Third generation (N300)
2021 Toyota Tacoma
The most reported problem on the 2021 Toyota Tacoma is brake wear, with 12 complaints.
- 80owner complaints
- 0recalls
- 9involved a crash
- 40,000median miles at failure
Newest report Sep 8, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Problem sheets
No single problem on the 2021 Toyota Tacoma has enough owner reports for a sheet of its own yet. The counts below still cover every complaint on file.
Is the 2021 Toyota Tacoma reliable?
The 2021 Toyota Tacoma has 80 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, less than half the median of 259 for 2021 pickups on this site. Of the 12 Tacoma model years since 2014, it has the 9th most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to the 2020 and 2022
- The 2021 sits level with the years around it, at 13 complaints for each year on the road next to 12 for the 2020 and 12 for the 2022.
- Top problem
- No problem dominates. The largest, brake wear, covers 12 of the 80 complaints (15%), and stalling is next with 7 (one complaint can fall under more than one problem, so these overlap). Too few of the brake wear reports give a mileage to say when it starts.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 11 of the 80 complaints (14%) report a crash, a fire or an injury. The typical vehicle on this site sits at 6%, so this one runs well above it. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 9 reports mention a crash and 15 people were hurt. The reports record 1 death. The most crash reports, 5 of 9, fall under airbag.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- There's no recall on file for this model year, so the problems above are owner complaints with no campaign behind them.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2021 at 20 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 14. So far in 2026, 12 more have come in.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: brakes grind, pulse or wear early, 12 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
80 complaints is 2.4 times fewer than the median 2021 model on this site and 3.2 times fewer than the median 2021 pickup. Among the 12 Tacoma model years here it ranks 9th for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2021 Toyota Tacoma
Toyota filed 165 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2021 Toyota Tacoma. 2 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Airbag warning light or recall 1 bulletin · 7 complaints
Some 2005 ? 2022 model year Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition.
Engine overheats or leaks coolant 1 bulletin · 5 complaints
This Service Bulletin provides updated non-electric water pump leak inspection and diagnostic tips for some 2008 – 2025 model year Toyota vehicles.
Complaints filed by year
20 complaints came in 2021. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
Recalls that include the 2021 Toyota Tacoma
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
No recalls on file for this model year.
Guide Buying one used? How to research one car’s history before you pay
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2021 Toyota Tacoma?
Brake wear, with 12 of the 80 complaints.
At what mileage do 2021 Toyota Tacoma problems start?
Of the 28 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 8,000 miles and half by about 40,000.
Is the 2021 Toyota Tacoma better or worse than the 2020 and 2022?
Counted per year on the road, the 2021 has about as many complaints as both the 2020 and the 2022: 13 a year against 12 and 12.
How many 2021 Toyota Tacoma complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
11 of them (14%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for brake wear on the 2021 Toyota Tacoma?
No recall on file for the 2021 Toyota Tacoma is on the same system as brake wear. Another recall may still cover your car, so check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.