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Toyota · NHTSA safety record

2013 Toyota Tacoma

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

124

Complaints

11

Crashes

6

Fires

8

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2013 Toyota Tacoma have filed 124 safety complaints with NHTSA between February 2013 and May 2026. The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 22 of them (18%). The typical failure was reported at 40,320 miles, the median across the 99 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 6 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (6)

STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

17V425000 · July 3, 2017

The defect
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2011-2016 Toyota Tacoma and 4Runner vehicles equipped with accessory hood scoops installed by SET or SET dealers. The adhesive attaching the hood scoop may weaken, allowing the hood scoop to detach from the vehicle.
The risk
If the hood scoop detaches, it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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.

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC · up to 3,547 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

14V475000 · August 4, 2014

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2014 FJ Cruiser and Tacoma vehicles equipped with accessory wheels and tires installed by Toyota or dealers prior to the vehicle's first sale. The affected vehicles may list incorrect spare tire size and/or cold tire inflation information on the tire placard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."
The risk
If the spare tire is inflated to the incorrect pressure provided on the placard, tire failure may occur while it is being driven on, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
For the involved vehicles, overlay stickers to correct the tire placard will either be mailed to owners or provided to dealers for placement over the incorrect information on the placard. The recall is expected to begin in September 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 20,000 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

14V054000 · February 12, 2014

The defect
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 Toyota Tacoma and Lexus RX350 vehicles and certain model year 2012 Toyota Rav4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the brake system contains a brake actuator that adjusts the fluid pressure of each wheel cylinder. An electrical component within the actuator may experience an increased resistance resulting in the illumination of various warning lights, including those for the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system, Antilock Brake System (ABS), and Traction Control system.
The risk
If this occurs, these systems could become inoperative, reducing the directional control assistance, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Toyota will notify owners, and Toyota and Lexus dealers will update the software for the Skid Control electronic control unit, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 261,114 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE

13V557000 · November 7, 2013

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Tacoma vehicles manufactured July 1, 2013, through October 11, 2013. The engines of the affected vehicles contain valve springs that may break over time.
The risk
If the valve springs break, the engine could fail and stall while the vehicle is being driven, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the valve springs, free of charge. The recall began on November 27, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 3,795 vehicles across all model years covered

TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE

13V494000 · October 17, 2013

The defect
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Tacoma vehicles equipped with 18" Maverick Alloy Wheels. In the affected vehicles, the spare tire requires the use of a different style of lug nut to attach it to the vehicle than the other wheels use. These lug nuts were not provided with the vehicle.
The risk
If the spare tire/wheel is installed on the vehicle using the lug nuts from another wheel, damage to the wheel could result and may eventually lead to a loose wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
SET will notify owners, and dealers will: (a) Install a Warning Label on the spare tire/wheel, (b) supply a bag containing proper spare wheel lug nuts, and (c) place an Owner's Manual Addendum in the vehicle's glove box. The recall began on January 23, 2014. Owners may contact SET at 1-954-429-2000.

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC · up to 979 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

13V123000 · April 9, 2013

The defect
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
The risk
An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
The remedy
Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC · up to 7,525 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Electrical overstress

EA19001

Closed engineering analysis · opened April 19, 2019 · closed September 19, 2024 · led to recall 20V024

the air bags

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications.  The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU.  In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment.  FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle.  Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW.  These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes.  An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time.   In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU.  This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners.  Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation.  The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage.  There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation.  The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU.  If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC.  Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC.  All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled.  In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024.  With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 124.

POWER TRAIN 22 18%
SERVICE BRAKES 16 13%
SUSPENSION 14 11%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 13 10%
STEERING 13 10%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 13 10%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 11 9%
STRUCTURE 11 9%
AIR BAGS 10 8%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 8 6%
ENGINE 7 6%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 6 5%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 22.

2013 2014 2026
2013 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · fire · crash · towed · 70,000 miles

WE HIT BLACK ICE AND SPUN FLIPPED INTO A DITCH ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE TRUCK AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THE AIRBAG CAUGHT ON FIRE CATCHING THE WHOLE TRUCK ON FIRE.

