The Lemon Index2003 Toyota Tacoma.
The 2003 Toyota Tacoma is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 62 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 49, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about body structure, it has 5 recalls, and it gets 16 to 22 mpg combined. The best Toyota Tacoma year is 2022.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 360 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Toyota Tacoma year. 2003 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 53K to 155K miles on the car (265 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- body structure complaints mostly came at 93K–163K miles
- suspension complaints mostly came at 90K–180K miles
- airbags complaints mostly came at 18K–143K miles
Recalls 5
- tires 2012
The spare tire in the subject vehicles is located underneath the rear of the vehicle and held by a sp.
- lights 2006
CERTAIN AJ MOTORSPORT COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES.
- lights 2006
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE.
Show all 5 recalls
- suspension 2005
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ISSUE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SURFACE OF THE BALL OF THE JOINT MAY HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED.
- fuel system, gasoline 2003
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, DURING SIDE IMPACT NCAP TEST (I.E.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Toyota told dealers about
Toyota sent dealers 138 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Information on water leak field-fix repair instructions - revised
- The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide information regarding the installation of…
- The purpose of this bulletin is to provide precautions to follow when installing an automatic
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★☆ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★☆☆☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $2900–4000 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.7L 4-cyl, 3.4L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Water is leaking into the passenger compartment. The dealership replaced a body seal pursuant to a tsb (they said), but problem is still occurring. I would like this repaired or for the vehicle to be replaced.
2003 Toyota Tacoma owner · NHTSA complaint 10098516
More owner reports
Pick-up roll over at 30mph due to unknown reason. Please investigate.
NHTSA complaint 10028990
Clutch pedal bushing is made out of plastic & should be made out of rubber, it wears out & starts to squeak real bad and eventually there is metal to metal contact which causes the whole clutch assy. To fail.
NHTSA complaint 10170580
Quick answers
Is the 2003 Toyota Tacoma reliable?
Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 2× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 49; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Toyota Tacoma year by this measure is 2022.
What are the most common 2003 Toyota Tacoma problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are body structure (15%), transmission & drivetrain (13%) and tires (13%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2003 Toyota Tacoma have?
5 safety recalls (latest: tires). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2003 Toyota Tacoma get?
16 to 22 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2003 Toyota Tacoma problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 53,500 and 155,500 miles. The middle report was at 108,100 miles, from 265 complaints.
Does the 2003 Toyota Tacoma have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 13% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2003 Toyota Tacoma cost in fuel a year?
About $2900 to $4000 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2003 Toyota Tacoma have?
2.4L 4-cyl, 2.7L 4-cyl, 3.4L 6-cyl.
What Toyota Tacoma year is better than the 2003?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2022, 2014 and 2021.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works