Car Defect Radar

Toyota Tacoma vs Toyota Tundra: problems, recalls & years to avoid

NHTSA owner complaints and recalls for the Toyota Tacoma and the Toyota Tundra, with the 16 model years both have (2010–2025) set side by side. Each model is measured against its own typical year, not against the other model.

Years to avoid and years with the fewest complaints

Toyota Tacoma

Years to avoid
201020122016
Fewest complaints
201320202023

The typical Toyota Tacoma year has 136 complaints on file, across 16 model years (2010–2025).

Toyota Tundra

Years to avoid
202220232024
Fewest complaints
201520202021

The typical Toyota Tundra year has 109 complaints on file, across 16 model years (2010–2025).

A year is one to avoid when it drew at least 2 times the complaints of its model's typical year (the median across the model's years on this site) and at least 200 complaints, or when its complaints include 5 or more reports of a death. The years with the fewest complaints have no such flag and are from 2023 or earlier: newer years have not been on the road long enough to compare. Each model is measured only against its own years. Source: NHTSA owner complaints, as of October 26, 2026.

The 16 model years both have, side by side

Complaints by model year

Toyota Tacoma

2.4× its typical year in 2016, its worst year

323 complaints against a typical year of 136.

Years to avoid: 2010, 2012, 2016. Fewest complaints: 2013, 2020, 2023.

Toyota Tundra

3.9× its typical year in 2022, its worst year

428 complaints against a typical year of 109.

Years to avoid: 2022, 2023, 2024. Fewest complaints: 2015, 2020, 2021.