NHTSA complaint 10817278. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed · 91,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, ANOTHER VEHICLE TURNED LEFT IN HER PATH CAUSING A COLLISION. THE FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE MIDDLE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A WHIPLASH AND PAIN IN THE LOWER BACK AND RIGHT KNEE. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED BRUISING TO THE RIGHT KNEE, WHIPLASH, AND SORENESS TO THE BODY. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE

NHTSA complaint 11265490, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2 injured · crash · towed · 75,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while in reverse and attempting to park the engine RPMs suddenly increased while pressing the brake pedal and the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration causing the driver to lose control of the steering. During the incident, the vehicle crashed into two separate vehicles and a restaurant building serving outside diners. The contact was eventually able to switch gears causing the vehicle to drive forward before turning the engine off and stopping. The contact indicated that the brake pedal was being pressed at the time of the failure but the vehicle continued to accelerate. The driver sustained a mild head injury and one

NHTSA complaint 11429292, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 108,000 miles

"TAKATA RECALL" POSSIBLE: DRIVING NORTHBOUND IN THE LEFT LANE ON A CLEAR DAY, NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME OR NEXT TO ME. I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET IN HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA. VISIBILITY WAS CLEAR AROUND 4:00 P.M IN THE AFTERNOON. I NOTICED A CAR MAKING A LEFT TURN IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD NO TIME TO BREAK, COULD NOT BELIEVE THIS DRIVER HAD INITIATED A LEFT TURN. I IMMEDIATELY VEERED INTO THE RIGHT LANE TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR THAT HAD MADE A LEFT TURN IN FRONT OF ME. THE DRIVER HIT ME INSTEAD ON THE FRONT LEFT CORNER OF MY TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK, SENDING ME HEAD ON INTO TWO PARKED CARS. I SUFFERED A CONCUSSION AND A BROKEN RIGHT HAND. I NOTICED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT NEITHER THE DRIVER SIDE AIR

NHTSA complaint 10821557, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION
2013 Toyota Tacoma rear leaf spring is broken in half 3 leaf set up exactly like the recall up to 2011. Why didn’t the recall go up to 2013. Truck would bottom out easily for years on bumpy back roads

NHTSA complaint 11738012. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

107,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while closing the hood, the hood prop rod unexpectedly fell behind the latch, ceasing to securely latch the hood. While driving at 80 MPH, the hood suddenly opened and fractured the windshield. There was no injury sustained. The contact immediately pulled over to the side of the road, closed the hood, and continued driving. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The Insurance Provider was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure

NHTSA complaint 11718482, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed

Vehicle involved in a head on collision resulting in a total loss. Frontal airbags did not deploy. Occupant (driver) sustained bilateral wrist injuries requiring surgery.

NHTSA complaint 11714837. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
whenever we need to use the horn there isnt one to use. we have changed the fuse more than once still nothing.

NHTSA complaint 11711702. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
The horn started malfunctioning recently at around 200k miles, sometimes working sometimes not (regardless of steering wheel positioning). As prior complaints have stated; the suspect was likely the clockspring, but all the steering wheel controls were functioning with no issues and no warning lights illuminated. Also, I've continously found myself in the 3rd gear multiple times after very lighy taps (mainly from a drink falling/bumping into it) as the cupholders in the front are very small and/or not stable for anything other than small disposable containers.

NHTSA complaint 11706361. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
The power brake booster failed while driving with my [XXX] and [XXX] old. Fortunately I was in a school zone with no traffic. This particular part is known to fail with Toyota's (recalled on a few models). The vehicle is 13 so Toyota will not back their product. The dealer charged $3,000.00 for the repair. There were no warnings this was going to happen. The vehicle was bought brand new, and always well maintained. ALL work besides oil changes/new tires was completed at the dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint 11706368. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Toyota Tacoma

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 82 5 1
2024 142 5
2023 52 4
2022 57 3
2021 78 0 1
2020 86 1
2019 212 4
2018 202 3
2017 237 5
2016 323 4
2015 100 4
2014 93 4
2012 294 7
2011 185 9 2
2010 291 13

Other 2013 Toyota models

Every Toyota on this site — 272 vehicles, 370 recall campaigns and 3 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst