Problems · NHTSA complaints

2010 Toyota Tacoma problems

Owners filed 294 complaints about the 2010 Toyota Tacoma with NHTSA between Oct 2009 and Sep 2026. The most-cited component is suspension (95).

Complaints
294
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Suspension95
  2. Vehicle speed control34
  3. Structure30
  4. Power train29
  5. Exterior lighting25
  6. Steering19
  7. Air bags16
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic13
  9. Seat belts9
  10. Electrical system8
  11. Service brakes7
  12. Engine6
  13. Fuel/propulsion system5
  14. Visibility/wiper3

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20098
201038
201119
201213
201319
201424
201534
201636
201723
201820
20197
20209
20214
20225
20239
20249
20258
20269

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Suspension

95 reports1 related recall
“The passenger side lower A arm frame mount broke, due to frame rust. The truck has been taken to Toyota, they had the truck for about 6 weeks and have refused to fix the safety issue.This year model had a recall on the frame, it was taken in for the recall, but the recall has failed. When the lower A arm frame mount broke, I just happened to be in a parking lot. If I had been driving it, I could have killed someone, or could have been killed myself.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2026Steering, Suspension, Unknown or otherODI 11754384

Vehicle speed control

34 reports2 crashes1 related recall
“ON 1/2/18 I WAS DRIVING INTO A PARKING LOT GOING SLOW GETTING READY TO PUT MY TRUCK INTO REVERSE TO BACK UP INTO A SPOT WHEN SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION TOOK PLACE. MY TRUCK WOULD NOT STOP ACCELERATING FORWARD WITH MY RIGHT FOOT PRESSED ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE BRAKE MY TRUCK CONTINUED TO REV UP AND JUMP FORWARD WITH TIRES RUBBER BURNING DUE TO ME HAVING MY FOOT ON BREAK TRYING TO STOP THE TRUCK. I MISSED HITTING A CAR BARELY AND STILL NOT SURE HOW I MISSED IT. MY FOOT WAS CLEARLY ON THE BRAKE THE ENTIRE TIME AND FINALLY I PUT MY TRUCK IN PARK AND THE TRUCK CAME TO A STOP, SINCE I WAS NOT GOING DOWN A HIGHWAY. I REPORTED TO TOYOTA AND GOT NO WHERE. I HAVE NO FLOOR MAT IN MY TRUCK SO CANT BLAME IT ON FLOOR MAT. THEY ARE CLAIMING IT WAS MISAPPLICATION OF PEDAL. THIS IS A TOTAL LIE. I WOULD OF HIT THAT CAR HAD MY FOOT BEEN ON WRONG PEDAL. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE SO HARD AND PUTTING IN PARK STOPPED THE TRUCK. AGAIN COULD HEAR THE ENGINE REV AS IF STUCK IN ACCELERATION AND MY TIRES BURNING RUBBER AS I CONTINUED TO ENGAGE BRAKE AND TRUCK WAS JUMPING FORWARD. TOYOTA HAS OPENED A CASE BUT AGAIN REFUSE TO ADMIT TO ANY PROBLEM BLAMING IT ON…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 10, 2018Vehicle speed control, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11061585

Structure

30 reports1 crash
“The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in for inspection, the mechanic informed the contact that the entire subframe was rusted. The contact was advised that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the rust on the subframe. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were contacted and informed the contact that the extended warranty for the failure had expired. No additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 49,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 24, 2026StructureODI 11759154

Power train

29 reports1 fire1 related recall
“THE TRANSMISSION, WHILE DRIVING, HAS A JERKY SHIFTING MOTION. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN STOPPED AT LETS SAY A RED LIGHT, THE TRANSMISSION PRIOR TO DRIVING AWAY, WILL SEEM LIKE IT ENGAGES WITH AN EXTREME JERKING MOTION, ALMOST FEELING LIKE YOU'VE BEEN REAR ENDED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 4, 2018Power trainODI 11124300

Exterior lighting

25 reports1 crash5 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLE WHICH INCLUDED THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL HAD OVER HEATED CAUSING THE LIGHT HOUSING TO BECOME DISCOLORED AND THE BULB HAD SHATTERED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE LIGHTS AND HAD FAILED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER TOYOTA OF BROOK HEAVEN LOCATED AT 890 BROOKWAY BLVD, BROOKHAVEN, MS 39601 MS. WHO REPAIRED THE FAILURE BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. *BF*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 22, 2020Exterior lightingFire reportedODI 11340939

Steering

19 reports
“MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR OTHER TOYOTA TACOMAS FOR AN AIR BAG SPIRAL ASSEMBLY HOWEVER MY MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A TOYOTA DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE CABLE AND CONNECTIONS WERE RUSTY AND THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT FUNCTION IN A CRASH UNLESS THE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. I PAID OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE THE CABLE REPLACED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 9, 2020Steering, Air bagsODI 11354076
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026

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