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Vehicle safety record

1997 Toyota Prerunner Problems, complaints & recalls

Owners have filed 3 complaints about the 1997 Toyota Prerunner with NHTSA, most often about the brakes (1) and the transmission & drivetrain (1). There are no recalls for it. For comparison, the 1998 has 2.

NHTSA data checked

AFar fewer problems than a typical Prerunner year, for its age

#234 most complained-about 1997 vehicle

Complaints
3
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0

Most common 1997 Toyota Prerunner problems

Share of all 3 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.

No recalls for the 1997 Toyota Prerunner

NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1997 Toyota Prerunner. Recalls can be announced at any time - this page updates daily.

What owners say

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3 complaints about the 1997 Toyota Prerunner

Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.

Wheels & tires

The wrangler at/d2 I purchased yesterday at sams club may have a factory defect. I bought a pair of lt265/75/r16. It already had this size of tires when I bought the vehicle used 7 years ago. The technician at the store said he was not allowed to install them because my suv should have 265/70/16 tires. I have never had this problem before. I purchased a pair of 265/75/r16 at discount tires a year ago without any problem. So, I purchased this pair of tires at sams, anyway, and had them installed this morning at a...

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local tire shop. The tires were mounted and balanced and I drove out of the shop and headed to work on the freeway. I was on the freeway for only 2 miles, at 60mph, when a heard a hissing noise and the suv pulled to one side. I managed to pulled out of the freeway and one of my new tires was flat. I inspected the tire and there were no nails, screws or holes on the thread. However, I noticed that there is a litle defect on the thread pattern and what appears to be a hole, or a chunk of rubber missing, right next to this pattern defect where the thread ends and sidewall begins. The rest of the tire looks to be radially symmetrical as is the other tire entirely. Could you please help me with my problem? I purchased goodyear tire precisely because its quality reputation. Now, the technician at sams who sold me the tires says that he cannot help me and the owner of the local tire shop(sahuayo tires, lynwood, ca, 310-638-7077) would probably deny any installation workmanship defects. I am taking the suv back to the tire shop tomorrow to see exactly what the problem is. I am going to ask them to dismount the tire and take a closer look from the inside. But, if the tire is ruined and is determined to be because of this suspected factory defect, then I would appreciate very much your help to resolve this situation. I am certain that I didn't run over any debris on the road and I should be entitle to some kind of basic factory warranty. I hope to hear from you soon.

Filed Incident TiresNHTSA 10194173
Transmission & drivetrain

Rear axle seals on vehicle need replacing. Has lead to damage of rear brakes and rotors that will in turn need to be replaced. Why is this not a recall or some bulletin to owners as this could be a dangerous equipment failure? Car has 75k miles and very well maintained, no off road use. *Nm

Filed Incident Power trainNHTSA 10176745
Brakes

Consumer took vehicle for inspection and was told that there were no rear brakes. There was a seal failure in rear axle brakes. Repairs were made, but currently rear brakes malfunctioned again. *Ak

Filed Incident Service brakes, hydraulicNHTSA 10081693

Toyota Prerunner: every year compared

YearComplaintsRecallsCrashesFiresTop problemGrade
20017010Body, doors & structureC
19997010AirbagsC
19982000Engine & coolingA
19973000BrakesA
All Prerunner years

1997 Toyota Prerunner vs rivals

More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.

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Questions about the 1997 Toyota Prerunner

Does the 1997 Toyota Prerunner have any recalls?

NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1997 Toyota Prerunner right now. Recalls can be announced at any time, and this page checks NHTSA every day. You can also check your exact vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common problems with the 1997 Toyota Prerunner?

By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the brakes (1), transmission & drivetrain (1), wheels & tires (1).

How many complaints has the 1997 Toyota Prerunner had?

3 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on July 12, 2004 and the latest on June 25, 2007. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.

Is the 1997 Toyota Prerunner a reliable vehicle?

Its Safety Index is 86 out of 100 (grade A: far fewer problems than a typical Toyota Prerunner year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.

Which Toyota Prerunner years have the most complaints?
What should I do if my 1997 Toyota Prerunner has a problem?

If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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