The Lane Check

Cars › Toyota › Tacoma › 2023

2023 Toyota Tacoma problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
38%
17 of 45 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

38% of relevant owner complaints on the 2023 Toyota Tacoma are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 57% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 9 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 31%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
Share this car

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2023 Toyota Tacoma have engine problems?

More than most. The pattern is elevated rather than severe. 17 of 45 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Toyota Tacoma concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (38%), and the largest group is filed under engine (8). For comparison, the 2022 scores 33%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
17
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
54
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
5 crashes · 5 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM12 · 22%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER10 · 19%
STEERING9 · 17%
AIR BAGS8 · 15%
ENGINE8 · 15%
POWER TRAIN7 · 13%

The years either side

2010
17%
42 of 294
2011
11%
15 of 186
2012
65%
184 of 295
2013
29%
33 of 125
2014
26%
22 of 93
2015
23%
20 of 101
2016
58%
174 of 323
2017
52%
113 of 239
2018
42%
83 of 206
2019
50%
106 of 218
2020
48%
39 of 87
2021
38%
28 of 80
2022
33%
17 of 59
2023
38%
17 of 54

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2023 Toyota Tacoma

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL08/10/2026
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the transmission failed to operate properly while driving 35 MPH and attempting to accelerate. While driving uphill or downhill, the transmission was slow to shift into the intended gear, and the vehicle was slow to accelerate. Additionally, there was an ab…

One of 17 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2023 Toyota Tacoma?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2023 Toyota Tacoma involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 4 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

power train: axle assembly24V152000 · Feb 2024

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturer (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Tacoma vehicles. The axle shaft sub-assembly may separate from the axle housing due to debris causing improperly secured fasteners.

Risk: Axle shaft separation can cause a loss of vehicle stability and brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear axle assembly, tighten the axle retaining nuts as necessary, and repair or replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 17, 2024. Owners…

3 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
steering: column25V040000 · Jan 2025
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, Lexus RX350, 2023-2024 NX250,…
steering: column23V480000 · Jul 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, 2023 Lexus RX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX500…
child seat: vehicle latch anchor22V520000 · Jul 2022
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Tacoma vehicles. One or more of the individual welds in the upper child seat anchors may be insufficient. As such,…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2023 Toyota Tacoma? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2023 Toyota Tacoma

Does the 2023 Toyota Tacoma have engine problems?

More than most; the pattern is elevated rather than severe. 17 of 45 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Toyota Tacoma concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (38%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2023 Toyota Tacoma?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2023 Toyota Tacoma involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 4 in total: 24V152000 (power train: axle assembly). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Toyota Tacoma years are better?

Among the Toyota Tacoma years we track, the 2011 (11%), the 2010 (17%) and the 2015 (23%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2023 (38%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2023 Toyota Tacoma?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2023 Toyota Tacoma has an elevated engine complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing engine work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the engine. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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.

Check a VIN

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.