Car · Toyota problems

2012 Toyota Tacoma problems

295 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (42% of them). NHTSA also lists 184 service bulletins and 7 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 6. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 295 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling124 · 42%
• Fuel system53 · 18%
• Other or unknown43 · 15%
• Power train (transmission and drive)35 · 12%
• Service brakes22 · 7%
• Speed control and throttle22 · 7%
• Suspension21 · 7%
• Electrical system19 · 6%

11 smaller areas not shown (66 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 184 repair bulletins from Toyota for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. T-SB-0055-24 Rev2Received February 11, 2026

   Some 2005 - 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present.

2. T-SB-0035-24 Rev2Received January 9, 2025

   Body and structure

   Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere.

3. T-SB-0038-24 Rev2Received January 9, 2025

   Body and structure

   To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover.

4. T-SB-0039-24 Rev2Received January 9, 2025

   Body and structure

   The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds.

5. T-SB-0062-23 Rev2Received January 9, 2025

   Body and structure

   Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc.

6. T-SB-0103-20 Rev1Received July 23, 2024

   Engine and engine cooling

   Updated non-electric water pump leak inspection and diagnostic tips for some 2008 - 2025 model year Toyota vehicles.

7. T-PANT-2024-004-Received April 15, 2024

   Engine and engine cooling

   This is to advise of various price adjustments that will affect Toyota Genuine Motor Oil and Long Life Coolant, effective March 1, 2024.

8. K0D_TIS_DealerPaReceived March 18, 2024

   Body and structure

   DP: K0D expired on 10/31/2023.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma. Recall repairs are free at a Toyota dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 17V425000July 3, 2017

   Structure

   The adhesive attaching the hood scoop may weaken, allowing the hood scoop to detach from the vehicle.

2. 14V475000August 4, 2014

   Equipment

   The affected vehicles may list incorrect spare tire size and/or cold tire inflation information on the tire placard.

3. 14V054000February 12, 2014

   Service brakes, hydraulic

   In the affected vehicles, the brake system contains a brake actuator that adjusts the fluid pressure of each wheel cylinder.

See all 7 recalls for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Tacoma will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 124 complaints · 42%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Fuel system 53 complaints · 18%

• Fuel pump replacement$370 to $1,075
• Fuel injector replacement (one injector)$170 to $820
• EVAP purge valve replacement$80 to $240
• Gas cap replacement$5 to $95

Power train (transmission and drive) 35 complaints · 12%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Service brakes 22 complaints · 7%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

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Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2012 Toyota Tacoma: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Toyota Tacoma?

Of the 295 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma, 124 (42%) name engine and engine cooling, and 53 (18%) name fuel system. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2012 Toyota Tacoma reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 16 of the 295 complaints as involving a crash and 0 as involving a fire. They also reported 6 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Toyota Tacoma have?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma. Recall repairs are free at a Toyota dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 184 repair bulletins for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma.

More

• 2019 Tacoma problems
• 2018 Tacoma problems
• 2017 Tacoma problems
• 2016 Tacoma problems
• 2010 Tacoma problems
• 2012 recalls
• All Toyota recalls
• Toyota problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.