MODELYEARINDEX

Which Toyota Tacoma years to avoid

Across 12 scored model years, the 2016, 2019 and 2017 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Toyota Tacoma Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2016 vs model median 2.3×
Model median3× median
Drivetrain 122
Engine 32
Electrical 22
Avoid

2016 · 2019

Best

2020 · 2021

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
1.22× 130 D
2011
0.66× 67 C
2012
0.97× 107 C
2013
0.81× 94 C
2014
0.68× 67 B
2015
0.82× 71 C
2016
2.31× 304 F
2017
2.02× 226 F
2018
1.82× 202 D
2019
2.15× 234 F
2020
0.88× 87 B
2021
1.03× 91 B
2022 P
0.87× 79 B
2023 P
0.66× 70 B
2024 P
1.51× 188 D
2025 P
0.93× 103 C

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2016 F 304 reports · median 15,000 mi

  1. Drivetrain 122

    On a cold start, after you put the vehicle in d (drive) there is up to a 7 second delay on engagement of the transmission. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Engine 32

    After 10,000 miles the airbag light came on. Then the next day the check engine light came on as well as the traction control. Called the dealership and they looked at it saying I just need new sensors. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Electrical 22

    My ABS light failure came on and said check with dealer. Three days later taken to dealership and electrical harness had been chewed by rodents. It is requiring $5000 to replace this component. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

3 crash · 2 fire

2019 F 234 reports · median 5,582 mi

  1. Fuel System 68

    Driving highway speed. My truck had 5-6 gallons in the tank. Suddenly the lights on dash went off and loss of power. Truck would only drive 25mph. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Brakes 41

    Truck has very pronounced shuddering during braking between 40-10 MPH. It also has shuddering during cruising between 25-45 MPH. Rear differential howls while cruising at 40-50 MPH and sometimes during deceleration. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Drivetrain 36

    While driving the truck at normal speed 45+ miles and slowing down vehicle has severe vibration felt through out the car. It gets worst when braking slowly as it comes to a stop. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

11 crash · 2 fire · 7 injuries

The best year for the Tacoma

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2020 is the best-scoring Tacoma model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 75.4 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations. On complaint rate alone the lowest is 2011 at 0.66× this model’s median, against 0.88× for 2020.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2020 0.88× 87 B
2021 1.03× 91 B
2014 0.68× 67 B

Recalls

40 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
09V388000 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL 2010 4,445,056
20V012000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2018, 2019 1,830,752
20V682000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2017–2020 1,525,742
14V168000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010 1,486,413
14V604000 SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY:LEAF 2010, 2011 710,711
25V595000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL 2024, 2025 591,377
24V152000 POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY 2022, 2023 381,199
13V337000 SEAT BELTS 2010, 2011 342,451
10V035000 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS 2010 271,417
14V054000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2012, 2013 261,114
17V285000 POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT 2016, 2017 227,732
25V058000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS 2024, 2025 221,846

+ 28 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2016 were reported at a median of 15,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Toyota Tacoma years should you avoid?
2016, 2019, 2017 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Toyota Tacoma model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Toyota Tacoma?
2020 is the best-scoring Toyota Tacoma model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 75.4 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Toyota Tacoma have?
40 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Toyota Tacoma model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2016 Tacoma
Complaints in window
304
Severity-weighted
365.5
Model median (weighted)
158
vs model median
2.31×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
4
Open investigations
0
Score 32.2 F