Car Defect Radar
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Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Confirm 4 recalls before you buy.

Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.

Recalls

4 total · 4 to confirm

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

Steering recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 25V040000 · Jan 2025

A deactivated driver's air bag will not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 25TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 25LA02.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Transmission recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 24V152000 · Feb 2024

Axle shaft separation can cause a loss of vehicle stability and brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect the rear axle assembly, tighten the axle retaining nuts as necessary, and repair or replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 17, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB05 and 24TA05.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Steering recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 23V480000 · Jul 2023

A deactivated driver's air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TA08. Lexus' number for this recall is 23LA02.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Safety recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 22V520000 · Jul 2022

An insufficient weld may prevent the child seat from being anchored properly, allowing the seat to move during a sudden stop or crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect the upper child seat anchors and reweld the child seat anchors, as necessary. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 02, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TB09/ 22TA09.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Owner complaints by system

54 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Minor
13

Most reports here involve premature wear.

premature wear 3loss of steering 1
A recent report: After initial start of engine and at idle there is surge of the engine and lunge forward while in drive. The danger is unexpected forward movement of the truck when pulling forward at idle by lunging…
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After initial start of engine and at idle there is surge of the engine and lunge forward while in drive. The danger is unexpected forward movement of the truck when pulling forward at idle by lunging forward with risk of hitting that which is directly in front such as a parked car or the front of my garage. This is an ongoing event.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11760451 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
10

Most reports here involve electrical shorts.

electrical shorts 3software faults 2
A recent report: Check BSM light came on Dealer found chafed wiring harness

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11763071 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
5

Most reports here involve loss of braking. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

loss of braking 3premature wear 1
A recent report: On June 20, 2025, my 2023 Toyota Tacoma (VIN [XXX] ed a sudden loss of effective braking during normal driving conditions (dry roadway, clear weather). The vehicle was being driven by my adult son…
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On June 20, 2025, my 2023 Toyota Tacoma (VIN [XXX] ed a sudden loss of effective braking during normal driving conditions (dry roadway, clear weather). The vehicle was being driven by my adult son. While slowing for a turn, the instrument cluster displayed a Pre-Collision System (PCS) malfunction warning and a Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) warning. The Driver applied the brake pedal continuously, but the vehicle did no decelerate as expected. ABS did not activate, and braking effectiveness was insufficient. During braking, the driver experienced reduced steering responsiveness. In order to avoid entering a busy roadway without adequate braking capability, the driver applied maximum steering input, fully loading the left side of the steering wheel with as much force as possible in an attempt to redirect the vehicle. Any reduction in speed occurred primarily due to the change in direction and tire to road friction, not effective braking. The vehicle was towed to a Toyota dealership. Dealer intake records document a PCS warning and no brakes upon arrival. Event Data Recorder (EDR/CDR) data shows continuous brake pedal application for approximately 5 seconds prior to the event, accelerator at 0%, and brake system hydraulic pressure reaching approximately 12.14 MPa (maximum recorded). Despite this, the vehicle did not stop as expected. No frontal crash pulse recorded. Toyota Motor North America later denied responsibility, asserting incorrect vehicle speed and stating that a CARFAX report indicated prior front-end damage. The CARFAX vehicle history report, dealer purchase disclosures, and service records show no reported accidents or damage. Toyota declined to provide brake system ECU logs (ABS/VSC/brake control modules). This incident raises concerns regarding a potential safety defect involving electronically controlled braking and its interaction with PCS stability control systems. Supporting documentation available. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11705080 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Worth reading
8

Most reports here involve unintended acceleration.

unintended acceleration 2fluid leaks 2
A recent report: While checking wiper fluid levels for 2023 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road, noticed power steering fluid was below minimum line. No leaks were noticed on the ground where the vehicle is normally parked…
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While checking wiper fluid levels for 2023 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road, noticed power steering fluid was below minimum line. No leaks were noticed on the ground where the vehicle is normally parked, underneath the reservoir or along the hoses related to the power steering system. Upon inspecting the tie rod boots, it was noticed that they appeared to be holding fluid, due to signs of moisture on the exterior of the boots. Vehicle was taken to the dealership where purchased. Vehicle was purchased November 2022 and now has approximately 52,000 miles). The dealership service department determined the steering rack seals failed and power steering fluid was dripping into the tie rod boots. Vehicle was out of the 3 year / 36,000 mile warranty and this known issue is not covered by the power train warranty, so 100% of the cost to repair falls upon the owner. Dealer stated that this is a known issue but could not state why a recall was never initiated to alleviate the issue and prevent this costly repair from falling upon the vehicle owners. If not repaired the issue could cause sudden, dramatic increases in steering effort and total loss of vehicle control. Low fluid can also damage internal pump components if not caught early enough.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11744147 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
7

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 4 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.

airbags not deploying 4software faults 1airbags deploying unexpectedly 1
A recent report: Only the side window airbags deployed during a collision. There was no protection from the front impact. Insurance representatives have the vehicle and we are waiting to hear about the outcome. While…
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Only the side window airbags deployed during a collision. There was no protection from the front impact. Insurance representatives have the vehicle and we are waiting to hear about the outcome. While in the car pool lane traveling approximately 65mph, a Honda civic left the lane to the right of us and veered directly into our lane. I applied the brakes as hard as I could, but did not swerve due to fear of rolling into the opposite direction of traffic. His back driver side came into my front passenger side at the immediate collision and then we flipped onto the driver side and slid for quite a few feet. Only the airbags on the doors/windows deployed. There was very little reaction time to apply the brakes due to the speed and closeness of the Honda coming into our lane. The airbags in the front console would have protected us from the whiplash we received.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11747822 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Worth reading
7

Most reports here involve other issues. Of these, 1 mention an injury.

other issues 7
A recent report: On XXX I was driving on [XXX] at about 70mph, when the rear drivers side window on a 2023 Toyota tacoma crew cab shattered suddenly. If someone had been sitting in the backseat when this occurred…
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On XXX I was driving on [XXX] at about 70mph, when the rear drivers side window on a 2023 Toyota tacoma crew cab shattered suddenly. If someone had been sitting in the backseat when this occurred they could have been injured. The door panel itself was damaged from the tiny shards of glass. It was a dangerous situation as glass was most likely showering the vehicles behind me as this occurred. This vehicle only had 22,200 miles on it at the time and was a stock vehicle. No modifications were added. I had all the windows closed and the AC and recirculating air was on at 2 bars. It was about 8:30 at night when this happened. When I was able to get off the freeway and look at what happened, the glass was totally gone from the window. There was lots of glass on the door panel & well below that, a little behind the drivers seat on the floor close to the window and a little behind where the seat leaves a gap (when the seat is folded down), close to the window that blew out. There was no glass further into the vehicle, which if something had hit the window from outside, I would think the glass would have been further inside. I found more small glass pieces in the bed of my truck (6’ bed). This was a very scary situation and I didn’t do anything to cause it. A more high strung person might have reacted badly to this sudden boom and caused an accident at high speed on the highway. I have heard that similar things have happened to other drivers of certain models of toyota from 2020 - 2026. The vehicle is still under warranty and I took it to Toyota but they refused to repair it under the warranty. I am taking it to a repair shop tomorrow to get an estimate for my insurance. There was no warning prior to this occurring. It was a shock. A child in a rear seat in this situation could have sustained injury. The door panel had slices in it and the fabric is torn. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11757530 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
4

Most reports here involve smoke.

smoke 1
A recent report: This concerns a non-complete recall #24V152. The dealership has had the vehicle for over 60-days.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11603525 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 54 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2023 and 2026, roughly 16 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.

How does it compare with other years? The 2023 has 54 complaints on file, fewer than the 2022 (58) and fewer than the 2024 (148). Of the 16 model years of the Toyota Tacoma we cover, the 2016 has the most (323). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.