ToyotaTacoma Regular Cab1997V6/toyota/tacoma-regular-cab/1997/v6/

1997 Toyota Tacoma Regular Cab — V6

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1997 Tacoma Regular Cab V6.

Body TRUCKEngine V6Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1997 Toyota Tacoma Regular Cab V6 is a compact pickup pairing its V6 engine with a 4-speed automatic transmission, returning EPA fuel economy of 16 city, 20 highway, and 18 combined mpg — modest figures that reflect the truck's work-oriented tuning rather than any pretense of efficiency. Routine maintenance is straightforward, with the engine taking 5.3 quarts of either 10W-30 or 5W-30 API-grade oil, a simplicity that has helped keep many of these trucks on the road well past their expected service life. On the reliability front, this model year carries 135 total owner complaints and 4 recalls, with the structure — frame and body integrity — standing as the most frequently cited problem area, a known vulnerability in this generation that researchers should weigh against the powertrain's generally durable reputation.

Model year199719961995

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.3 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque83 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/20/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 360 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZD1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 360 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnHEADOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZD1
Engine air filter178013502083 alt 1780107020
Fuel filter2330062010 alt 2330079446
Spark plug9091901192
Front wiper blades85212YZZ03TM
Serpentine belt9936481070 alt 993652089083
Thermostat9091603075 alt 9091603120

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length174.8 in
Overall width66.5 in
Overall height61.8 in
Wheelbase103.5 in
Curb weight2562 lb
Track (front / rear)55.1 / 55.9 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 20 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.3 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, GL-5 · 80W-90 in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 83 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear Oil75W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.4 Pints
Differential Gear OilGL-5 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity5.8 Pints
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5.3 qt
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5.4 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts192 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts184 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Axle (U-bolts)90.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Chassis Bracket116.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Rear Shackle67.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring Rear Shackle to Chassis Bracket67.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts83 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug27.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug27.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub174 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.36-.55 ohms

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.32 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity7.61 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance360 cca
Optional BCI Group Number24F

Service checks

Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Injector Primary Resistance13.4-14.2 na ohms
Engine Compression145-174 psi

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle90 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket65 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle80 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0028 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.866 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.866 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Fuel Evaporative Canister (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1997 Toyota Tacoma Regular Cab dominate in one area — the structure, 41 of 135 reports (30%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 4 recall campaigns target the structure, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 13 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the structure pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
91
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
135
Owner complaints
13 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 135 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Structure41
Suspension18
Tires14
Seat Belts9
Power Train7
Unknown Or Other6
Air Bags6
Vehicle Speed Control6

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E049000Exterior LightingReported 24/05/2006

CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH… Remedy: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.

09E025000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 11/05/2009

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 91 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB0032202023-08-17Air BagsTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
TTT0636202022-03-17Back Over PreventionTT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake…
Toyota PRO19-022022-01-12TiresPOL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all…
Toyota Safety Re2021-03-17Air BagsToyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
T-TT-0636-20 Rev2021-03-12Service BrakesTT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Tacoma Regular Cab. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1997 Tacoma Regular Cab V6 take?

5.3 qt of ABOVE 0 F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 100 F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1997 Tacoma Regular Cab have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the V6 get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 20 highway / 18 combined mpg.