general problems of the 2009 Toyota Tacoma - part 1

Headlight shows visible signs of over heating of the amber lenses on both driver and passenger side. Amber lenses are melted, obscured, burned through and causing additional discoloration to the clear lens of the headlight itself. This creates a safety issue for both driver and passenger side headlights and amber lights not illuminating properly but also reducing the reliability and longevity of the lighting systems themselves.

The daytime driving lights are too hot causing the plastic housing to melt, crack and, in some cases, break. My research has found that this is a common problem in Toyota Tacoma trucks from 2005-11. In April 2015, Toyota replaced the headlight assemblies with a supposed "redesigned" assembly to address this issue. However, now in April 2021, the "redesigned" assemblies have again melted, cracked and broken due to the daytime driving lights being too hot and too close to the light assembly. Nothing was redesigned in 2015. Whatever safety or fire hazard in the owner or operator that caused Toyota to replace the headlight assemblies in 2015 still exists today. I have contacted Toyota and my dealer and they have offered no assistance or remedy.

Daytime running lights have burned and cracked lenses. Toyota corporate says the recall is over. This needs to be fixed--repair costs over $500. Please help--.

Both headlamp assemblies inner lens distorted/bubbling, and one side is cracked with the inner lens separated.

There is an issue on driving amber signal lights located on front of vehicle. Bulbs are too hot, and have melted and cracked the lense cover on the inside of the head light assembly. It is hampering light out put, and could form a hole in the future which will provide a high beam of light to on coming traffic. Also, it could ignite due to heat and plastic melting. Reports of this occuring on Toyota vehicles have been numerous with no resolve. Mind you, this is a engineer or manufacturing mishap and error as they failed to consider at the moment of designing /manufacturing, and now the results are more than evident. Other Toyota vehicles are not having this issue which means that someone figured out a resolve on their future production in order to avoid bad publicity. It is fair to say, that Toyota should replace such a defect, or reimburse its customers who decide to replace them due to such a defect. Thank you for considering the validity of this manner!.

The running lights melted the lenses at 35000 miles and I took my truck back to Toyota and they replaced the lights, said they put bulbs in there that would not get as hot. Now at over 80000 miles they have melted again, the plastic is turning black, looks like a possible fire hazard. I have seen this same issue with other similar models. Toyota is aware of the problem, needs to recall and properly fix!.

Lens covers for amber daytime running light (drl) bulbs have melted and cracked due to heat output of the bulb. A brief investigation indicates this is a common issue in this model.

Lens covers for amber daytime running light (drl) bulbs have melted and cracked due to heat output of the bulb. A brief investigation indicates this is a common issue in this model.

The daytime running lights have meted the lens and the high heat has also cracked and distorted the main head lght lens on my 2009 Toyota Tacoma.

Both headlamp lenses are melted and cracked from the drl (daytime running lights) bulb heat. Either bulbs are too close to the lenses or the wattage is too high. This defect is not the relult of any accident or incident, just from normal use.

The amber running lights have melted and on the drivers side has had cracked in half. Seems to me tpo much heat from the factory bulbs used. Seems to be a safety hazard could possible case a fire? do to the heat. I asked dealer says no recall. I have looked at other used trucks on lots and they have the same problem. . Go on the internet and your site, you will see I am not the only one with this problem.

Burning interior lens cover due to bulb placement to close to the lens. Remedy : changing to a shorter bulb with lower voltage ( less heat ) or led, which will be positioned away from the lens. I have been always loving Toyota vehicles but I believe deeply it is a product defect Toyota should replace free of charge for those owners. They should know and avoid bulb ( heat ) / plastic lens ( position ).

Toyota technical service bulletin# t-sb-0129-11 Toyota knew there is a melting/safety issue with drl yet I was not informed while vehicle was in warranty back in September 2011, when the TSB above was published by Toyota. Toyota still wants me to pay at 31,000 miles 2009 Tacoma almost $300 to fix it. Major safety issue since melting has dimmed the lighting output & poses a fire hazard as the melting has also reached the back of the bulb socket where the wiring is. Please help.

2009 Toyota Tacoma. Last week I have to change the burnt light bulb for the turn/daytime running light and noticed that the lense inside the headlamp assembly was broken in half. By looking from the front side I can see that the plastic lense has been melted down. After a thorough inspection, I noticed that there is a trace of overheating on the socket. This issue can cause a fire on this vehicle. I hope Toyota will stand for it's reputation and correct this issue. Because, it will create a fire hazard in the future.

Both front amber daytime running lights (drl) are melting the plastic lens covers and it looks like there is risk of a fire. The original bulbs are in the truck. I am the original owner and have never opened or changed any of the lights on this truck. I don't know how long this has been like this, but I would guess that it has been over-heating for quite some time. The plastic is bubbling and is turning a burnt color.

