Car · Toyota problems

2016 Toyota Tacoma problems

324 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Toyota Tacoma. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (42% of them). NHTSA also lists 166 service bulletins and 4 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: 1. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 324 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Power train (transmission and drive)136 · 42%
• Other or unknown50 · 15%
• Engine and engine cooling47 · 15%
• Electrical system37 · 11%
• Body and structure22 · 7%
• Seats22 · 7%
• Service brakes18 · 6%
• Exterior lighting17 · 5%

12 smaller areas not shown (67 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 166 repair bulletins from Toyota for the 2016 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. 23TE08Received December 5, 2025

   Body and structure

   Toyota has received some reports of paint peeling along the exterior door window frames, front inner fenders as can been seen with the hood open, and on the A-pillars on certain Tacoma vehicles...

3. T-TT-0790-25Received September 9, 2025

   Electrical system

   Some customers may experience echoing on the line calling the vehicle when using Bluetooth Hands Free.

4. T-SB-0099-24 Rev1Received February 12, 2025

   Body and structure

   Some 2016 - 2022 model year Tacoma vehicles with Super White (040) paint may exhibit paint peeling along the exterior window door frames, inner fender edges under the hood, and/or A-pillars.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2016 Toyota Tacoma. Recall repairs are free at a Toyota dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 17V285000April 27, 2017

   Power train

   Oil may leak from the area where the rear differential carrier is assembled to rear axle housing.

2. 17V356000June 1, 2017

   Engine

   The affected vehicles have a crank position sensor that may malfunction, potentially resulting in an engine stall.

3. 17V425000July 3, 2017

   Structure

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

See all 4 recalls for the 2016 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.

This model year has an engine recall in NHTSA's data. Before you pay for an engine repair, check the recalls and ask the dealer about warranty extensions for your VIN. Those repairs can be free.

Start with a diagnosis

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

Power train (transmission and drive) 136 complaints · 42%

• 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

Engine and engine cooling 47 complaints · 15%

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

Electrical system 37 complaints · 11%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Check a quote you got

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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2016 Toyota Tacoma: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2016 Toyota Tacoma?

Of the 324 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Toyota Tacoma, 136 (42%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 47 (15%) name engine and engine cooling. 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 2016 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 4 of the 324 complaints as involving a crash and 4 as involving a fire. They also reported 1 injury and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2016 Toyota Tacoma have?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2016 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 166 repair bulletins for the 2016 Toyota Tacoma.

More

• 2019 Tacoma problems
• 2018 Tacoma problems
• 2017 Tacoma problems
• 2012 Tacoma problems
• 2010 Tacoma problems
• 2016 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.