2016 Toyota Tacoma Problems: Transmission / driveline (323 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2016 Toyota Tacoma is Transmission / driveline (36% of 323 owner reports). There are 4 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Transmission / driveline — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 323 complaints · 4 recalls

What problems show up on the 2016 Toyota Tacoma?

116 of 323 filings named Transmission / driveline (36% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Engine (25 reports).

There are 4 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags and Transmission / driveline. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2015 has 99 reports on file; this year has 323. 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 2016 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 4 campaigns on file below.
  2. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  3. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  4. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Transmission / driveline. 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: Transmission / driveline 116 complaints · 35.9% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 4
  • Fires 4
  • Injuries 1
  • 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 Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) appears in 116 of 323 owner complaints (35.9%) in this vehicle snapshot. Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 116 complaints, 35.9% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 116 · 35.9% Engine (ENGINE): 25 complaints, 7.7% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 25 · 7.7% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 21 complaints, 6.5% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 fire reports 21 · 6.5% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 17 complaints, 5.3% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 crash reports 17 · 5.3% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 16 complaints, 5.0% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 16 · 5.0% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 12 complaints, 3.7% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 12 · 3.7% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 11 complaints, 3.4% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 11 · 3.4% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 10 complaints, 3.1% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 10 · 3.1% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 9 complaints, 2.8% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 9 · 2.8% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 90 complaints, 27.9% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 2 crash reports 3 fire reports 90 · 27.9% 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)
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 116 35.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 25 7.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 21 6.5% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 17 5.3% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 16 5.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 12 3.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 11 3.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 10 3.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 9 2.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 90 27.9% 2 crashes · 3 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 Oct 2015; the first recall shown was reported in Oct 2015. 2015-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2016-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2016-Q3: 17 owner reports 17 2016-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2017-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2017-Q2: 28 owner reports 28 2017-Q3: 54 owner reports 54 2017-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2018-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2018-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2018-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2019-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2019-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2019-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2020-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2020-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2020-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2021-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2022-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2022-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2022-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2023-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2023-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2024-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2024-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2025-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2026-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2026-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2026-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 2015 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 15V656000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V656000 Recall campaign 17V285000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V285000 Recall campaign 17V356000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V356000 Recall campaign 17V425000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V425000 Investigation EA19001 ● Investigation EA19001
  • Campaign 17V285000 was reported 478 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2015-Q4 Owner reports 2
2016-Q1 Owner reports 16
2016-Q2 Owner reports 10
2016-Q3 Owner reports 17
2016-Q4 Owner reports 14
2017-Q1 Owner reports 11
2017-Q2 Owner reports 28
2017-Q3 Owner reports 54
2017-Q4 Owner reports 12
2018-Q1 Owner reports 7
2018-Q2 Owner reports 6
2018-Q3 Owner reports 13
2018-Q4 Owner reports 10
2019-Q1 Owner reports 5
2019-Q2 Owner reports 4
2019-Q3 Owner reports 6
2019-Q4 Owner reports 3
2020-Q1 Owner reports 9
2020-Q2 Owner reports 9
2020-Q3 Owner reports 5
2020-Q4 Owner reports 3
2021-Q1 Owner reports 8
2021-Q2 Owner reports 3
2021-Q4 Owner reports 5
2022-Q1 Owner reports 5
2022-Q2 Owner reports 2
2022-Q3 Owner reports 6
2022-Q4 Owner reports 6
2023-Q1 Owner reports 6
2023-Q2 Owner reports 1
2023-Q3 Owner reports 2
2023-Q4 Owner reports 5
2024-Q1 Owner reports 2
2024-Q3 Owner reports 6
2024-Q4 Owner reports 5
2025-Q1 Owner reports 2
2025-Q2 Owner reports 2
2025-Q3 Owner reports 1
2025-Q4 Owner reports 5
2026-Q1 Owner reports 3
2026-Q2 Owner reports 3
2026-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 15V656000
Recall campaign 1 17V285000
Recall campaign 1 17V356000
Recall campaign 1 17V425000
Defect investigation 1 EA19001
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (4)

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

In short, these campaigns were filed about Airbags and Transmission / driveline.

