2025 Toyota Tacoma Owner Complaints

The driver side inner door handle mechanism has broken. The part is on back order with no E.T.A. (from my local Toyota dealership). I can't easily exit my vehicle in an emergency.

NHTSA ID

11756582

Incident

Aug 9, 2026

The interior door handle on my vehicle broke, and this creates a safety risk because occupants — including passengers, especially children in rear seats who may not know an alternate way out — may be unable to open the door and exit from inside. This is particularly dangerous in an emergency such as a collision, fire, or submersion, or in a situation where a passenger needs to exit quickly for personal safety, such as during an abduction or assault. This defect could also delay first responders during an extraction. The door broke again immediately after picking up the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11754110

Incident

Jul 30, 2026

Unable to open my driver's door from the inside. In order to get out of the vehicle, I need to put the driver's window down and open the door using the outside door handle. I took it to the dealership on July 29, 2026 for a warranty repair. I was informed that this is a known issue and there are currently 1,600 door handle mechanisms on a national back order. Unknown when the part will come in. This could be a very serious safety issue if there is an accident and a driver is unable to open the door to get out, especially in the situation in which getting out of the car is a life or death situation, such as a vehicle fire.

NHTSA ID

11753584

Incident

Jul 19, 2026

At 10,000 miles the interior door handle has stopped working. I’m not able to open the door anymore having Toyota take a look. The handle itself had busted on the inside. They have ordered the parts for replacement with a backorder for 2 to 3 months because they’re having a lot of reports.

NHTSA ID

11753474

Incident

Jul 24, 2026

We rented a vehicle consisting of the identified Toyota Tacoma with an installed cab-over camper (Travel Lite 550U-XS, VIN: [XXX]). While driving this rental vehicle on a two-lane highway with our family, including two young children (ages [XXX] and [XXX]), a fire ignited in the vehicle's built-in propane/gas stove system. We were not alerted to the fire by any onboard safety equipment, though the camper was equipped with a smoke alarm. We were alerted only by a passing motorist. The vehicle's smoke alarm did not activate until several minutes after the fire had already been extinguished by us using the vehicle's fire extinguisher, and after the smoke inside the camper had already dissipated. The smoke alarm sustained visible smoke damage and its exterior housing was melted, which we believe indicates the alarm was exposed to significant heat/smoke without triggering, or triggered only very late in that exposure. We believe this represents a serious safety equipment failure: a smoke/fire detection system that did not provide any early warning during an active fire, in a small space. This delay in detection could have resulted in serious injury or death. Additionally, we received no safety briefing regarding the hazards of the propane system at the time of vehicle handover. The vehicle overview video provided to us contained no safety information regarding the gas system, and we later discovered it depicted a different vehicle unit than the one we were actually provided, raising questions about whether this vehicle's specific gas/stove configuration and safety equipment had been properly reviewed or tested prior to rental. We made a best guess at cause in speaking with the responder fire department, but we cannot know for sure. To be clear, there was no issue with the Toyota Tacoma itself. We are submitting this complaint to ensure NHTSA is aware of this potential safety defect in the smoke alarm system and/or propane stove. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(

NHTSA ID

11753398

Incident

Jul 16, 2026

Front passenger interior door handle is a fragile component. Mine failed with little to no force where the cable disconnects from the handle. It has rendered the ability to exit the vehicle via the handle impossible, and Passenger must roll down window and reach for the exterior handle to exit. I’ve had my vehicle at the dealer, and being sent back with vehicle not fixed due to parts being on backorder. No ETA is able to be provided.

NHTSA ID

11752358

Incident

Jul 20, 2026

The drivers door handle inside the truck has failed leaving me unable to open the drivers door unless I roll the window down and open the door from the outside. I took the truck to a local dealer and they let me know this is a very common problem on the truck and the parts to fix it are on nationwide back order. Was sent home with the vehicle knowing the door is inoperable unless opened from the outside. This poses a serious safety risk in the event of an accident or emergency where one needs to exit the vehicle quickly.

NHTSA ID

11752124

Incident

Jul 21, 2026

I am reporting a severe safety hazard on my 2025 Toyota Tacoma caused by incorrect alignment specs and an uncorrected extreme toe setting. On a recent service visit, alignment inspection showed a Total Toe of +1.62 degrees (OEM target is approximately +0.10 degrees). The alignment machine database loaded incorrect tolerance specs (+1.37 to +1.87 degrees displayed as acceptable green range), leading technicians to leave the extreme toe-in completely unadjusted. In less than 2,000 miles of normal driving since a prior inspection, both front tires suffered extreme, rapid toe wear down to the internal cord layer. Operating a vehicle with +1.62 degrees total toe causes severe lateral tire drag and creates an imminent threat of a catastrophic tire blowout at highway speeds, presenting a significant vehicle safety defect.

