Toyota Tacoma 1996–2026
Summary
- 31 model years in 4 generations, 8,325 owner complaints in total.
- Within their own generation, 1998 and 2016 drew the most complaints in the first three years.
- 2013 drew the fewest complaints of their generation over the same span.
- 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.
- Half of the complaints that give a mileage were filed by 68,000 miles (5,281 of them give one).
- Owners reported 668 crashes, 96 fires, 450 injuries and 17 deaths across these model years.
- 62 recalls and 3 federal investigations cover these model years.
1996–2004
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: 66.
| Model year | All complaints | First three years | Most reported system | Note |
|---|
| 1996 | 253 | 70 | Suspension | |
| 1997 | 134 | 30 | Body & Structure | not compared |
| 1998 | 302 | 112 | Body & Structure | most complaints |
| 1999 | 256 | 75 | Body & Structure | |
| 2000 | 211 | 63 | Body & Structure | |
| 2001 | 403 | 30 | Body & Structure | not compared |
| 2002 | 339 | 52 | Body & Structure | |
| 2003 | 360 | 43 | Body & Structure | not compared |
| 2004 | 415 | 51 | Body & Structure | |
Body & Structure is the largest group in 5 of the 6 compared years.
2005–2015
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: 110.
| Model year | All complaints | First three years | Most reported system | Note |
|---|
| 2005 | 707 | 114 | Body & Structure | |
| 2006 | 782 | 110 | Body & Structure | |
| 2007 | 541 | 89 | Suspension | |
| 2008 | 449 | 112 | Suspension | |
| 2009 | 519 | 156 | Suspension | |
| 2010 | 294 | 78 | Suspension | |
| 2011 | 186 | 24 | Suspension | not compared |
| 2012 | 295 | 36 | Engine | not compared |
| 2013 | 125 | 54 | Powertrain | fewest complaints |
| 2014 | 93 | 33 | Body & Structure | not compared |
| 2015 | 101 | 45 | Body & Structure | not compared |
Suspension is the largest group in 4 of the 7 compared years.
2016–2023
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 year | All complaints | First three years | Most reported system | Note |
|---|
| 2016 | 324 | 200 | Powertrain | most complaints |
| 2017 | 243 | 118 | Powertrain | |
| 2018 | 209 | 122 | Fuel & Propulsion | |
| 2019 | 219 | 143 | Fuel & Propulsion | |
| 2020 | 90 | 49 | Fuel & Propulsion | not compared |
| 2021 | 81 | 42 | Engine | not compared |
| 2022 | 59 | 38 | Powertrain | not compared |
| 2023 | 54 | 41 | Electrical System | not compared |
Powertrain is the largest group in 2 of the 4 compared years.
2024–2026
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. Fewer than three years of this generation are comparable, so no year is named.
| Model year | All complaints | First three years | Most reported system | Note |
|---|
| 2024 | 154 | 154 | Powertrain | not compared |
| 2025 | 114 | 114 | Body & Structure | not compared |
| 2026 | 13 | 13 | Powertrain | not compared |
Every model year
A model year gets its own page when four sources cover it, it holds at least 50 complaints, and it either compares with the other years of its generation or shows one system in 40% or more of the complaints that name a component. The rest are listed here with their figures.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Bulletins | Combined MPG | Page |
|---|
| 1996 | 253 | 6 | 1 | 63 | 16–22 | yes |
| 1997 | 134 | 4 | 0 | 84 | 16–22 | listed here |
| 1998 | 302 | 5 | 0 | 93 | 16–21 | yes |
| 1999 | 256 | 5 | 0 | 92 | 16–21 | yes |
| 2000 | 211 | 5 | 0 | 90 | 16–21 | yes |
| 2001 | 403 | 6 | 0 | 138 | 16–21 | yes |
| 2002 | 339 | 5 | 0 | 145 | 16–22 | yes |
| 2003 | 360 | 5 | 0 | 139 | 16–22 | yes |
| 2004 | 415 | 5 | 0 | 143 | 16–22 | yes |
| 2005 | 707 | 10 | 0 | 337 | 16–21 | yes |
| 2006 | 782 | 11 | 1 | 329 | 16–21 | yes |
| 2007 | 541 | 10 | 1 | 326 | 16–22 | yes |
| 2008 | 449 | 11 | 0 | 330 | 16–22 | yes |
| 2009 | 519 | 13 | 0 | 314 | 16–22 | yes |
| 2010 | 294 | 13 | 0 | 365 | 15–22 | yes |
| 2011 | 186 | 9 | 0 | 375 | 16–22 | listed here |
| 2012 | 295 | 7 | 1 | 464 | 17–22 | yes |
| 2013 | 125 | 6 | 1 | 429 | 17–23 | yes |
| 2014 | 93 | 4 | 1 | 424 | 17–22 | listed here |
| 2015 | 101 | 4 | 1 | 309 | 17–22 | listed here |
| 2016 | 324 | 4 | 1 | 410 | 18–21 | yes |
| 2017 | 243 | 5 | 1 | 379 | 18–21 | yes |
| 2018 | 209 | 3 | 1 | 294 | 18–21 | yes |
| 2019 | 219 | 4 | 1 | 236 | 18–21 | yes |
| 2020 | 90 | 1 | 0 | 198 | 18–21 | listed here |
| 2021 | 81 | 0 | 0 | 165 | 18–21 | listed here |
| 2022 | 59 | 3 | 0 | 123 | 18–21 | listed here |
| 2023 | 54 | 4 | 0 | 74 | 18–21 | listed here |
| 2024 | 154 | 5 | 0 | 88 | 20–24 | listed here |
| 2025 | 114 | 5 | 0 | 39 | 20–23 | yes |
| 2026 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 20–23 | listed here |
What owners report across all years
| System | Complaints | Share | Median mileage |
|---|
| Body & Structure | 2,185 | 28% | 118,000 mi |
| Suspension | 1,451 | 18% | 102,000 mi |
| Powertrain | 935 | 12% | 15,000 mi |
| Accelerator & Cruise Control | 775 | 10% | 26,075 mi |
