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2018 Toyota Tacoma

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2018 Toyota Tacoma do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 228.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

91 reports with mileage · 112 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

203 reports
48,000 miles · Jan 30, 2020
Fuel/propulsion SystemPower TrainVehicle Speed Control

MY 2018 TACOMA HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON, THEN THE TRAC LIGHT CAME ON. CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING AND ENGINE RUNS ROUGH. WHEN DRIVING, VEHICLE BEGINS TO LOSE ACCELERATION AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGINS FLASHING. WHEN IDLING, ENGINE RUNS WITH WITH A MISS, AND WHEN DRIVING, AT LOWER SPEEDS THE VEHICLE SHUDDERS AS IF ITS LOS…

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MY 2018 TACOMA HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON, THEN THE TRAC LIGHT CAME ON. CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING AND ENGINE RUNS ROUGH. WHEN DRIVING, VEHICLE BEGINS TO LOSE ACCELERATION AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGINS FLASHING. WHEN IDLING, ENGINE RUNS WITH WITH A MISS, AND WHEN DRIVING, AT LOWER SPEEDS THE VEHICLE SHUDDERS AS IF ITS LOSING POWER.

NHTSA ODI #11302999

21,039 miles · Jan 24, 2020
Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA TAKOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND ACCELERATING, A WARNING MESSAGE IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED AT THE SAME TIME. THE VEHICLE LOST MOTIVE POWER. MARIETTA TOYOTA (750 COBB PKWY S, MARIETTA, GA 30060, (470)938-8430) WAS CONTACTED AND A…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA TAKOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND ACCELERATING, A WARNING MESSAGE IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED AT THE SAME TIME. THE VEHICLE LOST MOTIVE POWER. MARIETTA TOYOTA (750 COBB PKWY S, MARIETTA, GA 30060, (470)938-8430) WAS CONTACTED AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED WHICH WAS STILL PENDING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,039.

NHTSA ODI #11301693

3,000 miles · Jan 24, 2020
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM ACTIVATED WITHOUT A VEHICLE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LANE ASSIST WARNING LIGHT ALSO WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BILL WRIGHT TOYOTA LOCATED AT 5100 GASOLINE ALLEY D…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM ACTIVATED WITHOUT A VEHICLE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LANE ASSIST WARNING LIGHT ALSO WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BILL WRIGHT TOYOTA LOCATED AT 5100 GASOLINE ALLEY DR, BAKERSFIELD, CA 93313, (661)398-8697, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE OR DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

NHTSA ODI #11301674

16,500 miles · Jan 17, 2020
Engine

WHEN SLOWING DOWN BEFORE MAKING A LEFT TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC, AFTER THE VEHICLE COMES TO A CRAWL OR STOP AND THEN I ACCELERATE TO TURN LEFT ACROSS TRAFFIC, THE ENGINE HESITATES FOR 1 TO 2 SECONDS BEFORE ACCELERATING. I TOOK MY 2018 TOYOTA TACOMA TO MY DEALER AND THEY WERE ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. A RE-SET OR UPGRADE TO THE…

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WHEN SLOWING DOWN BEFORE MAKING A LEFT TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC, AFTER THE VEHICLE COMES TO A CRAWL OR STOP AND THEN I ACCELERATE TO TURN LEFT ACROSS TRAFFIC, THE ENGINE HESITATES FOR 1 TO 2 SECONDS BEFORE ACCELERATING. I TOOK MY 2018 TOYOTA TACOMA TO MY DEALER AND THEY WERE ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. A RE-SET OR UPGRADE TO THE COMPUTER HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION OF THIS ISSUE AT HTTPS://WWW.TACOMAWORLD.COM/THREADS/3RD-GEN-STALLING-IN-INTERSECTION-UPDATE.459540/.

NHTSA ODI #11300086

54,000 miles · Jan 15, 2020
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE GONE OUT TO MY TACOMA THAT I CAN HEAR THE FUEL PUMP RUNNING ON IT'S OWN. I HEARD IT RUNNING ONE EVENING, WHILE NO KEYS WERE INSERTED AND THE TRUCK WAS LOCKED UP. THE TRUCK RUNS ROUGH MOST OF THE TIME AND I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IT STALLING AND NOT WANTING TO START BACK UP AGAIN. IT WILL TAKE …

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THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE GONE OUT TO MY TACOMA THAT I CAN HEAR THE FUEL PUMP RUNNING ON IT'S OWN. I HEARD IT RUNNING ONE EVENING, WHILE NO KEYS WERE INSERTED AND THE TRUCK WAS LOCKED UP. THE TRUCK RUNS ROUGH MOST OF THE TIME AND I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IT STALLING AND NOT WANTING TO START BACK UP AGAIN. IT WILL TAKE 3 TO 4 TIMES TURNING THE TRUCK OVER BEFORE IT WILL RELUCTANTLY WILL START UP. ALSO THE TRACTION CONTROL BUTTON DOES NOT WORK ANYMORE AND THE DIFFERENTIAL BUTTON WHEN PUSHED ON DOES NOT ENGAGE THE DIFFERENTIAL. ALL OF THESE ISSUES HAVE STARTED AT DIFFERENT TIMES. THE FUEL PUMP RUNNING WHEN NO ONE INSIDE IT HAS JUST THE MONTH BEEN NOTICED AS WELL AS THE BUTTONS. THE STALLING STARTED TO BE NOTICED ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO AND I AT FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS DUE TO IT BEING NOT BROKE IN OR ME NOT GIVING IT ENOUGH GAS, BUT IT IS ALMOST EVERY TIME NOW WHEN I BACK UP OR GO FORWARD IT CAN STALL.

