Midsize pickups · model years 2020 to 2022
Toyota Tacoma vs Jeep Gladiator: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Tacoma and the Gladiator split evenly (3 each, the rest too close to call).
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2020 to 2022 | Tacoma | Gladiator |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 12% | 2.6% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.0% | 2.6% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 8.4% | 1.8% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 10,000 | 19,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 1.3 | 5.0 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 0 | 3 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Tacoma owners complain about most is transmission and drivetrain; for the Gladiator it is steering. Complaints citing fuel and propulsion make up 15% of all Tacoma complaints, against 4.1% on the Gladiator. The Gladiator leans the other way on steering: 35% of its complaints, against 3.5% for the Tacoma.
Toyota TacomaJeep Gladiator
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Tacoma is brake wear (14% of its complaints). On the Gladiator it is death wobble (13% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the Tacoma.
| Problem | Tacoma | Gladiator |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 14% 316k mi | 4.4% 397k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 11% 2526k mi | 6.5% 58most in 2021 · 23k mi |
| Steering wheel shakes or the "death wobble" | 0 | 13% 112most in 2021 · 20k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 0 | 11% 97most in 2020 · 49k mi |
| Suspension noise, struts or alignment | 0 | 10% 92most in 2021 · 20k mi |
| Fuel pump failure | 8.4% 1955k mi | 1.3% 12 |
| Check engine light or misfire | 3.5% 8 | 3.9% 35most in 2020 · 40k mi |
| Airbag warning light or recall | 6.6% 15 | 0.7% 6 |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Tacoma owners report problems earlier. Half the Tacoma complaints that give a mileage come before 10,000 miles; for the Gladiator the halfway point is 19,000. 82% of Tacoma reports and 81% of Gladiator reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Toyota TacomaJeep Gladiator
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 94 for the Tacoma and 294 for the Gladiator.
Worst and best years
The 2024 Tacoma draws 3.7 times the complaints of a typical Tacoma year for its age. The 2020 Gladiator draws 2.9 times the complaints of a typical Gladiator year for its age.
Toyota Tacoma
Toyota TacomaJeep Gladiator
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The Gladiator draws more recalls: 5.0 campaigns per model year against 1.3 for the Tacoma. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Toyota Tacoma
4 recall campaigns and 0 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (1), equipment (1) and child seat (1).
Jeep Gladiator
15 recall campaigns and 3 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: transmission and drivetrain (7), seat belts (2) and backup camera (2).
- 23V-116 (transmission and drivetrain) covers 3 model years
- 24V-652 (electrical) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- PE25014: Instrument panel cluster (ipc) failure (open)
- PE24024: Underhood fires (closed, led to a recall)
- EA23001: High pressure fuel pump failure (open, led to a recall)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Tacoma complaints report a crash: 12%, against 2.6% for the Gladiator. Fire reports: 0 for the Tacoma and 23 for the Gladiator. Complaints on file report 1 death in the Tacoma and 0 in the Gladiator for these model years.
Toyota TacomaJeep Gladiator
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Toyota Tacoma or the Jeep Gladiator more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Tacoma and the Gladiator split evenly (3 each, the rest too close to call). NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Tacoma has 226 complaints and the Gladiator 893 for model years 2020 to 2022, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Tacoma or the Gladiator?
The Tacoma has 4 recall campaigns and the Gladiator 15 across model years 2020 to 2022. The Gladiator draws more recalls: 5.0 campaigns per model year against 1.3 for the Tacoma.
What are the most common problems on the Tacoma and the Gladiator?
The most reported problem on the Tacoma is brake wear (14% of its complaints). On the Gladiator it is death wobble (13% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the Tacoma.
More comparisons
- Toyota Tacoma vs Chevrolet Colorado2015 to 2024
- Toyota Tacoma vs Ford Ranger2019 to 2021
- Toyota Tacoma vs Honda Ridgeline2017 to 2023
- GMC Canyon vs Toyota Tacoma2015 to 2024
- Jeep Wrangler vs Jeep Gladiator2020 to 2022