Toyota
Toyota Tacoma years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2016, 2019 and 2024.
The 2016, 2019 and 2024 Toyota Tacoma draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2016 has 323 complaints (29 for each year on the road), 2019 has 218 complaints (27 for each year on the road) and 2024 has 150 complaints (50 for each year on the road), against a median of 14 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2024 is brake wear (33 reports).
- 1,695complaints
- 26recall campaigns
- 12model years with a page
Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2016
Most reported: drivetrain problems (37 reports, median 14,948 miles) and transmission shudder (26 reports, median 9,000 miles).
2019
Most reported: brake wear (56 reports, median 5,663 miles) and stalling (36 reports, median 11,000 miles).
2024
Most reported: brake wear (33 reports, median 18,000 miles) and transmission shudder (16 reports).
Best years
- No year since 2016 is clearly better than the rest.
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid. Too new to judge: 2025.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- No single year holds most of the file. The busiest, the 2016, has 19% of the 1,695 complaints across 12 model years.
- Problem across the years
- The top problem moves around from year to year. Brake wear leads in 7 of the 12 model years and has the most reports overall, 255. Pooled across the years, half of the 124 owners who gave a mileage for brake wear were under about 10,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 7% of Toyota Tacoma complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2015, 19 of its 100 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- 5 of the 12 model years where owners report brake wear have a recall on the same system: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024 and 2025. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2020 at 231 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 204. So far in 2026, 217 more have come in. Filings on record start in 2015.
Photo: HJUdall, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Bull-Doser, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Third generation (N300)
| Year | Complaints | A year | Recalls | Most reported | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 avoid | 323 | 29 | 4 | Driveshaft, axle or transfer case problems (37) | 17,167 |
| 2017 | 239 | 24 | 5 | Brakes grind, pulse or wear early (32) | 17,614 |
| 2018 | 206 | 23 | 3 | Brakes grind, pulse or wear early (47) | 16,500 |
| 2019 avoid | 218 | 27 | 4 | Brakes grind, pulse or wear early (56) | 10,000 |
| 2020 | 87 | 12 | 1 | Fuel pump failure (14) | 6,000 |
| 2021 | 80 | 13 | 0 | Brakes grind, pulse or wear early (12) | 40,000 |
| 2022 | 59 | 12 | 3 | Airbag warning light or recall (8) | 33,000 |
| 2023 | 54 | 14 | 4 | Airbag warning light or recall (8) | 22,200 |
Photo: Clock38030, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Year by year
2025 Toyota Tacoma
100 owner complaints so far; too new to call. Most reported: door latch (36 reports, median 8,038 miles). 4 reports involved a crash and 6 people were hurt. 5 recalls, including 26V-514 on the suspension system and 26V-179 on the equipment.
2024 Toyota Tacoma avoid
150 owner complaints, 50 for each year on the road (3.7 times the model median). Most reported: brake wear (33 reports, median 18,000 miles), transmission shudder (16 reports) and transmission failure (15 reports). 6 reports involved a crash and 33 people were hurt. 5 recalls, including 25V-058 on the brakes and 26V-514 on the suspension system.
2023 Toyota Tacoma
54 owner complaints, 14 for each year on the road (1.0 times the model median). 5 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 25V-040 on the steering system and 24V-152 on the transmission and drivetrain.
2022 Toyota Tacoma
59 owner complaints, 12 for each year on the road (0.9 times the model median). 11 reports involved a crash and 10 people were hurt. 3 recalls, including 24V-152 on the transmission and drivetrain and 22V-520 on the child seat.
2021 Toyota Tacoma
80 owner complaints, 13 for each year on the road (1.0 times the model median). Most reported: brake wear (12 reports). 9 reports involved a crash and 15 people were hurt. No recalls.
2020 Toyota Tacoma
87 owner complaints, 12 for each year on the road (0.9 times the model median). Most reported: fuel pump (14 reports), stalling (13 reports, median 5,500 miles) and brake wear (13 reports, median 6,000 miles). 6 reports involved a crash and 7 people were hurt. 1 recall: 20V-682 on the fuel system.
