2019 Toyota Tacoma: What to check before buying

Engines sputter and shut off while driving, often at highway speed or while slowing for a light, which leaves the truck without power in traffic. One crash report follows a stall like this. Most complaints link the stalling to the low-pressure fuel pump recall and describe long waits because dealers had no parts or no remedy yet. Some trucks lose power again after the recall pump goes in, including a second pump failure at 36,000 miles. Others report hard starts, rough idle, and stalls on trucks the VIN lookup does not list as affected.

Most of these complaints are about fuel pump recalls 20V012 and 20V682 and the long wait for parts. Dealers repeatedly confirmed the recall part was unavailable, and many owners say the repair took far too long. While they waited, some trucks stalled, idled rough, hesitated, or needed several tries to start. One report describes the truck accelerating on its own from idle after a high-pressure fuel pump replacement. Separately, the differential skid plate bracket can rub the fuel tank and risk a puncture. The skid plate was redesigned, but trucks already built were not fixed.

Automatic transmissions judder, pulse, and hunt for gears, mostly when slowing to a stop or accelerating lightly uphill. Hesitation between 35 and 60 mph and slow takeoff from a stop show up on trucks with a few hundred to a few thousand miles. Some owners suspect the torque converter, and dealers often call it normal. More serious reports describe sudden power loss and lurching at highway speed, and a stall with a high transmission temperature warning. A cylinder head and valve replacement near 60,000 miles, a leaking coolant bypass joint, and a manual transmission rattle in neutral also appear.

Brake pedals go soft, sink slowly toward the floor, or stop at a hard point without adding stopping power. Three reports involve crashes after the truck failed to stop, and several of these trucks had only a few thousand miles. Pulsing and shaking under braking is the most common complaint. Front rotors and rear drums get replaced repeatedly, and the vibration returns within a few thousand miles. Brake fluid leaking from the master cylinder into the driver footwell is another pattern, and some trucks outside the recall range were refused help. False braking with cruise control on also shows up.

Heat and fire near the dash charging area are the most serious reports. One describes flames near the air conditioning controls and phone charging pad while driving, with an injury and a total loss. Another describes a console that bubbled from heat near the auxiliary ports. Fuel gauges read empty on a full tank or full after a long drive. Bluetooth drops calls with iPhones, and dealers have no fix. Several trucks suddenly slow or will not accelerate while ABS, collision, or traction warnings light up. A leaking third brake light caused mold and corrosion near the control modules.

Stalling while driving or coasting is the most common engine complaint, and owners often tie it to the fuel pump recall and its slow remedy. Valve damage in the number 1 cylinder, with little or no compression, shows up near 60,000 miles. Other reports describe ticking and lifter noise, a timing cover gasket leak found at 70k, a coolant leak from a flaw in the engine block, and a full engine replacement after long driving on the recalled pump. One crash happened when the truck surged forward while parking.

Fluid leaks from the rack onto the rubber boots, and the leaks usually turn up during routine service at mileages from 29,000 to 78,000. Owners report replacement costs of $1,700 to $2,200, and one was told the engine has to be partly pulled to replace the rack. Early signs include fluid that sits below the low line when cold and rattles from the front end. Owners worry about losing power assist at highway speed. Reports of the truck wandering on the road and a dead horn also appear.

Water gets into the rear cab through failed rear cabin pressure vents, leaving a mildew smell and possible mold. Warranty claims were denied because the vents count as trim, and repair estimates can climb steeply when the bed and carpet have to come off. White paint chips and flakes on trucks that fall outside Toyota's paint campaign. Other reports describe driver door hinges breaking off the frame, and a crash into a wall after the brake pedal sank to the floor.

Adaptive cruise control and the pre-collision system brake hard for no clear reason, often when a car passes in the next lane or at a toll booth, which risks a rear-end collision at highway speed. Other reports describe the truck accelerating and downshifting after the driver lifts off the gas. The most serious complaint is a brake failure while parking that ended in a crash into a wall, injuring 2 people at about 2,000 miles. The 4x4 knob also sits close enough to the fan knob to engage by mistake.