2017 Toyota TACOMA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2017 Toyota TACOMA has 318 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (21% of all complaints), specifically: transmission slips when cold. delay in shifting from reverse to drive when cold. transmission upshifts too quickly at very low speeds.. ⚠️ 7 fire reports filed.

7 fire reports 16 crash reports 12 injuries

318

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

4.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

67 complaints

21%

• TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN COLD. DELAY IN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE WHEN COLD. TRANSMISSION UPSHIFTS TOO QUICKLY AT VERY LOW SPEEDS.
• 3.5L V6, LIMITED EDITION, EXTENDED CAB, 4X4, AUTOMATIC, 1200 MILES ON ODOMETER. DRIVING ABOUT 35MPH ON SNOW COVERED ROAD IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. ENGINE NOT COMPLETELY WARMED UP AND OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE 9 DEGREES. SUDDENLY ENGINE REVVED UP WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE ON ACCELERATOR AND VEHICLE WENT INTO A
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE STOPPED, WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TCM AND ECM NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE ECM AND TCM WERE UPDATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN COLD. DELAY IN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE WHEN COLD. TRANSMISSION UPSHIFTS TOO QUICKLY AT VERY LOW SPEEDS.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

36 complaints

11%

• 3.5L V6, LIMITED EDITION, EXTENDED CAB, 4X4, AUTOMATIC, 1200 MILES ON ODOMETER. DRIVING ABOUT 35MPH ON SNOW COVERED ROAD IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. ENGINE NOT COMPLETELY WARMED UP AND OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE 9 DEGREES. SUDDENLY ENGINE REVVED UP WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE ON ACCELERATOR AND VEHICLE WENT INTO A
• WHILE DRIVING MY TACOMA AT FREEWAY SPEED, I ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE GEARSHIFT FORWARD INTO NEUTRAL. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF, LOSING POWER ASSIST TO THE STEERING, BRAKING, ETC. EVERY WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH BEGAN TO FLASH INCLUDING LOW OIL PRESSURE, HIGH TRANS TEMP, ETC. I ALSO RECREATED
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE ODOR OF BURNING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD AN OIL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V285000 (POWER T

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

“3.5L V6, LIMITED EDITION, EXTENDED CAB, 4X4, AUTOMATIC, 1200 MILES ON ODOMETER. DRIVING ABOUT 35MPH ON SNOW COVERED ROAD IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. ENGINE NOT COMPLETELY WARMED UP AND OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE 9 DEGREES. SUDDENLY ENGINE REVVED UP WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE ON ACCELERATOR AND VEHICLE WENT INTO A ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

36 complaints

11%

• WHILE DRIVING MY TACOMA AT FREEWAY SPEED, I ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE GEARSHIFT FORWARD INTO NEUTRAL. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF, LOSING POWER ASSIST TO THE STEERING, BRAKING, ETC. EVERY WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH BEGAN TO FLASH INCLUDING LOW OIL PRESSURE, HIGH TRANS TEMP, ETC. I ALSO RECREATED
• WINDSHIELD IS PRONE TO CRACKING. WITHIN THE LAST 2 MONTHS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE WINDSHIELD TWICE DUE TO SMALL OBJECT HITTING WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING. I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR LESS THAN 8 MONTHS AND HAS 24K MILES ON IT. BOTH INCIDENTS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON I69 HIGHWAY.
• BROUGHT CAR IN FOR A 15K MILE CHECK UP AND RECALL CHECK ON 08/04/2017. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS IN FACT A LEAK AND THEY WOULD NEED TO KEEP THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS TO REPAIR. THE PARTS WERE ORDERED AND WILL BE THERE IN A COUPLE DAYS. 1 WEEK LATER I WAS ABLE TO GET A LOANER CAR. NOW I

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

“WHILE DRIVING MY TACOMA AT FREEWAY SPEED, I ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE GEARSHIFT FORWARD INTO NEUTRAL. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF, LOSING POWER ASSIST TO THE STEERING, BRAKING, ETC. EVERY WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH BEGAN TO FLASH INCLUDING LOW OIL PRESSURE, HIGH TRANS TEMP, ETC. I ALSO RECREATED”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

31 complaints

10%

• I PULLED UP TO PARK THE TRUCK. AFTER PUT IN PARK THE 2017 TOYOTA TACOMA LUNGED FORWARD. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT A BRICK WALL. THERE WAS ALMOST $5950.00 IN DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF. I WATCHED MYSELF CRASH INTO THE WALL AND COULD NOT STOP THE TRUCK.
• WHEN DECELERATING AT ANY GIVEN TIME VEHICLE LOSES COMPRESSION AT HE BRAKE PEDALS AND FEELS AS IF THOUGH VEHICLE IS THRUSTING AND LOSING POWER TO ENGINE. AND ALSO WHEN SLOWING DOWN WHEN SPEED REACHES 20 MPH, VEHICLE CAN BE FELT ALMOST WANTING STALL.
• 12/9/17 THERE WAS A SMALL AMOUNT OF SNOW ON MY DRIVEWAY. MY DRIVEWAY IS SLIGHTLY ON AN INCLINE AND THEN LEVELS OFF AT THE TOP I PUT MY VEHICLE INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND PROCEEDED UP THE DRIVEWAY WITH NO PROBLEM. I DEACTIVATED THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND PLACED MY VEHICLE IN PARK W/O USING THE E BRAKE. I

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

“I PULLED UP TO PARK THE TRUCK. AFTER PUT IN PARK THE 2017 TOYOTA TACOMA LUNGED FORWARD. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT A BRICK WALL. THERE WAS ALMOST $5950.00 IN DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF. I WATCHED MYSELF CRASH INTO THE WALL AND COULD NOT STOP THE TRUCK.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

26 complaints

• WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT 65 MPH A SUDDEN VERY LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD, INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A TIRE, BUT AFTER VERIFYING THAT THE TRUCKS STABILITY WAS NOT LOST (IN JUST A COUPLE SECONDS) THEN STARTED FEELING AIR COMING FROM THE TOP. OPENED UP THE SUN/MOON ROOF COVER AND PIECES OF THE GLASS FELL.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL HOWLING NOISE IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. ANDERSON WEBER TOYOTA LINCOLN (3450 CENTER GROVE DR, DUBUQUE, IA) CONFIRMED THE HOWLING NOISE IN THE CABIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS N
• I WAS MAKING LEFT TURN CROSSING TRAFFIC ROLLING ALMOST TO A STOP ,PRESSED ON GAS AND TRUCK DID NOT MOVE AND PAUSED ABOUT 2 SECONDS AND TOOK OFF ACROSS INTERSECTION AND ONCOMING TRUCK HAD TO BRAKE HARD TO AVOID HITTING ME.I CONTACTED DEALER AND TEST DROVE WITH TECH. COULD NOT DUPLICATE INCIDENT

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

“WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT 65 MPH A SUDDEN VERY LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD, INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A TIRE, BUT AFTER VERIFYING THAT THE TRUCKS STABILITY WAS NOT LOST (IN JUST A COUPLE SECONDS) THEN STARTED FEELING AIR COMING FROM THE TOP. OPENED UP THE SUN/MOON ROOF COVER AND PIECES OF THE GLASS FELL. ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 318 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN COLD. DELAY IN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE WHEN COLD. TRANSMISSION UPSHIFTS TOO QUICKLY AT VERY LOW SPEEDS.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: 3.5L V6, LIMITED EDITION, EXTENDED CAB, 4X4, AUTOMATIC, 1200 MILES ON ODOMETER. DRIVING ABOUT 35MPH ON SNOW COVERED ROAD IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. ENGINE NOT COMPLETELY WARMED UP AND OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE 9 DEGREES. SUDDENLY ENGINE REVVED UP WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE ON ACCELERATOR AND VEHICLE WENT INTO A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: WHILE DRIVING MY TACOMA AT FREEWAY SPEED, I ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE GEARSHIFT FORWARD INTO NEUTRAL. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF, LOSING POWER ASSIST TO THE STEERING, BRAKING, ETC. EVERY WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH BEGAN TO FLASH INCLUDING LOW OIL PRESSURE, HIGH TRANS TEMP, ETC. I ALSO RECREATED
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: I PULLED UP TO PARK THE TRUCK. AFTER PUT IN PARK THE 2017 TOYOTA TACOMA LUNGED FORWARD. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT A BRICK WALL. THERE WAS ALMOST $5950.00 IN DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF. I WATCHED MYSELF CRASH INTO THE WALL AND COULD NOT STOP THE TRUCK.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)