2009 Toyota Tacoma Problems and Recalls (516 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2009 Toyota Tacoma is Suspension (22% of 516 owner reports). There are 13 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Suspension — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 516 complaints · 13 recalls

What problems show up on the 2009 Toyota Tacoma?

114 of 516 filings named Suspension (22% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Lights (102 reports).

There are 13 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Cruise / speed control, Tires, Airbags, and Suspension. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2008 has 437 reports on file; this year has 516. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2009 Toyota Tacoma

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 13 campaigns on file below.
  2. Suspension. Listen for clunks over bumps and look at tire wear for alignment issues.
  3. Lights. Walk around the vehicle: headlights, brake lights and turn signals all working.
  4. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Suspension. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Suspension 114 complaints · 22.1% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 25
  • Fires 18
  • Injuries 2
  • Deaths 0
All Toyota Tacoma years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Suspension (SUSPENSION) appears in 114 of 516 owner complaints (22.1%) in this vehicle snapshot. Suspension (SUSPENSION): 114 complaints, 22.1% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 114 · 22.1% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 102 complaints, 19.8% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 16 fire reports 102 · 19.8% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 63 complaints, 12.2% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 crash reports 63 · 12.2% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 52 complaints, 10.1% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 15 crash reports 52 · 10.1% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 41 complaints, 8.0% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 41 · 8.0% Steering (STEERING): 35 complaints, 6.8% of reports Steering (STEERING) 3 crash reports 35 · 6.8% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 28 complaints, 5.4% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 3 crash reports 28 · 5.4% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 19 complaints, 3.7% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 19 · 3.7% Engine (ENGINE): 14 complaints, 2.7% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 fire reports 14 · 2.7% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 132 complaints, 25.6% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 3 crash reports 132 · 25.6% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 114 22.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 102 19.8% 0 crashes · 16 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 63 12.2% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 52 10.1% 15 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 41 8.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 35 6.8% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 28 5.4% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 19 3.7% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 14 2.7% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 132 25.6% 3 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jul 2008; the first recall shown was reported in Jun 2009. 2008-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 2009-Q3: 19 owner reports 19 2009-Q4: 25 owner reports 25 2010-Q1: 45 owner reports 45 2010-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2010-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2010-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2011-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2011-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2011-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2011-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2012-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2012-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2012-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2012-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2013-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2013-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2013-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2013-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2014-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 2014-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2014-Q3: 10 owner reports 10 2014-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2015-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2015-Q2: 18 owner reports 18 2015-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2015-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2016-Q1: 21 owner reports 21 2016-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2016-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2016-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2017-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2017-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2017-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2018-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2019-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2021-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2022-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2023-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2023-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2023-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2023-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2024-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2026-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2026-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jul 2008 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 09V223000 ◆ Recall campaign 09V223000 Recall campaign 09V388000 ◆ Recall campaign 09V388000 Recall campaign 10V035000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V035000 Recall campaign 10V036000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V036000 Recall campaign 11V148000 ◆ Recall campaign 11V148000 Recall campaign 12V092000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V092000 Recall campaign 13V014000 ◆ Recall campaign 13V014000 Recall campaign 13V337000 ◆ Recall campaign 13V337000 Recall campaign 14V168000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V168000 Recall campaign 14V475000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V475000 Recall campaign 14V604000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V604000 Recall campaign 14V743000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V743000 Recall campaign 16V396000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V396000
  • Campaign 09V223000 was reported 221 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 09V388000 was reported 264 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 10V035000 was reported 454 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 10V036000 was reported 454 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 12V092000 was reported 792 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 13V014000 was reported 1,107 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V168000 was reported 1,555 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V475000 was reported 2,097 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V604000 was reported 1,964 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V743000 was reported 2,204 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V396000 was reported 2,765 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2008-Q3 Owner reports 1
2008-Q4 Owner reports 2
2009-Q1 Owner reports 2
2009-Q2 Owner reports 15
2009-Q3 Owner reports 19
2009-Q4 Owner reports 25
2010-Q1 Owner reports 45
2010-Q2 Owner reports 13
2010-Q3 Owner reports 8
2010-Q4 Owner reports 5
2011-Q1 Owner reports 6
2011-Q2 Owner reports 3
2011-Q3 Owner reports 6
2011-Q4 Owner reports 5
2012-Q1 Owner reports 5
2012-Q2 Owner reports 10
2012-Q3 Owner reports 11
2012-Q4 Owner reports 12
2013-Q1 Owner reports 8
2013-Q2 Owner reports 8
2013-Q3 Owner reports 15
2013-Q4 Owner reports 11
2014-Q1 Owner reports 20
2014-Q2 Owner reports 10
2014-Q3 Owner reports 10
2014-Q4 Owner reports 9
2015-Q1 Owner reports 16
2015-Q2 Owner reports 18
2015-Q3 Owner reports 13
2015-Q4 Owner reports 10
2016-Q1 Owner reports 21
2016-Q2 Owner reports 11
2016-Q3 Owner reports 8
2016-Q4 Owner reports 5
2017-Q1 Owner reports 10
2017-Q2 Owner reports 17
2017-Q3 Owner reports 4
2017-Q4 Owner reports 4
2018-Q1 Owner reports 6
2018-Q2 Owner reports 6
2018-Q3 Owner reports 3
2018-Q4 Owner reports 4
2019-Q1 Owner reports 5
2019-Q2 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 3
2019-Q4 Owner reports 2
2020-Q1 Owner reports 3
2020-Q2 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 2
2020-Q4 Owner reports 3
2021-Q1 Owner reports 5
2021-Q2 Owner reports 1
2021-Q3 Owner reports 1
2021-Q4 Owner reports 3
2022-Q1 Owner reports 4
2022-Q2 Owner reports 2
2022-Q3 Owner reports 1
2022-Q4 Owner reports 3
2023-Q1 Owner reports 7
2023-Q2 Owner reports 3
2023-Q3 Owner reports 6
2023-Q4 Owner reports 1
2024-Q1 Owner reports 3
2024-Q2 Owner reports 1
2024-Q3 Owner reports 1
2024-Q4 Owner reports 2
2025-Q1 Owner reports 2
2025-Q3 Owner reports 2
2025-Q4 Owner reports 4
2026-Q2 Owner reports 3
2026-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 09V223000
Recall campaign 1 09V388000
Recall campaign 1 10V035000
Recall campaign 1 10V036000
Recall campaign 1 11V148000
Recall campaign 1 12V092000
Recall campaign 1 13V014000
Recall campaign 1 13V337000
Recall campaign 1 14V168000
Recall campaign 1 14V475000
Recall campaign 1 14V604000
Recall campaign 1 14V743000
Recall campaign 1 16V396000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (13)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Cruise / speed control, Tires, Airbags, and Suspension.

