2020 Toyota TACOMA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
87 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
5,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2020 model year. Data snapshot: . 44 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel/Propulsion System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 21 of 87 complaints (24.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 22 | 25.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 13 | 14.9% |
| Engine operation | 10 | 11.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 9.2% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 5.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 4.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 21 |
| Power Train | 15 |
| Engine | 14 |
| Service Brakes | 12 |
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 5 |
Fuel/Propulsion System: 21; Power Train: 15; Engine: 14; Service Brakes: 12; Electrical System: 8; Unknown Or Other: 8; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 40 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 40; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (40). 43 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 21 |
| 2021 | 21 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 7 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 12 |
| 2026 | 11 |
2019: 1; 2020: 21; 2021: 21; 2022: 6; 2023: 7; 2024: 8; 2025: 12; 2026: 11
Pattern summary
Fuel/Propulsion System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 22 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 13 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 10 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11299272 · 2020-01-14 (January 14, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT PULSATED. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. DAYTONA TOYOTA (51 N NOVA RD, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32114 [phone removed]) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,800.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11299272 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11311439 · 2020-02-25 (February 25, 2020)
SEAT BECAME UNLATCHED, WHILE APPLYING BRAKES.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11311439 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11365482 · 2020-10-20 (October 20, 2020)
I JUST BOUGHT A NEW 2020 TACOMA SR5, AND IT HAS VERY POOR ACCELERATION WHEN PASSING OTHER VEHICLES. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DEAD SPOT WHEN ACCELERATING. IT SEAMS TO HAVE A TRANSMISSION DELAYED SHIFTING RESPONSE TIME WHEN DRIVING. I CONSIDER THIS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A NEW VEHICLE. IT RUNS WORSE THAN MY OLD CAR. IT RUNS LIKE ALL THE FUEL INJECTORS ARE DIRTY. ALSO, A FEW DAYS AGO, I WAS PARKED IN A PARKING SPACE THAT HAD A BIT OF AN INCLINE FOR ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES, AND WHEN I PULLED OUT AND PLACED MY GEAR IN DRIVE, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED BADLY AND W…
Owner-reported narrative. 157 miles reported. Look up ODI 11365482 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11397310 · 2021-02-22 (February 22, 2021)
I WAS LEAVING MY DRIVEWAY, THE TRUCK STARTED JUMPING AND LOSS POWER. THEN CUT OFF AND WOULDN'T CRANK BACK UP FOR A FEW MINUTES. EVENTUALLY IT CONTINUED FOR ABOUT 3 OR 4 TIMES. UNTIL IT FINALLY DIED AND WOULD NOT RUN EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD CRANK. TOOK IT IN AND FOUND OUT MY PARTICULAR TRUCK WASN'T RECALLED EVEN THOUGH IT HAS A FUEL PUMP PROBLEM. THEY PUT A FUEL PUMP ON IT. BUT THEY DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE NEWER UPDATED PUMP OR THE OLDER VERSION KNOWN TO HAVE PROBLEMS. SO I'M RIDING AROUND IN A VEHICLE THAT COULD FAIL ANYTIME.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,138 miles reported. Look up ODI 11397310 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11343500 · 2020-08-05 (August 5, 2020)
VEHICLE STALLS WHEN OPERATING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. HAS STALLED OUT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND IN PARKING LOTS. HAS BROKEN DOWN AND REGISTERED FUEL TROUBLE CODES FOUR TIMES IN LESS THAN 90 DAYS. WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLS IT HAS REGISTERED THE P08700 AND P0017100 CODES FOR LOW FUEL PRESSURE. DEALER HAS REPLACED HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE FUEL PUMPS AND PROBLEM IS STILL NOT FIXED. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION BECAUSE THE DRIVER LOSES ALL POWER AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESTART. THE DRIVER HAS TO LOOK FOR A PLACE TO 'DITCH' OR PUSH OUT OF TRAFFIC. …
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11343500 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11349639 · 2020-08-16 (August 16, 2020)
TAKES LONG TO START UP. CRANKS OVER WAY TOO MUCH. SOMETIMES STALLS. ALREADY HEARD STARTER GRIND ON FLYWHEEL TWICE.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11349639 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11405425 · 2021-03-29 (March 29, 2021)
2020 TOYOTA TACOMA TRD SPORT, TRANSMISSION LURKS FROM REVERSE INTO DRIVE YOU HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL A LITTLE HARDER THAN NORMAL TO KEEP FROM LURKING. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO LOOSE POWER WHEN DOWN SHIFTING WHILE ACCELERATING (GOING AROUND A CORNER). THE TRUCK ALSO SEEMS LIKE ITS HUNTING FOR A GEAR AROUND THE 35MPH OR 43 MPH, ON FLAT SURFACE, GOING DOWN HILL, OR GOING UP HILL. THIS ALSO HAPPENS ON THE INTERSTATE WHILE GOING 65-70MPH, WHICH WOULD BE CAUSE FOR CONCERN. THIS FEELS LIKE ITS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE BUT ALSO COULD BE AN …
Owner-reported narrative. 5,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11405425 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11323329 · 2020-05-05 (May 5, 2020)
WHEN IN REVERSE AND BACKING UP, ENGINE WILL SURGE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. IN A TIGHT SPACE TRUCK IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN THIS HAPPENS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 525 miles reported. Look up ODI 11323329 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11372998 · 2020-11-04 (November 4, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 77 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE SOUND CEASED. THE SOUND RETURNED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ALONG WITH THE LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HOOD POPPED UP ABOUT AN INCH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET PARKED ON THE SHOULDER AFTER WHICH THE STEERING SEIZED. THE VEHIC…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11372998 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11404754 · 2021-03-24 (March 24, 2021)
IN LATE NOVEMBER OR EARLY DECEMBER OF 2020, I HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEAR. I CYCLED THROUGH SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES (500+) THINKING IT MAY HAVE BEEN A LOOSE GAS CAP ISSUE THAT NEEDED TIME TO SORT ITSELF OUT. THE LIGHT DID NOT RESOLVE ITSELF AND I VISITED THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP, AUTONATION TOYOTA, IN TEMPE. I WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS CAUSED BY RODENTS. MANY MANUFACTURERS, INCLUDING TOYOTA, HAVE SWITCHED TO SOY-BASED WIRING INSULATION WHICH IS ATTRACTIVE TO RODENTS. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE …
Owner-reported narrative. 6,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11404754 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11503160 · 2023-01-23 (January 23, 2023)
The issue is that I and as well as many others live in cold winter climates. LED headlights do not put off the heat required to keep snow and ice off of them. This is a hazardous and accident causing issue when you can not see any longer. Getting out of the vehicle every few miles poses a hazard in it's own that you are pulling over on a roadway to clear the headlights. I don't feel the manufacturers thought this through and is getting worse that most newer vehicles & all electrical vehicles have LED lighting. There needs to be a heater s…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11503160 at NHTSA ↗