What 323 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Toyota Tacoma

Dear Toyota Japan Customer Experience Team, I am the owner of a 2016 Toyota Tacoma currently registered in Guam, U.S.A. I am writing to request your assistance regarding a water leak issue from the rear brake light area, which has caused the carpets and seats to become wet and develop mold. I originally purchased this vehicle in Saipan and recently relocated to Guam. When I visited the Guam Toyota Service Center, they kindly inspected my vehicle and informed me that this issue is related to the 3rd brake light gasket recall; however, the recall period has already expired. Unfortunately, I was never notified of this recall while the vehicle was in Saipan. Continuous exposure to mold has seriously affected both my health and my daughter’s health. Because of this, I had the vehicle professionally cleaned and sanitized by a specialist company. The Tacoma has always been our family’s favorite car, but now I drive it only because I have no choice. Every time I get in, I feel anxious and uneasy. The water leak itself is concerning, but the mold issue worries me even more. I truly hope this water leak and the mold problem can both be resolved so that I can once again enjoy driving my Tacoma with peace of mind. The blue circles in the attached photos indicate areas suspected of mold. These photos were taken right before I sent the car for cleaning. According to the cleaning company, when they removed the seats, they found water underneath the seats and carpets. Whenever I drive the vehicle, I experience persistent coughing and headaches due to mold exposure. This has become a serious health and safety concern. Since this issue is directly related to a previously recalled safety defect, I kindly request Toyota Japan to consider a Goodwill Repair or Safety Exception to address the water leak and the resulting interior damage.

NHTSA ODI 11730507

Heated seat had stopped working, checked and found the problem. The module that controls the heated seats had a melted connector and wires, causing the seat to no longer be able to have heated seats.

NHTSA ODI 11635559

Seat heating module for my driver seat has melted and is further irrepairable without buying the entire harness to fix the issue. There are multiple reports of this happening across forums.

NHTSA ODI 11617153

The seat heater thermostat under the driver’s seat melted and charred while heater was in use Fire danger. Dealer said this happens to a small number of vehicles of similar age and manufacture date. This was inspected by the dealership. No lights or warns came on before, during or after. I noticed the seat heater stopped working. I inspected the fuse. The fuse was not burned out. I found the melted part under the seat in the heater wiring harness assembly. I have removed the fuse at this time to prevent energizing the harness further.

NHTSA ODI 11609722

I had a heated seat failure. I do have the parts available for inspection. I removed the seat to find that the sub assy-seat heater and connecting wiring harness had been burnt which could potentially cause a fire. Toyota part numbers effected are: sub assy - 87501-0C020, wiring harness in the heater assy - 87510-04040 which was replaced by 87510-04050. I reported the issue to Toyota. There were no warning lights or indicators that there was an issue. The heated seat indicator light still shows the seat as on even though it was not heating. Toyota service bulletin T-SB-0130-18 has been issued about this issue, so Toyota obviously knows there is an issue. I've read in forums online that the root issue is the wiring not being large enough to handle the power to the seat, so ultimately replacing the factory parts would not guarantee the issue will not happen again.

NHTSA ODI 11567943

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Heated seat heating module. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Module burned out during usage and emitted fire odor and smoke when burnt out (potential fire hazard if kept on). Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? [XXX] Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Unknown. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? None. 2016 Tacoma limited heated seat heating module overheated/burned out with slight smoke under seat during minimal usage (texas based). TSB [XXX] released in October 2018, about the time most of the 2016 (produced in 2015) are going out of warranty, and based on frequency of usage and locale (warmer climates observe less usage) - also even though parts used are the same, VIN is apparently not affected. Toyota will not honor TSB even though the burn out can be a potential fire hazard if not known/smelled especially while traveling and buckled into seat belt (similar to Mercedes heated seats caught on fire). No notice provided by Toyota of TSB at time of issue. Item should be a recall as it affects many 2016-2018 Tacoma's and is a fire safety and burn hazard. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11557704

Driver’s side front seat not delivering heat despite switch lamp indicating it’s on and working. Further exploration reveals passenger side seat heater working as it should. I checked wiring harness and connections under driver’s seat only to discover plastic connector entering amplifier scorched and melted with two of four pins destroyed (Red and Green wires). I believe the wire gauge sized for this system is improper and therefore represents a fire hazard. About the time the seat heater failed, I smelled a burning odor inside the car for a short time but didn’t associate the two events until later. The vehicle has 135,998 miles on it and therefore out of warranty. I spoke to the dealer who explained he’s had similar issues from other customers and added there is no recalls at this time.

NHTSA ODI 11505879

While driving down the road with my driver seat warmer on, the heating element and/or associated electronics burned a hole in the seat canvas and through the jacket I was wearing. I think a small fire started which I put out with my finger and then I turned off the seat heater.

NHTSA ODI 11493228

The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while attempting to activate the seat warmer, he noticed that the seat warmer was inoperable. The contact researched and read that the module underneath the seat could potentially burn causing the seat warmer not to operate as designed. The contact stated that it was a common failure. The contact stated that he then looked at the module in his vehicle and saw that it was melted. The contact had not noticed any smoke or a burning odor. The dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.

NHTSA ODI 11459879

The driver's side seat heating element failed due to a defective seat heater amp. When independently researching the failure, which could have simply been an unconnected wire, I discovered the amp and wiring had an electrical seizure and the wiring had burned the amp. The heating amp sits underneath the seat and with the right conditions could cause the seat to catch fire. The issue has been reported to Toyota corporate.

NHTSA ODI 11449467

The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while driving at 60 MPH, the contact noticed their front driver seat warmer stop operating and started smelling an electrical burning. The contact continued to drive to their residence where at that time the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed the seat heater amp connection wiring was burned out. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,404.

