Designed and manufactured in the US, the Toyota Tacoma has been one of the top pickup trucks and multi-purpose vehicles for nearly two decades. Nevertheless, it has had its problems over time including engine and transmission issues, premature wear of differentials, and electrical glitches that affected the 2016-2023 models. The fourth-generation 2024 Toyota Tacoma has all kinds of problems, the most serious resulting in failed transmissions. The automaker states that the “All-New 2024 Toyota Tacoma is Adventure Ready,” but for those with transmission problems, it’s an adventure they would prefer to avoid.
Click on other model year to view more problems:2019202020212022
Most Common Problems
The most common complaints (56%) reported to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) about the 2024 Toyota Tacoma relate to the powertrain — and more than half of these report failed transmissions. Many complaints state that dealerships diagnose the problem, but say transmissions for replacement are not available.
Other problems affect various components and parts including the brakes, engine, electrical system, forward collision avoidance, lane departure, seats, steering, and visibility. There are also a few complaints that relate to backover prevention, fuel/propulsion systems, seat belts, suspension, and vehicle speed control.
By mid-March 2025, there were only two complaints relating to airbags, but both reported crashes in which airbags did not deploy and passengers and/or drivers were injured.
Additionally, two recalls affect the 2024 Tacoma, one due to an incorrect weight capacity label, and the other because of rear brake hoses that are susceptible to damage from accumulated mud and dirt, potentially leading to brake fluid leaks and increased crash risk.
While most of the issues reported as being powertrain problems relate to transmission failure, there are a few other problems worth highlighting. For example, numerous complaints state the transmission of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma runs rough and affects gear shifting. Some report a loss of power and vibrations, shuddering, or jerking. There are also several complaints about dealers finding metal shavings in the transmission fluid. These issues are all likely indications of the transmission being likely to fail. For example, shuddering is often reported before transmission failure.
An owner from Minnesota states in a January 16, 2025 complaint that before the Tacoma transmission failed, “the entire truck shuddered for several seconds. At this point many, many warning messages appeared on the instrument cluster screen as well as the infotainment screen – and the truck would not move in Reverse. After moving the shifter into P and back to R, the truck backed out of the driveway.” However, when shifting to Drive, nothing happened. “The truck was shifted back to R and then back to D at which point the truck moved forward but would not shift out of first gear. I placed (the) truck back in P and then back to D two more times and, (and the) truck would move forward but not shift out of first gear.
He turned the truck off and on about three times and it began to shift gears when driving. “I drove the truck to the closest Toyota dealership where the warning codes were checked, and I was told that my transmission was bad and needed to be replaced.” Luckily, this was to be covered by warranty.
Another issue is that many complaints highlight that transmissions are on backorder and there is no estimation of when they will be available.
More Examples of Transmission Failure Complaints
An owner from Massachusetts states, “When I was driving my new truck the transmission failed. It would not change gears forward or reverse. The RMP started ramping up in the red (and the) check engine light on drive start control malfunction.” It went from bad to worse, so he called the dealer and had the Tacoma towed. The dealer responded the same day and said the transmission needed to be replaced. He did some research and discovered that these Toyota transmissions “are faulty and have not (been) recalled. If I were on (the) highway, or similar roads I drive daily, I would have been hurt. This problem will cause an accident.” he reached out to Toyota but got no response. “My fear is they are waiting for someone to get hurt or killed.”
An owner from California tells how the transmission of his Tacoma failed with little more than 1,000 miles on the clock. “I was stopped at a traffic light when the problem occurred. Multiple sensor alarms were triggered including (a) Hybrid System Malfunction. I attempted to accelerate when the light changed, but it was very sluggish and felt like it was trying to take off from a high gear. I was less than 1 mile from a Toyota dealership when the malfunction occurred and was able to get the truck to the dealership. After a week of troubleshooting, the dealership informed me that the transmission was stuck in sixth gear due to a solenoid failure and they would need to replace the transmission, but the transmission is currently on backorder.”
Based on their eta estimate, he assessed that “by the time I get the truck back, I will have made two months of lease payments while only having the vehicle in my possession for 2 weeks.”
Metal Shavings
The transmission in a 2024 Tacoma belonging to a resident of Nevada failed in September 2024. “When I put the truck into Drive from Park, and even Reverse, the truck would jerk. When accelerating around 13-14 mph, I could feel the transmission ‘gear searching’ with rough shifting. Then, when decelerating around 15-17 mph, the transmission would downshift too early, producing the feeling of engine braking, and again rough shifting. When I needed to really go, I experienced ‘transmission lag’ where the engine would be working, revving up, the feeling of engaging the clutch (coasting feeling), then, after a moment, the gear would catch and the truck would finally take off.”
