2020 Toyota Tacoma Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 4,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle lost power steering assist and brakes, but was able to coast to the side of the road. The contact stated that the low oil and brake warning lights were illuminated, and a message to “Contact Dealer” was…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 120,000 miles

Driving the car on the freeway and upon exiting it stalled going up an incline without any warning. Could have caused a major accident and I am lucky that it did not happen on the freeway. I researched and found out that 2019-2020 Toyota pickups had this known issue in which the fuel pump fails without any warning. As a result, Toyota…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 6,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

The Clutch in the Manual Transmission makes a "creaking" noise, and you can feel it when driving too, when depressing the clutch pedal... The creaking noise is annoying, but the feel of the creaking is very distracting when driving the manual transmission, depressing the creaky clutch can distract you from the road because you can feel…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The concern involves the automatic transmission torque converter, specifically torque-converter lock-up behavior. The issue presents as a vibration/shudder during steady-speed driving. The vehicle remains in my possession and is available for inspection upon request. The vibration/shudder occurs during steady cruising at moderate speeds…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 3,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

The timing chain cover is leaking oil which will render the vehicle inoperable which is a safety concern. The diagnosis was done at Toyota and I am being told to repair the truck already at 84,000 miles. The cost of the repair is astronomical ($6,666). The problem appears to be a gasket which to reach for repair requires dropping the…Owner complaint, filed 2025

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled temporarily. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred for a second time while driving. The vehicle was taken to…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 5,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 4,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

My brake master cylinder is leaking brake fluid under the steering column and dripping inside. This seems to have a recall but they only did it for trucks up to 2019 and my 2020 has the same exact issue.Owner complaint, filed 2025

The other day I was slowing down on an off-ramp and all the sudden had no brakes, or at least no power brakes for maybe 30 feet and then all of the sudden power assist came back and slammed hard on the brakes. If there would have been a car at the stop sign I would have rear ended them. Pavement was dry, No ABS light, no codes…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Parts named most: Adaptive cruise control (6).

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while in reverse, the rearview camera failed to display a centered rearview image. The contact observed that the rearview image was misaligned, potentially compromising the back over prevention system. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The…Owner complaint, filed 2025

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera failed to display a centered rear-view image. The contact observed that the rearview image was misaligned, potentially compromising the back over prevention system. No warning lights were illuminated. No warning lights were illuminated.…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 12,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 6,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The contact was able to jumpstart the vehicle. The contact became aware that the battery terminal was corroded. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the battery was replaced, and the repair was partially covered; however, the failure…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 50,000 miles

The contact owns a 2020 toyota tacoma. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the contact stated that the qi charger pad was extremely hot while charging his phone. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to toyota of gastonia (4821 wilkinson blvd, gastonia, nc 28056) to be diagnosed. The…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 5,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 13,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while driving approximately 80 MPH, the brakes activated independent of the driver input and the vehicle slowed to 60 MPH abruptly. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be inspected. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 20,000 miles

Occasionally Center cluster on start up is black it has gotten more frequent. No odometer, No cruise control, no digital speedometer. The truck has 12,000 miles on it now today October 13,2026. Selling dealer out of town has no knowledge of issue. Local dealer at time it exhibited issue said never seen that before just disconnect battery…Owner complaint, filed 2026

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The steering rack has failed multiple times. The rack that was installed in the vehicle when I bought it new had cracked by 53,000 miles - not ideal, but these things happen. (This was discovered by my local Toyota dealership when I brought it in for service.) I returned for a six-month service with no problems. When I returned for my…Owner complaint, filed 2026

This is a safety issue and a known issue. Toyota is reporting that it is wear and tear and denying my goodwill repair but it is a technical service bulletin TSB #0082-21 - so it is a safety issue. I emailed and called and have case number with Toyota - [VIN]Owner complaint, filed 2026

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

Was driving doing 35mph and some one ran stop sign T boned Car who ran stop sign my air bags didn't deploy all air bags of other car deployed. My car was totaled . None of the air bags deployed according to recall my vin is not in takata recall. I was tosses all over carOwner complaint, filed 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while driving 50 mph in the morning and in heavy fog, she was unable to visibly see the road which caused her to impact a stationed vehicle in the middle of the road. The contact stated the vehicle was stationed due to a prior crash incident. The contact stated she steered to the…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 45,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

A child infant passenger car seat was placed in the rear passenger center seat position. The the shoulder/lap-belt was used to install the car seat rear-facing. Once the install was complete. The shoulder belt was slowly pulled and extended all the way out. The purpose was to have the shoulder belt reach its maxed length. This would…Owner complaint, filed 2021

The contact owns a 2020 toyota tacoma driven by his son. The contact stated that as his son was cleaning the vehicle, he noticed that the driver's side seat frame was rusted. The contact was concerned that the vehicle was new and that the failure could cause the vehicle to snap and cause his son to get into an accident while driving. The…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 3,369 miles

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

Vehicle had a front/right collision with the trees on a road during the rainy evening. Vehicle was deemed a total loss by our car insurance company adjuster. The airbags have never deployed therefore there were serious injuries and fractures as a result of the impact. Why did the airbags not deploy? Was there a breaks or other safety…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 2,527 miles

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

The wiper motor does not move fast enough to keep the windshield clear in heavy rain. Yes it is available to be inspected. Unable to see while driving even after slowing down. Only when encountering heavy rain. No NoOwner complaint, filed 2026

The issue is that I and as well as many others live in cold winter climates. LED headlights do not put off the heat required to keep snow and ice off of them. This is a hazardous and accident causing issue when you can not see any longer. Getting out of the vehicle every few miles poses a hazard in it's own that you are pulling over on a…Owner complaint, filed 2023

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

Tire failed. The tire is not in my possession anymore. The tire was replaced by America's Tire. I had purchased a tire warranty. Tire failed while traveling at 65 MPH in lane 2 of Interstate 5 northbound at the 5/405 split at approximately 12:35 pm. The traffic was moderate. My vehicle was difficult to control and the noise very loud.…Owner complaint, filed 2022

I recently changed tires from the factory originals. While tightening the lug nuts 4 wheel studs sheared off while tightening (2 on passenger front tire and 2 on passenger rear tire). In light of this issue I decided to replace all 12 wheel studs on the affected tires. The 8 remaining wheel studs that were still intact all had evidence…Owner complaint, filed 2022

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

Vehicle had a front/right collision with the trees on a road during the rainy evening. Vehicle was deemed a total loss by our car insurance company adjuster. The airbags have never deployed therefore there were serious injuries and fractures as a result of the impact. Why did the airbags not deploy? Was there a breaks or other safety…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 2,527 miles