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Toyota · NHTSA safety record

2014 Toyota Tacoma

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

93

Complaints

10

Crashes

1

Fires

8

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2014 Toyota Tacoma have filed 93 safety complaints with NHTSA between May 2014 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the body structure, named in 20 of them (22%). The typical failure was reported at 28,000 miles, the median across the 70 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 4 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (4)

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

14V828000 · December 30, 2014

The defect
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner, Tacoma, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, RAV4, Scion FRS, and XB vehicles. The affected vehicles may have accessories installed by SET, such as running boards or other items, that were incorrectly installed. The accessory attaching fasteners were not tightened with the proper torque, possibly causing the accessory to detach from the vehicle.
The risk
Accessories that detach from a vehicle may result in a vehicle crash and/or personal injury.
The remedy
SET will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the affected bolts, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-14B.

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC · up to 3,958 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

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

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 93.

STRUCTURE 20 22%
SERVICE BRAKES 17 18%
POWER TRAIN 13 14%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 9 10%
AIR BAGS 8 9%
STEERING 8 9%
SUSPENSION 8 9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 7 8%
ENGINE 6 6%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 5 5%
SEAT BELTS 5 5%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 4 4%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 14.

2014 2026
2014 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.

STRUCTURE:BODY

5 injured · 35,900 miles

TACOMA TRUCK PARKED AND STATIONARY. PASSENGER EXITED VEHICLE BUT THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED ALL THE WAY BECAUSE IT WAS CLOSE TO A WALL. THE SHARP ROUGH CORNER EDGE OF THE BOTTOM REAR OF THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR SLICED A PASSENGERS LEG AS THE LEG WAS MOVED TO CLEAR THE DOOR.. DRIVERS SIDE DOOR IS SIMILAR BUT NOT AS TOUGH OR SHARP AS PASSENGERS BOTTOM CORNER OF THE DOOR. IT HAS LEFT A SCAR ON THE LEG. ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS BOTH FRONT DOORS HAVE SCRAPED MY LEG TWICE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND MY WIFE'S LEG TWICE ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS LIMITED CLEARANCE FROM THE DOOR THAT IS NEAR A WALL OR OTHER CAR. THIS HAPPENS ON A QUAD CAB BECAUSE THE FRONT DOORS ARE CUT

NHTSA complaint 10919912, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · 28,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING AT 35 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED BUT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED RIB AND THE DRIVER HAD A FRACTURED LEFT ARM AND RIB WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.

NHTSA complaint 10825608. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEATS

1 injured · crash · 4,292 miles

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WITH THE TRAFFIC COMING TO A STOP, WE WERE SUDDENLY REAR ENDED AND THE PASSENGER SEATING ON THE RIGHT BACKSEAT HIT HER HEAD ON THE PLASTIC PIECE ATTACHED ON THE HEADREST OF HER SEAT AND SUFFERED A HEMATOMA ON THE BACK OF HER HEAD. SHE WAS ATTENDED BY THE PARAMEDICS AND WAS IMMEDIATELY TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE PLASTIC PIECE, WHICH CAUSED THE INJURY, IS LOCATED IN THE LOWER PART OF THE HEADREST AND CAN BE EASILY FELT BY JUST TOUCHING THE HEADREST. THERE IS MINIMAL TO NONE CUSHIONING. I BELIEVE THAT THE TWO REAR HEADRESTS (LEFT AND RIGHT REAR SEATS) OF THE 2014 TOYOTA TACOMA DOUBLECAB IS UNSAFE AND CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10692213. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 38,000 miles

1

NHTSA complaint 11317824. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My vehicle paint is chipping all over

NHTSA complaint 11756489. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

170,000 miles

The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the check engine and the traction control warning lights were illuminated, and the vehicle hesitated to accelerate and failed to exceed 45 MPH while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a secondary air injection pump system failure. The mechanic determined that the failure was related to Toyota Campaign Number: 20TC01, and the contact was referred to the dealer for the repair. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under the campaign. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic, where it

NHTSA complaint 11732492, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
The Clear coat is failing on the roof and the hood causing the paint to fade. Toyota knows about the problem and fails to do anything to rectify the problem. Thousands of customers are being affected by this. You can go onto any vehicle forum out there and there are thousands of pictures of this.

NHTSA complaint 11729664. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Hi. I file a complaint several years ago about their entertainment radio system freezing up intermittently. Happening now my radio after I turn it off will turn back on to the first AM setting saved even though I did not use it. After I turn it off the display shows the AM lit up as white not blue and it will turn back on repeatedly for a few more times before completely staying off. This has happened now 3 times this year.

NHTSA complaint 11682728. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
When you are driving down the road and get in a curve the wheels lock up like you are on ice or hydroplaining and have no control of vehicle. only happens in curves and i know of multiple trucks doing this - if another car is coming from other direction you will hit them as you cant control truck

NHTSA complaint 11662569. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
While driving the vehicle there is a groaning sound coming from the front end of the Tacoma from the front differential. There is a TSB from Toyota, but they only cover it under warranty and are not treating it as a recall. TSB # 0026-15. I think this is something that is causing wear to the front differential and could cause further damage/could lead to a crash if something was to lock up. The sound is consistent from 15-55 MPH no matter the driving.

NHTSA complaint 11657848. 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
2013 124 6
2012 294 7
2011 185 9 2
2010 291 13

Other 2014 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