2009 Toyota Tacoma Reliability
The 2009 Toyota Tacoma has 520 owner complaints and 13 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about suspension and exterior lighting. Compared with other Tacoma model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Tacoma's typical year, while the 2011 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
520
NHTSA owner complaints
13
Recall campaigns
25
Complaints citing a crash
18
Complaints citing a fire
2009 Toyota Tacoma complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009 model year, filed between 2008 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 119 | 23% |
| Exterior lighting | 105 | 20% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 75 | 14% |
| Speed control / throttle | 59 | 11% |
| Body structure | 55 | 11% |
| Electrical system | 40 | 8% |
| Steering | 39 | 8% |
| Service brakes | 35 | 7% |
2009 Toyota Tacoma recalls
13 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2009 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09V223000 | Jun 15, 2009 | Equipment — other / labels | Toyota is recalling 27,080 model year 2005 through 2010 passenger cars built from September 1, 2005 to May 4, 2009. These vehicles were not equipped with load carrying capacity modification labels which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor… |
| 09V388000 | Oct 5, 2009 | Speed control / throttle — accelerator pedal | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 passenger vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat. |
| 10V035000 | Feb 3, 2010 | Equipment — other / labels | Gulf states Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between September 1, 2005 and June 2, 2008… |
| 10V036000 | Feb 3, 2010 | Equipment — other / labels | Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 passenger vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying… |
| 11V148000 | Mar 4, 2011 | Tires — pressure monitoring and regulating systems | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2011 fj cruiser, land cruiser, Tacoma, sequoia and tundra vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 138, "tire pressure monitoring system (tpms)." when… |
| 12V092000 | Mar 7, 2012 | Air bags — frontal | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Tacoma vehicles, manufactured from September 14, 2004, through August 29, 2008. Over time, steering wheel vibration may damage the spiral cable assembly (clockspring) that powers the drivers air bag module. If… |
| 13V014000 | Jan 16, 2013 | Air bags — frontal / sensor/control module-inactive | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and… |
| 13V337000 | Aug 7, 2013 | Seat belts | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Tacoma Access Cab vehicles manufactured September 14, 2004, through March 29, 2010; and model year 2011 Tacoma Access Cab vehicles manufactured July 1, 2010, through September 7, 2011. If the access doors are… |
| 14V168000 | Apr 9, 2014 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, 2008-2010 Highlander, and 2009-2010 Tacoma, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and General Motors Pontiac Vibe vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the steering column assembly contains electrical… |
| 14V475000 | Aug 4, 2014 | Equipment — other / labels | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2014 FJ Cruiser and Tacoma vehicles equipped with accessory wheels and tires installed by Toyota or dealers prior to the vehicle's first sale. The affected vehicles may… |
| 14V604000 | Sep 29, 2014 | Suspension — rear / springs / leaf spring assembly / leaf | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Toyota Tacoma Pre-Runner and 4x4 vehicles manufactured September 14, 2009, to October 11, 2010. In the affected vehicles, one of the leaf springs may fracture due to… |
| 14V743000 | Nov 19, 2014 | Seats — front assembly / seat heater/cooler | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4,… |
| 16V396000 | Jun 2, 2016 | Seats — front assembly / seat heater/cooler | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011… |
How the 2009 compares with nearby Tacoma years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Tacoma analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 541 | 10 | Suspension | Avoid |
| 2008 | 450 | 11 | Suspension | Avoid |
| 2009 (this page) | 520 | 13 | Suspension | Avoid |
| 2010 | 294 | 13 | Suspension | Caution |
| 2011 | 186 | 9 | Suspension | Solid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2009 Toyota Tacoma
- Suspension: listen for clunks over bumps, look for leaking struts and uneven tire wear.
- Lights: check headlights (low and high), brake lights and turn signals; condensation inside the housings is worth noting.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Throttle and speed control: check for surging, hesitation or a reduced-power warning, and test cruise control.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 13 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2009 Toyota Tacoma can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2009 Toyota Tacoma reliability FAQ
Is the 2009 Toyota Tacoma reliable?
The 2009 Toyota Tacoma has 520 owner complaints and 13 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about suspension and exterior lighting. Compared with other Tacoma model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Tacoma's typical year, while the 2011 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2009 Toyota Tacoma problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2009 Toyota Tacoma are suspension (119), exterior lighting (105), powertrain / transmission (75), speed control / throttle (59). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2009 Toyota Tacoma have recalls?
NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns for the 2009 Toyota Tacoma, including 09V223000 (equipment — other / labels) and 09V388000 (speed control / throttle — accelerator pedal). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2009 Toyota Tacoma compare with the 2008 and 2010 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2008 has 450 complaints and 11 recalls (avoid); the 2010 has 294 complaints and 13 recalls (caution). The 2009 has 520 complaints and 13 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2009 Toyota Tacoma?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Toyota Tacoma research
Other Toyota Tacoma model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2009 Tacoma, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.