Problems · by component

2008 Toyota Tacoma vehicle speed control problems

85 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Toyota Tacoma cite vehicle speed control, 19% of all 450 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
85
19% of all complaints
Crashes
29
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“RUNAWAY VEHICLE REPORTED FRIDAY, 04/24/2020. HAPPENED AGAIN FRIDAY 05/01/2020, AND TODAY 05/04/2020. SIX TIMES NOW I HAVE REPORTED. FRIDAY AND TODAY I WAS BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. STARTED UP, HAD FOOT ON BRAKE, PUT IN REVERSE, AND THROTTLE WENT WIDE OPEN. TURNED SWITCH OFF, PUT IN PARK, AND STARTED UP. ALL OK.THOUGHT A/C COMPRESSOR MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH ELECTRONICS, BUT A/C WAS OFF ON 05/01/20. I HAVE A ELECTRO / MECHANICS TECH DEGREE AND HAVE WORKED IN APPLIANCE SHOP OVER 15 YEARS. WORKED IN VEHICLE SHOPS OVER 25 YEARS. CURRENTLY SCHOOL BUS PARTS SPECIALIST FOR GWINNETT BOE. I KNOW FROM INTERNET THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT NOBODY WANTS TO FIX. I HAVE WRITTEN TO SENATOR, CONGRESSMAN, TOYOTA CORP AMERICA. THEY WANT TO BLAME PROBLEM ON FLOOR MATS. AT TIMES I DID NOT HAVE ANY MATS IN. LAST TWO TIME I HAD WEATHER TECH CUSTOM FIT HARD PLASTIC MATS IN VEHICLE. I CAN'T SELL AS-IS, AS I DO NOT WANT ANYONE TO GET KILLED IN IT.SO AS A TAX PAYING AMERICAN, I AM STUCK WITH WHAT EVERYONE KNOWS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT HAS KILLED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AND NO ONE CARES. MY WIFE HAS INFO ON REPORT FROM ELECTRONIC ENGINEER FIRM THAT WON CASES IN COURT. I TOLD…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 4, 2020Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11323198
“MY TOYOTA TACOMA WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE FROM A DEAD STOP. I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND THE ENGINE SPED UP; I HAD BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKES, BACK WHEELS SPINNING. I PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL AND IT WENT BACK TO NORMAL. ANOTHER TIME I WAS BACKING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND IT DID IT AGAIN, IN REVERSE! AGAIN, NEUTRAL STOPPED IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES AND I'M AFRAID I'M GOING TO KILL MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE! NO, I DID NOT HAVE A FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE BRAKE! THIS HAPPENS AFTER I'VE HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THEN TURNED IT OFF. AND AGAIN, IT HAPPENS FROM A DEAD STOP. I HAVE A COMPLAINT NUMBER FROM TOYOTA. THE DEALER DID DIAGNOSTICS AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SO TOYOTA WILL DO NOTHING. I AM CONTACTING YOU TO MAKE PUBLIC WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING WITH MY TACOMA IN CASE OF A HORRIFIC ACCIDENT. TOYOTA NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND WHAT THEY SELL. I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY TRUCK; THIS IS NOT DUE TO MY NEGLIGENCE. IT IS DUE TO TOYOTA'S. I NEED MY TRUCK FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT OR KILLED BY IT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 20, 2016Vehicle speed controlODI 10886271
“I HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED 2 SEPARATE OCCURRENCES OF SUDDEN UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION IN MY 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE FIRST INSTANCE WAS ON FEBRUARY 25, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 12:50 P.M. I WAS SLOWING TO STOP AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION BEHIND A VEHICLE. IN THE LAST SEVERAL FEET PRIOR TO STOPPING, I BEGAN BREAKING WITH MY FOOT UNTIL THE CAR WAS WITHIN ABOUT 10 FEET OF STOPPING. COMPLETELY OUT OF THE BLUE, THE REAR WHEELS STARTED SPINNING WILDLY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY MY ENGINE RPM INCREASED TREMENDOUSLY. IN ORDER TO KEEP FROM HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, I STOMPED HARD ON THE BRAKE WITH TWO FEET. WHEN I REALIZED I WASN'T GOING TO STOP, I QUICKLY SHIFTED THE GEARSHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. THE RPM SETTLED DOWN AND THE TIRES STOPPED SQUEALING. I THEN SHIFTED TO PARK UNTIL I COMPOSED MYSELF. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I PROCEEDED TO SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE AND CONTINUED ON TO WORK WITHOUT FURTHER TROUBLE THAT DAY. THE SECOND INSTANCE WAS ON FEBRUARY 26, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:10 P.M. I WAS RETURNING HOME FROM WORK AND PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY TO PARK THE TRUCK. AS I PULLED TOWARD THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY, I HAD SLOWLY ACCELERATED UP THE SLIGHTLY INCLINED DRIVEWAY, THEN SLOWLY…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 29, 2016Vehicle speed controlODI 10839095
“PULLED INTO PARKING LOT, TURNING RIGHT. HAD FOOT ON BRAKE. ENGINE WENT TO FULL THROTTLE, REAR TIRES SPINNING, JUMPED CURB. TURNED KEY OFF. ALL OK AFTER RE-STARTING. HAVE THREE WITNESSES. THIS IS SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN 12 MONTHS. SEE 03/2015 COMPLAINT. REPORTED TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN MARCH 2015, AT STONE MOUNTAIN, GA. THEY KEPT SEVERAL DAYS, RAN TEST, AND TOOK PICTURES. THEY ADVISED PROBLEM IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF TOYOTA CORPORATION IN CALIFORNIA." IF THEY ARE WILLING TO CORRECT, I WILL HEAR FROM THEM." HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING. THIS VEHICLE WILL EVENTUALLY HURT OR KILL SOMEONE. I HAVE DONE ALL I KNOW TO DO. TOYOTA SHOULD INSTALL BRAKE OVERRIDE SYSTEM AS REQUESTED 03/2015 FROM DEALERSHIP. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, FOR THE THIRD TIME. UPDATED 08/30/16.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 4, 2016Vehicle speed controlODI 10817501
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO TWO TREES. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDIAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000. UPDATED 2/4/16 *CN *CN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 16, 2015Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10790709
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V388000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). IN 2015, THE UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION RECURRED. THE DEALER HAD AN INSPECTOR DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE, WHO WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 4/29/15*CN UPDATED 11/10/2015*JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 18, 2015Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10695186

Showing 6 of 85 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal

Free remedy

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.

Vehicle speed controlReported Oct 5, 2009NHTSA 09V388000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.