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Research · Small Pickup Trucks 2WD

2017 Toyota TacomaRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 244 owner complaints for the 2017 Toyota Tacoma. Most complaints involve power train (68) and engine (36). The EPA rates it 18–21 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 4 stars overall.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
18–21mpg
EPA · 7 versions
NHTSA overall
4of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
5campaigns
Latest Nov 2020
Owner complaints
244
Top: power train
Fuel cost / yr
$3,050est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

5 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Fuel system

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Fuel system, gasolineReported Nov 4, 2020NHTSA 20V682000

Service brakes

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Toyota Camry and Highlander vehicles, 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles and 2017 Lexus RX350 vehicles. During the manufacturing process, the oil galley in the rotor for the brake booster vacuum pump assembly may have been improperly machined possibly resulting in a sudden loss of brake assist.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Apr 3, 2018NHTSA 18V211000

Equipment: labels

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

EquipmentReported Dec 20, 2017NHTSA 17V831000
See all 5 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

244 complaints filed with NHTSA · Sep 2016 – Oct 2026
  1. Power train68
  2. Engine36
  3. Service brakes31
  4. Structure28
  5. Fuel/propulsion system23
  6. Electrical system22
  7. Air bags13
  8. Vehicle speed control11
  9. Seats10

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

By model year

Complaints for each Tacoma model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
1996257
1997134
1998310
1999251
2000221
2001401
2002360
2003372
2004415
2005707
2006782
2007541
2008450
2009520
2010294
2011186
2012295
2013125
201493
2015102
2016324
2017244
2018209
2019219
202090
202181
202259
202354
2024155
2025116
Crashes reported
12
Fires reported
6
Injuries reported
9
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Power train

68 reports3 crashes1 fire
“My 2017 Tacoma TRD Off Road (manual transmission) makes a constant chirping sound when the engine is running and increases chirping sound when accelerator is pressed. The chirping sound ceases when the clutch is pressed in. It's clear through research that this is a "throw out bearing" issue. Toyota dealership confirmed the same issue and replaced the throw out bearing on 6/24/26 through 7/2/26 (as covered by extended warranty). On 7/3/26, the chirping sound remains, possibly worse/louder. On 8/28/26 through 8/31/26, a different Toyota dealer changed the throw out bearing again, but added changing the entire clutch system (being clutch disc assembly, clutch cover assembly, pressure plate, fly wheel and fly wheel sub assembly). Car was picked up and still makes chirping noise. Research of this issue notes: Quill Wear: The aluminum snout (quill) the bearing slides on can groove and wear down over time; and Toyota TSB: Dealerships previously addressed this under technical service bulletins with updated OEM replacement parts, though the noise can sometimes return if the core design interaction isn't changed. This is a design flaw, using an aluminum snout/quill…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 2, 2026Power trainODI 11761605

Engine

36 reports3 fires
“Truck has 116k miles, started losing power and acceleration diminished. CEL and Trac Off light came on. Pulled over twice after experiencing same issue. Took to mechanic and diagnostic code P0301 (cylinder 1 misfire). Replaced 6 spark plugs to be safe, and replaced broken coil in cylinder 1. Drove less than a mile and CEL came back on. Brought to dealership this time and they found a leak in the head gasket and noticed warping in cylinder 1, along with code P0301 still present. They reported back to me stating it needed a machinist to resurface the the cylinder head, that the repair is mechanical. Even outside of warranty this fix should not be costing $13,000. The truck has been properly maintained for the past 9 years, all oil services and replacing any wear and tear items. Mechanical (warping) is manufacturing issues.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 4, 2026Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11741962

Service brakes

31 reports2 crashes
“The parking brake sticks. This is an issue because the vehicle automatically applies the parking brake briefly when switching from neutral to first gear or reverse to prevent rollback. When this happens, the parking brake sticks, and the rear wheels lock. I believe the brake cables have been infiltrated with water resulting in rust/corrosion.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 23, 2026Service brakesODI 11758934
All 2017 Tacoma problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

7 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Pickup Trucks 2WD, Small Pickup Trucks 4WD
Engines
3.5L 6-cyl · 2.7L 4-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic (S6) · Manual 5-spd · Manual 6-spd
Drive
Rear-Wheel Drive · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Tacoma 2WD
Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
192421$3,050431
Tacoma 2WD
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.7 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
192321$3,050427
Tacoma 4WD
Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
182320$3,200446
Tacoma 4WD
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.7 L · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
192220$3,200441
Tacoma 4WD
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.7 L · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
192120$3,200448
Tacoma 4WD
Man 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
172118$3,550481
Tacoma 4WD Double Cab Off-Road
Man 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
172018$3,550483
  • Tacoma 2WD
    Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    19 city · 24 hwy · $3,050/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • Tacoma 2WD
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.7 L
    19 city · 23 hwy · $3,050/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • Tacoma 4WD
    Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    18 city · 23 hwy · $3,200/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Tacoma 4WD
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.7 L
    19 city · 22 hwy · $3,200/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Tacoma 4WD
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.7 L
    19 city · 21 hwy · $3,200/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Tacoma 4WD
    Man 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    17 city · 21 hwy · $3,550/yr
    18
    mpg comb.
  • Tacoma 4WD Double Cab Off-Road
    Man 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    17 city · 20 hwy · $3,550/yr
    18
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

4 tested variants
Overall rating
4/ 5
4 of 5
Toyota Tacoma PU/CC 2WD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
4 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
14.7%
Overall
4 / 5
Toyota Tacoma PU/CC 4WD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
4 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
19.1%
Overall
— / 5
Toyota Tacoma PU/EC 2WD
Frontal crash
Not rated
Side crash
Not rated
Side pole
Not rated
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
14.7%
Overall
— / 5
Toyota Tacoma PU/EC 4WD
Frontal crash
Not rated
Side crash
Not rated
Side pole
Not rated
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
19.1%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 3, 2026Vehicle 11166Vehicle 11165Vehicle 11164
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2017 Tacoma questions

How many recalls does the 2017 Toyota Tacoma have?

5 safety recalls as of Nov 3, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2017 Toyota Tacoma problems?

Owners filed 244 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are power train (68), engine (36), service brakes (31). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2017 Toyota Tacoma get?

The EPA rates the 2017 Toyota Tacoma at 18–21 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (7 versions rated).

How safe is the 2017 Toyota Tacoma?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2017 Toyota Tacoma 4 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 3, 2026