2011 Toyota TACOMA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2011 Toyota TACOMA has 226 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is suspension problems (26% of all complaints), specifically: my 2011 toyota tacoma 7188 is very dangerous to drive in windy conditions. at interstate speeds (70mph) it looses directional stability during windy conditions. my 2006 tacoma 7114 was solid as a rock in any conditions. i feel that the height of the vehicle causes wind to raise the vehicle ever so s. ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.

5 fire reports 9 crash reports 8 injuries

226

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.8x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

SUSPENSION

58 complaints

26%

• MY 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA 7188 IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN WINDY CONDITIONS. AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS (70MPH) IT LOOSES DIRECTIONAL STABILITY DURING WINDY CONDITIONS. MY 2006 TACOMA 7114 WAS SOLID AS A ROCK IN ANY CONDITIONS. I FEEL THAT THE HEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE CAUSES WIND TO RAISE THE VEHICLE EVER SO S
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V604000 (SUSPENSION) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DELAY.
• 2011 TOYOTA TAKOMA 4X4 LEAF SPRINGS SEVERELY COMPROMISED DUE TO INFERIOR CONSTRUCTION *CN THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. *JB

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“MY 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA 7188 IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN WINDY CONDITIONS. AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS (70MPH) IT LOOSES DIRECTIONAL STABILITY DURING WINDY CONDITIONS. MY 2006 TACOMA 7114 WAS SOLID AS A ROCK IN ANY CONDITIONS. I FEEL THAT THE HEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE CAUSES WIND TO RAISE THE VEHICLE EVER SO S”

— NHTSA complaint filing

LIGHTING

32 complaints

14%

• DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS MELTING, MAY CAUSE POSSIBLE FIRE TO VEHICLE. SEVERAL TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK OWNER'S AT WORKPLACE HAVE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR DRL. TOYOTA DEALER STATING UNAWARE OF PROBLEMS AND THEY NEVER HEARD OF ANY ISSUES REGARDING THE DRL MELTING. *TR
• NOTED DURING WASH THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS HAVE A QUARTER SIZE MELTED SPOT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE BULB AND ONE LENS HAS CRACKED APPARENTLY FROM HEAT AND THE NEAR PROXIMITY OF THE BULB TO LENS. POTENTIAL MAY EXIST WHERE THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE. IT APPEARS THAT NO RECALL IS BEING PROCESSED TO
• TOOK VEHICLE IN TO DEALER FOR OTHER WORK. WAS TOLD BY SERVICE ADVISOR THAT TECHNICIAN FOUND MY HEADLIGHTS TO BE MELTING. SERVICE ADVISOR SHOWED ME PROBLEM AND SAID IT WAS DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHTS. THEY WERE CRACKED AND BURNED AS WAS THE ASSEMBLY. I WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $1300 TO REPLACE THEM. I PURCH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

“DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS MELTING, MAY CAUSE POSSIBLE FIRE TO VEHICLE. SEVERAL TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK OWNER'S AT WORKPLACE HAVE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR DRL. TOYOTA DEALER STATING UNAWARE OF PROBLEMS AND THEY NEVER HEARD OF ANY ISSUES REGARDING THE DRL MELTING. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

23 complaints

10%

• SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. TIME WAS 6:55 AM. I WAS ON WORK PROPERTY HAVING JUST TURNED LEFT FROM A LIGHT. I WAS 5 TH CAR IN LINE TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. ALL CARS WERE STOPPED. MY FOOT WAS LIGHTLY PRESSING BREAK. THE NEXT THING I KNOW, MY TRUCK WAS RAMMING THE SUV IN FRONT OF ME. NO WAY MY FOOT
• 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND SECURITY SYSTEM IN VEHICLE. . *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ONE DAY AS SHE WAS LEAVING WORK, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THE VEHICLE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THE KEY AND SHE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AT JUMP STAR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, HE COULD SMELL A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SHOULDER AND SUDDENLY BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED, WHO ARRIVED AND E

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. TIME WAS 6:55 AM. I WAS ON WORK PROPERTY HAVING JUST TURNED LEFT FROM A LIGHT. I WAS 5 TH CAR IN LINE TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. ALL CARS WERE STOPPED. MY FOOT WAS LIGHTLY PRESSING BREAK. THE NEXT THING I KNOW, MY TRUCK WAS RAMMING THE SUV IN FRONT OF ME. NO WAY MY FOOT ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

20 complaints

• 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH FACTORY INSTALLED RUNNING BOARDS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE RUNNING BOARDS WERE TOO CLOSE TO THE BODY ALLOWING ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF ONES HEEL TO CONTACT THE BOARD WHEN EXITING THE TRUCK. IF THE BOARDS WERE WET, ONE COULD EASILY SLIP WHILE
• THERE IS A HIGH PITCHED WHINING NOISE FROM THE WINDSHIELD STARTING AT 72 MPH. THERE MUST BE A CROSS WIND. THE NOISE IS AT A PITCH SO HIGH THAT VEHICLE OPERATION IS DIFFICULT, AND AT BEST HIGHLY DISTRACTING TO SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE SPEED MUST BE REDUCED TO A SPEED THAT IS BELOW THE
• WHILE PULLING MY TRUCK INTO THE GARAGE, I APPLIED THE BRAKE. I WAS SLOWING DOWN AND HEARD THE ACCELERATION TRACTION CONTROL TURN ON AND MY TRUCK LUNGED FORWARD ABOUT ONE TO TWO FEET. THE FRONT OF MY TRUCK HIT AGAINST SOME ITEMS IN MY GARAGE AND BROKE MY HEADLIGHT HOUSING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND SC

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“2011 TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH FACTORY INSTALLED RUNNING BOARDS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE RUNNING BOARDS WERE TOO CLOSE TO THE BODY ALLOWING ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF ONES HEEL TO CONTACT THE BOARD WHEN EXITING THE TRUCK. IF THE BOARDS WERE WET, ONE COULD EASILY SLIP WHILE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

17 complaints

• ON 10/1/2011 WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON DRY PAVEMENT, SLIGHT CURVE, PU BEEP IN DASH AS IT WENT INTO ONCOMING LANE TO LEFT QUICK, I HIT BRAKES "CLUNK" TOOK BOTH HANDS TO PULL TO RIGHT AND OFF THE ROAD. FELT LIKE POWER STEERING WENT OR LOST A WHEEL. WOULD OF HIT SOMEONE HEAD ON IF WAS MEETING A CAR OR T
• THE STEERING IS VERY STIFF. VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO DRIVE. CONSTANTLY FEELS LIKE YOU'RE FIGHTING IT. FOR INSTANCE GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE IN A SLIGHT CURVE, FEELS LIKE PULLS BACK. VERY STIFF STEERING, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING. LOOKED UP SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE. FROM WHAT I READ, IT APPEARS TO BE PO
• MY HORN DOES NOT WORK WHEN I PRESS ON THE STEERING WHEEL UNLESS I TURN THE WHEELS TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT THEN IT WILL WORK. I TOOK IN MY TRUCK TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY AND THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO CHARGE ME $130 TO LOOK AT IT. I TOLD THEM THAT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“ON 10/1/2011 WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON DRY PAVEMENT, SLIGHT CURVE, PU BEEP IN DASH AS IT WENT INTO ONCOMING LANE TO LEFT QUICK, I HIT BRAKES "CLUNK" TOOK BOTH HANDS TO PULL TO RIGHT AND OFF THE ROAD. FELT LIKE POWER STEERING WENT OR LOST A WHEEL. WOULD OF HIT SOMEONE HEAD ON IF WAS MEETING A CAR OR T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

SUSPENSION(~50K mi)

$500

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 226 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
SUSPENSION: MY 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA 7188 IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN WINDY CONDITIONS. AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS (70MPH) IT LOOSES DIRECTIONAL STABILITY DURING WINDY CONDITIONS. MY 2006 TACOMA 7114 WAS SOLID AS A ROCK IN ANY CONDITIONS. I FEEL THAT THE HEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE CAUSES WIND TO RAISE THE VEHICLE EVER SO S
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
LIGHTING: DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS MELTING, MAY CAUSE POSSIBLE FIRE TO VEHICLE. SEVERAL TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK OWNER'S AT WORKPLACE HAVE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR DRL. TOYOTA DEALER STATING UNAWARE OF PROBLEMS AND THEY NEVER HEARD OF ANY ISSUES REGARDING THE DRL MELTING. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. TIME WAS 6:55 AM. I WAS ON WORK PROPERTY HAVING JUST TURNED LEFT FROM A LIGHT. I WAS 5 TH CAR IN LINE TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. ALL CARS WERE STOPPED. MY FOOT WAS LIGHTLY PRESSING BREAK. THE NEXT THING I KNOW, MY TRUCK WAS RAMMING THE SUV IN FRONT OF ME. NO WAY MY FOOT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH FACTORY INSTALLED RUNNING BOARDS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE RUNNING BOARDS WERE TOO CLOSE TO THE BODY ALLOWING ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF ONES HEEL TO CONTACT THE BOARD WHEN EXITING THE TRUCK. IF THE BOARDS WERE WET, ONE COULD EASILY SLIP WHILE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)