Power Train Problems of Toyota Tacoma - part 1

Toyota has a manufacturing defect going on with their v6 in gen 3tacoma's. I have a 2020 limited with 48,200 miles that needs a new cylinder head. It threw a check engine light on me, and luckily enough I took it to the dealership within about 30 miles, otherwise my engine could have exploded. I have videos from the dealership inspection that I cannot attach here. I have since found via the error code a history of these issues on newer trucks. [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] I believe that this issue could pose serious safety issues for someone who is not as immediate on stopping driving, as it was just a check engine light. If you were to drive on this light down the highway, and have catastrophic failure, the Tacoma becomes a completely unpowered hazard. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2020 Toyota Tacoma 🔎.

Driving up the 15 freeway from diamond bar CA to victorville CA the car gave me a warning that the transmission is overheating and to pull over to cool it down keep in mind I was on a paved freeway with no trailer and nothing in the bed of the truck so no unusual weight so with the car being brand new (only 1500 miles) I played it safe and pulled to the side of the freeway for about 15 minutes to allow for cooling then the sign went away and it was driving normal. A few days later I took the car into the shop for transmission, hard shift issue and I had them look at the overheating as well and they found an overheating was caused from “harsh acceleration” I’ve had many cars and no car has ever had a transmission overheating light come on unless if I was on the track or off roading I went up to victorville again the following weekend and the overheating light came on again but the dealership is saying it’s normal but going up a paid freeway and having to stop on the side of the road to let the transmission cool down is not safe.

See all problems of the 2025 Toyota Tacoma 🔎.

Transmission blew at 40200 miles under normal driving conditions going approximately 30/35 mph.

See all problems of the 2022 Toyota Tacoma 🔎.

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Tacoma. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v656000 (power train); however, parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue, and a case was opened for a potential buyback option. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Vehicle accelerated on its own at highway speed, had to hit the brake in order for it to stop accelerating. Other more common issue is that vehicle rpms go up when trying to accelerate but vehicle does not accelerate, just rpms go up. This happened about 5 times over the past year and a half. Most noticeable time was where I couldn’t accelerate after at all until I pulled over and put it in park. Then back to drive again and worked fine. This car has been brought over to lia Toyota of rockland numerous times with this second issue and they can never duplicate nor fix the problem.

There is a leak the rear differential. There is a recall on this issue.

See all problems of the 2017 Toyota Tacoma 🔎.

2024 Toyota Tacoma trd hybrid. When trying to use 4hi/4lo the vehicle gets stuck in 4lo with the 4lo/4hi lights flashing. This means the vehicle has no idea what the state of the transmission is. It does not allow getting back to 2hi. In the state the vehicle is not drivable. It happens when offroading in the middle of no where. Toyota requires the vehicle to be towed to a dealer. We had this problem 2 weeks ago. The vehicle was towed to stevenson Toyota in st george ut. They acknowledge it is a Toyota problem. They kept it for 10 days said they had 15 parts to fix it. We picked it up. Tried to get into 4lo the next day the problem happened again and needed to be towed. Both chatgpt and gemini state this a known problem but Toyota has not issued a recall on it. That is not safe because an owner can be disabled in the middle of no-where. This vehicle is advertised as off road.

See all problems of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma 🔎.

I am having same issue as the incident I found here 12/06/2025, listed under complaints-I live in rio rancho nm- concern it involves the automatic transmission torque converter specifically torque-converter lock-up behavior, the issue presents as a vibration/shudder during steady -speed driving , we are driving around 30-40 miles per hour when it happens, the vehicle remains in my possession and is available for inspection upon request. The vibration/shudder occurs during steady cruising at moderate speeds which affects vehicle smoothness and driver confidence, while no accident has occurred yet, the behavior is unexpected and distracting and could impact safe vehicle operation, particularly during highway driving or when maintaining steady speed in traffic, I took it to my Toyota dealer a few months ago they said they could not find any issues, I am taking it again tomorrow and now I can show them that I found the same issue under complaints, I need to Toyota to fix my issue ASAP,.

