2025 Toyota Tacoma
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Structure is the leading concern among 99 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 20th highest complaint count among 26 Tacoma model years with reports.
Of the 2025 reports, 4 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 6 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Suspension, rear, shock absorberAug 6, 2026
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024 Tacoma Hybrid and 2024-2025 Tacoma vehicles. The metal flange on the front and rear shock absorbers may corrode and fail, resulting in detachment of the external oil reservoir.
An oil reservoir that detaches can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the front and rear shock absorber assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 21, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB14 and 26TA14.
Campaign 26V514000 on NHTSA.gov
Equipment, other, labelsMar 24, 2026
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Toyota Tundra, Tacoma Hybrid, Tacoma, RAV4 Hybrid, Land Cruiser Hybrid, Lexus GX550, 2024-2026 Tundra Hybrid, 2025 Sequoia Hybrid, Crown Signia, Grand Highlander, Lexus TX500 Hybrid, Lexus NX350 Hybrid, 2025-2026 Grand Highlander Hybrid, and Lexus TX350 vehicles. The load carrying capacity modification label may display inaccurate added weight values. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the load carrying capacity modification label, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 26, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26LB04, 26LA04, 26TB07, and 26TA07.
Campaign 26V179000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, driveline, driveshaftOct 1, 2025
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2025 Tacoma and Tacoma Hybrid vehicles. The front driveshaft constant-velocity (CV) joint may deform and break.
A broken driveshaft can impair steering. Vehicles with full-time 4WD may experience a vehicle rollaway while parked without the parking brake applied. Both scenarios increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace both front driveshaft assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 11, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB11 and 25TA11.
Campaign 25V656000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, instrument cluster/panelSep 11, 2025
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and 4 Runner vehicles. Due to an error in the instrument panel software at vehicle startup, the instrument panel may fail to display vehicle speed, brake system, and tire pressure warning lights.
An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will update the instrument panel software over-the-air (OTA) for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge. For PHEV vehicles, dealers will inspect the instrument panel assembly, and either replace it, or update the software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 5, 2025. Additional letters will be sent, anticipated in May 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB08 and 25TA08. Lexus' numbers for this recall are 25LB05 and 25LA05.
Campaign 25V595000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsFeb 6, 2025
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Tacoma 4-wheel drive vehicles. The rear brake hoses can be damaged if mud and dirt builds up inside the rear wheels. This can result in a brake fluid leak.
A brake fluid leak can reduce braking ability and increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace both rear brake hoses, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 1, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB04 and 25TA04.
Campaign 25V058000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
99 reports, newest first.
Structure, Sep 27, 2026
Inside drivers door handle cable was broke inside of door Door handle cannot be opened from inside Confirmed by dealer verbally Inspected by dealer and new cable replaced No warning lamps or any symptoms prior to breaking
Structure, Sep 20, 2026
Interior door handles malfunction - they do not open the door from the inside. To open the door, one must open the window or have someone else open the door from the outside. This is a known issue with 2025 Toyota Tacoma / 2025 Toyota 4 Runner models. Dealer ship is indicating not a warranty, though the issue began with less than a year on the truck.
Power train, Sep 19, 2026
2025 Toyota Tacoma SR5, 8-speed automatic transmission. Harsh, hard shifts — primarily 1st-to-2nd and 2nd-to-3rd — on cold starts. The transmission slams into gear with a noticeable jolt/lurch of the vehicle. Occurs when the powertrain is cold; diminishes as it warms up. No warning lights and no diagnostic trouble codes stored. Reported to Kenny Kent Toyota (Evansville, IN) twice. First visit: dealer could not replicate. Second visit (09-17-2026): vehicle left overnight for cold-start diagnosis; dealer acknowledged the hard shifting but stated it is "operating as designed" because another Tacoma on the lot behaves the same way, and declined warranty repair absent a manufacturer bulletin. The unexpected lurch on engagement is a safety concern, particularly in parking lots and stop-and-go traffic. This matches Technical Service Bulletin TSB-0094-24 addressing shift quality on this transmission family and numerous identical owner reports.
Structure, Sep 14, 2026
The interior door handle snapped and failed completely under normal operation, causing an immediate loss of driver egress. The handle went limp, leaving the door impossible to open from inside the cabin and creating an entrapment hazard in the event of an emergency. Exiting the vehicle requires the window to be rolled down to access the exterior handle. The failure occurred suddenly with no prior warning or indication of potential failure. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Toyota dealership, which confirmed internal component failure and ordered a replacement assembly under warranty. The dealership noted the replacement part is currently on national backorder due to high replacement volume.
Structure, Sep 14, 2026
While attempting to exit my vehicle the inner door handle on the driver side felt loose. I attempted to open the door and the door would not open. I carefully attempted to manually move the lock on the door from unlocked to locked back to unlocked and again tried to carefully exit the vehicle but the inner door handle was inoperable. I am now forced to roll my window down and open my vehicle door from the outside to use the door
Structure, Sep 13, 2026
Driver side interior door handle broke under normal use not allowing me to exit my truck without rolling down window and using the exterior door handle.
Structure, Sep 9, 2026
Driver side door cannot be open from the inside ,driver have to put the window down and open from the outside 2025 Toyota Tacoma only have 4,700 Miles
Other or unspecified, Sep 3, 2026
Fourth generation Toyota Tacoma interior door handles -- 2024, 2025, 2026 -- suffer from an engineering or manufacturing defect. These handles are breaking during normal use, by the thousands. This is a serious safety risk, as drivers with limited mobility, or even fully-abled drivers can be entrapped within the vehicle during an emergency. A regular pull, let alone a hard pull, routinely snaps the mechanism. Toyota dealer has 1000 backlog of repairs. This is a serious safety risk and a recall is critical. Drivers will die if this is not addressed; it is merely a matter of time.
