backed off the building.
2005 Toyota Tacoma engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 18 / 24 / 21 |
| 2.7L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 21 / 18 |
| 2.7L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 21 / 18 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 20 / 17 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Toyota Tacoma a good car?
Based on 707 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Tacoma rates avoid: 2.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the Tacoma at the same age. It is one of the Tacoma years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Toyota Tacoma?
The body & structure — 260 complaints, 37% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body. Next are the suspension (137) and speed control & acceleration (93).
How many recalls does the 2005 Toyota Tacoma have?
There are 10 recalls for the 2005 Toyota Tacoma, the most recent from September 29, 2014 (leaf). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota Tacoma?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2015 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2024, 2016, 2025, 2012 and 2017. See the full Toyota Tacoma years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Toyota Tacoma problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 82,000 miles; 31% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.