Two dealerships checked the truck out but neither could reproduce the issue. However, the second one “pulled some transmission fluid and found metal shavings. They had the truck for almost 3 weeks and replaced the transmission and torque converter. When I went to pick up the truck I put the truck into drive and felt the jerk I experienced before. I put it into reverse then drive, and again the whole truck jerks.” The owner “made” the foreman get into the truck to experience the jerking. The next day, he said there was nothing wrong and performed the same as a new truck on the lot. The Field Technician reviewed the vehicle and determined there was nothing wrong and it was performing the same as three new trucks on the lot.
An owner from Maryland states that a truck with 327 miles wasn’t shifting. He took it back to Toyota and “they stated there were metal shavings in the transmission and it needed to be replaced. They also stated they have no idea when they would be able to get a transmission.”
Don’t be stuck with a lemon. You have legal rights to cash, return or buyback.
The law makes Toyota pay legal fees.
We've fixed thousands of lemon problems. Message or call 877-795-3666 today.
Other Problems
As mentioned earlier, other problems are considerably varied.
Brake-Related Problems
One of the complaints relates to the recall. An owner from California states, “There is currently a safety recall on my vehicle that has no remedy available. There is a risk of having brake hoses rupturing and losing braking fluid, causing a no-brakes situation and (a) high risk of an accident. I reached out to the dealership and was provided with no information on how to resolve the situation, but was referred to their company’s headquarters. Once I reached out to their representative, I was informed that the estimated time to provide a potential repair would be about 3 months. Essentially I was given the option of either driving the vehicle and exposing myself and others to a vehicle incident or (to) store my vehicle until there is a remedy provided, but still incur the costs of the vehicle, namely paying the vehicle loan”.
In a complaint listed as a forward collision avoidance problem, an owner from Texas states that all four brakes on his Tacoma with only about 221 miles suddenly “locked and came to a sudden stop.” The dealer found “nothing wrong.”
Engine Problems
In a complaint that registers complete engine failure, the owner states that this was preceded by “numerous system malfunction warnings followed by a message to visit my dealership. While driving into the dealership the vehicle started losing power and (the) engine went into complete failure. It is now at (the) dealership and (I am) waiting for it to be inspected. When (the) alerts first went off I was unable to stop because I was on a busy dangerous street.
An owner from Oregon states that while driving, “the vehicle inadvertently drifted to the left and jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the instrument panel was not functioning properly.” The vehicle wasn’t repaired, but the dealership contacted Toyota. They informed the owner “that the long block and torque converter had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced.”
Lane-Keeping Problems
Lane departure complaints refer to lane-keeping issues. An owner from New York states that the Tacoma regularly steers itself across lane dividing lines and leaves the lane of travel. “In one instance, the truck continued to attempt to steer right even after crossing the white line. This complaint and specific instances were confirmed by the manufacturer. However, the manufacturer claims the vehicle is behaving as expected due to ‘imitations.’ As such, Toyota is saying the vehicle is going to regularly depart the lane automatically and they do not intend to perform nor pursue any fix.”
A Missouri owner describes the problem, stating that “lane keeping will kamikaze the vehicle onto exit ramps or exit-only lanes when engaged at a highway speed. This seems most common when the truncated lane markers, usually used on exit-only lanes, and not the full-length lane markers (the center line markings).” A particular problem is that the “vehicle actively fights driver inputs to restore the intended course as it appears to believe the driver is in error. This is not a one-off occurrence. It is very consistent. To the point when I can anticipate, disable the system or counter steer to keep the vehicle course straight.”
Seat Problems
An owner from North Carolina describes the primary seat problem succinctly. “The driver’s seat will not consistently hold the height. It will drop to the lowest height level on its own.”
An owner from Hawaii tells the same story. “When you raise the driver’s seat to the maximum height, within 30 minutes of driving, the seat slowly lowers on its own. I would have to give it 2-3 cranks to raise the seat. Overnight, the next morning, without anyone in the seat, it needs 2-3 cranks to raise the seat back to its maximum height. I’m afraid it may get worse in time and might just lower all the way down when driving. This is a daily occurrence.”
Unknown or Other Problems
These problems include backup cameras that are not shielded from the rain and produce blurry images in wet weather and airflow that is restricted from blowing out of the vents.
Several owners complain about a chirping noise coming from the A/C compressor that goes away when it warms up. An owner from Mississippi states, “The A/C compressor has a chirp when the compressor is cycled on in the mornings. It’s done this since the day I drove it home from the dealership.”
An owner from New York states that the speedometer/odometer is incorrect “and Toyota manufacturing says it cannot be fixed.”
What Can You Do If You’ve Got a Lemon
If you think your 2024 Toyota Tacoma might be a lemon, you can contact Lemberg Law and we will assess your problems free of charge. A good yardstick to base your assessment on is that when a vehicle is a lemon, the problems will affect your use of the vehicle and its value.
We have helped many lemon car owners reach settlements with automakers and may be able to do the same for you. Ultimately, the law makes Toyota pay the legal costs for lemon law cases, ensuring you can seek resolution without financial risk. If you need help, please fill in our online contact form or call our Helpline.
About the Author:
Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
