2012 Toyota Tacoma: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2012 Toyota Tacoma: 7 recalls, 295 owner complaints and up to 22 mpg combined.
Recalls
7 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Equipment Vehicle recall #12V158000 · 2012 · 672 vehicles
What's wrong: The tire and loading information placard on each vehicle contains inaccurate spare tire size and cold inflation pressure information. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 110,âtire selection and rims.â
Why it matters: An incorrect placard could lead to improper spare tire use or replacement which could result in a tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Gst will notify owners, and send each owner a corrected placard, free of charge. The safety recall began on June 5, 2012.
Seats, Airbags Vehicle recall #13V014000 · 2013 · 3,235 vehicles
What's wrong: During modification by set to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest dvd systems, these vehicles May not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system May not operate as designed.
Why it matters: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags May not deploy or they May deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag…
The fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013.
Equipment Vehicle recall #13V123000 · 2013 · 7,525 vehicles
What's wrong: 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."
Why it matters: 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.
The fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013.
Tires Vehicle recall #13V494000 · 2013 · 979 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: 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.
The 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. The recall began on January 23, 2014.
Stability control, Brakes (hydraulic) Vehicle recall #14V054000 · 2014 · 261,114 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: If this occurs, these systems could become inoperative, reducing the directional control assistance, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and Toyota and Lexus dealers will update the software for the skid control electronic control unit, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2014.
Equipment Vehicle recall #14V475000 · 2014 · 20,000 vehicles
What's wrong: 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."
Why it matters: 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.
The 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. The recall is expected to begin in September 2014.
Equipment, Body & structure Vehicle recall #17V425000 · 2017 · 3,547 vehicles
What's wrong: The adhesive attaching the hood scoop May weaken, allowing the hood scoop to detach from the vehicle.
Why it matters: If the hood scoop detaches, it May become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Set will notify owners, and dealers will mechanically fasten the scoop to the hood, free of charge. The recall began on September 1, 2017.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 0 mention a fire, 6 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Engine (122): the most common themes are warning light on (57), stalls / loses power (17).
- Fuel & propulsion (52): the most common themes are warning light on (24), stalls / loses power (11).
- Other / unknown (43): the most common themes are warning light on (14), rust / corrosion (4).
- Transmission & drivetrain (35): the most common themes are warning light on (12), noise or vibration (9), hard / delayed shifting (4).
The 2012 Toyota Tacoma has 295 owner complaints, ranking #12 of 32 Tacoma model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 264). Complaints peaked in 2017 (98 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 5 years old, at a median of 57,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2011 (186 complaints, 9 recalls), 2013 (125 complaints, 6 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 21 | 25 | 22 | Regular |
| 2.7 L 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 19 | 24 | 21 | Regular |
| 4.0 L 6-cyl | Automatic 5-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 17 | 21 | 19 | Regular |
| 2.7 L 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 18 | 21 | 19 | Regular |
| 2.7 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 18 | 20 | 19 | Regular |
| 4.0 L 6-cyl | Manual 6-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 | 21 | 18 | Regular |
| 4.0 L 6-cyl | Automatic 5-spd | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 16 | 21 | 18 | Regular |
| 4.0 L 6-cyl | Manual 6-spd | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 15 | 19 | 17 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma.
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FAQ
Does the 2012 Toyota Tacoma have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 7 vehicle recalls for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2012 Toyota Tacoma problems?
Owners have filed 295 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are engine (122), fuel & propulsion (52), other / unknown (43).
What gas mileage does the 2012 Toyota Tacoma get?
EPA ratings run up to 22 mpg combined (2.7 L, Manual 5-spd), across 8 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2012 Toyota Tacoma repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.