Toyota Tacoma problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 8 model years (2018–2025), NHTSA has logged 929 owner complaints and 15 safety recalls for the Toyota Tacoma. That averages 26.6 complaints per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical (index 0.63 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Midsize pickups segment it ranks #4 of 5 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 20.7.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
Across eight model years from 2018 to 2025, the Toyota Tacoma has logged 929 owner complaints and 15 safety recalls, averaging 26.6 complaints per year which is fewer than typical at an index of 0.63. While the 2024 model year shows the highest rate at 54.2 complaints per year and runs at least 50% above the model's own average, years 2020 through 2023 sit well below that average with the 2022 model having the lowest rate of 12.2. The most common problem area is Transmission / powertrain accounting for 17.3% of complaints, followed by Brakes at 15.8% and Fuel system at 14.4%, with recurring terms including "master cylinder" and "pump." Owners report 82 injuries and 2 deaths across all model years, while the complaint pace is rising as filings in the last 12 months reached 223 versus 168 in the previous year.
Summary drafted by an AI model running on our own server from the figures on this page, and checked number by number against the data before publishing. The statistics and the analysis above come from our fixed methodology, not from the model.The trend is flat. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models are within 6% of the 2018 and 2019 models (71 early complaints per model year versus 86).
The 2024 model year has the highest rate (54.2 complaints per year) and the 2022 model year the lowest (12.2). Model years 2024 and 2025 run at least 50% above the model's own average — the ones to research most carefully. Model years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 sit well below the model's average.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Transmission / powertrain (17.3% of complaints), followed by Brakes (15.8%) and Fuel system (14.4%). Recurring terms in owner reports: “trd”, “fuel”, “master cylinder”, “brake master” and “pump”. 62 complaints (6.7%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 82 injuries and 2 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 223 complaints versus 168 in the previous 12 months — the pace is rising. The 2025 model year generated the most recent reports (76). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 19 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 15 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2025 (4). 1 NHTSA defect investigation has covered this model; the latest is “Electrical overstress” (opened 2019-04-19, closed 2024-09-19).
Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Nissan Frontier, Ford Ranger and Chevrolet Colorado; Jeep Gladiator have more.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Complaints in first 2 years on the road | vs. same-year average | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 202 | 23.3 | 0.55 | 57 | 0.64 | 20 | 3 | Fuel system | View › |
| 2019 | 216 | 28.1 | 0.67 | 116 | 1.44 | 20 | 4 | Fuel system | View › |
| 2020 | 87 | 13.0 | 0.31 | 43 | 0.76 | 16 | 1 | Fuel system | View › |
| 2021 | 79 | 13.9 | 0.33 | 31 | 0.51 | 20 | 0 | Engine | View › |
| 2022 Fewest complaints | 57 | 12.2 | 0.29 | 21 | 0.28 | 10 | 3 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2023 | 53 | 14.4 | 0.34 | 26 | 0.31 | 16 | 4 | Engine | View › |
| 2024 Years to research carefully | 145 | 54.2 | 1.29 | 116 | 1.65 | 45 | 5 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2025 Years to research carefully | 90 | 53.8 | 1.28 | — | — | 76 | 5 | Body & structure | View › |
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 223 · Previous 12 months: 168 Rising
Problem areas
Transmission / powertrain ›
161 · 17.3% · 1.49 vs. all vehicles · Steady
- transmission78
- gear42
- trd11
- shifting26
Body & structure ›
92 · 9.9% · 1.08 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- door handle27
- open door19
- inside29
- paint17
Electrical ›
81 · 8.7% · 0.55 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- bluetooth8
- iphones4
- disconnects5
- risk distraction3
Airbags & seat belts ›
41 · 4.4% · 1.16 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- deploy17
- airbags16
- air bags13
- seat16
Steering
30 · 3.2% · 0.5 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- steering19
- rack8
- boots4
- fluid5
Driver-assist systems
26 · 2.8% · 0.49 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- radar8
- cruise control9
- safety sense3
- collision10
Wheels, tires & suspension
23 · 2.5% · 0.99 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- tires11
- rear12
- tire size4
- shocks4
Other
20 · 2.2% · 1.19 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- seat10
- driver's3
- brakes4
- seems3
Lighting
2 · 0.2% · 0.14 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Common terms in reports
- trd37
- fuel140
- master cylinder34
- brake master25
- pump78
- door handle29
- brake fluid28
- cab32
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 19 months
What owners report
The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle jumped a curb, went down a riverbank, and crashed into a telephone pole. The air bags did not deploy.
We rented a vehicle consisting of the identified Toyota Tacoma with an installed cab-over camper (Travel Lite 550U-XS, VIN: [XXX]).
The inside driver-side door handle broke, leaving me unable to open the door from inside the truck. I had to crawl across the truck and exit through another door. This is a serious and immediate safety hazard.
Equipment Failure. The interior driver-side door handle mechanism failed and snapped completely off during normal operation while trying to exit stationary vehicle. The plastic hinge pin/bell-crank component fractured internally under standard hand pressure.
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle shuddered, stalled, and there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Midsize pickups
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nissan Frontier | 293 | 8.1 | 0.19 | Worsening | Steady | 15 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 2 | Ford Ranger | 668 | 19.3 | 0.46 | Improving | Rising | 38 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 3 | Chevrolet Colorado | 817 | 21.7 | 0.52 | Worsening | Steady | 9 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 4 | Toyota Tacoma | 929 | 26.6 | 0.63 | Stable | Rising | 15 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 5 | Jeep Gladiator | 978 | 30.0 | 0.71 | Improving | Steady | 16 | Steering |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 15
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 0
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2018 (3) · 2019 (4) · 2020 (1) · 2021 (0) · 2022 (3) · 2023 (4) · 2024 (5) · 2025 (5)
Investigations
- Electrical overstress Closed
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicl…
Frequently asked questions
Which Toyota Tacoma model year has the most complaints?
The 2024 model year has the highest rate (54.2 complaints per year) and the 2022 model year the lowest (12.2).
Is the Toyota Tacoma getting better or worse?
The trend is flat. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models are within 6% of the 2018 and 2019 models (71 early complaints per model year versus 86). In the last 12 months owners filed 223 complaints versus 168 in the previous 12 months — the pace is rising.
What are the most common Toyota Tacoma problems?
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Transmission / powertrain (17.3% of complaints), followed by Brakes (15.8%) and Fuel system (14.4%). Recurring terms in owner reports: “trd”, “fuel”, “master cylinder”, “brake master” and “pump”.
How does the Toyota Tacoma compare with other Midsize pickups?
Within the Midsize pickups segment it ranks #4 of 5 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 20.7. Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Nissan Frontier, Ford Ranger and Chevrolet Colorado; Jeep Gladiator have more.
Does the Toyota Tacoma have recalls or open investigations?
Recalls: 15 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2025 (4). 1 NHTSA defect investigation has covered this model; the latest is “Electrical overstress” (opened 2019-04-19, closed 2024-09-19).