2012 Toyota Tacoma: engine and transmission complaints
VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
65%
184 of 282 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
65% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2012 Toyota Tacoma are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 87% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 13 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 62%).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
June 1st 2021 I went to park in a parking space at a local mall. My truck instead of stopping it accelerated out of control jumped two stone curbs, drove though a fence and landed into a swamp. Call Toyota and they have opened a new case # 210602000065. Police report # 21-374-AC. This isn't the first time that this ha…
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM08/31/2026
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…
POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE,TIRES07/30/2025
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the undercarriage of the vehicle was significantly rusted. The TPMS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was repaired under the warranty; however, the failure recurred. The dealer informed the contact that the r…
Three of 184 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (7)
STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
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 dea…
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 Toyota Tacoma and Lexus RX350 vehicles and certain model year 2012 Toyota Rav4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, t…
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2014 FJ Cruiser and Tacoma vehicles equipped with accessory wheels and tires instal…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2012 Toyota Tacoma
Ask the seller whether the engine has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many engine faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the engine.
7 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle.
