Owners have filed 33 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the steering, transmission, and body and structure. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2025Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2025 Toyota Tacoma: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/2
Engine off, key in hand0/1
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/4
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
Nearby years usually share most parts, so their problems are worth checking on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2025 checks
Worth adding to your 2025 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2025 Toyota Tacoma. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cylGas | 4WD, RWD | 21–23 mpg |
| 2.4L 4-cylHybrid | 4WD | 23 mpg |
Owners report these failures starting around the mileages below. A car inside one of these ranges deserves a closer look at that part, or records showing it was already fixed.
Transmission slipping and hard shifts
1,500–1,800 miles
NHTSA complaints for the 2025 Toyota Tacoma, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
The front axle can break during a turn. Drivers hear a loud clunk and lose steering in the middle of the street, in one case at 3100 miles, and warranty disputes can hold up the repair. A second pattern is alignment that never comes right. Reports describe an off-center steering wheel, pulling, a crab-walking feel, constant vibration, uneven ride height, body roll, and abnormal tire wear starting around 500 miles. Some trucks still measure out of spec after the dealer calls the repair done. Steering also gets heavy in 4x4, with clunks from the driveshaft. Owners see all of this as a loss-of-control risk.
Transmission trouble shows up early. Reports describe slipping, hard shifts from 2nd to 3rd gear, rough downshifts and engagement into reverse, and an overheating warning on an empty truck at 1500 miles. Acceleration can also go weak without warning while towing in tow/haul mode. In 4H, a slow left turn can bring grinding from the front and stop the truck until it backs up in 2H, which owners link to CV joint problems. Two reports cover recall 25V656000. In both, dealers could not do the repair because parts were not available, and neither owner had a failure.
Glass and latches are the main complaints. A plastic piece inside the door handle can break at around 7k miles, so the door only opens from outside with the window rolled down. A rear passenger window can shatter when the door is closed normally, spraying glass across the cabin. The hood can also bounce while driving, and the bouncing gets worse at highway speeds. Owners worry it could fly open and block the view. Each of these is reported as a safety risk, not just an annoyance.
Apple CarPlay often disconnects or will not connect at all, both at startup and at random while driving. The problem happens with several different iPhones and cables, and it continues after both the phone and the truck's software are updated. The screen can also freeze, or CarPlay can vanish from the input list for long stretches. Owners point out that losing CarPlay sends drivers back to handling their phones for calls and navigation, which they see as a distraction risk.
Recall delays account for half of these reports. Recall 25V058000 covers the hydraulic brakes, but repair parts were not available, so one truck sat at the dealer with the repair unfinished and no failure reported. The other complaint is a real failure. The truck starts to drag and cannot hold speed, then shows Parking Brake malfunction and System malfunction warnings, and it has to be towed to a dealer.
Excerpts from complaints Tacoma owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
Turning a corner my left axle broke and I only have 3100 miles on this vehicle. Still is not fixed because of warranty issues. When I do get it back I don’t know how I’m suppose to feel safe driving it. Upon checking on YouTube and Internet I see there is a problem with this happing to others. Thank you for your time.
Filed with NHTSA, August 2025
The vehicle is unstable and easy to lose control! The vehicle height is asymmetrical! The vehicle body shakes! The tires are abnormally worn! The geometry deviation of the vehicle's rear axle is too large
Filed with NHTSA, July 2025
The door handle mechanism which is made of plastic broke on the inside of the door. It was the piece the cable connects to which pulls to release the door latch for opening. Only way to get out of door is to roll window down and open from outside the vehicle. Truck has 7k miles currently and no heavy use. Under proper circumstances this could be very dangerous.
Filed with NHTSA, October 2025
Hood bounces up and down while driving and gets worse at highway speeds. I am concerned that the hood will open up and block visibility which would be dangerous.
Filed with NHTSA, April 2025
My 2025 Toyota Tacoma has an ongoing issue where Apple CarPlay frequently disconnects or fails to connect altogether. This happens both at startup and randomly while driving. The problem occurs across multiple iPhones, different cables, and even after ensuring that both the phone and the truck’s software are updated.
Filed with NHTSA, November 2025
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2025 has the fewest owner complaints of the 8 Tacoma years we cover, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Recall repairs are free at any Toyota dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2025 Tacoma and Tacoma Hybrid vehicles. The front driveshaft constant-velocity (CV) joint may deform and break.
Risk: A broken driveshaft can impair steering. Vehicles with full-time 4WD may experience a vehicle rollaway while parked without the parking brake applied. Both scenarios increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace both front driveshaft assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed November 14, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated March 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB11 and 25TA11.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and 4 Runner vehicles. Due to an error in the instrument panel software at vehicle startup, the instrument panel may fail to display vehicle speed, brake system, and tire pressure warning lights.
Risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will update the instrument panel software for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge. For PHEV vehicles, dealers will inspect the instrument panel assembly, and either replace it, or update the software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 5, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB08 and 25TA08. Lexus' numbers for this recall are 25LB05 and 25LA05.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Tacoma 4-wheel drive vehicles. The rear brake hoses can be damaged if mud and dirt builds up inside the rear wheels. This can result in a brake fluid leak.
Risk: A brake fluid leak can reduce braking ability and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace both rear brake hoses, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 1, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB04 and 25TA04.
Cars shoppers compare with the Toyota Tacoma, with their own 2025 checklists.
2025 owner complaints, side by side