NHTSA ODI #11299461

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 2020
Unknown Or Other

THERE IS A LOUD WHISTLE THAT COMES FROM THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR WHEN DRIVING ABOVE 55 MPH

NHTSA ODI #11298338

Mileage unknown · Dec 13, 2019
Power Train

MY TRANSMISSION ISN'T WORKING PROPERLY. IT DOESN'T SHIFT WHEN IT SHOULD OR IT DOWNSHIFTS WHEN IT SHOULDN'T. WHEN I AM USING CRUISE CONTROL IT'S STAYS IN LOW GEARS WAY TO LONG AND REEVES THE ENGINE VERY HIGH. ONCE I TAKE IT OFF CRUISE CONTROL IT GETS BETTER BUT STILL ISN'T RIGHT. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN…

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MY TRANSMISSION ISN'T WORKING PROPERLY. IT DOESN'T SHIFT WHEN IT SHOULD OR IT DOWNSHIFTS WHEN IT SHOULDN'T. WHEN I AM USING CRUISE CONTROL IT'S STAYS IN LOW GEARS WAY TO LONG AND REEVES THE ENGINE VERY HIGH. ONCE I TAKE IT OFF CRUISE CONTROL IT GETS BETTER BUT STILL ISN'T RIGHT. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2018.

NHTSA ODI #11288807

35,000 miles · Dec 2, 2019
Electrical SystemPower Train

WHILE DRIVING UNDER VARIOUS SPEEDS THE TRUCK WILL VIOLENTLY JOLT FORWARD. A STOP CONTROL MALFUNCTION WARNING APPEARS, THE TRACTION CONTROL, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE. THE TRUCK WILL IMMEDIATELY ENTER LIMP MODE WHICH WILL NOT ALLOW THE TRUCK TO SHIFT ABOVE 3/4TH GEAR. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED 8 TIMES SINCE THE VEH…

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WHILE DRIVING UNDER VARIOUS SPEEDS THE TRUCK WILL VIOLENTLY JOLT FORWARD. A STOP CONTROL MALFUNCTION WARNING APPEARS, THE TRACTION CONTROL, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE. THE TRUCK WILL IMMEDIATELY ENTER LIMP MODE WHICH WILL NOT ALLOW THE TRUCK TO SHIFT ABOVE 3/4TH GEAR. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED 8 TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PURCHASED AND TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO COVER THE REPAIRS UNDER THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY.

NHTSA ODI #11286427

17,000 miles · Nov 26, 2019
Unknown Or Other

RADIO COME OFF AND ON OFF. THIS IS A DISTRACTION AS YOU DRIVE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO RECONNECT YOU DEVISE

NHTSA ODI #11282546

Mileage unknown · Nov 22, 2019
Unknown Or Other

THERE IS A CLUNK NOISE COMING FROM PASSENGER SIDE AT START UP. THE NOISE SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK.

NHTSA ODI #11281876

Official recalls

3

20V682000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Nov 4, 2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-012. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA01.

20V012000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Jan 13, 2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300, and ES 350 vehicles on January 13, 2020. On March 4, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include certain 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, 2018 Avalon, Corolla, 2014 FJ Cruiser, 2017 Sienna and Lexus 2018 ES 350, 2018-2019 GS 300, 2013-2014 GS350, 2014-2015 GX 460, IS 350 and LX 570, 2014 IS F, 2018-2019 IS 350, LC 500H and LS 500H, 2013-2015 LS 460, 2015 NX 200T and RC350, 2017 RC 200T and RX 350. Toyota also removed the 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser and 2018-2019 Lexus GX 460 and LX 570 and 2019 NX300 from inclusion in this recall. On March 19, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include 2015 Lexus GS350 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 and 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles and 20LB01 and 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.

18V888000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder

Dec 13, 2018

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Toyota Tacoma vehicles. Improper machining of the brake master cylinder may result in internal damage of one of the seals, affecting brake performance.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Reduced brake performance can lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, free of charge. The recall began January 28, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J16/J06.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA19001 · Electrical Overstress

Opened Apr 19, 2019 · Closed Sep 19, 2024

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications.  The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU.  In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment.  FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle.  Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW.  These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes.  An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time.   In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU.  This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners.  Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation.  The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage.  There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation.  The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU.  If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC.  Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC.  All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled.  In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024.  With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.