| Brakes | 654 | 8% | 23,875 mi |
Shares are over complaints that name a component; a complaint naming several systems is counted under each.
Body & Structure
Owner report Inner door handle broke under normal use and toyota cant replace this due to mass failures across the country in all 4th generation tacomas. Mass backorders. I have been driving for at least 2 months with no way to exit my vehicle in case of emergency.
Owner report I own a 2025 Toyota Tacoma, and the interior driver’s door handle assembly has failed, preventing me from opening the driver’s door normally from inside the vehicle. The failure occurred at around 11000 miles during normal use without any accident, impact, or unusual force. The Tacoma had routine maintenance done at d…
Suspension
Owner report Toyota Corporation refuses to replace the frame and other essential parts on our 2008 Toyota Tacoma, which has had 2 previous recalls for frame replacement. We were never made aware of the previous recalls by Toyota or it's dealer who sold us the truck. We were made aware of the serious condition of the frame when our …
Owner report While the vehicle was parked in my driveway, I noticed oil leaking on the ground and discovered that the rear shock absorber had suffered a catastrophic structural failure. The vehicle is a 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road covered under the manufacturer's original factory warranty. This specific vehicle configuration is…
Powertrain
Owner report The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH and accelerating and switching lanes, the vehicle failed to respond and maintained the desired speed. Additionally, the vehicle hesitated continuously. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V656000 (Power Tra…
Owner report Abnormal vibration from drive line at 22-24 MPH. Dealership service manager rode in the truck and validated the abnormal vibration. He checked for Tech Service Bulletin for this and found none. He drove four similar Tacomas on their lot and said they all have the same vibration at that speed. He called Toyota engineeri…
Largest recalls
| Campaign | Component | Filed | Vehicles |
|---|
| 09V388000 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 2009-10-05 | 4,445,056 |
| 20V012000 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 2020-01-13 | 1,830,752 |
| 20V682000 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 2020-11-04 | 1,525,742 |
| 14V168000 | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | 2014-04-09 | 1,486,413 |
| 05V225000 | SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT | 2005-05-17 | 768,379 |
Whether a recall has been done on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Open investigations
None open.
Service bulletins
Toyota issued 7,021 service bulletins covering these model years, most often about equipment.
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 a bulletin listed here may not be specific to one year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.
| Date | Component | Summary |
|---|
| 2026-06-25 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 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 side and rear seat floor mats. During Pre-D… |
| 2026-06-10 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 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 storage conditions. Long-term storage can … |
| 2026-04-15 | POWER TRAIN | OBSOLETE NOTICE April 15, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete |
| 2026-04-14 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 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 for paint chips/scratches and body dents/… |
| 2026-04-10 | STRUCTURE:BODY | 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 dummy cap (which is attached to the harne… |
| 2026-02-26 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Some 2024 – 2026 model year Tacoma vehicles may exhibit a “chirp” noise from the HVAC magnetic clutch upon engagement. |
| 2026-02-12 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | OBSOLETE NOTICE February 12, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0005-26. |
| 2026-02-06 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | OBSOLETE NOTICE February 6, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0009-25. |
| 2026-02-03 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | OBSOLETE NOTICE February 03, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0003-26. |
| 2026-01-30 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26. |
How to read this page
Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more after news coverage or a recall. That is why years are compared only with other years of the same generation, over the same span, and never with other models.
Sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications (data as of 2026-10-28).
- U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines and fuel economy.
This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection.