Complaint volume
73 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2021 Toyota Tacoma Complaints
73 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Toyota Tacoma, grouped by component category.
73 Total complaints
9 Crash reports
0 Fire reports
8 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are service brakes, unknown or other, power train. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 9 crash reports, 0 fire reports, 8 injury reports, and 1 fatality report. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 18 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 26,408 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to service brakes, unknown or other, power train?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2021 Toyota Tacoma?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2021 Toyota Tacoma
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Toyota Tacoma complaints?
9 Crash
0 Fire
8 Injury
1 Fatality
6 Towed
6 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Toyota Tacoma complaint categories?
SERVICE BRAKES 8
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8
POWER TRAIN 6
ENGINE 4
STRUCTURE 4
AIR BAGS 3
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 3
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 3
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 3
AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,SEATS 2
73 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | ENGINE | The plastic coolant crossover valve or pipe failed at 66,000 miles and 5 years of usage. This led to the radiator cracking. After researching online, I read about thousands of Tacoma 3rd generation users with the same issue. Also, the same issue was recalled for several other models of Toyotas but not the Tacoma. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | After I purchased my 2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport with 4 miles on it and at 1,332 miles on 11/26/21, the Check Engine light with Traction Control Off light came on while I was driving. I immediately pulled over and on the truck media screen it read this: "A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle or automatic transmission has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer and have your vehicle inspected." The truck was rough idling and had no acceleration. I had the truck towed to dealership where it was purchased and upon diagnostic, it was determined that #3-cylinder injector was reading "Open Circuit" with code P020313. Being under warranty the dealership repaired the bad injector. No further issues until 4/22/26. On 4/22/26 with mileage at 48,361, I started my truck in my driveway and immediately recognized that the truck was rough idling and the Check Engine Light along with the Traction Control Light Off being on. The exact same message displayed on the screen as above, "A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle or automatic transmission has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer and have your vehicle inspected.". The truck was towed back to the same dealership and upon diagnostic the same issue of #3-cylinder injector "open circuit" with code P020313 was revealed. It was recommended to replace the bad #3-cylinder injector and also recommended to go ahead and replace all of the spark plugs. The total repair bill we be ~$2600 when I go to pick it up in 3 days. This is not just a coincidence that the exact same #3-cylinder injector has gone bad at 1,332 miles and then again at 48,361 miles. Seems to be a connection between the injector going bad and the issues that they have had with the High Pressure Fuel Pumps. Toyota needs to acknowledge this problem. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | SERVICE BRAKES | when I push the brake pedal, it goes to the floor. I have had the brakes and master cylinder replaced. after about one month the brakes started failing again. I am going to take it back to the mechanic to have them re-evaluate the brakes. No kind of official has inspected my truck. I have been having braking issues for about a year. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | STEERING,POWER TRAIN,LANE DEPARTURE | There are three concerns in this write up: at 117000 miles the blind spot monitoring system has fails and will cost $300 to repair. More concerning is that it was recommended I replace the Power Steering Lines at a cost of $927 and the Transmission Lines at a cost of $797 due to severe rusting and corrosion. Its recommended before they rust through and break/leak. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | FRONT RADAR RECALL- NO BACK COVER AND GOES DEFECTIVE | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | When vehicle is driven at 85 mph (cruise control set) speedometer jolts. Speed must be reduced to 84 to resolve issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | AIR BAGS | Vehicle was in car accident where airbags did not deploy. | Crash: No Fire: No Injuries: 1 Medical attention | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at highway speeds, the vehicle stalled with the engine oil warning light flashing on the instrument panel. The contact stated that her husband detected a fuel odor coming from the vehicle after the failure. The driver was able to restart the vehicle and drove the vehicle to the dealer. While at the dealer the vehicle was test driven and the failure was acknowledged. The vehicle was then diagnosed with a defective fuel pump. The vehicle was repaired but remained with the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 75,000 |
| Nov 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Heated seat stopped working after smelling a slight burning smell. I investigate and found discolored and burnt electrical connections on the heated seat wires. This happened on the driver's seat. I'm worried the same thing could happen on the passenger side. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES | truck is under 20 thousand miles right front brake shoes are loose and not in place. the whole brake assembly is completely rusted .brake lines are leaking. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced extended cranking on cold start. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under Toyota Campaign Number: 23TE01(High-Pressure Fuel Pump – Low Pressure Fuel Seepage). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 62,000 |
| Nov 2025 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH, after depressing the accelerator pedal and then attempting to depress the brake pedal to make a left turn, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. An independent mechanic was contacted. The contact pulled over into a church parking lot. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 47,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 47,000 |