typical yearavoid zonesolid bar = a year to avoid

Toyota Tacoma3 years to avoid · typical year 136avoid zone: 273+01002003004002010Toyota Tacoma 2010: 293 complaints, 2.1× its typical year, a year to avoid293avoid2011Toyota Tacoma 2011: 186 complaints, 1.4× its typical year2012Toyota Tacoma 2012: 295 complaints, 2.2× its typical year, a year to avoid295avoid2013Toyota Tacoma 2013: 125 complaints, 0.9× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints125fewest2014Toyota Tacoma 2014: 93 complaints, 0.7× its typical year2015Toyota Tacoma 2015: 101 complaints, 0.7× its typical year2016Toyota Tacoma 2016: 323 complaints, 2.4× its typical year, a year to avoid323avoid2017Toyota Tacoma 2017: 239 complaints, 1.8× its typical year2018Toyota Tacoma 2018: 204 complaints, 1.5× its typical year2019Toyota Tacoma 2019: 218 complaints, 1.6× its typical year2020Toyota Tacoma 2020: 87 complaints, 0.6× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints87fewest2021Toyota Tacoma 2021: 80 complaints, 0.6× its typical year2022Toyota Tacoma 2022: 58 complaints, 0.4× its typical year2023Toyota Tacoma 2023: 54 complaints, 0.4× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints54fewest2024Toyota Tacoma 2024: 148 complaints, 1.1× its typical year2025Toyota Tacoma 2025: 96 complaints, 0.7× its typical yearToyota Tacomaavoid zone: 273+typical 1362025Toyota Tacoma 2025: 96 complaints, 0.7× its typical year962024Toyota Tacoma 2024: 148 complaints, 1.1× its typical year1482023Toyota Tacoma 2023: 54 complaints, 0.4× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints54fewest2022Toyota Tacoma 2022: 58 complaints, 0.4× its typical year582021Toyota Tacoma 2021: 80 complaints, 0.6× its typical year802020Toyota Tacoma 2020: 87 complaints, 0.6× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints87fewest2019Toyota Tacoma 2019: 218 complaints, 1.6× its typical year2182018Toyota Tacoma 2018: 204 complaints, 1.5× its typical year2042017Toyota Tacoma 2017: 239 complaints, 1.8× its typical year2392016Toyota Tacoma 2016: 323 complaints, 2.4× its typical year, a year to avoid323avoid2015Toyota Tacoma 2015: 101 complaints, 0.7× its typical year1012014Toyota Tacoma 2014: 93 complaints, 0.7× its typical year932013Toyota Tacoma 2013: 125 complaints, 0.9× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints125fewest2012Toyota Tacoma 2012: 295 complaints, 2.2× its typical year, a year to avoid295avoid2011Toyota Tacoma 2011: 186 complaints, 1.4× its typical year1862010Toyota Tacoma 2010: 293 complaints, 2.1× its typical year, a year to avoid293avoid
Toyota Tundra3 years to avoid · typical year 109avoid zone: 218+01002003004005002010Toyota Tundra 2010: 163 complaints, 1.5× its typical year2011Toyota Tundra 2011: 134 complaints, 1.2× its typical year2012Toyota Tundra 2012: 155 complaints, 1.4× its typical year2013Toyota Tundra 2013: 85 complaints, 0.8× its typical year2014Toyota Tundra 2014: 93 complaints, 0.9× its typical year2015Toyota Tundra 2015: 48 complaints, 0.4× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints48fewest2016Toyota Tundra 2016: 119 complaints, 1.1× its typical year2017Toyota Tundra 2017: 78 complaints, 0.7× its typical year2018Toyota Tundra 2018: 99 complaints, 0.9× its typical year2019Toyota Tundra 2019: 72 complaints, 0.7× its typical year2020Toyota Tundra 2020: 45 complaints, 0.4× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints45fewest2021Toyota Tundra 2021: 24 complaints, 0.2× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints24fewest2022Toyota Tundra 2022: 428 complaints, 3.9× its typical year, a year to avoid428avoid2023Toyota Tundra 2023: 400 complaints, 3.7× its typical year, a year to avoid400avoid2024Toyota Tundra 2024: 334 complaints, 3.1× its typical year, a year to avoid334avoid2025Toyota Tundra 2025: 130 complaints, 1.2× its typical yearToyota Tundraavoid zone: 218+typical 1092025Toyota Tundra 2025: 130 complaints, 1.2× its typical year1302024Toyota Tundra 2024: 334 complaints, 3.1× its typical year, a year to avoid334avoid2023Toyota Tundra 2023: 400 complaints, 3.7× its typical year, a year to avoid400avoid2022Toyota Tundra 2022: 428 complaints, 3.9× its typical year, a year to avoid428avoid2021Toyota Tundra 2021: 24 complaints, 0.2× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints24fewest2020Toyota Tundra 2020: 45 complaints, 0.4× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints45fewest2019Toyota Tundra 2019: 72 complaints, 0.7× its typical year722018Toyota Tundra 2018: 99 complaints, 0.9× its typical year992017Toyota Tundra 2017: 78 complaints, 0.7× its typical year782016Toyota Tundra 2016: 119 complaints, 1.1× its typical year1192015Toyota Tundra 2015: 48 complaints, 0.4× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints48fewest2014Toyota Tundra 2014: 93 complaints, 0.9× its typical year932013Toyota Tundra 2013: 85 complaints, 0.8× its typical year852012Toyota Tundra 2012: 155 complaints, 1.4× its typical year1552011Toyota Tundra 2011: 134 complaints, 1.2× its typical year1342010Toyota Tundra 2010: 163 complaints, 1.5× its typical year163
Bars are NHTSA owner complaints per model year. The dashed line is the model's typical year (the median of its years on this site). A year that reaches the hatched avoid zone, twice the typical year and at least 200 complaints, is a year to avoid. The two panels have different scales. Each model is measured only against its own years: the counts are not adjusted for sales, so the chart does not say one model has more problems than the other. Hover a bar for its numbers; every value is also in the table below.
Model yearToyota TacomaToyota Tundra
ComplaintsTimes its typical yearRecallsOur readComplaintsTimes its typical yearRecallsOur read
2025960.7×5Some concerns to check1301.2×5Few red flags
20241481.1×5Few red flags3343.1×10Approach with caution
2023540.4×4Few red flags4003.7×13Approach with caution
2022580.4×3Some concerns to check4283.9×13Approach with caution
2021800.6×0Some concerns to check240.2×3Few red flags
2020870.6×1Few red flags450.4×5Few red flags
20192181.6×4Some concerns to check720.7×10Few red flags
20182041.5×3Few red flags990.9×9Few red flags
20172391.8×5Some concerns to check780.7×6Few red flags
20163232.4×4Approach with caution1191.1×6Few red flags
20151010.7×4Some concerns to check480.4×5Few red flags
2014930.7×4Some concerns to check930.9×5Few red flags
20131250.9×6Few red flags850.8×6Few red flags
20122952.2×7Approach with caution1551.4×4Few red flags
20111861.4×9Some concerns to check1341.2×11Few red flags
20102932.1×13Approach with caution1631.5×16Few red flags

Complaints link to each model year's report. "Times its typical year" sets a year against the same model's typical year. The two models' counts can't be compared directly: they are not adjusted for how many of each were sold.

Most reported problem, by model year

Model yearToyota TacomaToyota Tundra
2025Body and structureEngine
2024Transmission and drivetrainEngine
2023Electrical systemEngine
2022Transmission and drivetrainEngine
2021Transmission and drivetrainElectrical system
2020Fuel systemFuel system
2019Fuel systemFuel system
2018Fuel systemElectrical system
2017Transmission and drivetrainElectrical system
2016Transmission and drivetrainBrakes
2015Body and structureBrakes
2014Body and structureElectrical system
2013Transmission and drivetrainEngine
2012EngineEngine
2011SuspensionEngine
2010SuspensionSuspension

Top problems of each model

The areas of the car NHTSA owner complaints name most, all model years together. A complaint can name more than one area.

Toyota Tacoma

Toyota Tundra

Recalls

NHTSA recall campaigns. A campaign that covers several model years is counted once.

What the data can't show