repaired · 2017 Q4
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
2009 Toyota TacomaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 520 owner complaints about the 2009 Toyota Tacoma, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 13 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-396 the manufacturer reports only 24% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 27, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2009 Toyota Tacoma has problems
520 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
119Suspension
105Exterior lighting16 crash/fire/injury
75Power train1 crash/fire/injury
59Vehicle speed control16 crash/fire/injury
55Structure
40Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
39Steering3 crash/fire/injury
17Service brakes, hydraulic
16Service brakes
6816 other systems5 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 119 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 105 | 16 |
| Power train | 75 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 59 | 16 |
| Structure | 55 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 40 | 2 |
| Steering | 39 | 3 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 17 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 16 | 1 |
| 16 other systems | 68 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
13 recalls
2009 Toyota Tacoma recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
repaired · 2017 Q2
Leaf spring assembly: leaf
Risk. If the fuel tank leaks fuel from being punctured, there is an increased risk of a fire.
repaired · 2016 Q1
Other: labels
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…
Show 9 more recalls
repaired · 2016 Q3
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. If the FFC is damaged, connectivity to the driver's air bag module could be lost and the air bag deactivated.
repaired · 2015 Q2
Seat belts
Risk. If the seat belt pre-tensioner detaches from the seat belt assembly, the seat belt pre-tensioner will not perform as designed, increasing the risk of injury in…
no report yet
Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
Risk. 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…
no report yet
Air bags: frontal
Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
no report yet
Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Risk. FAILURE TO WARN OF TIRE DEFLATIONS IS A NON-COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS 138 AND COULD LEAD TO TIRE FAILURE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
no report yet
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk. A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR…
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. INCORRECT LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE BEING OVERLOADED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Toyota.
Mileage at failure
When do suspension problems start?
77kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 51 suspension complaints. 69% were reported before 100,000 miles.
8under 30k miles35under 100k miles16100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2009 vs. every other Tacoma year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Tacoma median. How we score
'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2009 Toyota Tacoma safety ratings
2009 Toyota Tacoma 4-DR.w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 4 stars (19.1% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Tacoma owners report
Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
I have a 2009 Toyota Tacoma that has a significant amount of frame rust. I have recently learned that Toyota lost a class action lawsuit on this model of Tacoma because the frames would rot quickly. I was not aware of this recall, nor was I notified and because of that I missed the 12-year windows…
ODI #11516361 I bought this 2009 Toyota Tacoma with 20,990 miles on it on 11/22/2019. Then the pandemic hit the USA and the truck sat for many months. Then in April 2023 I brought the truck in for repairs and the mechanic told me the frame was rusted real bad and that the recall was past the…
Went for an inspection and entire frame is completely rotting out. Could have ben killed. Truck only has 65,000 miles on it because it was previously owned by my 80 year old grandfather. Toyota should have to fix everyone of these issues not just a certain time frame.
Own a 2009 Tacoma?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.