Problems · by component
2009 Toyota Tacoma exterior lighting problems
105 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Toyota Tacoma cite exterior lighting, 20% of all 520 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
105
20% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
16
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the exterior lighting
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Headlight shows visible signs of over heating of the amber lenses on both driver and passenger side. Amber lenses are melted, obscured, burned through and causing additional discoloration to the clear lens of the headlight itself. This creates a safety issue for both driver and passenger side headlights and amber lights not illuminating properly but also reducing the reliability and longevity of the lighting systems themselves.”
“The daytime driving lights are too hot causing the plastic housing to melt, crack and, in some cases, break. My research has found that this is a common problem in Toyota Tacoma trucks from 2005-11. In April 2015, Toyota replaced the headlight assemblies with a supposed "redesigned" assembly to address this issue. However, now in April 2021, the "redesigned" assemblies have again melted, cracked and broken due to the daytime driving lights being too hot and too close to the light assembly. Nothing was redesigned in 2015. Whatever safety or fire hazard in the owner or operator that caused Toyota to replace the headlight assemblies in 2015 still exists today. I have contacted Toyota and my dealer and they have offered no assistance or remedy.”
“THERE IS AN ISSUE ON DRIVING AMBER SIGNAL LIGHTS LOCATED ON FRONT OF VEHICLE. BULBS ARE TOO HOT, AND HAVE MELTED AND CRACKED THE LENSE COVER ON THE INSIDE OF THE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY. IT IS HAMPERING LIGHT OUT PUT, AND COULD FORM A HOLE IN THE FUTURE WHICH WILL PROVIDE A HIGH BEAM OF LIGHT TO ON COMING TRAFFIC. ALSO, IT COULD IGNITE DUE TO HEAT AND PLASTIC MELTING. REPORTS OF THIS OCCURING ON TOYOTA VEHICLES HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS WITH NO RESOLVE. MIND YOU, THIS IS A ENGINEER OR MANUFACTURING MISHAP AND ERROR AS THEY FAILED TO CONSIDER AT THE MOMENT OF DESIGNING /MANUFACTURING, AND NOW THE RESULTS ARE MORE THAN EVIDENT. OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES ARE NOT HAVING THIS ISSUE WHICH MEANS THAT SOMEONE FIGURED OUT A RESOLVE ON THEIR FUTURE PRODUCTION IN ORDER TO AVOID BAD PUBLICITY. IT IS FAIR TO SAY, THAT TOYOTA SHOULD REPLACE SUCH A DEFECT, OR REIMBURSE ITS CUSTOMERS WHO DECIDE TO REPLACE THEM DUE TO SUCH A DEFECT. THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THE VALIDITY OF THIS MANNER!”
“RUNNING LIGHTS ARE MELTING THE HEAD LIGHT CLEAR ASSEMBLY...THIS IS THE SECOND TIME FOR THE RUNNING LIGHT BULBS TO MELT THE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY..THE HEAT IS 233 DEGREES USING A DIGITAL HEAT READER...THE YELLOW BULBS ARE 24 WATTS..”
“BURNT HEADLIGHT LEN. THE RUNNING LIGHT LENS IS BURNT AND CRACKED DUE TO OVERHEATING. WHEN I TRIED TO CONTACT TOYOTA'S RECALL PHONE NUMBER, AFTER OVER A DOZEN ATTEMPTS, THE NUMBER WAS ALWAYS BUSY.”
“FRONT HEADLIGHTS HAVE YELLOW SIGNAL AND DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS THAT ARE ALWAYS ON AND THE LIGHT BULB HEAT UP CAUSING THE PLASTIC TO HEAT AND MELT AND STILL FEEL HOT WHEN USING ON A LONG DRIVE. I WORRY ABOUT MY CAR CATCHING ON FIRE”
Showing 6 of 105 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.