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2016 Toyota TACOMA: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

323 owner complaints analyzed

4 distinct recall campaigns

15,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 189 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 134 of 323 complaints (41.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting5015.5%
Braking behavior3811.8%
Electrical and battery issues257.7%
Engine operation144.3%
Steering behavior123.7%
Fuel system concerns51.5%

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.

Power Train
134
Unknown Or Other
50
Engine
47
Electrical System
36
Structure:Body
21
Seats
19
Service Brakes
18
Exterior Lighting
15
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Power Train134
Unknown Or Other50
Engine47
Electrical System36
Structure:Body21
Seats19
Service Brakes18
Exterior Lighting15

Power Train: 134; Unknown Or Other: 50; Engine: 47; Electrical System: 36; Structure:Body: 21; Seats: 19; Service Brakes: 18; Exterior Lighting: 15

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
118
25,000 to 49,999
35
50,000 to 74,999
23
75,000 to 99,999
8
100,000 to 149,999
5
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,000118
25,000 to 49,99935
50,000 to 74,99923
75,000 to 99,9998
100,000 to 149,9995
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 118; 25,000 to 49,999: 35; 50,000 to 74,999: 23; 75,000 to 99,999: 8; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (118). 134 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.

2015
2
2016
57
2017
105
2018
36
2019
18
2020
26
2021
16
2022
19
2023
14
2024
13
2025
10
2026
7
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20152
201657
2017105
201836
201918
202026
202116
202219
202314
202413
202510
20267

2015: 2; 2016: 57; 2017: 105; 2018: 36; 2019: 18; 2020: 26; 2021: 16; 2022: 19; 2023: 14; 2024: 13; 2025: 10; 2026: 7

Pattern summary

Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 50 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 38 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 25 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10809882 · 2015-12-13 (December 13, 2015)

ON 11/23/15 I WAS ABLE TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE. ON 11/24/15 I GOT INTO THE VEHICLE TO CRANK IT UP WHEN THE VEHICLE'S WARNING LIGHTS OF BRAKE, ABS WARNING TO CHECK THE ANTI'LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM AND CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM AND THE ANTISKID/TRACTION LIGHTS CAME ON AT APPROXIMATE 110 MILES. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD NOT HURT THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE IT AND THAT IT WAS SAFE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS PROBABLY JUST A FUSE BY A SALESPERSON, WHO ALLEGEDLY TALKED TO ONE OF THE MASTER TECHNICIANS ABOUT THE SITUATION. …

Owner-reported narrative. 110 miles reported. Look up ODI 10809882 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10809896 · 2015-12-13 (December 13, 2015)

THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AFTER THE FIRST PEBBLE HIT IT ON THE INTERSTATE. I WAS IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE DOING ABOUT 50 MPH. WHILE THIS SOUNDS LIKE A NORMAL ISSUE, THIS HAPPENED 200 MILES AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE. I TRADED IN MY 2009 TACOMA WHICH HAD BEEN HIT HUNDREDS OF TIMES ON THIS SAME STRETCH OF ROAD. I DIDN'T THINK TOO MUCH OF IT UNTIL I WENT TO THE AUTO GLASS REPAIR PLACE AND DISCOVERED MINE WAS THE 3RD 2016 TACOMA THAT WEEK FOR THE SAME ISSUE. FURTHER RESEARCH REVEALED THAT THE 2016 WENT TO A NEW MULTI-LAYERED GLASS THAT CUTS DOWN ON …

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10809896 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10818052 · 2016-01-05 (January 5, 2016)

ON A COLD START, AFTER YOU PUT THE VEHICLE IN D (DRIVE) THERE IS UP TO A 7 SECOND DELAY ON ENGAGEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE ACCELERATOR CAN BE PRESSED AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE FOR UP TO 7 SECONDS LEAVING ME STRANDED FOR EXAMPLE IF I HAVE BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY TO THE STREET. ONCE I PLACE THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE ON A COLD START, I CANNOT MOVE FOR UP TO 7 SECONDS. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME ON A COLD START.

