Shifterati

Toyota Tacoma

3rd gen Toyota Tacoma 2016–2023

Watch out for

Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.

  • Timing cover oil leak 2016–2017 One source so far

    What to check: Look for oil at the front of the V6, behind the timing cover.

    The repair means taking the engine out.

    $3,000 to $6,000, per FLEX Automotive

    Sources 1

  • Automatic transmission shudder 2016–2017 One source so far

    What to check: Feel for shudder and hunting between gears on the test drive.

    Sources 1

  • Frame rust 2016–2017 One source so far

    What to check: Look over the frame, and ask whether it was inspected, coated or replaced under Toyota's 2020 campaign.

    The campaign covered trucks built up to June 2017, above all in states that salt their roads.

    Sources 2

  • Rear differential leak or howl All years One source so far

    What to check: Look for oil on the rear differential, and listen for a howl at highway speed.

    Two members of a TacomaWorld thread on 3rd gen problems report rear differential trouble: one a leak, and the other a howl that a service bulletin did little for.

    Sources 3

Sources

  1. FLEX (Tacoma years)
  2. SlashGear (frame years)
  3. TacomaWorld (3rd gen problems)