Reliable Auto DB

2016 Toyota Tacoma reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 323 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Toyota Tacoma over 11 years — 67 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 13 Tacoma years on this site. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Hinge, Engine, and Differential.

2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport
Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

323

Per year

67

Recalls

4

Years on the road

11

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (136 of 323), then Engine (47) and Electrical system (36). Those filings include 4 that report a crash, 4 that report a fire, and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 Tacoma has 101 complaints, 15 per year, and the 2017 has 239 complaints, 39 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2017.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2016 Toyota Tacoma. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall structure, body, hood, hinge 2017-07-03 · NHTSA campaign 17V425000
Summary 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.
Remedy SET will notify owners, and dealers will mechanically fasten the scoop to the hood, free of charge. The recall began on September 1, 2017. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-954-429-2000. SET's number for this recall is SET17B.
Recall Engine 2017-06-01 · NHTSA campaign 17V356000
Summary Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Tacoma vehicles equipped with a six-cylinder engine. The affected vehicles have a crank position sensor that may malfunction, potentially resulting in an engine stall.
Remedy Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crank position sensor with an improved design, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0H.
Recall powertrain, driveline, differential 2017-04-27 · NHTSA campaign 17V285000
Summary Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Tacoma vehicles. Oil may leak from the area where the rear differential carrier is assembled to rear axle housing.
Remedy Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear differential for oil leakage. Based on the inspection, dealers will either tightening the fastening nuts or replace the fastening nuts and gasket. If the rear differential components are damaged, the rear differential carrier assembly will be replaced. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall June 19, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0G.
Recall air bags, knee bolster 2015-10-14 · NHTSA campaign 15V656000
Summary Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Tacoma trucks manufactured August 20, 2015, to September 10, 2015. In the affected vehicles, incorrect bolts were used to install the driver's knee air bag module.
Remedy Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install the correct driver's knee air bag module mounting bolts, free of charge. The recall began on November 19, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is F0T.

Complaints by component (323 total)

Powertrain
136
Engine
47
Electrical system
36
Seats
22
Structure
22
Service brakes
18
Exterior lighting
17
Fuel and propulsion system
14
Suspension
14
Speed control
10
Visibility and wipers
9
Air bags
5
Steering
4
Electronic stability control (ESC)
3
Seat belts
2
Wheels
2
Lane departure
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Parking brake
1
Visibility
1
Show 12 more Show less
Crash-flagged

4

Fire-flagged

4

Injury reports

1

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

22015572016105201736201818201926202016202119202214202313202410202572026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Toyota has a paint problem on the tacomas. The paint is the bright white, .040 . They have painted all 4 doors,both front fenders and the pillars on each side of the windshield. I’m having the same problem on my…"
    Structure · filed 2026-07-06
  • "The contact owns a 2024 Ford Edge. The contact stated that the vehicle was shaking while driving. The contact noticed there was fluid emerging from the rear of the vehicle near the tire. There were no warning lights…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-05-19
  • "The original low pressure fuel pump failed at 114,700 miles. The symptoms of the failure were loss of power on the freeway, quickly followed by the engine stumbling, then shutting off completely forcing me to change…"
    Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-05-08
  • "Dear Toyota Japan Customer Experience Team, I am the owner of a 2016 Toyota Tacoma currently registered in Guam, U.S.A. I am writing to request your assistance regarding a water leak issue from the rear brake light…"
    Seat belts, Seats, Unknown or other · filed 2026-04-11
  • "Severe clear coat and paint fading on hood, roof and sides of truck."
    Structure · filed 2026-03-17

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2016 Toyota Tacoma PU/CC 2WD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2016 Toyota Tacoma PU/CC 4WD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2016 Toyota Tacoma PU/EC 2WD Not rated Not rated Not rated 4 stars
2016 Toyota Tacoma PU/EC 4WD Not rated Not rated Not rated 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Tacoma two-wheel drive 2.7L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Rear-wheel drive 19 23 21 MPG $3100
Tacoma two-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Rear-wheel drive 19 24 21 MPG $3100
Tacoma four-wheel drive 2.7L, 4-cyl Manual 5-speed Part-time four-wheel drive 19 21 20 MPG $3250
Tacoma four-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Part-time four-wheel drive 18 23 20 MPG $3250
Tacoma four-wheel drive 2.7L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Part-time four-wheel drive 19 22 20 MPG $3250
Tacoma four-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Manual 6-speed Part-time four-wheel drive 17 21 19 MPG $3400
Tacoma four-wheel drive Double Cab 3.5L, 6-cyl Manual 6-speed Part-time four-wheel drive 17 20 18 MPG $3600

Specs and fitment

3rd generation, 2016–2023
Body styles Access Cab, Double Cab
Oil 0W-20 (2.7L 4-cyl and 3.5L V6)
Tire size 245/70R17, 265/70R17, 265/65R18 or 265/70R18 (trim-dependent)
Towing capacity 6,500 lbs

Known issues for this generation

Early third-generation production drew several Toyota safety recalls. NHTSA campaign 17V-285 (Toyota H0G) covers certain 2016-2017 Tacomas where oil may leak from the rear differential carrier joint; low oil can seize the differential and cause a loss of control. Campaign 17V-356 (Toyota H0H) covers certain 2016-2017 six-cylinder Tacomas whose crank position sensor may fail and stall the engine. NHTSA campaign 15V-656 (Toyota F0T) covers a small batch of 2016 Tacomas built in August-September 2015 with incorrect bolts on the driver knee air bag module, which can affect air bag performance in a crash.

Compare

Previous year 2015 Toyota Tacoma Next year 2017 Toyota Tacoma See every Toyota Tacoma model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Toyota Tacoma reliable?

Owners have filed 323 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Toyota Tacoma over 11 years — 67 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 13 Tacoma years on this site. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Hinge, Engine, and Differential.

What are common problems with a 2016 Toyota Tacoma?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (136 of 323), then Engine (47) and Electrical system (36). Those filings include 4 that report a crash, 4 that report a fire, and 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2016 Toyota Tacoma more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 Tacoma has 101 complaints, 15 per year, and the 2017 has 239 complaints, 39 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2017.

Has the 2016 Toyota Tacoma been recalled?

The 2016 Toyota Tacoma has 4 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 Toyota Tacoma?

Owners have filed 323 complaints about the 2016 Toyota Tacoma with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Toyota Tacoma get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 Toyota Tacoma is 19.9 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is the 2020 Toyota Tacoma?

3rd generation (2016-2023).

How much can a Toyota Tacoma tow?

Published maximums vary by generation, cab, engine, and equipment; many recent U.S. specs list up to 6,500 lb when properly equipped.

When did the 4th-generation Tacoma start?

The 2024 model year (4th generation) followed the 2016-2023 3rd generation in the U.S. lineup.