Structure, Sep 3, 2026
Few months back, the driver side door handle "broke" on the inside. There is some plastic piece/mechanism that attaches the door handle to the cable on the inside of the door that allows the user to open the door, with resistance from the cable. That piece broke, so it made the handle loose and flimsy, unable to open the door from the inside. Toyota said that was a known issue and that the parts were on backorder, so they just swapped the handle from my back passenger driver side door with my front driver side door. Well last week, the swapped handle also broke. So, I have to roll my window down and open the door from outside to get out as neither of my left side door handles work. Toyota still doesn't have an eta of when parts will ship to replace the pieces, and they aren't offering me a resolution in the meantime.
Structure, Sep 2, 2026
Equipment Failure. The interior driver-side door handle mechanism failed and snapped completely off during normal operation while trying to exit stationary vehicle. The plastic hinge pin/bell-crank component fractured internally under standard hand pressure. This component failure completely prevents the driver from exiting the cabin from the inside, creating an immediate emergency entrapment and life-safety hazard. The manufacturer (Toyota) currently has the replacement door handle assembly on a national backorder with no available ETA, forcing consumers to operate a vehicle with a compromised emergency exit route. The vehicle currently approximately 3429 miles
Structure, Sep 2, 2026
The inside driver-side door handle broke, leaving me unable to open the door from inside the truck. I had to crawl across the truck and exit through another door. This is a serious and immediate safety hazard. The driver must be able to exit the vehicle quickly in an emergency. If there were a fire, accident, or other emergency, a broken interior door handle could trap the driver inside the vehicle and potentially result in serious injury or death.
Structure, Aug 31, 2026
Drive door handle broke became loose floppy, took to dealer, they took apart.... been waiting for parts 2 weeks.... today handle , went full failure and wont engage lock to open, can't open door from inside, have to open window to use outside handle to open door while inside, safety issue... called dealer, clam waiting on part..... Toyota knows of the issue, seen in the Toyota forum that the issue is know and both door drivers and passenger side can have this issue....really don't like that feeling of being trapped. Toyota should have a replacement upgrade to fit safety margins....i've only own my truck 1 year.....this issue start a few weeks ago...hoping the part gets to the dealer fast and the right fixes meet safety standards...
Electrical system, Aug 29, 2026
Windshield wiper motor squeals causing distraction every time wipers are turned on.
Structure, Aug 28, 2026
The driver side door latch failed. This prevented the driver side door from opening from the inside. To open the door, the window is rolled down, and the outside door latch is used. The mechanic said the plastic mechanism on the latch causing the failure. In the event when the driver has to exit the vehicle, he wouldn't be able to open the door. Online postings say this is a common problem with Toyota Tacoma trucks.
Structure, Aug 24, 2026
Drivers Door latch assembly is not functional, slowly degrading to current state in that driver’s door does not open from the inside or outside. Warranty repair order at Cool Springs Toyota submitted 4 weeks ago. Part on order. Per Facebook group postings this is a frequent failure yet no recall in place to address safety concerns.
Structure, Aug 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the inside driver’s side door handle fractured and was flopping. The contact was unable to exit the vehicle through the driver’s side door and was concerned that in the event of a crash or an emergency, the door would fail open as intended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact over the phone that the part to repair the vehicle was on back order. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
Structure, Aug 19, 2026
The interior driver's-side door handle assembly on my 2025 Toyota Tacoma failed during normal use while attempting to open the door from inside the vehicle. There was no excessive force, impact, accident, or other damage that caused the failure. There were no warning lights, messages, or noticeable symptoms prior to the handle failing. The failure creates a safety concern because the driver's door can no longer be opened normally from inside the vehicle using the interior door handle. In an emergency where rapid exit from the vehicle was necessary, such as a collision or vehicle fire, the inability to use the driver's interior door release could delay or prevent the driver from exiting through that door. The vehicle was brought to an authorized Toyota dealership, which inspected and confirmed the failed interior door handle assembly. The dealership determined that the assembly requires replacement and is covering the repair under the Toyota factory warranty. The replacement assembly has been ordered; however, I was informed that the part is currently on backorder with no estimated date of availability. The failed component remains installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection if requested. The vehicle remains in use while awaiting the replacement part. I am submitting this complaint because the failure involves the mechanism used to exit the vehicle and therefore appears to present a potential safety issue rather than simply a cosmetic or convenience-related defect.
Structure, Aug 16, 2026
Both the inside and outside front door handles on the driver side stopped working. This blocks the driver from exiting from the front door. The dealer has ordered a new part, but it is on back order. The dealer has not inspected the vehicle, but they seem aware of this issue. The vehicle has not been inspected by others and there were no indicators that the part was going to fail. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
Structure, Aug 16, 2026
The front passenger door handle does not open the door. Door must be opened from the outside only. Part is on back order
Structure, Aug 14, 2026
The driver back passenger door stopped opening from the inside. Upon further inspection the mechanism inside the door is broken. The plastic housing snapped. This results in a safety risk in case of an emergency. The door can be opened fine from the outside.
Structure, Aug 12, 2026
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.
Structure, Aug 1, 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.
Structure, Jul 29, 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.
Structure, Jul 29, 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.
Equipment, Jul 28, 2026, fire
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(B)(6)