NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1997–2002
Toyota Prerunner complaints and VIN decoding
NHTSA lists 25 owner complaints for the Toyota Prerunner from model years 1997 to 2002, and no vehicle recall campaigns filed under this model name. The 1999 and 2001 model years drew the most complaints (7 each), and Structure is the component owners name most often.
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.
See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.
- 25 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
- 5 model years with data (1997–2002)
- most complaints: 1999, 2001 (7 for that model year)
- top component: Structure (6 complaints)
- 3 complaints reporting a crash (12.0%)
- 0 complaints reporting a fire (0.0%)
- 3 complaints reporting an injury (12.0%)
- 0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)
The 1999 and 2001 model years share the highest count, 7 complaints each. Next come 2002 (6) and 1997 (3). The fewest are for 1998, with 2 complaints.
| Model year | Complaints | Reporting a crash | Reporting a fire | Reporting an injury | Reporting a death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| All model years | 25 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.
Structure is the component named most often, in 6 complaints (24.0% of all 25), followed by Suspension (6) and Power Train (5).
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 6 | 24.0% |
| Suspension | 6 | 24.0% |
| Power Train | 5 | 20.0% |
| Air Bags | 4 | 16.0% |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 12.0% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 8.0% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 8.0% |
| Tires | 2 | 8.0% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 4.0% |
| Steering | 1 | 4.0% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 4.0% |
One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.
What NHTSA owner complaints mean
These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.
- They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
- Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
- Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
- One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
- Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.
Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.
Are there any recalls for the Toyota Prerunner?
NHTSA lists no vehicle recall campaigns filed under the model name Prerunner. NHTSA sometimes files versions of a model under other names, so check the brand’s other models too, and use NHTSA’s VIN lookup (opens in a new tab) for any particular vehicle.
Which Toyota Prerunner model year has the most complaints?
The 1999 and 2001 model years tie, with 7 complaints each out of 25. The next are 2002 (6) and 1997 (3). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.
What is the most common Toyota Prerunner complaint?
Structure is the component named most often: 6 complaints, or 24.0% of all 25. Suspension (6) and Power Train (5) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.
How many Toyota Prerunner complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?
Of the 25 complaints, 3 report a crash, 0 a fire, 3 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.
The Toyota models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Toyota VIN decoder with every Toyota model page, WMI code and VIN note.
- Toyota Camry 1995–2025 · 52 recalls · 16,486 complaints
- Toyota Prius 2000–2026 · 35 recalls · 12,503 complaints
- Toyota Corolla 1995–2026 · 49 recalls · 11,178 complaints
- Toyota RAV4 1995–2025 · 50 recalls · 9,366 complaints
- Toyota Sienna 1996–2022 · 52 recalls · 8,831 complaints
- Toyota Tacoma 1995–2026 · 56 recalls · 8,427 complaints
- Toyota Tundra 1999–2026 · 74 recalls · 6,897 complaints
- Toyota Highlander 1997–2026 · 51 recalls · 5,696 complaints
All Toyota models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year
Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.