2012 Toyota Tacoma Powertrain (other) Problems

My truck started having a vibration when driving around 45-55 mph. This problem first became noticeable when it had about 115,000 miles on it. Over time the speed that the vibration became noticeable at gradually increased. By 125,000 miles on the truck, it was vibrating hard between 60 and 70 mph. The dealership determined that the problem was that the drive shaft was out of balance and that it had to be replaced. They replaced the drive shaft, but this doesn't seem like a problem that should creep up with that relatively few miles on the vehicle, and I have read that if the drive shaft actually fails, it can severely damage the vehicle and potentially cause injury.

NHTSA ID

11632871

Incident

Sep 18, 2023

Drivetrain vibration and cricket chripping noise; likly coming from propeller shaft

NHTSA ID

11493240

Incident

Oct 20, 2022

WHEN ACCELERATING THE TRUCK LOST ALL POWER AND ACCELERATION. ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. ENGINE WILL NOT INCREASE RPM WHEN ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED. TRUCK WILL SLOWLY DRIVE BUT IS UNSAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD AS IT SLOWLY ACCELERATES UP TO 20-30MPH MAX. VEHICLE WAS MERGING INTO TRAFFIC FROM PARKING LOT ACCESS.

NHTSA ID

11389313

Incident

Jan 13, 2021

Mileage

110,000 mi

WHEN I'M DRIVING THE TRUCK BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MILES AN HOUR THE TRUCK FEEL LIKE WANTS TO STOP AND SAUNDS WUIRD I THINK IS THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS NOT DOING HIS JOB PROPERLY ALSO THAT SUSPENSION IS GETTING RESTLESS SO BAD AND SO QUICKLY AND THE CHATS ARE SO HARD SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT OR IT'S JUST NORMAL IN THE CAR AND SAW THE THINGS I'VE BEEN CHECKING ON IT 2012 TOYOTA AND I HAD IT FOR THREE YEARS ALSO IT TAKES TOO LONG TO HEAT UP IN WINTER TIME

NHTSA ID

11316975

Incident

Oct 2, 2019

Mileage

108,243 mi

60,000 MILES. THREE YEARS AGO THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. WE BROUGHT IT AND PAID FOR DIAGNOSTICS BUT NO ANSWERS. NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACK OFF ARE LIGHTING (NOT RELATED TO FIRST ISSUE) AND THE TRUCK IS IN SLOWDOWN MODE. WE REPLACED THE GAS-CAP BUT IT DIDN'T FIX THE ISSUE. DISAPPOINTED IN WHAT USED TO BE A QUALITY COMPANY.

NHTSA ID

11206390

Incident

May 1, 2019

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WITH TRAC OFF LIGHT COMES ON. NO POWER. AIR IDOL CONTROL VALVE STUCK OPEN.

NHTSA ID

11195925

Incident

Apr 1, 2019

Mileage

103,000 mi

DURING NORMAL DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL OFF LIGHT CAME ON AND TRUCK IMMEDIATELY WENT IN TO LIMP-HOME MODE. I HAD IT SCANNED FOR CODES AT THE LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE AND IT CAME BACK WITH P2440 AND P2442 WHICH SEEMS LIKE A COMMON ISSUE WITH A VALVE IN THE SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM. I QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWED THAT SOME 2012 TACOMA OWNERS ARE GETTING THIS COVERED UNDER A SPECIAL WARRANTY EXTENSION, SO I PUTTERED OVER TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP EXPECTING TO HEAR THE SAME STORY, BUT THEY ARE TELLING ME THE ECM COMPUTER IS BAD. WHICH I AM TRYING TO GET CLARIFICATION ON SINCE I CAN'T FIND ANY ECM FAILURE ISSUES FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL YEAR.

NHTSA ID

11194082

Incident

Apr 4, 2019

Mileage

144,000 mi

DRIVE TRAIN VIBRATION. TOYOTA HAS A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS ISSUE THROUGH THE 2011 MODEL, BUT THIS IS A 2012 MODEL WITH SAME ISSUE. SITUATION OCCURS DURING ACCELERATION.

