Toyota Tacoma

Where it stands out against its peers

• Power train: more complaints than 95% of 2016 cars — 42% of its 323 complaints, where an ordinary 2016 car has 15%.
• Seats: more complaints than 96% of 2016 cars — 7% of its 323 complaints, where an ordinary 2016 car has 1%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• POWER TRAIN — 102 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 17 owners reported this
• ENGINE — 17 owners reported this
• STRUCTURE — 16 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 12 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 12 owners reported this
• SERVICE BRAKES — 11 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEATS — 9 owners reported this, 3 involving a fire
• SEATS — 9 owners reported this
• VISIBILITY/WIPER — 8 owners reported this
• FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 7 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

49% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 12V158000

  AN INCORRECT PLACARD COULD LEAD TO IMPROPER SPARE TIRE USE OR REPLACEMENT WHICH COULD RESULT IN A TIRE FAILURE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

  GST WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND SEND EACH OWNER A CORRECTED PLACARD, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 5, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATES TOYOTA, INC. AT 1-713-744-3465.

• 13V014000

  If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.

  Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

• 13V123000

  An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.

  Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

• 13V494000

  If the spare tire/wheel is installed on the vehicle using the lug nuts from another wheel, damage to the wheel could result and may eventually lead to a loose wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.

  SET will notify owners, and dealers will: (a) Install a Warning Label on the spare tire/wheel, (b) supply a bag containing proper spare wheel lug nuts, and (c) place an Owner's Manual Addendum in the vehicle's glove box. The recall began on January 23, 2014. Owners may contact SET at 1-954-429-2000.

• 13V557000

  If the valve springs break, the engine could fail and stall while the vehicle is being driven, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the valve springs, free of charge. The recall began on November 27, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

• 14V054000

  If this occurs, these systems could become inoperative, reducing the directional control assistance, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Toyota will notify owners, and Toyota and Lexus dealers will update the software for the Skid Control electronic control unit, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

• 14V475000

  If the spare tire is inflated to the incorrect pressure provided on the placard, tire failure may occur while it is being driven on, increasing the risk of a crash.

  For the involved vehicles, overlay stickers to correct the tire placard will either be mailed to owners or provided to dealers for placement over the incorrect information on the placard. The recall is expected to begin in September 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

• 14V663000

  An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Gulf States has notified owners, and dealers will install an accurate label, free of charge. The recall began December 1, 2014. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074.

15 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Electrical overstress

  Engineering analysis, opened April 2019, closed September 2024.

• Sudden and uncontrolled acceleration

  Defect petition, opened January 2008, closed August 2008.

• Turn signal failures

  Engineering analysis, opened July 1997, closed September 1998.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Toyota filed 26 bulletins about the 2026 Tacoma.

• Electrical system: 1
• Structure: 1
• Wheels: 1
• Other: 23

• 2026 model year Toyota vehicles are equipped with driver side floor mat retainers to secure the floor mat in the correct position. In addition, some models may also utilize retainers for passenger… · July 2026
• During the manufacturing process, tires are mounted on the vehicle as matched sets to help reduce conditions such as pulling or drifting. If the wheels are replaced or refinished before vehicle… · July 2026
• A battery in a stored vehicle is subject to conditions that can reduce its performance and service life. These conditions include storage period, temperature, parasitic drain, and battery load.… · July 2026
• Long-term or off-site storage requires special care to maintain vehicle condition. The following guidelines should be performed to minimize vehicle component/part degradation due to extendedvehicle… · July 2026
• Pre-Delivery Service (PDS) is a critical step in satisfying our new car customers. Customer feedback indicates the following areas deserve special attention when performing PDS: • Careful inspection… · May 2026
• The condition is for vehicles equipped with an accessory Power Port or Tire Inflator. During the installation process of the Power Port or Tire Inflator, the pre-wire connector is removed from the… · May 2026
• Some 2024 – 2026 model year Tacoma vehicles may exhibit a “chirp” noise from the HVAC magnetic clutch upon engagement. · March 2026
• OBSOLETE NOTICE February 12, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0005-26. · March 2026

18 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.