  1. Recall campaign 09V223000

    Safety recall 09V223000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    INCORRECT LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE BEING OVERLOADED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH A NEW, ACCURATE LABEL TO BE INSTALLED OVER THE INACCURATE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 18, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 09V388000

    Cruise / speed control

    Report date
    Component:
    Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
    Consequence:
    A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
    Remedy:
    TOYOTA FILED AN AMENDED DEFECT REPORT ON NOVEMBER 25, 2009, STATING THAT DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND, ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, ALTER THE SHAPE OF THE FLOOR SURFACE UNDER THE PEDAL. THESE CHANGES ADDRESS THE RISK OF PEDAL ENTRAPMENT DUE TO INTERFERENCE WITH THE FLOOR MAT. REDESIGNED ACCELERATOR PEDALS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE BEGINNING IN APRIL 2010 AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY MODIFIED PEDAL WITH THE NEW PEDAL IF DESIRED. ALSO, DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY GENUINE TOYOTA OR LEXUS ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MATS WITH REDESIGNED ALL-WEATHER MATS, OR REPURCHASE THE PREVIOUS MATS FROM OWNERS WHO DO NOT WANT THE NEW ONES. ADDITIONALLY, SOFTWARE MODIFICATIONS WILL BE INSTALLED ON CAMRY, AVALON AND LEXUS ES 350, IS 350 AND IS 250 MODELS THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE BRAKE OVERRIDES THE ACCELERATOR IN THE EVENT BOTH BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS ARE APPLIED. TOYOTA WILL BEGIN MAILING LETTERS TO OWNERS ON DECEMBER 31, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331, LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 10V035000

    Safety recall 10V035000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATES TOYOTA AT 713-580-3300.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 10V036000

    Safety recall 10V036000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 11V148000

    Tires

    Report date
    Component:
    Tires (TIRES)
    Consequence:
    FAILURE TO WARN OF TIRE DEFLATIONS IS A NON-COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS 138 AND COULD LEAD TO TIRE FAILURE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    FOR THE LAND CRUISER, SEQUOIA, TACOMA AND TUNDRA VEHICLES, THE DEALER WILL RE-CALIBRATE THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM ON AFFECTED VEHICLES AND INSTALL AN UPDATED TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION LABEL AT NO CHARGE. FOR THE FJ CRUISER VEHICLES, THE TPMS CANNOT BE RESET SO THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) FOR THE TPMS WILL BE REPLACED. TOYOTA IS CURRENTLY DEVELOPING THE REMEDY ECU. IF AN OWNER IS NOT CERTAIN WHETHER HIS OR HER VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THESE ACCESSORIES, PLEASE CONTACT ANY TOYOTA DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Recall campaign 12V092000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE DRIVER’S SIDE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
    Remedy:
    TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SPIRAL CABLE ASSEMBLY, FREE OF CHARGE. AN INTERIM LETTER IS EXPECTED TO BE MAILED TO OWNERS DURING APRIL 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Recall campaign 13V014000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
    Remedy:
    Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Recall campaign 13V337000

