2012 Toyota Tacoma problems and complaints
Owners have filed 295 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Tacoma. The most-reported areas: Engine (122), Fuel/Propulsion System (52), Unknown Or Other (43).
Key takeaways
- 295 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 16 involve a crash, 0 a fire, 6 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 122 | 41% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 52 | 18% |
| Unknown Or Other | 43 | 15% |
| Power Train | 35 | 12% |
| Service Brakes | 22 | 7% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 22 | 7% |
| Suspension | 21 | 7% |
| Electrical System | 19 | 6% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 17 | 6% |
| Steering | 12 | 4% |
| Air Bags | 9 | 3% |
| Structure | 9 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Toyota Tacoma PU/CC 4WD | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2012 Toyota Tacoma PU/EC 4WD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 4/5 |
| 2012 Toyota Tacoma PU/RC 4WD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 4/5 |
| 2012 Toyota Tacoma PU/CC 2WD | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Fuel/Propulsion System - filed 2026-08-31
Vehicle: 2012 Toyota Tacoma VIN: [XXX] Toyota Special Service Campaign 20TC01 was performed on September 19, 2024, at approximately 103,417 miles. The campaign addressed the secondary air injection system, including the air injection pump and air switching valves. According to Toyota's repair records, the dealer inst...
Seats - filed 2026-01-30
- Driver’s seat back recliner mechanism / seatback locking mechanism. During a rear-end interstate collision while stopped in traffic, the driver’s seat suddenly reclined backward unexpectedly. After the accident, the recliner adjustment knob/handle was found detached at the tow yard. The vehicle is currently at a tow/...
Electrical System - filed 2026-01-22
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Toyota Tacoma. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 51,350 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 212,400. The VIN was not available
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More for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.