2021 Toyota TACOMA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
80 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
9,700 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2021 model year. Data snapshot: . 18 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 14 of 80 complaints (17.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 21 | 26.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 8.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 6 | 7.5% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 6.3% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 5.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 3.8% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 14 |
| Service Brakes | 12 |
| Unknown Or Other | 12 |
| Engine | 11 |
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Air Bags | 7 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 6 |
| Structure:Body | 5 |
Power Train: 14; Service Brakes: 12; Unknown Or Other: 12; Engine: 11; Electrical System: 8; Air Bags: 7; Fuel/Propulsion System: 6; Structure:Body: 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 | 11 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 11; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 62 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 |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 20 |
| 2022 | 11 |
| 2023 | 11 |
| 2024 | 12 |
| 2025 | 14 |
| 2026 | 12 |
2021: 20; 2022: 11; 2023: 11; 2024: 12; 2025: 14; 2026: 12
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 21 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 7 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 6 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 11396576 · 2021-02-17 (February 17, 2021)
DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS DO NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. IN ORDER TO CLOSE PROPERLY, DOORS MUST BE CLOSED FORCEFULLY TO ACHIEVE CLOSURE.
Owner-reported narrative. 61 miles reported. Look up ODI 11396576 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11397696 · 2021-02-24 (February 24, 2021)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 TOYOTA TAKOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH WHEN COMING TO A RED LIGHT APPROXIMATELY 500 YARDS AWAY, THE CONTACT BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN IN SPEED THEN BEGAN TO PRESS THE BRAKES DUE TO A TRUCK NEARBY SUDDENLY COMING FROM THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES AND COLLISION PREVENTION SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BUT HAD NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY DIAGNOSED TOTALED AS OF YET. THE CON…
Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11397696 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11398319 · 2021-03-01 (March 1, 2021)
TROUBLE CLOSING FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. HAVE TO FORCEFULLY SHUT IN ORDER TO CLOSE.
Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 11398319 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11398320 · 2021-03-01 (March 1, 2021)
WHITE SMOKE AND STRONG GAS SMELL OUT OF EXHAUST UPON START UP.
Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 11398320 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11403765 · 2021-03-18 (March 18, 2021)
I PURCHASED A NEW 2021 TOYOTA TACOMA IN DECEMBER 2021 WITH A PRE COLLISION SAFETY SYSTEM. LESS THAN 2 MONTHS LATER, MY DAUGHTER WAS IN A FRONT END COLLISION ACCIDENT (DAUGHTER AT FAULT). THE SYSTEM DID NOT DO WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSE TO, WHICH WAS WARN HER AND HELP HER APPLY THE BRAKE. AT THE REPAIR CENTER, I ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE PRE COLLISION SAFETY SYSTEM. THEY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BERT OGDEN TOYOTA TO HAVE THE VEHICLE CHECKED OUT. THEY TOLD ME THE SYSTEM WAS PROBABLY OFF OR NOT SET SENSITIVE ENOUGH AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NOW …
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11403765 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11406387 · 2021-04-05 (April 5, 2021)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS SEVERE RUSTING AND CORROSION ON THE SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH INCLUDED SEVERAL CRACKS TO THE FRAME WELDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND THE COST OF THE VEHICLE WAS REFUNDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11406387 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11408651 · 2021-04-18 (April 18, 2021)
UPON ACCELERATION VEHICLE WILL HAVE DELAYED ENGAGEMENT, UP TO AND INCLUDING A NEAR STALL OR STUTTERING. HAS LED TO SEVERAL NEAR MISSES (X2). THE TSS SYSTEM TAKES OVER AND DOES IT'S THING VERSUS ALLOWING THE DRIVER TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR THE CONDITIONS. EXAMPLE WOULD BE AUTOMATIC APPLICATION OF BRAKES DUE TO DEER IN ROAD CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL ON AN ICY ROAD WAY. DRIVER RELEASED GAS PEDAL AND WAS COASTING AS DEER WAS CROSSING. DUE TO BRAKES BEING AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED, VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLIDE, DEER BECAME SPOOKED AND STOPPED CROSSING, VEHIC…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11408651 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11412879 · 2021-04-19 (April 19, 2021)
VEHICLE WILL NOT HOLD 6TH GEAR WHILE IN CRUISE CONTROL. VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY DOWN SHIFT TO 5TH AND SOMETIMES 4TH. THIS MAKES THE VEHICLE SURGE FORWARD ABRUPTLY.
Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 11412879 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.