The concern involves the automatic transmission torque converter, specifically torque-converter lock-up behavior. The issue presents as a vibration/shudder during steady-speed driving. The vehicle remains in my possession and is available for inspection upon request. The vibration/shudder occurs during steady cruising at moderate speeds, which affects vehicle smoothness and driver confidence. While no accident occurred, the behavior is unexpected and distracting and could impact safe vehicle operation, particularly during highway driving or when maintaining steady speed in traffic. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes. The concern has been reported to and evaluated by a Toyota dealership. Diagnostic checks did not produce fault codes, but the symptoms are consistent with torque-converter lock-up issues that occur without triggering warning lights or diagnostic trouble codes. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? the vehicle has been inspected by a Toyota dealership service department. It has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives, as no accident or collision occurred. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? no warning lights or messages were displayed. The primary symptom was a noticeable vibration/shudder during steady-speed driving, which began after the vehicle was purchased in July and after routine dealer-performed maintenance. The condition developed without advance warning indicators.

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Tacoma. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for the recall repair of NHTSA campaign number: 24v152000 (power train). The contact became aware of a weld splatter and that the nuts were rusted. The dealer marked the vehicle repaired; however, the contact stated that the repair was not completed. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where the nuts and bolts were replaced. The contact stated that the torque spec was incorrect. The dealer provided a video of the work order for the repair. The dealer informed the contact that rust could develop on the nuts. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 21,303.

See all problems of the 2023 Toyota Tacoma 🔎.

I was driving on the highway when my vehicle suddenly lost power. The engine light and traction control light came on, and I lost power, and the engine started sputtering. I had to pull off to the side and put on hazards. My Tacoma would only drive about 25 mph after this happened. Based on a quick search, this is a very common problem in 3rd-generation Tacomas!.

The vehicle was being operated in 4-wheel-drive, mode 4h, and when turning to the left at low speed, there was a grinding noise from the front of the vehicle and it would not proceed. The vehicle had to be put back in 2-wheel-drive, mode 2h, put in reverse, backed up a short distance, and then put back in drive, and then it was able to proceed. This is likely the cv joint issue reported in other 2024 and 2025 Toyota Tacomas. The dealer has been notified, and the vehicle will be taken in for service.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving 10 mph, after depressing the accelerator pedal and then attempting to depress the brake pedal to make a left turn, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. An independent mechanic was contacted. The contact pulled over into a church parking lot. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 47,000.

See all problems of the 2021 Toyota Tacoma 🔎.

When’s he start and you get gas it won turn off but don’t do it , and whend I hit a jump and I tuning he shake it wild.

See all problems of the 1997 Toyota Tacoma 🔎.

Transmission fault codes during family highway trip which completely stop all safety features from working.

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Tacoma. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v656000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

G.

I was informed by the service manager at labadie Toyota (bay city, mi) that the new 2. 4l turbos have injector issues! some sienna's Tacoma's, and other models have faulty direct injectors that spray way too much fuel into the cylinders, and it drains into the oil reservoir! I had my oil changed at 1k, 5k and 10k by the dealership. I've had this issue at 5k and I presumed service center incompetence, and they agreed. I recently had my oil changed at 10k and came back in 2 weeks later with check engine light on and excessive engine chatter. I was told this a known Toyota engineering issue, and they are now telling the techs to look into the cylinders to look for clean/washed piston tops. Today they just changed my oil and told me to come back in 3 weeks or if issues arise. I'm concerned about a fire with gas going into the engine oil and potentially causing a fire. Toyota engineering is aware of this issue I was told so I would a recall to be issued so there is no issues with a fire happening.

Turning a corner my left axle broke and I only have 3100 miles on this vehicle. Still is not fixed because of warranty issues. When I do get it back I don’t know how I’m suppose to feel safe driving it. Upon checking on youtube and internet I see there is a problem with this happing to others. Thank you for your time.

Transmission slips when needing to speed up quickly thus has hairbrush several times.

•what component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? I purchased a 2025 Toyota Tacoma from carver Toyota of columbus, in, 47280 brand new with only 15 miles. I also purchased the 100,000-mile bumper to bumper warranty that covers third party parts. After driving the vehicle for 5,000 miles, I noticed problems with transmission or the powertrain system whenever I would shift from 2nd to 3rd gear, down shift, shift to reverse, and would slip acceleration whenever the vehicle is sitting idle. •how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? this has impacted my safety and the safety of others by not properly shifting into gear. When accelerating it engages harshly from 2nd to 3rd gear. I can’t properly accelerate whenever the vehicle is idle; thus causing safety concerns when operating this vehicle. •has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes, on [xxx], I took the vehicle into to carver Toyota service center with only 10,639. My warranty covers 100,000 miles bumper to bumper. •has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? the service member with carver Toyota “test drove” and confirmed that the vehicle shifted harshly from park to reverse and from 2nd to 3rd gear. The vehicle fluids were checked and were found to be low. The fluids were “topped off” and the vehicle was returned back to me within one day of my delivering it to them. •were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? at the time of my reporting this issue with carver, there were no warnings or error codes indicted by the vehicle. However, this is a well known issue with this make and model of the Toyota Tacoma. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

2024 Toyota Tacoma trd offroad hybrid premium, truck will shift hard into 2nd gear almost like its slipping, issue is primarily noticed when the truck has sat overnight or a few hours. Dealership has checked once and recommended me to try changing driving habits, (complete stop when shifting to fwd gear) still no fix. No warning lamps have shown no incidents or accidents from issue but.

Since first oil change it will not stop leaking oil.

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the unoccupied vehicle was parked on a slightly inclined driveway. The contact later noticed that the vehicle had rolled across the street into the neighbor's yard, causing the rear end of the vehicle to crash into a pine tree. There were no injuries sustained. The tree branches were damaged. The contact stated that both taillights were damaged, the tailgate was pushed into the bed tonneau cover, there was a significant dent on the bumper, and the vehicle sustained other unknown damages. The contact was able to drive the vehicle from the scene. The contact stated that after the incident, the contact noticed that the vehicle could shift into gear while the brake pedal was not depressed, and the gear shifter could be moved out of park(p) while the vehicle was turned off. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 275,000.

See all problems of the 2013 Toyota Tacoma 🔎.

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being serviced, the contact was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced due to an oil leak. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the speedometer gauge failed to function as intended. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the instrument panel had a factory defect. The vehicle was repaired. In addition, the contact was informed that the rear axle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the rack and pinion recently failed. The contact stated that the vehicle veered to the right and the left independently while driving with an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired after the most recent failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

Vehicle lurched forward with a “bang” accelerating in stop and go traffic. Vehicle then stalled and flashed multiple warnings. Hybrid system failure. Drive mode failure. General failure. Vehicle would not restart on first attempt - multiple attempts made to restart. Upon restarting, it would not move forward in drive, prompting a new error stating it needed to be returned to park. After a couple more restarts it was able to engage the gear and move forward. Power was limited, it drove differently, and the hybrid error persisted.

Six speed manual transmission would not shift into second fourth or sixth gears. It started in a parking lot shifting from first to second, then it made a grinding noise and all the bottom gears of the extended 'h' shift pattern were not functioning.

Transmission slipping in 2nd gear and losing power. No warning lights, but the loss of power could've resulted in an accident had it been in an intersection. I can reproduce the issue, but the dealer says they are unable to. That said, there are other issues with power delivery such as rpm flutter that they have acknowledged in writing.

Transmission is failing, fluid was black and burnt at 35k miles (dealer did not provide a large enough sample to allow for testing the fluid because I didn't specify the amount I needed), and vehicle is not throwing a cel or mil so therefore Toyota says that there is no defect. Fluid change did improve the functioning, but it did not correct the problem. Transmission failures are a known problem on numerous Toyota vehicles using an a series transmission. My vehicle has done this and progressively worsened since it had roughly 500 miles on it. Dealership originally refused to document my complaints in their system and Toyota customer care's assistance has been minimal at best. My vehicle suffers from numerous of the same complaints that are listed under the 2024 model Tacoma. Before servicing the transmission fluid the vehicle would occasionally have an extremely hard shift around 55mph that would result in the truck spinning tires on the interstate which shouldn't even be possible. I actually managed to capture a short video of the dash as it was doing this once and even sent it to Toyota but they said if they can't replicate it then it doesn't count. I think there needs to be an investigation into Toyota's transmission issues as well as someone should investigate their programming for mil/cel activation parameters as their vehicles are alerting the driver's to a problem until there is a complete and total failure which could leave the driver in an unnecessary and dangerous situation that could possibly be avoided if the driver was informed when the "fail-safe" features activate instead of when they're unable to compensate. I am unable to load the video through this computer; however, I can upload the video from my phone upon request.

Transmission slips and shifts roughly, intermittently. No codes have shown up when scanned at the dealer.

The transmission slams gears, looses power when shifting on acceleration, and goes into a neutral while in parking lots at low speeds. The truck also while stopped will shutter and feel like it just got hit.

While driving the vehicle there is a groaning sound coming from the front end of the Tacoma from the front differential. There is a TSB from Toyota, but they only cover it under warranty and are not treating it as a recall. TSB # 0026-15. I think this is something that is causing wear to the front differential and could cause further damage/could lead to a crash if something was to lock up. The sound is consistent from 15-55 mph no matter the driving.

See all problems of the 2014 Toyota Tacoma 🔎.

Vehicle was set in tow/haul mode. Tow/haul mode provides higher acceleration by changing the operation of transmission. Vehicle was towing 2500lb cargo trailer on interstate. Driver stopped at rest area and turned off engine and left vehicle. Driver returned to vehicle 5 minutes later. Driver started engine and proceeded to leave the rest area. Driver was on highway entrance ramp. Entrance ramp merges with right lanr driver attempted to accelerate to enter highway in such a way that there would be safe distance between end of trailer and car on highway approaching end of trailer. Vehicle would not accelerate as quickly as it was accelerating for the past 2 hours. Driver was surprised and distracted. Margin of safety between rear end of trailer and car on highway was greatly reduced. Some time after the incident driver realized that car forgot it was in tow haul mode whenever engine is turned off. There is no warning that mode changed. This means that car does not behave as reasonably expected after an ignition cycle.

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the "coolant bypass hose/joint" (part #: 16356-31051) located at the rear of the engine, connecting the two heads, failed. This part is made of plastic and is known to be a weak point in the 3. 5l v6 (2gr-fks) engine. The failed component is still in the vehicle and can be inspected upon request. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? a coolant leak from this component can lead to engine overheating, which could cause sudden engine failure while driving, increasing the risk of an accident. Since the leak is not easily visible under the hood, a driver may not notice the issue until significant overheating occurs, potentially leaving them stranded in unsafe conditions. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes, the issue was confirmed by the dealership after an inspection. They identified the coolant bypass hose/joint as the source of the leak. Many users on the forum Tacomaworld have also experienced the same issue with their vehicles. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? the vehicle was inspected by the dealership, but it has not been inspected by Toyota directly, the police, or an insurance representative. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? there were no warning lamps or dashboard messages indicating a problem. The only symptom was a small puddle of coolant on the ground a week after purchasing the vehicle. Upon further inspection, a trail of coolant was observed running down onto the passenger side of the transmission bell housing. Would've costed me 1,000 dollars if didn't have warranty.

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while shifting into gear, the vehicle jumped and continued to move. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v058000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.