NHTSA ID

11751664

Incident

Jul 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while stationary and attempting to exit the vehicle from the driver's side, the interior driver's side door handle fractured, preventing the opening or locking of the door from the inside. The handle remained physically attached to the door panel but was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be inspected. While at the dealer, it was discovered that another Tacoma at the dealer had a similar interior door handle failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 4,476.

NHTSA ID

11750131

Incident

Jul 11, 2026

Mileage

4,476 mi

Driver side front and passenger door handle broke internally. The door is unable to be opened from the inside. This puts occupants at risk of not being able to exit the veichle in an emergency or safely from the inside. The problem was fixed for the front after several weeks due to back order of the part. Per my service representative at Toyota, it was a safety concern so they paid for a rental while they waited for the part and repaired the veichle. The mechanism broke without warning and suddenly after normal expected use.

NHTSA ID

11749659

Incident

May 7, 2026

Well, attempting to open the driver side door from the inside to exit the vehicle, door handle, became inoperative and no longer allowed exit from the driver side.

NHTSA ID

11748181

Incident

Jun 30, 2026

2025 Toyota Tacoma SR5 - 8038 Miles The passenger on the right rear side tried to exit the 2025 SR5 Toyota Tacoma, and the interior door handle would not engage. It was confirmed with the Toyota dealership: PERFORMED INSPECTION AND VERIFIED R/R INNER DOOR HANDLE IS INOPERATIVE. FOUND THE INTERNAL RETURN SPRINGS DISENGAGED FROM THEIR RETENTION POINTS AND HAVE LOST PROPER TENSION DUE TO INSUFFICIENT SPRING RETENTION/IMPROPER FACTORY FITMENT. CONDITION IS CONSISTENT WITH COMPONENT MATERIAL FATIGUE AND RETAINER DESIGN FAILURE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF HANDLE RETURN FUNCTION AND LATCH ACTUATION. RECOMMEND REPLACEMENT OF R/R INNER DOOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY TO RESTORE PROPER OPERATION. The part is on back order due to this being a constant issue. They have informed me that they are not sure when they will have the part. They told me that there are even customers who have been waiting for over a month so far. Driving around with the inability to open the doors from the inside is a trap hazard! Based on multiple complaints and reports, Toyota should issue a recall for these vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11747995

Incident

Jun 21, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID

11747359

Incident

Mar 28, 2026

The driver side interior door handle fails to open the door. The only way to exit the vehicle from the driver seat is to roll the window down and use the exterior door handle. This causes and entrapment issue

NHTSA ID

11746885

Incident

Jun 17, 2026

The driver side inner door handle does not work. This is a huge safety issue because you can only open the door by rolling down the window and pulling the outer driver side door handle. I took the truck to the dealer and the part to fix it is on back order with no known date when they will get it. I am now forced to drive an un safe vehicle for who knows how long. This is a common issue with the 2024-2025 Tacomas and needs addressed.

NHTSA ID

11746592

Incident

Jun 15, 2026

The interior driver-side door handle/release mechanism on my 2025 SR5 Toyota Tacoma failed without warning. The vehicle has low mileage and was being used normally. When attempting to open the driver door from the inside using ordinary force, an internal component appears to have detached or broken, leaving the interior handle completely inoperative. The handle simply hangs loose. Vehicle and failed component are available for inspection. This defect creates a significant safety risk because I cannot exit the vehicle through the driver door from inside the cabin. The only way to exit is to roll down the window, reach backward, and pull the exterior door handle. This requires an awkward twisting motion and causes shoulder pain. In an emergency such as a crash, fire, or water intrusion event, my ability to quickly exit the vehicle could be compromised. The defect also affects my ability to care for my young son, who has a medical condition and may require immediate assistance or rescue medication. If an emergency occurred while driving, I could be delayed in reaching him because I cannot promptly exit through the driver door as designed. A Toyota dealership inspected the vehicle and confirmed the failed interior door handle mechanism. However, the replacement part is on national backorder and unavailable. I was informed repairs will likely take more than a month and that the waiting list reportedly exceeds 2,000 vehicles. Numerous Tacoma owners have reported the same failure, suggesting a widespread defect. Despite reports of widespread failures and lengthy repair delays, there has been no recall, service campaign, or proactive communication from Toyota warning owners of the defect or providing guidance while awaiting repairs. There were no warning lights, messages, or advance symptoms before the failure. The handle functioned normally until it suddenly stopped working during routine use. The defect occurred without misuse, excessive force, collision, or damage.

