2012 Toyota Tacoma Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 35about this part
- Share
- 12%of 295 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 53,000miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 35 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2012 Toyota Tacoma, 12% of the 295 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 53,000 miles.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“While commuting to work the engine light and traction control light came on, causing my truck to slow down, very slow. It would not let me accelerate and disabled my progress to around 2000 rpms. This could have been a very serious or a dangerous situation especially if I was towing a load or in a major traffic situation. Codes - 2440 and 2442 were the causes of this scary account.”
NHTSA complaint #11021153, filed 2017-09, 105,000 miles“When I'm driving the truck between 30 and 40 miles an hour the truck feel like wants to stop and saunds wuird I think is the torque converter is not doing his job properly also that suspension is getting restless so bad and so quickly and the chats are so hard so I don't know if it is something wrong with it or it's just normal in the car and saw the things I've been checking on it 2012 Toyota and I had it for three years also it takes too long to heat up in winter time”
NHTSA complaint #11316975, filed 2020-03, 108,243 miles“This doesn't happen all the time but occasionally when the truck comes to a stop and the brake pressed the vehicle will accelerate with a surge and feel like someone has bumped you from behind but there will be no one behind you. I have taken the vehicle to the dealer and they made some adjustments but I continue to experience the problem. This has happened since I bought the truck. I purchased the truck with 1200 miles.”
NHTSA complaint #10821624, filed 2016-01, 1,400 miles“At 300 miles I noticed upon downshifting ( I believe 3-2 or 2-1) a rumblestrip vibration feeling. I took the truck to the dealer and they said it was normal. It still occurs everytime I downshift (sometimes stronger feeling then other times) I researched previous years with the same complaint.. It cant be healthy for the transmission clutches. I now have 1300 miles...still happening...any thoughts?”
NHTSA complaint #10450425, filed 2012-03, 323 miles“During normal driving, the check engine light and traction control off light came on and truck immediately went in to limp-home mode. I had it scanned for codes at the local auto parts store and it came back with p2440 and p2442 which seems like a common issue with a valve in the secondary air injection system. I quick google search showed that some 2012 Tacoma owners are getting this covered under a special warranty extension, so I puttered over to the Toyota dealership expecting to hear the same story, but they are telling me the ECM computer is bad. …”
NHTSA complaint #11194082, filed 2019-04, 144,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10244108Aug 16, 2023TSB: Some 2005 ? 2023 model year Tacoma vehicles equipped with a manual transmission may exhibit a squeak or creak noise from the clutch pedal when it is depressed or released.
- 10164907Aug 19, 2019TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin No. T-SB-0186-12. * Applicability has been updated to include 2018 and 2019 model…
- 10164330Jul 1, 2019TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 01, 2019 Rev2: ? Applicability has been updated to 2019 ? 2020 model year Toyota vehicles. ? The Techstream Preparation and Process Overview sections…
- 10142876Jun 8, 2018TSB: REVISION NOTICE June 8, 2018 Rev2: ? Applicability has been updated to exclude 2016 ? 2017 model year Tacoma vehicles. ? The Repair Procedure section has been updated. May…
- 10129996Feb 21, 2018TSB: REVISION NOTICE February 21, 2018 Rev2: ? Applicability has been updated to include 2015 ? 2017 model year Tacoma vehicles. ? The Parts Information and Repair Procedure…
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 31% |
| 2025 | 22 | 19% |
| 2024 | 55 | 35% |
| 2023 | 7 | 13% |
| 2022 | 10 | 17% |
| 2021 | 14 | 17% |
| 2020 | 15 | 17% |
| 2019 | 40 | 18% |
| 2018 | 29 | 14% |
| 2017 | 68 | 28% |
| 2016 | 136 | 42% |
| 2015 | 9 | 9% |
| 2014 | 13 | 14% |
| 2013 | 22 | 18% |
| 2012 | 35 | 12% |
| 2011 | 8 | 4% |
| 2010 | 29 | 10% |
| 2009 | 75 | 14% |
| 2008 | 23 | 5% |
| 2007 | 68 | 13% |
| 2006 | 56 | 7% |
| 2005 | 57 | 8% |
| 2004 | 22 | 5% |
| 2003 | 18 | 5% |
| 2002 | 21 | 6% |
| 2001 | 15 | 4% |
| 2000 | 11 | 5% |
| 1999 | 16 | 6% |
| 1998 | 10 | 3% |
| 1997 | 9 | 7% |
| 1996 | 14 | 6% |
| 1995 | 12 | 7% |
Other parts of the 2012 Toyota Tacoma
122 complaintsFuel system
53 complaintsOther or unknown
45 complaintsBrakes
22 complaintsVehicle speed control
22 complaintsSuspension
21 complaintsElectrical system
19 complaintsElectronic stability control
17 complaintsSteering
12 complaintsAir bags
9 complaintsBody and structure
9 complaintsWheels
7 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology