Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2018 Toyota Tacoma submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 26, in the owner's own words
The engine in my 2018 Toyota Tacoma failed at 39000 miles and Toyota is refusing to cover the repair costs. I have records of all regularly scheduled maintenance performed and I have never done anything that would put additional stress on the engine such as off-roading or towing. This engine is defective and should be recalled. There are numerous reports online of the same issue.
While driving I can here a ticking sound coming from the motor and it gets worse while I pick up speed
Unknown it changed and I have not kept track of new or old details.
Motor tensioner bearings. All of the motor tensioner bearings have completely failed on this vehicle at 70,000 miles. All have to be replaced in an effort to avoid motor seizure and or other grave safety issues
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics, who determined that the catalytic convertor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was also diagnosed and determined that the catalytic convertor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
When accelerating on highway check engine light started flashing and engine running rough. Pulled over and stopped vehicle turned off ignition. Restarted vehicle and light was out no longer running rough. Toyota dealer checked computer, cylinder #2 misfired 47 times & cylinder #3 misfired 3 times. They said they could not find what had created this problem and still charged me for engine diagnostics.
Driving down the road and was passing a truck. CEL and TRAC OFF lights came on and truck went into limp mode. Could not accelerate and truck was slowing down. Had to pull over turn truck off and restart and it ran fine until I duplicated the passing and push on the accelerator. Had codes check and was showing misfires on cylinder 3. I changed the spark plugs and checked the coils which were good. Next day was I was driving and truck had the same problems and eventually died and would not restart. I took it to the toyota dealer and they checked numerous things and had found #1 cylinder intake value was leaking. They suggested to replace the entire motor at a cost of $12,000. I declined and took it to another mechanic to see if the head just needed replacing. In that time I found others were having the same problem and it was a malfunctioning part in the intake manifold. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2016-tacoma-in-limp-mode-fixed.659782/ This is the forum were I found the problem and it fixed it. A piece of it was holding my intake valve open and that was the cause of it not starting and the leaking valve. I went and showed the Toyota dealer and they were not aware of that problem. I would like it to get posted so others don't get con into putting a new motor if it has the same problem. It seems everyone that has this issue is around 17 and 18 year models and all ranges of mileage.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING. THE CONTACT STATED OCCASIONALLY THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT THEN RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V682000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CHUCK PATTERSON TOYOTA (200 EAST AVE, CHICO, CA 95926) WHERE THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE REPAIR FAILED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED ANOTHER DEALER HANLEES DAVIS TOYOTA (4202 CHILES RD, DAVIS, CA 95616) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT DUE TO THE PANDEMIC THERE WAS NO TECHNICIAN AVAILABLE TO TEST DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 31,000.
DRIVING VEHICLE ON A SIDE STREET GOING APPROX 20 MILES PER HOUR . CAR STARTED SHAKING AND LOST MAJORITY OF POWER. WAS ABLE TO GET CAR BACK TO RESIDENCE (ONLY GOT A COUPLE OF BLOCKS AWAY) WHEN HEADING TO DESTINATION. HAD VEHICLE TOWED NEXT DAY TO SAME DEALERSHIP WHO HAD RECENTLY REPLACED FUEL PUMP UNDER A RECALL (PAPERWORK FOR THIS RECALL IS WHAT WAS EXPERIENCED /STALLING DANGERS) . DEALERSHIP TOLD US NOT FUEL PUMP BUT WIRING HARNESS NEEDED REPLACEMENT BECAUSE RODENTS ATE THE WIRING ( SOY BEAN COVERING ON NEWER VEHICLES )AND ENGINE LOST POWER BECAUSE OF THIS . THANK GOODNESS NOT ON A HIGHWAY GOING 75 MPH. WHEN THIS HAPPENED AS WE VERY WELL COULD OF BEEN . TOLD WE NEED TO DETER THESE RODENTS FROM CONTINUING ANY MORE DAMAGE . WONDER WHY COMPANY WOULD USE A PRODUCT . THANK YOU.
