Is the 2005 Toyota Tacoma a bad year?
706 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Tacoma years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2005 Toyota Tacoma are in line with other Tacoma years. Body structure and suspension stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2005 Tacoma owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 110,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body structureSTANDS OUT | 259 (37%) | 59k–150k miles · around this mileage | — |
| SuspensionSTANDS OUT | 137 (19%) | 68k–144k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Steering | 61 (9%) | 65k–152k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Engine | 29 (4%) | 77k–160k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 20 (3%) | 21k–120k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Fuel system | 11 (2%) | 44k–126k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Wheels | 9 (1%) | 33k–120k miles · around this mileage | Wheel bearing / hub assembly replacement (one wheel) $230–$750 |
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 93 (13%) | 31k–82k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 57 (8%) | 7k–83k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Air bags | 46 (7%) | 58k–106k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Tires | 26 (4%) | 4k–44k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Brakes | 24 (3%) | 18k–89k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 20 (3%) | 38k–87k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Seat belts | 6 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 110,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 706 complaints: 47 mention a crash · 3 mention a fire · 14 report an injury · 3 say the car was towed.
1 complaint was filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Jun 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
My 2005 Toyota tacoma quad cab SR5 has an issue with the transmission. At a complete stop with my foot firmly on the brake my truck lunges forward in a very dangerous abrupt manner as though someone rear ended me.
2005 tacoma, trd sport pkg, 6 speed manual behind a V6. At about 27k the clutch pedal started making this horrendous squeak.
This is a follow up to a previous complaint regarding difficulty shifting particularly from 1st to 2ND.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 110,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2005 Toyota Tacoma: 10
In the affected vehicles, one of the leaf springs may fracture due to stress or corrosion. While being driven, the broken leaf could move out of position and contact surrounding components including the fuel tank, possibly puncturing the tank and causing a fuel leak. If the fuel tank leaks fuel from being punctured, there is an increased risk of a fire.
If the access doors are repeatedly and forcefully closed, the screws that attach the seat belt pre-tensioner to the seat belt retractor can loosen over time. If the screws loosen completely, the seat belt pre-tensioner and the retractor spring cover could detach from the seat belt retractor. If the seat belt pre-tensioner detaches from the seat belt assembly, the seat belt pre-tensioner will not perform as designed, increasing the risk of injury in a severe crash.
Over time, steering wheel vibration may damage the spiral cable assembly (Clockspring) that powers the driver s air bag module. If damage occurs, the air bag warning lamp will illuminate and the air bag may become deactivated. In the event of a crash, the driver s side air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of personal injury.
These vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels. A driver may overload a vehicle which may increase the risk of a crash.
These vehicles were sold between september 1, 2005 and june 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels. This does not meet the standard requirements.
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. A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.
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." Incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels could result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. This may increase the risk of injury to the occupant in the involved seating position in the event of a crash.
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. In this condition, the seat position and seat belt buckle sensor may not function as designed, affecting the adaptive air bag deployment, which if the vehicle is involved in a crash, could result in improper occupant restraint.
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. This condition could allow the vehicle to roll if the transmission is not placed into the "Park" Position and the vehicle is parked on a slope, thus raising the possibility of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Toyota: 181
Repair instructions Toyota sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2005 Toyota Tacoma. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Some vehicles may exhibit a squeak or creak noise from the clutch pedal when it is depressed or released
There is a drivetrain vibration and/or noise
Toyota has received a number of reports regarding Propeller Shaft Universal Joints on certain 2005-2011 model year Tacoma vehicles
Some vehicles may exhibit a condition where there is a drivetrain vibration and/or drivetrain noise
Neighbouring years
2004 Tacoma: 415 complaints, keep it · 2006 Tacoma: 782 complaints, keep it.
Every Toyota Tacoma year
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Questions
Is the 2005 Toyota Tacoma a bad year?
706 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Tacoma years. At 110,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Toyota Tacoma?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: body structure (259), suspension (137), steering (61), engine (29), electrical system (20).
How many recalls does the 2005 Toyota Tacoma have?
10 recall campaigns list this model year: Suspension (NHTSA 14V-604), Seat belts (NHTSA 13V-337), Air bags (NHTSA 12V-092), Equipment (NHTSA 10V-036) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.