NHTSA ID

11166204

Incident

Dec 31, 2018

Mileage

95,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DAYTON TOYOTA (2291 US-130, DAYTON, NJ 08810, 732-329-9191), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND OFFERED TO COVER THE COST OF THE PARTS WHILE THE CONTACT COVERED THE LABOR COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.

NHTSA ID

11083437

Incident

Mar 15, 2017

Mileage

33,000 mi

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRAC OFF LIGHT CAME ON. TRUCK WENT INTO "LIMP" MODE AND WOULD ONLY GO ABOUT 35MPH. CHECKED THE ERROR CODE AND IT WAS P2442 WHICH SAYS THE SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM IS FAILING. TRUCK HAS ONLY 55K MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS EVERY 6 MONTHS / 5K MILES. DEALERSHIP HAS SAID IT WILL BE $2023 TO REPLACE THE SYSTEM. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OR EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS INJECTION SYSTEM

NHTSA ID

11047407

Incident

Nov 15, 2017

Mileage

55,000 mi

I START UP THE TRUCK AND PULL OUT IN TO THE STREET. WHETHER AT AN INTERSECTION OR MAKING A TURN, I PUSH ON THE ACCELERATOR AND NOTHING HAPPENS. THE RPMS DON'T INCREASE, ENGINE MAKES NO SOUND - AND I AM LEFT SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I PUSH THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR AND EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE COMES TO LIFE AND THE TRUCK MOVES FORWARD. HAPPENS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS "COLD" - WITHIN THE FIRST 20-30 MINUTES OF OPERATION. THE ACCELERATOR IS NOT LINKED DIRECTLY TO THE ENGINE THROUGH A CABLE BUT IS A DRIVE BY WIRE. I HAVE MAINTAINED MY TACOMA METICULOUSLY SINCE PURCHASE INCLUDING TUNE UPS, OIL CHANGES, ETC. I HAVE CLEANED THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR WITH NO CHANGE. THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WITH A VEHICLE THAT HAS LOST POWER.

NHTSA ID

11041373

Incident

Sep 12, 2017

Mileage

51,000 mi

WHILE COMMUTING TO WORK THE ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON, CAUSING MY TRUCK TO SLOW DOWN, VERY SLOW. IT WOULD NOT LET ME ACCELERATE AND DISABLED MY PROGRESS TO AROUND 2000 RPMS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS OR A DANGEROUS SITUATION ESPECIALLY IF I WAS TOWING A LOAD OR IN A MAJOR TRAFFIC SITUATION. CODES - 2440 AND 2442 WERE THE CAUSES OF THIS SCARY ACCOUNT.

NHTSA ID

11021153

Incident

Jul 26, 2017

Mileage

105,000 mi

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, TRAC OFF LIGHT ON, ENGINE POWER WEAK CHECK ENGINE CODE- P2441. THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON ISSUE WITH TOYOTA SUVS, AND TRUCKS! CAR IS PUT INTO LIMP MODE. EXTENDED WARRANTY ON TUNDRA WITH SAME PART PROBLEM. NOT TACOMA. SHAMEFUL AND DANGEROUS FOR TACOMA OWNERS.

NHTSA ID

11010947

Incident

Jul 27, 2017

Mileage

61,000 mi

I HAVE 27,000 MILES ON MY TRUCK AND THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS DEFECTIVE. I AM AFRAID IT WILL LOCK UP AT HIGH SPEEDS, 55 MPH + AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT!! TOYOTA WON'T FIX IT

NHTSA ID

11002478

Incident

Jun 28, 2017

Mileage

27,800 mi

THE SECONDARY AIR INTAKE SYSTEM GOES OUT FAIRLY QUICKLY. MY VEHICLE IS AT 72,500 MILES. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO GO INTO "LIMP" MODE WHICH MAKES THE CAR GO A MAXIMUM OF 40MPH. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF IT WERE TO KICK IN WHILE ENTERING THE HIGHWAY. IT IS AN EMISSIONS ITEM, BUT TOYOTA IS NOT COVERING IT UNDER THE EMISSIONS WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID

10992178

Incident

May 26, 2017

Mileage

72,500 mi

CEL CODE P2442,P2445 DEALERSHIP SAYS THE AIR SWITCHING VALVE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE 75K MILES ON TRUCK. DEALER IS CHARGING ME 1200$

NHTSA ID

10960095

Incident

Mar 9, 2017

Mileage

75,000 mi

CODE P2440 AND P2442. AIR INJECTION SYSTEM VALVES ARE STUCK OPEN (RELATED TO EMISSIONS CONTROL UNIT) WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO 'LIMP' MODE ABRUPBTLY. THIS RENDERS THE VEHICLE UNDRIVEABLE, AND CAN OCCUR IN THE MIDST OF DRIVING CAUSING SERIOUS DANGER TO THE DRIVER AND FELLOW DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. TOYOTA IS UNWILLING TO COVER UNDER ANY POWERTRAIN OR EMISSIONS WARRANTY. THIS ISSUE IS PERVASIVE AMONG 2012 TACOMA OWNERS AND TOYOTA REDESIGNED THE SYSTEM AS EARLY AS 2013 WHICH IMPLICATES THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH A DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

10957104

Incident

Feb 25, 2017

Mileage

75,000 mi

2012 TACOMA WITH 37,00 MILES: WHILE LEAVING A PARKING LOT AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE ON TO A BUSY HIGHWAY, (60MPH SPEEDS), TRUCK WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND "CHECK ENGINE" AND "TRAC OFF" LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE WENT INTO "LIMP MODE" AND WOULD NOT GO FASTER THAN 35 MPH. I HAD TO QUICKLY PULL OFF THE ROAD AS TO NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. IF THIS HAD THIS OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEED (60 MPH+), WOULD DEFINITELY BE IN A WRECK DUE TO THE SUDDEN DOWNSHIFT AND DECELERATION. I TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE AND RECEIVED THE CODE P2442: SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM SWITCHING VALVE STUCK OPEN BANK 2. FROM RESEARCHING, THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH 2012 TACOMAS, AND HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN AN ISSUE WITH OLDER TUNDRAS, WHICH TOYOTA ISSUED A TSB FOR. TOYOTA REFUSES TO REPAIR THIS UNDER WARRANTY (EITHER POWERTRAIN OR FEDERAL EMISSIONS) EVEN THOUGH THE FAILED PART IS DIRECTLY TIED TO THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM! THE SYSTEM IS USED TO PUMP ADDITIONAL AIR INTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD UPON STARTUP TO DILUTE THE OVER-RICH CONDITIONS THAT LEAD TO INCREASED POLLUTION. (HOW IS THAT NOT AN EMISSIONS RELATED PART?) THE FAILURE OR WARPING OF THE ONE-WAY CHECK VALVE CAUSES HOT EXHAUST GASES TO BACKFLOW INTO THE SOLENOID, AND MELTING THE GASKETS. THIS ENDS UP BLOCKING THE SEALING PLATE AND CAUSING IT TO REMAIN IN THE OPEN POSITION. THE DANGER IS THAT THE HOT EXHAUST IS THEN FED INTO A PLASTIC AIR PUMP CAUSING IT TO POTENTIALLY MELT OR CATCH FIRE! THE FACT THAT THIS FORCES THE VEHICLE INTO "LIMP MODE" IS ALSO A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AS IT WILL NOT ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO TRAVEL ABOVE 35 MPH AND COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS ACCIDENTS IF TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED ON THE INTERSTATE OR HIGHWAY DUE TO THE UNEXPECTED, SUDDEN DECELERATION. FAILED ASSEMBLY IS TOYOTA PART NUMBER : 25710-31020. THIS PART NUMBER HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED BY P/N: 25710-31022 AND TOYOTA CHARGES BETWEEN $1500-$3200 TO REPLACE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10937233

Incident

Dec 21, 2016

Mileage

37,000 mi

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, TRAC OFF LIGHT IS ON. MY TRUCK HAS NO POWER AND IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE DTC IS P2442. SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM SWITCH VALVE STUCK OPEN BANK 2. TOYOTA KNOWS THEY HAVE A EMISSIONS ISSUE. MY VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP NOW.