Running lights have melted, cracked and have brown color on plastic. Contacted Toyota dealer (sun Toyota) and they said it's not under warranty. Contacted Toyota corp and they said that they haven't heard of this happening. I believe there is a potential of a fire happening.

The headlamp assembly: running lights build up excess heat and burns/cracks the lens. This has occurred on both passenger and drivers sides. On the drivers side the lens has broken and fallen out of place.

Daytime running lights are causing melting and cracking of the lens covering from the inside. I took my vehicle to a Toyota dealership in superior WI. Vehicle was inspected. The service manager called Toyota financial services, issuer of my platinum vehicle service agreement, and then called me a few hours later to say that my claim had been denied because "lamps" are not covered. I called Toyota customer service on November 15, 2012 and explained that this is a fire hazard and requested it be repaired. Toyota customer service called me back on November 19, 2012 and said that because the "original factory warranty" had expired so that there would be no remedy offered by Toyota. This problem is well documented online on various Tacoma / Toyota owners' sites. Personnel at the dealership told me that the "replacement part" had been re-designed to eliminate this problem. . . . So Toyota is aware of the problem.

Daytime running lights lens melted and cracked on both right and left light assemblies.

Tl-the contact owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the dtr lights malfunctioned and melted the case. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. After diagnosis they advised him that the dtr light bulb assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. The current mileage was approximately 89,569. Tb.

We have noticed the daytime running lights lens are melting and cracking on both sides. I think this is a safety issue,possible fire hazard.

Tl-the contact owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated the daytime running lights get heated and started cracking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated there was no recall and he would have to repair the failure at a cost to him. The manufacturer was notified who stated there was no recall and that there was no defect. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 66,000. Mw.

Both front amber daytime running light lenses melting, bubbling and cracking from bulb heat. Active TSB but not valid after 36,000.

I have a 09 Tacoma and the drl's have actually burned, melted and popped the lens in front of them. Also, the bulbs themselves, upon examination, have burned the socket in which they are held. You can see black around the base of them. Took it to Toyota at 59k miles and I have the platinum 7year/100000mi warranty and was told it would cost me 1100 for parts alone to fix, offered no help and lied to me and said they have had no other incidents of this nature and its a rare problem never before seen. I have removed my drl bulbs out of concern of a fire starting and then I probably get stuck with that bill of a burnt front end. I should not have to pay because Toyota put in a bulb that's too hot or because Toyota decided to make a cheap plastic cover for the bulbs. I had zero influence on this failure. There are countless posts on all kinds of websites concerning this problem. I can track down over 1000 in less than 30 min. Please help. When I call Toyota I just get bullied around and talked to like I'm dumb or don't know what I'm talking about.

The lens on my daytime running lights are melting, and I'm worried about it might causing electrical problems or even causing a fire.

Day time running light covers burnt from the heat of light bulbs being mounted to close to lens cover. Lens cover cracked, burn and at some times smolders.

Daytime running light (dtrl) housing burned/melted/cracked on both lh & rh. Safety related system with proper oem factory bulbs still installed.

Front amber turn lamps bubbled, look very hot on plastic lens, burnt through, could possibly cause fire? lens cracked.

Daytime running lights are to close to the plastic in front of the bulb, which has cracked and melted the plastic lens, which is a fire hazard.

The plastic lens covering the daytime running lights/blinkers are melting and cracked. The cause appears to be from the lights which are on when the engine is on. Left and right side lens are melted.

Daytime running lights are too hot causing the plastic lenses to crack, melt, and burn. Toyota is treating this as purely cosmetic in t-sb # 0129-11 (for 6 model years they were aware of it). This listing should be changed to a safety recall, that amount of heat could start a vehicle fire.

The running lights melt the plastic headlamp covers and literally melt the plastic, this is a picture of my second set that are also melting.

The dtrl amber bulb has melted both lens due to excessive heat from bulb. The left/right lens are cracked and falling apart.

In September 2011, I noticed the daylight running lights had an orange/brown spot in the middle of the lens. Eights months later, the daylight running lights have melted and cracked the plastic lens. The passenger side lens has completely melted in half. The bulb appears to sit too close to the lens in the housing unit. Fire risk.

The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the daytime running lights were made with double contact bulbs. The heat from the light was burning through the lenses. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and had the lenses replaced but the dealer did not change the bulbs. The contact believed that the failure would recur because the bulbs were not replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and advised that the failure was extremely rare and offered no further assistance. The contact stated that the bulb burned through the lens within two years. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 37,600.