2004 Toyota Tacoma: ball joint or control arm failure

Filed Oct 25, 2026 · Suspension · FL

Lower ball joint failure.

Filed Feb 14, 2026 · Suspension · FL

I was turning into a gas station and all the sudden the vehicle came to a complete stop i was unable to move the vehicle and sat there until the tow truck was able to show up. Looked under the vehicle and on the passenger side front suspension the lower ball joint was no longer where it belongs.

Filed Apr 26, 2023 · Suspension · TX

Lower ball joint detached, nearly caused major problems for me on the road

Filed Sep 16, 2022 · Suspension · 190,000 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the passenger’s side axle fractured and the wheel detached. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who replaced the ball joints. The local dealer was not contacted. On another occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver’s side axle fractured and the wheel detached. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who replaced the ball joints however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the failure was related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 05V225000 (Suspension). The manufacturer was contacted but provided no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 190,000.

Filed Feb 1, 2022 · Wheels · VA

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 don't know if this amounts to some sort of defect in these model Toyotas but I find it highly suspicious that the front wheels are suddenly falling off of these vehicles while they are being driven.

Filed Oct 8, 2021 · Suspension · 250,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH and making a right turn, the front passenger’s side tire and wheel inadvertently detached from the vehicle. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road, where he noticed that the lower control arm had detached from the subframe and was resting on the floor. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 05V225000 (Suspension) because the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 250,000.

Filed Oct 30, 2020 · Suspension · 156,201 miles · TX

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota tacoma. The contact stated while driving 35 -40 MPH, the passenger's side ball joint failed causing damage to the sidewall of the tire. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the lower control lower ball joints, control arm, ball joint and the inner and outer tie rod needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the strut assembly, upper ball joint, ABS sensor, and passenger's side brake hose were replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 05v225000 (suspension). The failure mileage was 156,201.

Filed Sep 4, 2019 · Suspension · 198,726 miles · WI

September 29, 2018 I was driving on the interstate my tacoma's front end would feel like it would float off the ground or lift up off the interstate. I made it back to the town I live in and stopped at a gas station for some gas. As I left, to go pick up my fianc and our 2 girls to get back on the interstate and drive back with them to where I just was. I got about 3 blocks from the gas station as I was going 30 MPH. All of a sudden my right front end goes down as if a tire blew. When I came to a stop and went to look what happen. I found that I don't have a flat tire but that my right front tire is lying on its side under the rear of the right front fender. The upper and lower ball joint each snapped in half which caused my tire to break loose and caused me to skid down the road. The right front axle shaft, outer tie rod, stabilizer bar links, spindle knuckle were all destroyed and had to be replaced. So when I was on the interstate heading home to get my family and kept feeling like the front of my truck would randomly float up was more than likely because my lower ball joint was already broken apart. Which driving on the interstate put enough stress on the upper ball joint. That caused the upper ball joint to break when it did. To think if it the tire stayed on till I picked up my family and got back on the interstate with my 3 girls and that tire broke off.

Filed Aug 15, 2019 · Brakes, Steering · 269,000 miles · UT

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! Which obviously is not true, or my balk joints would be good to go, I have never taken my truck off road or even had it in 4 wheel drive, I have not beat on my truck I take excellent care of my vehicle, I feel this ball joint problem should of been part of your recall , I could of been severely hurt or even died as well as my son who was riding with me, thank god we weren't...I am prepared to turn you into the bbb if I dont get a reasonable response

Filed May 15, 2019 · Suspension · 161,000 miles · HI

Right ball joint broke. Wheel tucked under vehicle. Broke cv axle

Filed May 14, 2019 · Suspension · 161,021 miles · HI

Ball joint separated and wheel tucked under car. Also broke cv shaft

Filed Aug 13, 2018 · Airbags, Suspension · 178,468 miles · CA · crash

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota tacoma. While the contact's son was driving 55 MPH, the axle and ball joints detached from the vehicle. The contact's son lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a dirt ditch. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to valley hi toyota (14612 valley center drive, victorville, ca 92395, 866‑405‑5098), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 178,468.