NHTSA ID

10928483

Incident

Nov 29, 2016

Mileage

73,000 mi

WE JUST PAID TOYOTA A LITTLE OVER $2,000 TO REPLACE THE SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM. THE SWITCHING VALVE WAS STUCK CLOSED ACCORDING TO TOYOTA. THIS IS A 4 YEAR OLD TRUCK. IT IS UNREAL TO SPEND THIS KIND OF MONEY THIS EARLY FOR THIS. THE TUNDRA HAS RECALLS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10927320

Incident

Nov 21, 2016

Mileage

105,000 mi

TACOMA WENT IN "LIMP MODE" ENGINE LIGHT AND TRAC OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATED; CAUSE THE CAR TO BE EXTREMELY UNDER POWER. VEHICLE EXTREMELY UNDER POWER CAUSING TO BE DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC. CODE P2442 SECONDARY INJECTION SYSTEM FAILURE; COMMON TO OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES INCLUDING TUNDRA'S. TOYOTA ACTED RESUMABLE WITH TUNDRA'S WITH EXTENDING WARRANTY REPAIRING BUT AT THIS TIME REFUSES TO REPAIR KNOWN FAILURES IN TACOMA'S.

NHTSA ID

10908249

Incident

Sep 12, 2016

Mileage

45,000 mi

SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SWITCHING VALVE FAILURE STUCK IN OPEN POSITION CAUSING LIMP MODE IN THE TRUCK. TRUCK IS NOT ABLE TO GET TO SPEED ABOVE 40 MPH. THIS HAPPENED AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD ONTO A STATE ROUTE WITH SPEED LIMIT OF 55 MPH AND CARS GOING WAY FASTER THAN THAT. THIS COULD POSE A DANGER IF SITUATIONS WHERE SPEED IT REQUIRED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF ANOTHER CAR. TRUCK ONLY HAS 57K MILES ON IT. THIS IS A SUPPLEMENTAL EMISSIONS SYSTEM AND SHOULD NOT CAUSE THE TRUCK TO BE USELESS IF FAIL.

NHTSA ID

10904460

Incident

Sep 6, 2016

Mileage

57,000 mi

MY 2012 TACOMA WITH 45,000 MILES GOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND "TRAC OFF" LIGHT WHEN I STARTED IT TO GO HOME. I WAS MERGING ONTO THE INTERSTATE AND UNABLE TO GO ABOVE 40 MPH. THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT SAFE SO I EXITED AND TOOK IT TO A DEALER. THEY CITED TROUBLE CODES P2440 AND P2442 AND SAID THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE SECONDARY AIR INJECTION VALVE (PN 25710-31022) FOR A TOTAL COST OF $940! ACCORDING TO FORUMS AND THE NHTSA.GOV SITE, THIS IS A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL. I JUST BOUGHT THIS LAST JULY AND I NEVER EXPECTED TO HAVE TO REPLACE PARTS ANYTIME SOON.

NHTSA ID

10886218

Incident

Jul 19, 2016

Mileage

45,100 mi

AS I'VE READ FROM NUMEROUS OTHER 2012 TACOMA OWNERS ON TACOMAWORLD.COM, MY SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SWITCHING VALVE HAS FAILED AT 65K MILES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING ISSUE WITH ALL 2012 SIMILAR TACOMA MODELS AND SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE RECALLED AND REPLACED FOR FREE! UNTIL FIXED, MY TRUCK IS UNDRIVABLE, MEANING THE CEL LIGHT IS ON AND THE TRUCK WON'T GO FASTER THAN 30 MPH.

NHTSA ID

10872991

Incident

Jun 3, 2016

Mileage

65,000 mi

THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT OCCASIONALLY WHEN THE TRUCK COMES TO A STOP AND THE BRAKE PRESSED THE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE WITH A SURGE AND FEEL LIKE SOMEONE HAS BUMPED YOU FROM BEHIND BUT THERE WILL BE NO ONE BEHIND YOU. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS BUT I CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK. I PURCHASED THE TRUCK WITH 1200 MILES.

NHTSA ID

10821624

Incident

Oct 30, 2013

Mileage

1,400 mi