1997 Toyota PREVIA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
7 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
130,750 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 4 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 7 complaints (57.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 2 | 28.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 14.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 1; Unknown Or Other: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 1
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 3 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 2 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2010 | 3 |
2000: 2; 2001: 1; 2004: 1; 2010: 3
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10052742 · 2004-01-09 (January 9, 2004)
ON OCT 2002, OIL IN THE ENGINE SLUDGED CAUSING CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. THE MECHANICS WERE ABLE TO REPAIR THE ENGINE TO PARTIAL WORKING ORDER. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE LEAKED EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL AND THE POWER OF THE ENGINE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. ON 8 JAN 2004, THE ENGINE OIL LIGHT INDICATED A LOW OIL PRESSURE. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION BY THE MECHANIC, THE ENGINE OIL APPEARED TO HAVE SLUDGED AGAIN CAUSING DAMAGE TO ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS CONSIDERED TO BE TOTALED. WE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND DETERMINED THAT THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 116,226 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052742 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10314810 · 2010-02-27 (February 27, 2010)
MY TOYOTA PREVIA HAD A INCIDENT WITH A STUCK ACCELERATOR. I WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO CONTROL AND STOP VEHICLE WITH MAXIMUM FOOT BRAKE PRESSURE TO THE POINT OF GRINDING BRAKES AND TURNING IGNITION OFF WHEN AWAY FROM OTHER TRAFFIC ON HIGHWAY. I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT WITH THE STUCK ACCELERATOR AND RED-LINING OF RPM'S LED TO A BLOWN HEAD GASKET THAT WAS NOT PHYSICALLY REPAIRABLE BY RECOMMENDATION OF AUTHORIZED TOYOTA REPAIRMAN. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 121,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10314810 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10318772 · 2010-03-10 (March 10, 2010)
I WAS A FEW BLOCKS FROM WORK IN MY 1997 TOYOTA PREVIA WITH MY DAUGHTER. WE STARTED UP A STEEP HILL WHEN AT THE CREST MY VAN SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 50 MPH AND INCREASING. I STOOD ON THE BRAKE BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT AT ALL. THEN I TRIED TO SHIFT INTO PARK. I SUCCEEDED ONLY IN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE WHICH SENT US CAREENING BACKWARD FROM WHERE I HAD COME. THERE HAD BEEN ONLY ONE OTHER CAR ON THE STREET BECAUSE OF THE LATENESS OF THE HOUR AND IT WAS CLEAR THAT ON MY PRESENT COURSE, I WOULD HIT IT DEAD ON. I MOVED OVER ONTO THE CURB WHERE THERE …
Owner-reported narrative. 200,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10318772 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10340587 · 2010-06-29 (June 29, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA PREVIA. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE. SHE PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND PROCEEDED TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FROM THE SCENE AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10340587 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 721027 · 2000-04-04 (April 4, 2000)
UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. VEHICLE GOING ~50 MPH ON TWO-LANE ROAD. ACCELERATED RAPIDLY TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. PASSED AT ~65 MPH. TOOK FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR BUT VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. WAS ABLE TO BRING TO A STOP. IN 'PARK' ENGINE ALSO RACED. LINKAGES CHECKED, BUT WERE OK. VEHICLE BROUGHT TO TOYOTA DEALER IN FLAGSTAFF AZ. THEY COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. OWNER CONTACTED TOYOTA TWICE. NATIONAL CUSTOMER RELATIONS TOLD US TO CONTACT A DEALER (AGAIN). OWNER BELIEVES ONE CONTACT WAS SUFFICIENT TO SHOW THEY CANNOT ID PROBLEM. WIFE DRI…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 721027 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 747228 · 2001-06-22 (June 22, 2001)
IN PROCESS OF CONTACTING TOYOTA. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS AS WELL. WITHIN 3 YEARS OF MANUFACTURING TANK FAILED AT SEAM(S), AND THIS WOULD APPEARED TO BE A COMMON DEFECT. AT 212.00 PLUS TAX TO REPLACE, I WOULD GLADLY APPRECIATTE ANY RESPONSE FROM YOU. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 747228 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 875917 · 2000-12-04 (December 4, 2000)
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 65MPH UP HILL AND VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AT SHOULDER OF ROAD. VEHICLE WAS SMOKING SLIGHTLY. THEN, VEHICLE OVERHEATED , AND ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. VEHICLE WOULDN'T TURN OFF. COOLANT EXPLODED ALL OVER ENGINE. MEHCANIC SAID THE VEHICLE WOULD BE COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE UNTIL ENGINE WAS RELEASED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 875917 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
97V056000 · Power Train:Driveline:Differential Unit
Reported: 1997-04-04 (April 4, 1997)
DUE TO A CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE OIL SEPARATOR PLATE AND THE DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING OF THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL UNIT, OIL LEAKAGE AT THE AIR BREATHER PLUG CAN OCCUR, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED CONTINUOUSLY ABOVE 75 MILES PER HOUR.
Consequence: OIL LEAKAGE WILL RESULT IN A SUFFICIENTLY LOW OIL SUPPLY TO CAUSE BEARING DAMAGE TO THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL UNIT LEADING TO EVENTUAL SEIZURE OF THE UNIT INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A MODIFIED AIR BREATHER PLUG TO PREVENT SUCH OIL LOSS.
NHTSA campaign record ↗