  1. Recall campaign 15V656000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 17V285000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 17V356000

    Safety recall 17V356000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 17V425000

    Safety recall 17V425000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    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.
    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 7 of 323 complaints · page 1 of 13
2026-07-06Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11748666
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Toyota has a paint problem on the tacomas. The paint is the bright white, .040 . They have painted all 4 doors,both front fenders and the pillars on each side of the windshield. I’m having the same problem on my hood,top of windshield and bed . Toyota refuses to take responsibility for these areas. They call this a customer satisfaction program instead of a recall so they don’t have to paint the whole truck. I have a 25 year old truck that has better paint than it. I just wanted to let you know about this situation. Thanks [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2026-05-19Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11738757
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Edge. The contact stated that the vehicle was shaking while driving. The contact noticed there was fluid emerging from the rear of the vehicle near the tire. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed there was no recall or leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who referred to the local dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
2026-05-08Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11736613
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The original low pressure fuel pump failed at 114,700 miles. The symptoms of the failure were loss of power on the freeway, quickly followed by the engine stumbling, then shutting off completely forcing me to change lanes without power. The vehicles has had to be towed on 2 occasions because of this. The pump was replaced at 114,700 miles by a Toyota dealer at my own cost (no warranty, no recall). Now only 20k miles later the fuel pump has failed again. This issue has put my family at serious risk of accident to complete engine shut off at highway speeds. Now that I am on my third low pressure fuel pump, I have little confidence that this is being addressed by the pump manuf. and Toyota.
2026-04-11Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11730507
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Dear Toyota Japan Customer Experience Team, I am the owner of a 2016 Toyota Tacoma currently registered in Guam, U.S.A. I am writing to request your assistance regarding a water leak issue from the rear brake light area, which has caused the carpets and seats to become wet and develop mold. I originally purchased this vehicle in Saipan and recently relocated to Guam. When I visited the Guam Toyota Service Center, they kindly inspected my vehicle and informed me that this issue is related to the 3rd brake light gasket recall; however, the recall period has already expired. Unfortunately, I was never notified of this recall while the vehicle was in Saipan. Continuous exposure to mold has seriously affected both my health and my daughter’s health. Because of this, I had the vehicle professionally cleaned and sanitized by a specialist company. The Tacoma has always been our family’s favorite car, but now I drive it only because I have no choice. Every time I get in, I feel anxious and uneasy. The water leak itself is concerning, but the mold issue worries me even more. I truly hope this water leak and the mold problem can both be resolved so that I can once again enjoy driving my Tacoma with peace of mind. The blue circles in the attached photos indicate areas suspected of mold. These photos were taken right before I sent the car for cleaning. According to the cleaning company, when they removed the seats, they found water underneath the seats and carpets. Whenever I drive the vehicle, I experience persistent coughing and headaches due to mold exposure. This has become a serious health and safety concern. Since this issue is directly related to a previously recalled safety defect, I kindly request Toyota Japan to consider a Goodwill Repair or Safety Exception to address the water leak and the resulting interior damage.
2026-03-17Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11724836
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Severe clear coat and paint fading on hood, roof and sides of truck.
2026-03-07Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11722712
CrashFireInjuryDeath
2016 Toyota Tacoma is known to have an issue with the timing cover leaking oil. This is a Fire Hazard: Oil leaking onto hot engine components can vaporize and ignite, posing a fire risk to the vehicle and surrounding areas and can cause environmental pollution.
2026-01-13Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11710609
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The rear passenger door lock actuator on my 2016 Toyota Tacoma failed prematurely, causing the door to no longer lock or unlock properly. The failure required replacement of the entire actuator assembly at a Toyota dealership at a cost of $727.19. This failure occurred without abuse or unusual use and is not consistent with normal wear and tear. I am aware of numerous similar complaints and pending class action lawsuits involving door lock actuator failures across multiple Toyota models, indicating this is a known and recurring defect. A door that cannot reliably lock or unlock presents a safety and security concern, particularly for passengers and children, and increases the risk of unauthorized entry or inability to exit the vehicle in an emergency.

Toyota Tacoma Complaints and Recalls by Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2016 Toyota Tacoma?

Owners named Transmission / driveline most often — 116 of 323 reports (36%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2016 Toyota Tacoma?

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags and Transmission / driveline. 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 2016 Toyota Tacoma?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped. 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