    Safety recall 13V337000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    If the seat belt pre-tensioner detaches from the seat belt assembly, the seat belt pre-tensioner will not perform as designed, increasing the risk of injury in a severe crash.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat belt assemblies. Based on the inspection, the seat belt assembly will be replaced or new pre-tensioner screws will be installed with thread-locking sealant and a retractor spring cover with stopper ribs to prevent loosening of the screws. These services will be provided at no cost to the owner. The recall began during February 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Recall campaign 14V168000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    If the FFC is damaged, connectivity to the driver's air bag module could be lost and the air bag deactivated. The failure of the driver's air bag to deploy in the event of a crash that typically necessitates deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify the Toyota vehicle owners, and General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners. Toyota sent owners an interim notification letter in May 2014 to advise owners of the recall. Toyota will mail owners a second letter when remedy parts are available. General Motors sent Pontiac Vibe owners an Interim letter on June 20, 2014 notifying them that parts are currently unavailable. General Motors sent notices to the Pontiac Vibe owners on September 15, 2014, that a remedy is available. The recall began on October 27, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-762-2737.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. Recall campaign 14V475000

    Safety recall 14V475000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    If the spare tire is inflated to the incorrect pressure provided on the placard, tire failure may occur while it is being driven on, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    For the involved vehicles, overlay stickers to correct the tire placard will either be mailed to owners or provided to dealers for placement over the incorrect information on the placard. The recall is expected to begin in September 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  11. Recall campaign 14V604000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (SUSPENSION)
    Consequence:
    If the fuel tank leaks fuel from being punctured, there is an increased risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify owners and dealers will install new rear leaf spring assemblies. The recall began on January 29, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  12. Recall campaign 14V743000

    Safety recall 14V743000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
    Remedy:
    SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  13. Recall campaign 16V396000

    Safety recall 16V396000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 8 of 516 complaints · page 1 of 21
2026-08-16Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11757294
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My truck has experienced a major coolant leak, but it's not the radiator nor the water pump. After replacing both the radiator and water pump, the leak remains. Upon further investigation, the hose connecting to the coolant bypass housing has come completely disconnected from the housing and the male connector, which is part of the housing is completely gone. After further research, I've come across numerous posts on multiple forums of other people experiencing the same issue with the same hose disconnecting and the same part of the coolant bypass housing completely gone. Had I not caught this problem while in my driveway, the truck would have leaked all the coolant and caused major issues possibly resulting in an accident on the road.
2026-06-29Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11747159
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the frame on the driver’s and passenger’s side was severely rusted. The dealer was contacted about the failure and about the warranty enhancement program ZH6, which was associated with the failure. The manufacturer had extended the warranty coverage for frame corrosion on certain 2005–2010 model year Toyota Tacoma vehicles. The dealer informed the contact that the program had expired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer informed the contact that the warranty program had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 217,000.
2026-06-11Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11743521
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Unknown.no accident ,Steering is tight. Started noticing it May 12 2026.
2026-05-22Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11739530
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Real bumper assembly rotted off the frame was dragging behind the truck I'm at 60mph luckily nobody was behind me pulled over and removed it all both frame rails was rusted in half Hanging On by a little piece every place I called will not fix it want me to buy a whole frame truck has 220 miles on it with no rear bumper
2025-10-24Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11695505
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 127,619. It was later discovered through Carfax in August 2025 that the mileage on the Title was 297,651.
2025-10-22Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11695033
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that after maintenance service on the vehicle, it was discovered that the front subframe of the vehicle was severely corroded. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was inspected, and determined that the entire subframe had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the same diagnostic result was provide,d and the contact was informed that the entire subframe needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.
2025-10-22Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
NHTSA ODI 11694959
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that upon further inspection, the contact became aware that the chassis was rusted. The local dealer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that an unknown Toyota recall for warranty coverage had expired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
2025-10-15Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11693714
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AND HOLES ARE UNSAFE. I AM WORRIED ABOUT DRIVING MY VEHICLE. THE SAFETY OF ME AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD I AM TRAVELING ARE AT RISK. I WENT TO LIBERTY TOYOTA IN BURLINGTON, NJ AND THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR. THE RUST IS UNUSUAL AND THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER YEARS AFFECTED AND FRAMES REPLACED. MY WIFE PURCHASED THIS TRUCK FROM LIBERTY TOYOTA

Toyota Tacoma Complaints and Recalls by Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2009 Toyota Tacoma?

Owners named Suspension most often — 114 of 516 reports (22%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2009 Toyota Tacoma?

NHTSA lists 13 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Cruise / speed control, Tires, Airbags, and Suspension. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2009 Toyota Tacoma?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Listen for clunks over bumps and look at tire wear for alignment issues. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources