The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighNHTSA·12V542000·Announced 2012-11-23

Toyota Recalls 2001-2004 Tacoma Trucks for Spare Tire Carrier Defect

Toyota is recalling 2001-2004 Tacoma trucks in cold climate states because the spare tire carrier lift plate may corrode and break, causing the tire to detach.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural component (spare tire carrier) that could break and detach, creating a road hazard that may increase the risk of a vehicle crash. This fits the 'High' severity criteria for risk-of-harm products where injury has not yet been reported.

Plain-English summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling approximately 150,000 model year 2001 through 2004 Tacoma light trucks. These vehicles were manufactured between August 28, 2000, and August 27, 2004, and are originally sold or currently registered in specific cold climate states and the District of Columbia where road salt usage is high. The affected states include Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The defect involves the spare tire carrier lift plate, which is located underneath the rear of the vehicle. During manufacture, the lift plate may not have been sufficiently coated with anti-corrosion materials. In cold climate regions with frequent road salt use, road spray can reach the carrier assembly and corrode the lift plate. This corrosion could cause the plate to break, resulting in the detachment of the spare tire from the vehicle. A detached spare tire could create a road hazard that increases the risk of a vehicle crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace the spare tire carrier lift plate as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in February 2013. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or visit www.safercar.gov.

The recalled product

Product
TOYOTA TACOMA
Brand
TOYOTA
Manufacturer
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Category
Vehicle — Light Trucks
Hazard
Affected units
150,000

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (1)

  • TACOMA

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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