UsedScore

2013 Toyota Tacoma: Solid

Owners filed 68 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota Tacoma in its first five years on the road, about 44 for every 100,000 sold: 0.8× the rate of a typical Tacoma year. That's close to a typical year.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the powertrain (transmission and drivetrain) (26% of complaints, median 4,000 miles).

Complaint index
0.8×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Tacoma year
Rank
5th of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
68
first five years; 44 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
6
campaigns
2nd generation, 2005–2015 · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2015 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab Long Bed

Photo: 2015 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab Long Bed · SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Powertrain26% · 18 complaints · median 4,000 miles
  2. Brakes24% · 16 complaints · median 21,000 miles
  3. Air bags6% · 4 complaints
  4. Electrical9% · 6 complaints
  5. Body and structure4% · 3 complaints
  6. Steering10% · 7 complaints · median 6,000 miles
  7. Engine6% · 4 complaints
  8. Suspension9% · 6 complaints · median 19,000 miles
  9. Speed control9% · 6 complaints · median 7,000 miles
  10. Wheels and tires6% · 4 complaints

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Air bags

Owners report that air bags sometimes fail to deploy during collisions, resulting in injuries, and that a related clockspring or spiral cable part can fail, causing horn loss and warning light issues. Repairs for the clockspring are described as costly and recurring.

Warning signs:
Some owners noticed the horn stop working or airbag warning lights illuminating randomly before the air bags failed to deploy in a crash.
What shops did:
Dealers replaced the clockspring or spiral cable, often at owner expense after warranty expiration, while some crash-related air bag failures were not diagnosed or repaired.
Mileage:
most between 70,000 and 90,000 miles, among 5 complaints that give it

“My horn stopped working and when I took my truck to the dealer he said that it was the clock spring cable inside of the steering wheel.”

“Noticed that airbag warning light was coming on randomly. Sometimes it came on at startup and other times it would come on while I was driving.”

Brakes

Owners describe unexpected ABS or stability-control activation, especially while turning, that causes the truck's front end to dive or the vehicle to shake or pull to one side. A few also report reduced braking power or a sinking brake pedal, with mixed results getting dealers to diagnose or fix it.

Warning signs:
Owners describe a front-end dive, shaking or vibration in the steering wheel, dragging tire sounds, dashboard ABS/traction warning lights, and a hard thump felt through the vehicle.
What shops did:
Some owners report dealers replaced a master cylinder or brake booster, cleaned and adjusted brakes, or told owners their vehicle was not covered by the related recall; several say technicians could not find or fix the problem.
Mileage:
most between 5,000 and 65,000 miles, among 20 complaints that give it

“The front anti-lock brakes independently actuate for approximately .5-2.5 seconds.”

“Brake pedal went almost to the floor. On taking truck to toyota dealer, a failed brake master cylinder was replaced under warranty.”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (6)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 17V425000July 20173,547 vehicles

    Equipment · 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 dealers. The adhesive attaching the hood scoop may weaken, allowing the hood scoop to detach from the vehicle.

    Risk: If the hood scoop detaches, it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will mechanically fasten the scoop to the hood, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 14V475000August 201420,000 vehicles

    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 installed by Toyota or dealers prior to the vehicle's first sale. The affected vehicles may list incorrect spare tire size and/or cold tire inflation information on the tire placard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

    Risk: If the spare tire is inflated to the incorrect pressure provided on the placard, tire failure may occur while it is being driven on, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: For the involved vehicles, overlay stickers to correct the tire placard will either be mailed to owners or provided to dealers for placement over the incorrect information on the placard.

  • NHTSA 14V054000February 2014261,114 vehicles

    Electronic stability control (ESC) · 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, the brake system contains a brake actuator that adjusts the fluid pressure of each wheel cylinder. An electrical component within the actuator may experience an increased resistance resulting in the illumination of various warning lights, including those for the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system, Antilock Brake System (ABS), and Traction Control system.

    Risk: If this occurs, these systems could become inoperative, reducing the directional control assistance, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and Toyota and Lexus dealers will update the software for the Skid Control electronic control unit, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 13V557000November 20133,795 vehicles

    Engine

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Tacoma vehicles manufactured July 1, 2013, through October 11, 2013. The engines of the affected vehicles contain valve springs that may break over time.

    Risk: If the valve springs break, the engine could fail and stall while the vehicle is being driven, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the valve springs, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 13V494000October 2013979 vehicles

    Tires: temporary/emergency spare tire

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Tacoma vehicles equipped with 18" Maverick Alloy Wheels. In the affected vehicles, the spare tire requires the use of a different style of lug nut to attach it to the vehicle than the other wheels use. These lug nuts were not provided with the vehicle.

    Risk: If the spare tire/wheel is installed on the vehicle using the lug nuts from another wheel, damage to the wheel could result and may eventually lead to a loose wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will: (a) Install a Warning Label on the spare tire/wheel, (b) supply a bag containing proper spare wheel lug nuts, and (c) place an Owner's Manual Addendum in the vehicle's glove box.

  • NHTSA 13V123000April 20137,525 vehicles

    Equipment: other: labels

    Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

    Risk: An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.

    Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Toyota sent NHTSA 429 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2013 Tacoma. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • TSB003220 · August 2023TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ?
  • TSB011219 · August 2023TSB: Some 2005 ?
  • T-SB-0094-21 Rev · November 2022TSB: Some 2005 ?
  • TTT063620 · March 2022TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions
  • Toyota Safety Re · March 2021Toyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
  • T-TT-0636-20 Rev · March 2021TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
  • T-TT-0636-20 · December 2020TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
  • T-SB-0112-19 · August 2019TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin No.

All 2013 Tacoma bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2013 Toyota Tacoma reliable?
Owners filed 68 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota Tacoma in its first five years on the road, about 44 for every 100,000 sold: 0.8× the rate of a typical Tacoma year. That's close to a typical year. Ratings compare Tacoma years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2013 Tacoma problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the powertrain (transmission and drivetrain) (26%), the brakes (24%) and the air bags (6%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2013 Toyota Tacoma been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2013 Toyota Tacoma, the most recent in July 2017 (equipment). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Toyota. The 2013 Toyota Tacoma on NHTSA.gov · How we rate