Owner-reported narrative. 750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10818052 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10819122 · 2016-01-09 (January 9, 2016)

TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN COLD OR AFTER THE TRUCK SITS FOR AN HOUR OR TWO. USUALLY ALWAYS OCCURS WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE UP, REVERSING AND THEN GOING INTO DRIVE. THE TRANSMISSION HAS A PARTIAL ENGAGEMENT BUT ACCELERATION IS NOT AS INTENDED. IT WILL THEN "BANG" INTO TO GEAR AND GO. FEAR IS THAT IF YOU BACK OUT OF YOUR DRIVEWAY AND INTEND TO ACCELERATE, THE TRUCK MAY NOT MOVE AS INTENDED THUS CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. FOR A NEW VEHICLE, THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY SLIPPAGE ONCE SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. YESTERDAY I HAD IT WHERE THE SLIPPING LASTED TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,650 miles reported. Look up ODI 10819122 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10820420 · 2016-01-15 (January 15, 2016)

TRANSMISSION HAS A DELAYED ENGAGEMENT ON A COLD START. WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE, THE TRUCK MOVES SLIGHTLY THEN A HARD LOCK UP IS FELT. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. WHILE BACKING UP ONTO STREET, WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DELAY WITH NO MOVEMENT. WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC I WAS WORRIED WHETHER ON NOT IT WOULD ENGAGE AT ALL. COULD HAVE CAUSED A ACCIDENT.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10820420 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10821493 · 2016-01-21 (January 21, 2016)

2016 TOYOTA TACOMA EXHIBITS A SEVERE RESONANT VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND GAS PEDAL FROM UNKNOWN SOURCE. THE BUZZING VIBRATION EMANATES THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL AND GAS PEDAL AT A SEVERITY AND PITCH THAT CAUSES DISCOMFORT, TINGLING IN THE HANDS, ARMS, AND RIGHT LEG'TO AN EXTENT I BECOME DISTRACTED WHEN DRIVING OWING TO THE DISCOMFORT AND USE UNSAFE DRIVING METHODS TO AVOID THE STEERING WHEEL OR GAS PEDAL. 'WHEN ACCELERATING FROM 1,000 THROUGH 3,000 RPMS, THE STEERING WHEEL AND GAS PEDAL EXHIBIT A RESONANT BUZZING VIBRATION. THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10821493 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10821542 · 2016-01-21 (January 21, 2016)

THE TRANSMISSION FAILS TO ENGAGE IN A NORMAL AMOUNT OF TIME AFTER GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. IT IS LONG ENOUGH WHERE YOU SELECT DRIVE AND BEGIN TO APPLY THROTTLE AND IT JUST REVS UP THEN ENGAGES WHILE THE ENGINE IS REVVED AND LUNGES FORWARD. IT ALSO SLIPS WHEN GOING AROUND CORNERS AT LOW SPEED AND LOW THROTTLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 550 miles reported. Look up ODI 10821542 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10821805 · 2016-01-22 (January 22, 2016)

HAD AN ARE TRUCK CAP PUT ON AFTER 5 MILES OF DRIVING TRUCK INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON "BRAKE MALFUNCTION". GOT TRUCK HOME TRIED TO RESTART AND NOW TRUCK WILL NOT START SAYING "CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM AND BRAKE MALFUNCTION

Owner-reported narrative. 6,166 miles reported. Look up ODI 10821805 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

4 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

15V656000 · Air Bags:Knee Bolster

Reported: 2015-10-14 (October 14, 2015)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Tacoma trucks manufactured August 20, 2015, to September 10, 2015. In the affected vehicles, incorrect bolts were used to install the driver's knee air bag module.

Consequence: The incorrect bolts may loosen over time and affect the performance of the driver's knee air bag, increasing the risk of driver injury during a crash that necessitates deployment of the air bags.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install the correct driver's knee air bag module mounting bolts, free of charge. The recall began on November 19, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is F0T.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
17V285000 · Power Train:Driveline:Differential Unit

Reported: 2017-04-27 (April 27, 2017)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Tacoma vehicles. Oil may leak from the area where the rear differential carrier is assembled to rear axle housing.

Consequence: If the vehicle is operated with an insufficient amount of oil in the rear differential, the differential may seize and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear differential for oil leakage. Based on the inspection, dealers will either tightening the fastening nuts or replace the fastening nuts and gasket. If the rear differential components are damaged, the rear differential carrier assembly will be replaced. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall June 19, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0G.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
17V356000 · Engine

Reported: 2017-06-01 (June 1, 2017)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Tacoma vehicles equipped with a six-cylinder engine. The affected vehicles have a crank position sensor that may malfunction, potentially resulting in an engine stall.

Consequence: An engine stall may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crank position sensor with an improved design, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0H.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
17V425000 · Equipment | Structure:Body:Hood:Hinge And Attachments

Reported: 2017-07-03 (July 3, 2017)

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2011-2016 Toyota Tacoma and 4Runner vehicles equipped with accessory hood scoops installed by SET or SET dealers. The adhesive attaching the hood scoop may weaken, allowing the hood scoop to detach from the vehicle.

Consequence: If the hood scoop detaches, it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will mechanically fasten the scoop to the hood, free of charge. The recall began on September 1, 2017. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-954-429-2000. SET's number for this recall is SET17B.

NHTSA campaign record ↗