NHTSA ID

11746472

Incident

Jun 23, 2026

Both the front passenger and front driver's side doors will not open from the inside. First, the passenger side door handle became defective (I took it to the Toyota dealer and they said the interior handle assembly broke where the cable connects to the handle). The part is back ordered in the thousands. Then about a month later, the same thing happened to the driver's side door. That part is also back ordered in the thousands. Now, I am unable to open either front door from the inside - an obvious safety concern - being trapped in the car in the event of an accident. And this truck is a 2025 year with 8,800 miles on it. Toyota has provided no ETA for the new parts. A basic search online for the same issue has returned hundreds of similar stories for the same model truck. I have spoken to Toyota Corporate and they have not provided me with any sort of fix or ETA, other than to get in line and wait for the back ordered parts

NHTSA ID

11745636

Incident

May 22, 2026

My father and I both purchased a 2025 Toyota Tacoma SR5 2WD double cab last year brand new from different dealerships, both were in FL. My father was driving his new Tacoma with adaptive cruise control engaged, this was on an interstate, and the vehicle in front of him moved to the left lane next to him and started braking and this caused his vehicle to start braking extremely hard with no vehicles in front of him (he was driving about 55mph when this happened). He said this has happened to him before. I was in the vehicle with him when this happened. When I was driving from his home in GA a few days later, back to my home in FL, I was on the interstate ([XXX]) with the adaptive cruise control engaged and the exact same thing happened with my truck. A semi truck in front of me moved into the lane to the right and started braking. This caused my vehicle to start braking extremely hard with no vehicles in front of me. Had a vehicle been behind me, this could have caused me to be rear-ended going about 70mph. The sudden automatic braking with NO vehicles in front of you is aggressive enough to cause a rear-end collision and possibly cause the driver to make a startled, impulsive, corrective mistake to the sudden aggressive braking. Problem has not been confirmed or reproduced. Neither my father's or my vehicle has been inspected for this issue. Im betting its a software issue. No warning lights or messages before the aggressive braking in either mine or my fathers vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11744969

Incident

Jun 7, 2026

I went to open my drivers side door to get out, and the handle just flopped around and didnt open the door. Driver side door opener handle doesn't work. Have to roll down driver side window with truck engine on and lift outside door handle to open driver door. In case of emergency, and no power in truck, I would not be able to get out of my drivers side door.

NHTSA ID

11744724

Incident

Jun 9, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 10 MPH, the rear driver's and passenger’s side rotors and brake pads suddenly detached. No warning lights were illuminated. Upon further inspection, the contact became aware of metal debris on the ground by the rear wheels. The vehicle was scheduled to be towed to a local dealer for further investigation. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. In addition, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign: 25V058000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.

NHTSA ID

11744415

Incident

Jun 15, 2026

Mileage

18,000 mi

Manufacturer Recall Number25TB11 NHTSA Recall Number25V656 Remedy has been pending for over 7 months! Concerned that I could be stranded if the vehicle drive shaft joint fails when off roading.

NHTSA ID

11743810

Incident

Jun 11, 2026

Front passenger door handle broke under normal use exiting truck resulting in inability to open door from inside, entrapping occupant. Warranty claim filed with Toyota dealership. Dealer service advisor stated this is a common failure on Gen 4.Tacomas, and Tundras. Part is on backorder. Service advisor stated backlog is large and no time estimate can be given when the repair can be made. This can result in entrapment in an accident if side windows lose power to roll down if capable of opening door from, or crawl in rear and exit through rear doors if child locks are not engaged. Recall is warranted.

NHTSA ID

11742223

Incident

Jun 3, 2026

The contact stated that while driving in the rain, when passing another vehicle, the vehicle began shuddering and experienced a loss of power. The check engine light illuminated and multiple other warning indicators. The vehicle pulled over to the vehicle was stopped and eventually restarted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer were it was diagnosed with an air intake failure. Shortly after, the vehicle experienced the same issue. Again and was returned to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed with a turbo mud and water found inside the air intake, water is covering the filter and there was no additional repairs that could be completed so the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 19,600.

NHTSA ID

11741639

Incident

May 21, 2026

Mileage

19,600 mi

The interior driver side door handle on my 2025 Toyota Tacoma failed and wouldn't open the door from the inside. I had to roll down my window to open from the outside. The dealership replaced the handle assembly under warranty. This happened at around 9300 miles on the odometer.

NHTSA ID

11740765

Incident

May 27, 2026

Interior drivers side door handle broken. I thought it was the locking mechanism having issues and i had to hold the locking plastic tab in the unlock position to open the door from the inside. After the 3rd time exiting my tacoma the door handle snapped. Now i how to open the door from the outside by rolling down the window, making it inconvenient in the rain.

NHTSA ID

11740284

Incident

May 15, 2026