MY 2018 TOYOTA TACOMA PICK UP TRUCK WHILE DRIVING ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY HAS A SKIP OR HESITATION THAT RANDOMLY HAPPENS IT'S LIKE A MISFIRE IN THE ENGINE IT'S MUCH MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN I HAUL MY CAMPING TRAILER UP HILLS TOOK IT TO THE DEALER A NUMBER OF TIMES IN THE LAST TIME THE SENIOR TECH TOOK IT FOR A DRIVE AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE AS L HAD EXPLAINED THE REPORT SAYS HE CALLED TOYOTA AND THAT IS A DEFECT ON THE 2018 V6 TOYOTA TACOMA'S IS A VERY DANGEROUS IT FEELS LIKE IT'S GOING TO STALL AT TIMES ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE HAULING A TRAILER THAT'S OVER 5000 POUNDS UPHILL
ROUGH START WHEN ENGINE IS COLD OR WARM
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MY CAR HAS LOST POWER AND STARTED IDLING VERY LOW IN TRAFFIC. THERE HAS BEEN AN OPEN RECALL FOR SEVERAL MONTHS FOR THIS PROBLEM AND TOYOTA HAS NOT FIXED IT.
MY 6 SPEED MANUAL V6 3.5L TRD OFF ROAD TACOMA HAS HESITATIONS AND BUCKS WHEN YOU APPLY THROTTLE IN THE LOWER RPM 1000 TO 2000 RANGE TO ACCELERATE AND ALSO HAS POOR THROTTLE RESPONSE WHEN DOWN SHIFTING TO SLOW AND MAKE A TURN ONTO A SIDE STREET. YOU HAVE TO APPLY ALMOST 3/4 THROTTLE TO GET THE RPM TO COME TO WHERE YOU CAN REV MATCH TO THE APPROPRIATE GEAR. IT MAKES FOR A JERKY RIDE FOR PASSENGERS AND SEEMS HARD ON THE DRIVETRAIN. NO DEALER FIX IS AVAILABLE. CLUTCH PEDAL ALSO SQUEAKS ON WARMER DAYS. *TR
2018 TACOMA TRD SPORT MANUAL TRANSMISSION - THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE DAY 1 - ENGINE HESITATION IN 1ST AND MOST NOTICEABLE IN SECOND GEAR. THE TRUCK HESITATES AND SURGES DURING LIGHT AND MODERATE ACCELERATION - FEELING LIKE AN EXTREME LEAN RUNNING CONDITION. THIS PUTS THE DRIVER AND OTHER PEOPLE AROUND YOU AT RISK WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC OR HIGHWAY. IF YOU SHIFT A TOUCH EARLY INTO SECOND GEAR THE TRUCK OCCASIONALLY BOG ( STARVE FOR FUEL )HEAVILY - WHERE YOU MUST EITHER BE PATIENT, SLIP THE CLUTCH PRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR HARDER, OR DOWNSHIFT. THE HESITATION IS THERE ALL THE TIME AND MORE NOTICEABLE WITH ANY LOAD UP ANY INCLINE. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND THE DRIVER MUST BE PREPARED AT ALL TIMES TO DOWN SHIFT, SLIP THE CLUTCH, AND MUST KNOW ABOUT THE HESITATION. MY CO-WORKERS AND FRIENDS HAVE DRIVEN WITH ME AND CAN'T BELIEVE TOYOTA HASN'T FIXED IT YET. MY SON CAME HOME FROM DRIVING IT - SAYING ITS HESITATING SEVERELY. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE DAY 1 AND GETTING WORSE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JOHNSTONS TOYOTA LOCATED AT (5021 NY-17M, NEW HAMPTON, NY 10958) HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT A CASE NUMBER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,100.
WHEN SLOWING DOWN BEFORE MAKING A LEFT TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC, AFTER THE VEHICLE COMES TO A CRAWL OR STOP AND THEN I ACCELERATE TO TURN LEFT ACROSS TRAFFIC, THE ENGINE HESITATES FOR 1 TO 2 SECONDS BEFORE ACCELERATING. I TOOK MY 2018 TOYOTA TACOMA TO MY DEALER AND THEY WERE ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. A RE-SET OR UPGRADE TO THE COMPUTER HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION OF THIS ISSUE AT HTTPS://WWW.TACOMAWORLD.COM/THREADS/3RD-GEN-STALLING-IN-INTERSECTION-UPDATE.459540/.
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE GONE OUT TO MY TACOMA THAT I CAN HEAR THE FUEL PUMP RUNNING ON IT'S OWN. I HEARD IT RUNNING ONE EVENING, WHILE NO KEYS WERE INSERTED AND THE TRUCK WAS LOCKED UP. THE TRUCK RUNS ROUGH MOST OF THE TIME AND I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IT STALLING AND NOT WANTING TO START BACK UP AGAIN. IT WILL TAKE 3 TO 4 TIMES TURNING THE TRUCK OVER BEFORE IT WILL RELUCTANTLY WILL START UP. ALSO THE TRACTION CONTROL BUTTON DOES NOT WORK ANYMORE AND THE DIFFERENTIAL BUTTON WHEN PUSHED ON DOES NOT ENGAGE THE DIFFERENTIAL. ALL OF THESE ISSUES HAVE STARTED AT DIFFERENT TIMES. THE FUEL PUMP RUNNING WHEN NO ONE INSIDE IT HAS JUST THE MONTH BEEN NOTICED AS WELL AS THE BUTTONS. THE STALLING STARTED TO BE NOTICED ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO AND I AT FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS DUE TO IT BEING NOT BROKE IN OR ME NOT GIVING IT ENOUGH GAS, BUT IT IS ALMOST EVERY TIME NOW WHEN I BACK UP OR GO FORWARD IT CAN STALL.
VEHICLE EXHIBITS A STUMBLING CONDITION AND LOSS OF POWER WHEN APPLYING HEAVY THROTTLE TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP OR SLOW VEHICLE SPEEDS. WHILE DRIVING UNDER MODERATE THROTTLE AT APPROX. 45-60MPH THE VEHICLES ENGINE FEELS AS IF IT IS MISFIRING AND NOT RUNNING ON ALL CYLINDERS WITH A HEAVY DELAY IN THROTTLE RESPONSE WHEN THE THROTTLE IS APPLIED TO INCREASE VEHICLE SPEED. ISSUE HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP WITH MULTIPLE TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS AND ALSO WITH TOYOTA CORP CUSTOMER SERVICE. THERE IS A SOFTWARE FLASH TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE BUT TOYOTA REFUSES TO OFFER IT TO CUSTOMER WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS BECAUSE THEIR TSB'S DO NOT LIST THAT MANUAL TRANS. THERE IS A 145 PAGE FORUM THREAD REGARDING THIS ISSUE WHERE CUSTOMERS ARE RESORTING TO FLASHING THEIR TRUCKS ON THEIR OWN TO AVOID THE DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION THESE TRUCKS ARE EXHIBITING. HERE IS A LINK TO THE THREAD: HTTPS://WWW.TACOMAWORLD.COM/THREADS/SOFTWARE-UPDATE-FOR-THE-MANUAL.562550/ TSB 1 LISTING CONDITION: HTTPS://TOYOTATALK.COM/WP-CONTENT/UPLOADS/2018/07/TACOMA-T-SB-0062-18.PDF TSB 2 LISTING CONDITION: HTTPS://TOYOTATALK.COM/WP-CONTENT/UPLOADS/2018/07/TACOMA-T-SB-0058-18.PDF
2018 TOYOTA TACOMA I4, WHEN COOL OR COLD ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION WILL STALL & STUMBLE WHILE ACCELERATING YOU CAN BE SMOOTH OR AGGRESSIVE & IT WILL OCCUR, IT HAS ALSO OCCURRED WHEN IT HAS BEEN VERY HOT OUTSIDE 85-95 DEGREES AND OCCURS EVEN AT NORMAL ENGINE OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO WILL DOWN SHIFT TO 4TH GEAR FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE CRUISING @ 55-65MPH ON FLAT AND LEVEL ROADS, IT ALSO CONSTANTLY HUNTS 4 GEARS. I HAVE BEEN TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND THE CANT DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY TOYOTA THAT BECAUSE MY TRUCK IS A (4 CYLINDER) THAT THEY ARE NOT AS MANY ON THE ROAD AS THE V6'S MODELS SO TOYOTA ENGENEERING WONT EVEN LOOK INTO THE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING. THEY JUST SAY THAT'S NORMAL TOYOTA PERFORMANCE.
