What 48 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Toyota Tacoma

Oil cap went loosed and fell off after a few hundred miles of driving. This is a very common thing in 2023 Toyota tacoma.

NHTSA ODI 11721783

Deep knocking noise they call the taco tick is actually the a problem with the motor. There is an issue valve train and timing chain, tensioners and pulleys. Toyota USA decide to tell all consumers it’s just the way they sound. So they do not have to repair millions of these trucks on recall they refuse to repair under manufacture warranty or power train warranty they wait until it becomes the consumers problem

NHTSA ODI 11710839

Engine began making abnormal ticking noise, heard primarily on the passenger side of vehicle. Upon removal of valve cover for inspection, found that there are chunks of camshafts breaking off causing the noise. Appears to be a manufacturing defect. Local dealer said they have seen this issue before. This issue could result in catastrophic engine failure and/or loss of power and cause a crash. My truck has 70k miles on it, regularly maintained and operated.

NHTSA ODI 11665637

This vehicle thermostat and sensor system are faulty! My sensor started lighting up within a year and half after purchasing. Engine was not overheating at first, they said it will eventually happen and it did; all dealers said to replace but I was out of 360000 miles due to commute to Seattle. This vehicle is less then 3 years old and should have this item listed specifically in power train warranty since connected to engine directly. If engine overheats it is no longer usable and truck is useless! Engine warranty if this is a know issue from Toyota dealerships. Contacted 3-4 dealerships in the state of WA and all had known of issue. One dealer stated anything from 2020 to current has had thermostat issues. This is serious concern knowing the engine can seize up! Their thermostat and sensor should not be a combined item in my opinion. Please advise and or confirm this is an issue that should be looked into. If the engine overheats then the vehicle could cause an accident! This is a huge safety risk that can be avoided! I work and make it from paycheck to paycheck this was very expensive to fix and had to paid out of pocket. Please help others be aware of situation!

NHTSA ODI 11662931

ONLY 1 catalytic converter cover is on my truck. This could cause a fire in tall grass or combustible areas. Not everyone goes to parks for picnics or parties where there is taller grasses. This could start a forest fire if the weather is just hot and dry. Every Car or truck I owned with a catalytic converter had a cover on each of them. Dealer said that's the way it came from the factory. Doing some research the cover was missing on the right side of other trucks. Mine is missing the Left drivers side. Please advise, [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11650732

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 MPH and attempting to make a right turn, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started jerking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be diagnosed because the check engine warning light was not illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 2,000.

NHTSA ODI 11585420

When starting the truck and warming up a minute or so and then putting in reverse to back out or forward to pull into a carport, idling in gear with your foot only on the brake, the engines surges/revs up with just the slight turn of the steering wheel causing an unintended speed increase. I believe that this could cause a minor accident. It does not appear to be caused by the engine having a fast idle when cold as the idle drops when you shift into a gear. What appears to be happening is the ECU over compensates for the slight strain caused by the power steering pump when you turn the wheel. My carport is narrow and does not align exactly with the driveway, you have to jog left a foot or two and then right to pull in or back out. At the second service visit on 12/12/23 the dealer then checked and observed this behavior and reported "This is normal operation and directly related to power steering pump activation when wheel is turned in any direction" The vehicle was purchased new last May and currently has 3,995 miles on it. I think it probably had this problem from new but I had mostly just pulled straight in and out of the driveway until the fall when it was mostly parked in the carport as it was not being driven as regularly. I don't think it does it as bad when fully warmed up which takes quite a while for this engine.

NHTSA ODI 11584324

Wiring harness on the vehicle is being completely replaced due to "rodent damage" according to the dealer. I am not an automotive engineer but if compromised wiring finally fails while driving I suspect a number of systems could be affected. There was no indication of this problem during vehicle operations. My insurance company agreed to pay for this about $7200. I have owned the vehicle for ten months.

NHTSA ODI 11572480