NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 324 owner complaints for the 2016 Toyota Tacoma.
Recalled components: body structure, engine, powertrain, and air bags. Most-reported area: powertrain (136 complaints, 42%; median mileage when it happened: 11,000).
One of the Tacoma years to avoid
The 2016 drew 200 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 84 for a typical Tacoma year: 2.3 times as many.
Years to avoid: 2016; best years: 2021, 2022, and 2023. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2011-2016 Toyota Tacoma and 4Runner vehicles equipped with accessory hood scoops installed by SET or SET dealers. The adhesive attaching the hood scoop may weaken, allowing the hood scoop to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: If the hood scoop detaches, it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will mechanically fasten the scoop to the hood, free of charge. The recall began on September 1, 2017. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-954-429-2000. SET's number for this recall is SET17B.
NHTSA listing: TACOMA. Components: Equipment; Body structure: body, hood, hinge and attachments. Toyota campaign SET17B.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Tacoma vehicles equipped with a six-cylinder engine. The affected vehicles have a crank position sensor that may malfunction, potentially resulting in an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall may increase the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crank position sensor with an improved design, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0H.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Tacoma vehicles. Oil may leak from the area where the rear differential carrier is assembled to rear axle housing.
Risk: If the vehicle is operated with an insufficient amount of oil in the rear differential, the differential may seize and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear differential for oil leakage. Based on the inspection, dealers will either tightening the fastening nuts or replace the fastening nuts and gasket. If the rear differential components are damaged, the rear differential carrier assembly will be replaced. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall June 19, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0G.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Tacoma trucks manufactured August 20, 2015, to September 10, 2015. In the affected vehicles, incorrect bolts were used to install the driver's knee air bag module.
Risk: The incorrect bolts may loosen over time and affect the performance of the driver's knee air bag, increasing the risk of driver injury during a crash that necessitates deployment of the air bags.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install the correct driver's knee air bag module mounting bolts, free of charge. The recall began on November 19, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is F0T.
NHTSA listing: TACOMA. Toyota campaign F0T.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA has opened 1 investigation that names the 2016 Toyota Tacoma; it is closed. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.
NHTSA listing: TACOMA. Component: Air bags (air bag/restraint control module). This investigation names 46 models.
An engineering analysis is a deeper review, usually opened after a preliminary evaluation. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.
What owners report
Owners have filed 324 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Tacoma. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Median 11,000 miles at failure, from 83 reports with mileage
Engine47 · 15%
Median 20,000 miles at failure, from 20 reports with mileage
Electrical system37 · 11%
Median 35,000 miles at failure, from 25 reports with mileage
Body structure22 · 7%
Most named: body (21)
Seats22 · 7%
Most named: front assembly, seat heater/cooler (3)
Brakes18 · 6%
Exterior lighting17 · 5%
Unknown or other50 · 15%
Median 28,100 miles at failure, from 24 reports with mileage
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Toyota Tacoma recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2016 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2016 Tacoma drew the most (200).
Owner complaints
2016: 324 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Toyota Tacoma
Model year
Complaints
2010
294
2011
186
2012
295
2013
125
2014
93
2015
102
2016
324
2017
245
2018
210
2019
219
2020
90
2021
81
2022
59
2023
54
2024
155
2025
118
2026
14
Safety recalls
2016: 4 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Toyota Tacoma
Model year
Recalls
2010
13
2011
9
2012
7
2013
6
2014
4
2015
4
2016
4
2017
5
2018
3
2019
4
2020
1
2021
0
2022
3
2023
4
2024
6
2025
5
2026
0
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: powertrain (136), engine (47), electrical system (37). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2016 Toyota Tacoma safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2016 Toyota Tacoma earns 4 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2016 Toyota Tacoma?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no open investigations for the 2016 Toyota Tacoma. It lists one closed investigation, which closed on Sep 19, 2024.
How do I check if my Tacoma has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Toyota dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: TACOMA.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.