THE TRUCK VIBRATE AS IF IT HAS BIG OFF ROAD TIRES, THE VIBRATION IS VERY STRONG FORM 15 OR 20 MPR AT TIMES IS SO STRONG THAT THE DASHBOARD MAKE NOYCE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MAKES NOYCE. IN THE MORNING AND SOMETIMES AT ANY TIME THE ENGINE IS KING OF MISSING FOR SMALL TIMES, MISSING , LIKE GOING AND STOPPING THE ENGINE NEASE. ALL THIS HAPPENING IN CITY DRIVING OR HWY. ALL HIS HAPPENS ON AND OFF .
HE TRUCK IDLE SPEED MANAGEMENT UNDER LOAD FROM COLD START IS ERRATIC. IF I PUT VEHICLE INTO REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF GARAGE IDLE SPEED JUMPS 200-300 RPM AND JERKS BEFORE SETTLING DOWN. IF I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AT CREEP SPEED (ENGINE AT IDLE) IDLE SPEED JUMPS 200-300 RPM. I TOOK TO DEALER 8/7/19 AND DEALER SAYS NO PROBLEM FOUND. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN COOLANT TEMP IS STONE COLD. IT HAS DONE THIS SINCE NEW.
VEHICLE SURGES WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED, ALSO IS HESITANT TO SHIFT GEARS ON HIGHWAY. FRUSTRATING AS IT IS DIFFICULT TO DRIVE EFFICIENTLY WHEN YOUR CAR DOES NOT SHIFT AS EXPECTED. TIRING TO DRIVE IN THIS WAY.
2018 TOYOTA TACOMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND SAFETY HAZARD. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE ENGINE NOT PROPERLY CIRCULATING OIL WHEN ASCENDING HILLS. *AS *TR
FOUND METAL SHAVINGS IN THE ENGINE WHEN CHECKING OIL LEVEL ON THE DIP STICK WHEN THE CAR ONLY HAD 1,000 MILES. THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO TELL THEM AND THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL BUT I ASKED FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND ASKED FOR MY FILTER AND OIL BACK WHEN THEY WERE DONE. ON THE REPORT THEY GAVE ME THEY SAID THEY DID NOT FIND ANY METAL SHAVINGS BUT ON MY FILTER I FOUND MANY, I STILL HAVE THE FILTER AND OIL JUST INCASE I NEED PROOF. TILL THIS DAY I STILL CAN SEE METAL SHAVINGS WHICH WORRIES ME I FOUND THIS IN OTHER TACOMAS TOO AND I DONT KNOW WHY THEY ALWAYS SAY IT'S NORMAL WHEN IT'S NOT.
TRANSMISSION LOCKS OUT IN 4TH GEAR, MID SPEED SURGE, SURGE AT IDLE WHEN TURNING THE WHEELS. CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T FUNCTION IT WILL INCREASE RPM'S ON A FLAT ROAD.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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