2019 Toyota Tacoma avoid
218 owner complaints, 27 for each year on the road (2.0 times the model median). Most reported: brake wear (56 reports, median 5,663 miles), stalling (36 reports, median 11,000 miles) and fuel pump (25 reports, median 8,000 miles). 11 reports involved a crash and 6 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 18V-888 on the brakes and 20V-682 on the fuel system.
2018 Toyota Tacoma
206 owner complaints, 23 for each year on the road (1.7 times the model median). Most reported: brake wear (47 reports, median 14,900 miles), stalling (28 reports, median 19,000 miles) and fuel pump (26 reports, median 35,600 miles). 7 reports involved a crash and 2 people were hurt. 3 recalls, including 18V-888 on the brakes and 20V-682 on the fuel system.
2017 Toyota Tacoma
239 owner complaints, 24 for each year on the road (1.8 times the model median). Most reported: brake wear (32 reports, median 18,300 miles), stalling (23 reports, median 9,250 miles) and drivetrain problems (19 reports, median 12,187 miles). 12 reports involved a crash and 9 people were hurt. 5 recalls, including 18V-211 on the brakes and 20V-682 on the fuel system.
2016 Toyota Tacoma avoid
323 owner complaints, 29 for each year on the road (2.2 times the model median). Most reported: drivetrain problems (37 reports, median 14,948 miles), transmission shudder (26 reports, median 9,000 miles) and seat belt (23 reports, median 41,000 miles). 4 reports involved a crash and 1 person was hurt. 4 recalls, including 17V-285 on the transmission and drivetrain and 17V-425 on the structure.
2015 Toyota Tacoma
100 owner complaints, 8 for each year on the road (0.6 times the model median). Most reported: brake wear (12 reports, median 9,400 miles) and airbag (11 reports). 15 reports involved a crash and 11 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 17V-425 on the structure and 15V-099 on the tires.
2014 Toyota Tacoma
79 owner complaints, 6 for each year on the road (0.5 times the model median). Most reported: brake wear (15 reports, median 28,000 miles). 10 reports involved a crash and 8 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 17V-425 on the structure and 14V-828 on the equipment.
Recalls that cover several model years
The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The adhesive attaching the hood scoop may weaken, allowing the hood scoop to detach from the vehicle.
The load carrying capacity modification label may display inaccurate added weight values. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
The metal flange on the front and rear shock absorbers may corrode and fail, resulting in detachment of the external oil reservoir.
The rear brake hoses can be damaged if mud and dirt builds up inside the rear wheels. This can result in a brake fluid leak.
Due to an error in the instrument panel software at vehicle startup, the instrument panel may fail to display vehicle speed, brake system, and tire pressure warning lights.
Compare the Tacoma with its rivals
Side by side over the model years both have on file: what owners complain about, the mileage problems start at, recalls, investigations and crash reports.
- Tacoma vs Chevrolet Colorado2015 to 2024
- Tacoma vs Ford Ranger2019 to 2021
- Tacoma vs Honda Ridgeline2017 to 2023
- Tacoma vs Jeep Gladiator2020 to 2022
- Tacoma vs GMC Canyon2015 to 2024
Questions
What Toyota Tacoma years should you avoid?
The 2016, 2019 and 2024 Toyota Tacoma draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2016 has 323 complaints (29 for each year on the road), 2019 has 218 complaints (27 for each year on the road) and 2024 has 150 complaints (50 for each year on the road), against a median of 14 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2024 is brake wear (33 reports).
What are the best years for the Toyota Tacoma?
No Toyota Tacoma model year since 2016 draws clearly fewer complaints for its age than the rest. Model years before 2016 aren't called best, because complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads and their counts run short.
What is the most common problem on the Toyota Tacoma?
Brake wear, with 255 reports across the 12 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2024.
How many recalls does the Toyota Tacoma have?
26 recall campaigns cover the Toyota Tacoma model years 2014 to 2025 on this site. The widest, 20V-682 on the fuel system, covers 4 model years.
How many Toyota Tacoma complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
7% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2015 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for brake wear on the Toyota Tacoma?
On 5 of the 12 model years where owners report it: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024 and 2025.