Toyota Tacoma Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 3,195 NHTSA complaints, the Toyota Tacoma years to avoid are 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2024 — the worst logged up to 2.4× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by body failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 445 | 154 | 11 | AVOID |
| 2009 | 518 | 196 | 13 | AVOID |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 13 | N/A |
| 2011 | 183 | 55 | 9 | SOLID |
| 2012 | 294 | 225 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2013 | 124 | 69 | 6 | SOLID |
| 2014 | 92 | 51 | 4 | SOLID |
| 2015 | 100 | 47 | 4 | SOLID |
| 2016 | 323 | 200 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2017 | 237 | 151 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2018 | 199 | 149 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2019 | 209 | 169 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2020 | 85 | 59 | 1 | SOLID |
| 2021 | 76 | 50 | 0 | BEST |
| 2022 | 55 | 32 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2023 | 48 | 32 | 4 | CAUTION |
| 2024 | 138 | 92 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2025 | 69 | 39 | 4 | CAUTION |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Toyota Tacoma. Full methodology.
Common Toyota Tacoma problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Toyota Tacoma are body, suspension, engine. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Frame rust and corrosion
· Toyota Tacoma 2008–2015Corroborated by 40 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 356 body complaints across 2008–2015, typically 71,000–220,000 miles.
Leaf spring corrosion and breakage
· Toyota Tacoma 2008–2013Corroborated by 7 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 337 suspension complaints across 2008–2013, typically 130,000–150,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $2,321.
Air injection system failure
· Toyota Tacoma 2012–2014Corroborated by 5 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 131 engine complaints across 2012–2014, typically 85,000–170,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $2,850–$3,000.
Why these years stand out
2008 Toyota Tacoma: 445 owner complaints on federal record, 154 of them severe, plus 11 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Toyota Tacoma.
2009 Toyota Tacoma: 518 owner complaints on federal record, 196 of them severe, plus 13 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Toyota Tacoma.
2012 Toyota Tacoma: 294 owner complaints on federal record, 225 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Toyota Tacoma.
2016 Toyota Tacoma: 323 owner complaints on federal record, 200 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Toyota Tacoma.
2017 Toyota Tacoma: 237 owner complaints on federal record, 151 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Toyota Tacoma.
2018 Toyota Tacoma: 199 owner complaints on federal record, 149 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Toyota Tacoma.
2019 Toyota Tacoma: 209 owner complaints on federal record, 169 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Toyota Tacoma.
2024 Toyota Tacoma: 138 owner complaints on federal record, 92 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Toyota Tacoma.
Know what to pay for the right Toyota Tacoma — then negotiate it
Years-to-avoid tells you which year. Search live listings to see the target price and what verified buyers actually paid for it.
- Verified buyer-paid target price for your exact make, model & trim
- DealDrive AI negotiator reads any dealer quote and writes your counteroffer
- Comparable real deals near you, from verified transactions
FAQ
What years of the Toyota Tacoma should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Toyota Tacoma years to avoid are 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2024 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by body issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Toyota Tacoma?
The 2021 Toyota Tacoma shows the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Toyota Tacoma verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Toyota Tacoma's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Toyota Tacoma before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Toyota Tacoma reliable?
The Toyota Tacoma's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 3,195 NHTSA owner complaints, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2024 rate "avoid", while 2021 shows the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Toyota Tacoma?
The most-reported problem area for the Toyota Tacoma is body, followed by suspension and engine. Confirmed failures include frame rust and corrosion, leaf spring corrosion and breakage, air injection system failure. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Toyota Tacoma across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Toyota Tacoma, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.