Turning a corner heard a loud clunk and steering went out in the middle of the street.I could of got hit
Toyota Tacoma steering noise problems
10 of the 8,489 owner complaints about the Toyota Tacoma describe clunking or noise when steering, most of them for the 1997 model year.
- owner complaints
- 10
- worst model year
- 1997
- typical mileage
- 56,000
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall for this area of the car. See below
By model year
- 20251
- 20161
- 20072
- 20011
- 20002
- 19981
- 19972
Often reported together
Harsh shifting 2Whining noise 1Steering lock-up 1Shudder 1Knocking 1Grinding brakes 1Ball joint 1
What owners say
Steering has developed a clunk at low speeds. Appears intermediate shaft is bad. Dealer wants over 500 to replace. Online it is a very common problem. The steering shaft goes bad ..how much more dangerous can you get?
When turn the steering wheel makes a popping , clicking sound
The steering wheel began making noises 7 months after it was purchased new. Dealer took the dash out, replaced something and put it back together again. 7 months later the sound began again. Three letters to toyota complaining about this problem were totally ignored. I visited the dealer in tucson, az about this and I wanted the problem solved at toyota expense. Again I was put off and the rattle has persisted to this day. I am tired of listening to this rattle every time I drive the truck. If there is anything you can do to help me get the toyota folks to repair, replace or put a grease fitting on the defective parts in the column, please let me know. Thank you.
Tl* the contact owned a 2007 toyota tacoma. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH, she heard a popping sound in the steering wheel. The steering wheel locked up without warning, steered the vehicle to the right where it crashed into a pole. The driver was injured with a fractured pelvis. A police report was filed. The vehicle was completely destroyed and was towed to a salvage yard. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000. Updated 05/05/2014*lj updated 05/09/2014
Dt*: the contact stated while turning the steering wheel there was a popping noise. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop where it was determined that the lower ball joint was causing the noise. There is a the federal safety agency recall, # 05v225000, regarding the front lower ball joint. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however it is not included in the recall due to the VIN. No repairs have been made. Updated 3/20/2006 -
1998 toyota tacoma 4x4 reg cab there is a knock and play in the steering wheel. Most toyota dealerships say it is normal and say nothing is wrong. The problem has been isolated to the slip joint in the main steering column coming loose. This was done by a toyota service tech. The problem was taken to another dealership with this information and was fixed but they say it will most likely happen again due no change in design by toyota. The slip joint is crimped over the shaft, and after use it becomes loose causing play in the steering wheel.
When applying the brakes at low speeds vehicle experiences excessive vibration in the steering wheel, a loud noise can be heard and vehicle jumps. Vehicle has been taken to the dealer twice. Dealer stated the problem was normal, a characteristic in toyota vehicles.
Brakes - grinding & shuddering, steering wheel, "ping" noise in engine.
Power steering pump makes a tapping & whining noise. Also, steering wheel has to be positioned a certain way in order to maneuver.
Related recalls
Steering: column
- What is wrong
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, Lexus RX350, 2023-2024 NX250, and NX350 vehicles that may have been incorrectly repaired under previous the federal safety agency recall number 23V‑480. An electrical connection inside the steering column's spiral cable assembly may be insufficiently welded, causing the connection to separate and deactivate the driver's air bag. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
- Risk
- A deactivated driver's air bag will not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1‑800‑331‑4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 25TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 25LA02.
Recall number 25V040000 · Recall details
Questions about the Toyota Tacoma steering noise
Which Toyota Tacoma years have clunking or noise when steering problems?
The model years with the most reports are 1997 (2 complaints), 2000 (2 complaints) and 2007 (2 complaints).
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