What 183 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Tacoma

Steering shaft u- joint seizure causing loss of vehicle steering. Very dangerous.

NHTSA ODI 11573788

This VIN number was totaled due to a bent frame after being rear ended on June 10th. I fear my insurance company (USAA) will attempt to commit fraud by not reporting the title as salvage.

NHTSA ODI 11475353

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, I FELT MY STEERING COLUMN GET LOOSE. AFTER COMING TO A STOP AT THE GAS STATION, I TRIED MAKING SURE THE COLUMN ADJUSTER WAS TIGHT, AND IT WAS. THE ENTIRE STEERING WHEEL/COLUMN WAS STILL LOOSE, AND THEN FELL OFF INTO MY LAP. AFTER THAT, MY TACOMA WOULD NOT START. RADIO WOULD NOT WORK, AND THE ODOMETER NUMBERS DISAPPEARED. I HAD TO THEN CALL A TOW TRUCK TO GET MY VEHICLE HOME. IF I HADN'T STOPPED AT AT THE GAS STATION, IT WOULD HAVE FELL OFF AS I WAS DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11290665

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS BECAME REALLY HOT. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS TURNED BROWN AND MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED TEMECULA VALLEY TOYOTA AT (951) 694-0575 (26631 YNEZ RD, TEMECULA, CA 92591) AND WAS INFORMED TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT HAD EXPIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000. *TT *TR

NHTSA ODI 11076649

MY 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA HAS APPARENTLY HAS HAD A DESIGN FLAW SINCE EVEN BEFORE 2009 IN THE FRONT TURN SIGNAL HOUSING. THE DESIGN FLAW CAUSES THE LENSE TO MELT FROM EXTREME HEAT BUILD UP IN THE HOUSING CAUSING THE BULB TO BURN OUT AND ULTIMATELY THE SOCKET TO CHAR AND IN MY CASE DEFORM TO THE POINT I COULDN'T REPLACE THE BULB. TOYOTA HAS IN SEPTEMBER 2011 RELEASED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN INSTRUCTING THERE TECHS ON HOW TO REMEDIATE THE OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW. THERE WAS NO NOTICES SENT OUT TO OWNERS EVEN THOUGH THEY APPARENTLY KNEW BEFORE THEY EVEN BUILT THE 2011 TRUCKS THAT THERE WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. TO DO THIS AND NOT MAKE US AWARE IS CRIMINAL TO SAY THE LEAST BECAUSE IN THE CAB IT IS TELLING YOU THAT IT IS WORKING AND YOUR NOT AWARE THAT YOUR FRONT SIGNAL IS NOT WORKING. THINK OF ON COMING TRAFFIC NOT KNOWING THAT YOUR GONNA TURN AND YOU THINK THEY DO. THIS IS CRIMINAL. IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. JUST GO TO YOUTUBE.

NHTSA ODI 10934539

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED BURN MARKS ON BOTH FRONT HEAD LAMPS CAUSED BY THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD LAMPS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO STATED THAT A VOLUNTARY RECALL FOR THE FAILURE HAD EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

NHTSA ODI 10888711

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING SPACE AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATED APPROXIMATELY 18 FEET BEFORE CRASHING INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WERE TWO INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V014000 (AIR BAGS, SEATS). THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.

NHTSA ODI 10881533

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FAN STOPPED WORKING. THE CONTACT ALSO SMELLED AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CHECKED BEHIND THE FIREWALL AND THE WIRING HARNESS AND WIRING WERE BURNED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS WERE MELTING ALONG WITH THE FIXTURES AND WIRES IN THE BACK OF THE BULB. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT'S DIAGNOSIS WAS CONFIRMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 10839028

TL* 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. AT 50 MPH, THE CONTACT DROVE INTO A FIELD AND OVER A DRAIN DITCH, AND THEN CRASHED INTO A WALL. THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST IN A CORN FIELD. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STUCK TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE DRIVER WAS KILLED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AWAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000...UPDATED 08/11/14 *BF UPDATED 10/28/14 *BF

NHTSA ODI 10616933

WHILE PULLING MY TRUCK INTO THE GARAGE, I APPLIED THE BRAKE. I WAS SLOWING DOWN AND HEARD THE ACCELERATION TRACTION CONTROL TURN ON AND MY TRUCK LUNGED FORWARD ABOUT ONE TO TWO FEET. THE FRONT OF MY TRUCK HIT AGAINST SOME ITEMS IN MY GARAGE AND BROKE MY HEADLIGHT HOUSING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND SCRATCHED MY BUMPER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10563812

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, HE COULD SMELL A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SHOULDER AND SUDDENLY BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED, WHO ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,500.

NHTSA ODI 10502542

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A DEER. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE AFTER THE CRASH HOWEVER, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A CONTUSION TO LEFT ELBOW AND A BROKEN LEFT WRIST. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS IN VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE NOT AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

NHTSA ODI 10467628

SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. TIME WAS 6:55 AM. I WAS ON WORK PROPERTY HAVING JUST TURNED LEFT FROM A LIGHT. I WAS 5 TH CAR IN LINE TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. ALL CARS WERE STOPPED. MY FOOT WAS LIGHTLY PRESSING BREAK. THE NEXT THING I KNOW, MY TRUCK WAS RAMMING THE SUV IN FRONT OF ME. NO WAY MY FOOT COULD HAVE TOUCHED GAS PEDAL...IT WAS A TRAFFIC JAM. IT'S LIKE THIS EVERY MORNING. I CONTACTED TOYOTA RIGHT AWAY. THEY DENIED IT, BUT SENT OUT AN ENG TO GET BLACK BOX DATA. I NEVER HEARD FROM THEM AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10450020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY APPROXIMATELY 6-8 FEET FROM THE RESIDENCE WITH THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND QUICKLY SPREAD TO THE RESIDENCE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND THE FIRE WAS EVENTUALLY EXTINGUISHED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE OWNER OF THE RESIDENCE WAS KILLED AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS ALSO UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 01/04/12 *BF COMAPLAINT WAS SENT IN BY CONCERNED CITIZEN. UPDATED 01/12/12

NHTSA ODI 10439930

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, A VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE RIGHT REAR OF THEM. THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RESTRAIN. THE FRONT PASSENGER STRUCK THEIR HEAD ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE REAR PASSENGER STRUCK THEIR HEAD ON THE FRONT PASSENGERS SEAT. THEY WERE BOTH INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A CLAIM WAS FILED. THE SEAT BELTS WERE FURTHER EXAMINED BY A TOYOTA ENGINEER WHO ADVISED THAT THE SEAT BELT OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 386 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,800. UPDATED 8/29/11 *CN UPDATED 09/21/11

NHTSA ODI 10407681