| Sep 2025 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that there was a coolant leak, and the coolant level in the reservoir was low. The coolant reservoir was topped off; however, the failure reoccurred. While having an oil change at Keys Toyota (5855 Van Nuys Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91401); the contact was informed about the coolant leak in the rear of the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, who confirmed there was no warranty coverage for the repair. The vehicle was diagnosed with a coolant leak, and the starter needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 102,000 |
| Sep 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | AC compressor pressure release discharges gas. Dealer states new compressor needed. Vehicle is only 4 years old. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission constantly seeking a gear usually 5th to 6th while using Cruize control. At times over-reving to near redline. End up having to manuall downshift to fourth back and fourt to drive. End up shifting more frequently that would if driving my mauual 6 speed transmission tacoma with the V6 as well. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the fuel pump was very noisy while having a routine oil change at an independent mechanic. There was an abnormal clacking sound detected. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V682000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that sound was coming from the fuel pump. The dealer informed the contact that the sound was normal. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 24,000 |
| Mar 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | N/A | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked at the residence, the contact raised the hood to inspect the engine and became aware that the coolant bypass valve was leaking coolant. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the coolant bypass valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the part was not under warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 50,000 |
| Feb 2025 | POWER TRAIN | 1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The "coolant bypass hose/joint" (Part #: 16356-31051) located at the rear of the engine, connecting the two heads, failed. This part is made of plastic and is known to be a weak point in the 3.5L V6 (2GR-FKS) engine. The failed component is still in the vehicle and can be inspected upon request. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? A coolant leak from this component can lead to engine overheating, which could cause sudden engine failure while driving, increasing the risk of an accident. Since the leak is not easily visible under the hood, a driver may not notice the issue until significant overheating occurs, potentially leaving them stranded in unsafe conditions. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the issue was confirmed by the dealership after an inspection. They identified the coolant bypass hose/joint as the source of the leak. Many users on the forum TacomaWorld have also experienced the same issue with their vehicles. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The vehicle was inspected by the dealership, but it has not been inspected by Toyota directly, the police, or an insurance representative. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no warning lamps or dashboard messages indicating a problem. The only symptom was a small puddle of coolant on the ground a week after purchasing the vehicle. Upon further inspection, a trail of coolant was observed running down onto the passenger side of the transmission bell housing. Would've costed me 1,000 dollars if didn't have warranty. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | ENGINE | 2021 Toyota Tacoma OR coolant bypass joint leaks at only 47800 miles. The cost of repair is $1490.36 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | When stopping vehicle (for instance, at a stop light), vehicle would stop normally when pressing the brakes, but after a few seconds, the vehicle would start forward again. The brake pedal would give way and press down further, stopping briefly before starting forward again - so I had to use the emergency brake or else vehicle would move into oncoming traffic. I consulted a mechanic, and it was diagnosed as a bad brake master cylinder. This vehicle has only 51,000 miles on it, being a 2021 model. The brake pads themselves were checked and they are fine. I replaced the master cylinder and it fixed the issue, but I wouldn't expect this unsafe condition to already be happening to this vehicle, especially this early in life. Toyota must have defective brake master cylinders. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | This vehicle stalled while driving. It would totally shut off. Once at 75 mph no warning just shut off. Had a cylinder misfire according to dealership. On 2 other occasions it shut off while driving. On those occasions I was backing up out of a driveway and driving slow on a drive. So very slow speeds. On those 2 occasions it had engine stall codes according to dealership. I filed a lemon law claim and because it didn’t stall in the 58 miles the tech drove it Tamara Clear from gulf states determined there’s no evidence it stalls despite the local Toyota dealership having stall codes in their notes. Tamara clear also didn’t comply with Arkansas lemon law and respond within 40 days. She took longer because she’s overwhelmed with cases according to her. Each time the vehicle totally shut off while driving it had master warning lights, charging system lights, oil fluid temp lights, all of it. I took pics but Toyota didn’t care about that either Potentially fatal. And they expected me to drive around with a 6 year old in it | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2024 | STRUCTURE | Toyota addressed this issue with the frame paint peeling off long ago but they have not launched a customer support program to solve the problem yet. When we reached their Brand Engagement center line (1-888-270-9371) and they do not provide a hard or estimated date to launch the repair program. The vehicle was already inspected by Round Rock Tx Toyota service (PDF page) certifying the issue is a manufacturer responsibility. Please take care of this situation promptly. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2024 | STEERING | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The vehicle was driven to the destination. The contact checked the power steering fluid reservoir and discovered that the power steering fluid reservoir was empty. In addition, the contact became aware that the rubber boots on each side of the power steering rack were soaked with power steering fluid. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with steering rack failure. The contact was informed that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 47,000 |
| Jul 2024 | POWER TRAIN | I was idling in line for food when I noticed my thermostat gauge going slightly higher in temp. All of a sudden I hear a loud hissing sound and smoke coming off of the engine as well as a chemical burn smell. I pulled over to the side in fear that a fire could potentially start. After some research I’ve concluded that it is the rear coolant bypass joint. It was a high stress situation where my family was in my vehicle. Please look into this! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |