Toyota Tacoma Complaints (2020)

90 consumer complaints on file.

#11771190October 14, 2026
STEERING
The steering rack has failed multiple times. The rack that was installed in the vehicle when I bought it new had cracked by 53,000 miles - not ideal, but these things happen. (This was discovered by my local Toyota dealership when I brought it in for service.) I returned for a six-month service with no problems. When I returned for my 60,000-mile service, thirteen months after the rack was replaced, the new steering rack had also cracked. This was after less than 7,000 miles driven on the new rack, almost entirely on paved roads in a temperate part of the country. At about twelve months, the rack began to make significant groaning sounds when making turns at low speeds. No warning lights have come on to indicate a problem with either rack's failure. The rack is currently being replaced by the dealership. However, I received a call today that the new rack they had installed has also been shown to be deficient, so they are removing it and replacing it with another part they had in stock. At this point, that's 3 problematic steering racks by 60,000 miles. From what I've read online, this is a relatively common problem for third-generation Tacomas. I'm concerned that the parts Toyota is producing are deficient and need to be re-evaluated. I'm worried that if I were not monitoring this problem so closely, I might be in danger of a crash if the rack were to have worsening issues at high speeds.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11770970October 13, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Occasionally Center cluster on start up is black it has gotten more frequent. No odometer, No cruise control, no digital speedometer. The truck has 12,000 miles on it now today October 13,2026. Selling dealer out of town has no knowledge of issue. Local dealer at time it exhibited issue said never seen that before just disconnect battery for 30mins that will fix it that’s what we do. Was waiting for recall or TSB but am tired of waiting.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11769281October 6, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The rear quarter panel pressure vents failed which allowed water intrusion into the cabin of the truck. Severe mold and smell has occurred due to water damage. There were no warnings from toyota or dealership about these pieces failing and causing damage. To have a dealership replace just the parts, NOT including ruined carpet and pads due to mold, I was quoted $800- $5000 to replace a $60 piece of plastic
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11757586August 18, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The wiper motor does not move fast enough to keep the windshield clear in heavy rain. Yes it is available to be inspected. Unable to see while driving even after slowing down. Only when encountering heavy rain. No No
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754665August 4, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The Clutch in the Manual Transmission makes a "creaking" noise, and you can feel it when driving too, when depressing the clutch pedal... The creaking noise is annoying, but the feel of the creaking is very distracting when driving the manual transmission, depressing the creaky clutch can distract you from the road because you can feel it; and it only get's worse when left alone. This is a recurring issue on my 2020 Tacoma. It was "fixed" by the dealer in 2022, I think, and now it's happening again... same "creaking" issue that starts out small and gets louder and more violent (you can feel the "creaking" in the pedal more) with time. This really seems like a parts failure and not a lube job. There is a TSB out for this issue (T-SB-0112-19), but this really should be upgraded to a recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11742928June 9, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am reporting a safety-related failure of an aftermarket bull bar / grille guard purchased through Amazon. The bull bar detached from the vehicle while the vehicle was in motion on a public road. After detaching, the bar was dragged on the road and was only partially held by the fog light wiring. This created a road hazard and could have caused loss of control, damage to other vehicles, or injury to pedestrians or other drivers. The failure appears to be at or near the welded joint / mounting area, suggesting a possible manufacturing or weld defect rather than normal wear. The product was installed on the vehicle before the incident and failed during normal driving. Product: - Product type: Aftermarket bull bar / grille guard - Brand / seller: Topline_autopart / Amazon - Purchased from: Amazon - Order number: 114-8975268-2481806 - Purchase date: November 21, 2025 Vehicle: - Year / Make / Model: 2020 Toyota Tacoma - Incident date: Mar. 7th 2026 - Approximate speed: 45mph - Location: Exit 111 at I-16 EB I have photos of the failed weld / mounting area, the damaged bull bar, and Amazon order information. I am concerned that other units of this product may have the same defect and could detach while driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730338April 10, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Fluid weeping/leaking/staining on differential housing
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725081March 17, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On Sunday, March 15,2026, I was driving from Houston, TX to Pharr, TX at the speed of 75mph on the left lane to pass an 18 wheeler, with another 18 wheeler behind me, and my truck started idling erratically. I lost speed and my service engine light came on. My truck slowed down and I almost got in a car accident with the 18 wheelers because the truck did this. The truck behind me slowed down on time and it went immediately to the right lane to avoid hitting my truck. I feared for my life. All the vehicles behind me and the 18 wheelers also went to the right lane to avoid me. By this time, the TRAC light had already come on also. I managed a space of no vehicles and steered towards the right safety lane. I pulled over at the local truck stop and stoped my truck to rest. After about 5 minutes I tried starting my truck and it wasn’t starting. I am a little mechanically inclined, so I started troubleshooting the truck. My code reader gave these codes: P1605-00, P0300-27, P0300-85, and P0302-00. Unscathed to start the truck after a while and got back on the road. The drive was brutal, as the truck kept burping erratically, but I made it home safely. I took my truck to the mechanic and he did some repairs and told me the issue is the fuel pump. I have checked the recalls for my truck but it shows zero recalls for my truck. Luckily I am alive to report this life threatening safety issue that Toyota has on this model. How do I get Toyota responsible to make the repairs on my truck? The part alone is over $1200 at O’Reily auto parts.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11723258March 10, 2026
STEERING
This is a safety issue and a known issue. Toyota is reporting that it is wear and tear and denying my goodwill repair but it is a technical service bulletin TSB #0082-21 - so it is a safety issue. I emailed and called and have case number with Toyota - 260225002292
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716242February 6, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
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,
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11712671January 22, 2026
ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, POWER TRAIN
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)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11711240January 15, 2026
POWER TRAIN
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710446January 12, 2026
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle lost power steering assist and brakes, but was able to coast to the side of the road. The contact stated that the low oil and brake warning lights were illuminated, and a message to “Contact Dealer” was displayed. The vehicle was hauled by a friend's truck to a parking lot. The contact used a hand scanner and retrieved fault codes for the fuel pump, brake override, drive start control malfunction, and low oil pressure. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V682000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11708785January 5, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697744November 5, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
Brake fluid leaking into cab from master cylinder
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697064November 2, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Unknown
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687038September 13, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Driving the car on the freeway and upon exiting it stalled going up an incline without any warning. Could have caused a major accident and I am lucky that it did not happen on the freeway. I researched and found out that 2019-2020 Toyota pickups had this known issue in which the fuel pump fails without any warning. As a result, Toyota did issue a recall, however when I contacted them and provided the Vin number, they indicated my truck was not covered under the recall. I am very upset that a 5 year old truck failed on the fuel pump and Toyota is not covering it under the recall since this is a known issue that could have resulted in a serious accident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11686363September 10, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while in reverse, the rearview camera failed to display a centered rearview image. The contact observed that the rearview image was misaligned, potentially compromising the back over prevention system. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was unavailable.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11686377September 10, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera failed to display a centered rear-view image. The contact observed that the rearview image was misaligned, potentially compromising the back over prevention system. No warning lights were illuminated. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679899August 11, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY
Pressure release vents mounted on rear of the cab are leaking water during rain storms causing mold build up in carpet.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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