NHTSA ODI 11437706

3RD GENERATION (2016+) TOYOTA TACOMA'S HAVE A KNOWN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING LEAKING OF THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT. DURING RAINFALL AND DRIVING THROUGH A CARWASH, WATER WILL LEAK INTO THE DRIVERS COMPARTMENT RESULTING IN WATER DAMAGE AND POTENTIAL FOR MOLD AND MILDEW. A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH WILL RESULT IN THOUSANDS OF OWNERS REPORTING THIS ISSUE. TOYOTA REFUSES TO COVER THIS ISSUE IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF THEIR WARRANTY PERIOD, WHICH CAN RESULT IN $1000+ LABOR BILL TO REPLACE A FAULTY GASKET. SEEING AS THIS IS A POTENTIAL HEALTH RISK TO OWNERS, THIS SHOULD BE A MANDATORY RECALL TO REPLACE FOR OWNERS OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD.

NHTSA ODI 11415194

WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, TURNED ON, AND IN MOTION, THE AMP FOR THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT SEAT HEATER PRETTY MUCH MELTED. I SMELT AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL, AND WAS ABLE TO LOCATE THE SOURCE.

NHTSA ODI 11319198

I NOTICED WHEN MY DRIVER SEAT HEATER WAS IN THE "ON" POSITION, THE SEAT WAS NOT HEATING UP. ELECTRICAL WIRING/CONNECTOR FOR THE HEATED SEAT MODULE LOCATED UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT OVERHEATED OR ARCED CAUSING THE CONNECTOR (S) TO MELT POSING A SAFETY/FIRE HAZARD AND RENDERING THE HEATED SEAT INOPERABLE. TSB FROM TOYOTA COVERS THIS UP TO 3YEARS/36,000 MILES. MILEAGE AT TIME OF FAILURE: 61,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 11319165

ELECTRICAL WIRING/CONNECTOR FOR THE HEATED SEAT MODULE LOCATED UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT OVERHEATED OR ARCED CAUSING THE CONNECTOR (S) TO MELT POSING A SAFETY HAZARD AND RENDERING THE HEATED SEAT INOPERABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11317162

DRIVING HOME APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY (SPEED LIMIT OF 50MPH) AND NOTICED THE OEM/FACTORY INSTALLED DRIVER HEATED SEAT STOPPED WORKING. PROCEEDED TO SMELL BURNT PLASTIC BUT IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND I CONVINCED MYSELF THAT NOTHING OUT OF THE NORMAL HAD OCCURRED SINCE MY PASSENGER DID NOT SEEM CONCERNED. THE FOLLOWING DAY I DID A BIT OF RESEARCH AND TESTED THE HEATED SEAT WHICH NO LONGER GOT WARM LIKE THE PASSENGER SIDE. UNDERNEATH THE SEAT IS AN "AMPLIFIER" FOR THE HEATED SEAT WHICH LOOKS TO HAVE SHORTED OUT. BOTH THE AMPLIFIER AND THE MALE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HAD BURNT/MELTED ON ONE OF THE TERMINALS. THE PLUG LOOKS COMPLETELY RUINED AND I PRESUME THE AMPLIFIED IS NOW BROKEN. ALL OTHER FUSES AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS APPEARED FINE.

NHTSA ODI 11286497

SEAT HEATER MODULE CONNECTOR HAS FAILED AND BURNED/MELTED THE CONNECTOR. APPEARS TO BE A FIRE CONCERN.

NHTSA ODI 11190946

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HEATER STOPPED WORKING IN MY 2016 TACOMA LIMITED 4X4 DELIVERED IN JANUARY 2016. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WIRING HARNESS INTO THE SEAT HEATER AMP HAD A MELTED WIRE, DAMAGING BOTH THE AMP AND THE WIRING HARNESS. OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS SAME SEAT HEATER FAILURE WITH MELTED WIRING WERE FOUND ONLINE IN THE TACOMAWORLD.COM FORUMS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO BE CONFIRM THE ISSUE AND HAVE HAVE A QUOTE TO FIX IT. MILEAGE IS 33,900

NHTSA ODI 11184547

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE WITH THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER IN THE ON POSITION, THE HEATER FAILED TO OPERATE. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ELECTRICAL MODULE FOR THE HEATED SEAT HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND MELTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (SUMMIT TOYOTA, 1535 VERNON ODOM BLVD, AKRON, OHIO). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

NHTSA ODI 11121570

3RD BRAKE LIGHT OVER TORQUED AT FACTORY RESULTING IN DEFECTIVE SEAL AND EVENTUALLY CRACKED LIGHT FIXTURE. THIS RESULTS NOT ONLY IN ELECTRICAL ISSUE BUT SERIOUS LEAKING INTO CABIN - AFFECTING REAR SEAT, ROOF, AND FLOORING. LEAK NOTICED AFTER RAIN STORMS AND NOTICING WET FLOOR/SEATS AND DAMP FLOORS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE AFFECTING 3RD GENERATION TACOMAS ON TOYOTA FORUMS SUCH AS TACOMAWORLD.COM.

NHTSA ODI 11119971

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR SEAT IS GETTING WET DURING HEAVY RAINS. THE LEATHER WILL BE SWELLED UP.

NHTSA ODI 11005940

THE REAR SEATS DO NOT LOCK. FOR EXAMPLE, THE REAR SEATS HAVE A LOCKING MECHANISM UNDER THE SEAT. WHEN SEAT IS PUT BACK INTO ITS NORMAL POSITION IT DOES NOT LOCK. I HAD A 2001 AND THE SEAT LOCKED ONCE PUT INTO ITS NORMAL SITTING POSITION.

NHTSA ODI 10933735