Motor Almanac

Toyota / Tacoma / 2017

2017 Toyota Tacoma

Family: Tacoma · filed with NHTSA as TACOMA

Summary

  • In its first three years the 2017 Tacoma drew 118 complaints — 0.9× the median of its generation (2016–2023). It does not stand out from the other years of this generation.
  • These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
  • Complaints are spread across systems: the largest, Powertrain, holds 30% of the 225 that name a component.
  • 5 recalls filed for this model year.
  • 1 federal defect investigation covers this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints
243
Recalls
5
Investigations
1
NCAP overall
4 of 5 stars
Combined MPG
18–21
Annual fuel cost
$2,950–$3,450
Median mileage at complaint
16,000 mi (n = 148)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths
12 / 6 / 9 / 0

What owners report

Powertrain

68 complaints · 30% of complaints that name a component · median 5,000 mi (n = 54)

Owner report My 2017 Tacoma TRD Off Road (manual transmission) makes a constant chirping sound when the engine is running and increases chirping sound when accelerator is pressed. The chirping sound ceases when the clutch is pressed in. It's clear through research that this is a "throw out bearing" issue. Toyota dealership confi…
Owner report Transmission line was described by two auto mechanics (one from a Toyota dealership) as “rusted out” and “porous”, “low pressure/fluid” and “needs to be fixed”. I was totally unaware of the issue until I had to get my AC recharged. Note: this is a 2017 truck with 82,000 miles driven in Massachusetts. No warning lights …

Engine

36 complaints · 16% of complaints that name a component · median 9,500 mi (n = 24)

Owner report Have had engine issues such as stalling, rattling, limp mode, rough idling and engine missing. Have had repairs done but continues to have major issues where it is not functioning properly.
Owner report The contact owned a 2017 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, he was inside a client's home, and the contractors who were working on the client's roof came inside the client's home and alerted the contact that his vehicle was on fire. The contact stated that upon exiting t…

Brakes

32 complaints · 14% of complaints that name a component · median 18,300 mi (n = 12)

Owner report The parking brake sticks. This is an issue because the vehicle automatically applies the parking brake briefly when switching from neutral to first gear or reverse to prevent rollback. When this happens, the parking brake sticks, and the rear wheels lock. I believe the brake cables have been infiltrated with water resu…
Owner report Common issue reported amongst 2016-2019 Toyota Tacoma owners. Noticed brake fluid dripping from under driver's side dash directly under brake pedal onto floor mat. Upon inspection, found brake fluid dripping down from what appears to be brake booster. Leaking brake booster should be a safety recall with replacement cov…

7% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2016–2023)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 132.

Model yearAll complaintsFirst three yearsNote
2016324200most complaints
2017243118
2018209122
2019219143
20209049not compared
20218142not compared
20225938not compared
20235441not compared

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

20V682000 · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Filed 2020-11-04 · 1,525,742 vehicles

Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-012. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA01.

18V211000 · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM

Filed 2018-04-03 · 6,046 vehicles

Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Toyota Camry and Highlander vehicles, 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles and 2017 Lexus RX350 vehicles. During the manufacturing process, the oil galley in the rotor for the brake booster vacuum pump assembly may have been improperly machined possibly resulting in a sudden loss of brake assist.

Risk: A sudden loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake booster vacuum pump, free of charge. The recall began on May 9, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371, or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0K/JLD.

17V831000 · EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Filed 2017-12-20 · 649 vehicles

Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are H0Z for Toyota vehicles, and HLF for Lexus vehicles.

17V356000 · ENGINE

Filed 2017-06-01 · 31,824 vehicles

Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Tacoma vehicles equipped with a six-cylinder engine. The affected vehicles have a crank position sensor that may malfunction, potentially resulting in an engine stall.

Risk: An engine stall may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crank position sensor with an improved design, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0H.

17V285000 · POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

Filed 2017-04-27 · 227,732 vehicles

Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Tacoma vehicles. Oil may leak from the area where the rear differential carrier is assembled to rear axle housing.

Risk: If the vehicle is operated with an insufficient amount of oil in the rear differential, the differential may seize and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear differential for oil leakage. Based on the inspection, dealers will either tightening the fastening nuts or replace the fastening nuts and gasket. If the rear differential components are damaged, the rear differential carrier assembly will be replaced. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall June 19, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0G.

Federal investigations

ActionComponentOpenedClosedRecall
EA19001AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE2019-04-192024-09-1920V024

EA19001: Electrical overstress

Engines and fuel economy

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCityHwyCombinedFuel cost / yr
Tacoma 2WD2.7L 4cylAutomatic (S6)Rear-Wheel Drive192321$2950
Tacoma 2WD3.5L 6cylAutomatic (S6)Rear-Wheel Drive192421$2950
Tacoma 4WD2.7L 4cylManual 5-spdPart-time 4-Wheel Drive192120$3100
Tacoma 4WD2.7L 4cylAutomatic (S6)Part-time 4-Wheel Drive192220$3100
Tacoma 4WD3.5L 6cylManual 6-spdPart-time 4-Wheel Drive172118$3450
Tacoma 4WD3.5L 6cylAutomatic (S6)Part-time 4-Wheel Drive182320$3100
Tacoma 4WD Double Cab Off-Road3.5L 6cylManual 6-spdPart-time 4-Wheel Drive172018$3450

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

VariantOverallFrontalSideRollover
2017 Toyota Tacoma PU/CC 2WD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
2017 Toyota Tacoma PU/CC 4WD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
2017 Toyota Tacoma PU/EC 2WDNot RatedNot RatedNot Rated★★★★☆
2017 Toyota Tacoma PU/EC 4WDNot RatedNot RatedNot Rated★★★★☆

Service bulletins

Toyota issued 379 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about structure.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

DateComponentSummary
2026-01-07UNKNOWN OR OTHERSome 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Serv…
2025-11-11STRUCTURE:BODYToyota has received some reports of paint peeling along the exterior door window frames, front inner fenders as can been seen with the hood open, and on the A-pillars on certain Tacoma vehicles with 040 Super White paint color. Although th…
2025-08-20ELECTRICAL SYSTEMSome customers may experience echoing on the line calling the vehicle when using Bluetooth Hands Free. This is caused by the phone Hands Free volume being too low.
2025-07-31STRUCTURE:BODYToyota has received some reports of paint peeling along the exterior door window frames, front inner fenders as can been seen with the hood open, and on the A-pillars on certain Tacoma vehicles with 040 Super White paint color. Although th…
2025-07-31STRUCTURE:BODYTECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM 23TE08 COVERAGE FOR PAINT PEELING ON EXTERIOR DOOR FRAMES, FRONT INNER FENDERS AND A-PILLARS CERTAIN 2016-2022 MODEL YEAR TACOMA
2025-07-31STRUCTURE:BODYCustomer Support Program 23TE08 Paint Repair Process Job Aid
2025-01-17STRUCTURE:BODYSome 2016 – 2022 model year Tacoma vehicles with Super White (040) paint may exhibit paint peeling along the exterior window door frames, inner fender edges under the hood, and/or A-pillars. The affected panel(s) require repainting to addre…
2025-01-06UNKNOWN OR OTHER21TD03 Final Reminder
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYAcid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYTo prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in…

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this Tacoma, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Toyota Tacoma model page.

Sources

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.