How reliable are Tacoma's?

I'm new to TacomaWorld and have recently purchased a 2012 double cab, long-bed TRD. This is my first Toyota. Been a Honda owner and fan in previous years and decided to jump over to the Tacoma for a number of reasons. Since I've never owned a Toyota, let alone a Tacoma I'm obviously curious about the reliability of the Tacoma.

I have friends who swear by them (Tacoma) and would buy another hands down. A co-worker had a late model Highlander that left him walking and sore from a $4000+ transmission issue, yet he bought another Highlander. Go figure.

I usually keep my vehicles for many years...although these past years I've gone through a few...stupid assumptions on my part. Long story short, I'm back to owning a truck. I plan on keeping this thing until it falls apart or can't be repaired for some reason or gas is no longer available.

So my question...how reliable are these trucks? I've read and heard that Toyota has had problems keeping their engines sealed. Gasket leaks seem to be a common problem. Yeah, I've heard of the brake 'issues' in their Prius line, but I think we all know what that was about.

Anything I should be on the look out for in the coming years? Owning a Honda I've never had much more than the normal wear and tear items, though my Ridgeline had seat issues, but nothing major.

Feedback appreciated.

12Tac

 

I've owned Toyota pickups since 1980 and the only major repair was a problem I caused myself when I broke off a seized-up spark plug. Other than that head removal and heli-coil, I've only had problems with minor things such as ball joints, which were repaired under TSB/warranty, and minor things such as a water pump seal, a U-joint and a starter solenoid, etc. My '06 has not required a single repair so far.

 

My parents bought this truck when I was 7....

and now that I have it, it's still going...

 

that was only 9 years ago

 

Consumer Reports rates them above average. My 1999 4 x 2 extended cab 2.4 had 138K miles when totaled and only had the cruse control and CD player replaced under warranty. Otherwise it was Toyota perfect. My 2010 has not needed any warranty work so far (27k miles).

 

Thanks for the feedback. Hopefully my experience will be as reliable.

12Tac

 

I have said some harsh things about the Tacoma here but reliability has not been an issue. I've had complaints about build quality, mileage, comfort, design, and nutty cost cutting measures but the truck has been almost 100% reliable in 90k miles. The only mechanical problem has been with the 4WD transfer case motor and I probably use it a lot more than most, at least 10 miles/day. I think that is a crappy design but, still, the truck has always started and never left me stranded (unlike my Fords and GMs).

 

Do things ever break? Yes. Has any Toyota I've ever owned left me stranded and walking? No.

 

Just keep up with routine maintenance and it will last you a long time

 

My 2010 has been an awesome pile so far, we'll see what's to come!!

 

if you can put a hilux in the same ball park as tacoma, top gear had an awesome episode a while back called killing a toyota, and this should literally talk you into believing whatever toyota hype youve ever heard. regardless that the truck is 30 years old give or take

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnWKz7Cthkk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Uc4Ksz3nHM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFnVZXQD5_k&feature=related

 

Those clips are incredible! Next time any of my domestic truck fan-boy pals give me any crap about my Yota, I will show them this...

 

My 2007 that I bought new only has 30,000 miles on it and has never had a major problem with it. My 97' Tacoma was a 4x4 Access cab with the 2.7 4 cylinder and it was bullet proof. In 4 years I drove it 218,000 miles and all I ever did was a clutch at 187,000 miles. I beat the snot out of that truck too. I used it in construction and either hauled in the bed or towed past it's rated capacity on a daily basis. I also off roaded in either almost daily or on the weekends in the desert of California and/or Arizona. I also took the truck on tour with my band in 99' and one the first and last leg of the tour it drove 32 hours non stop and went through both desert and cold climates and everything else in between and never gave me an issue.

I have no doubt my current one would do the same as well.

Here are two pictures of my 97'. One is the truck at the material house picking up steel studs and the other is the truck at the job site.





Here is one of it off roading in the East County mountains of San Diego in a place called In Ko Pah.

 

2012 PreRunner

1571 Miles and still going strong.

 

Been an toyota truck owner since 1987.
They all (87,90,95,04,06,11) have never left me stranded nor caused a major expense.
My 2006 Tacoma gave me the most dealer trips through TSBs (I had 5).
It's front diff actuator went & was the only warranty repair (didn't leave stranded thankfully).

Toyota has addressed several issues & stepped up to the plate too.
It's head gasket recall, 150% buyback, & frame replacement campaigns come to mind all truck related.
So I think Toyota does pretty good considering some of the other choices. Congrats on your new truck.

 

I just bought my 12 last week...Toyota now provides a lifetime powertrain warranty (unlimited time, unlimited miles) beyond the 36k or 100k (extended) bumper to bumper warranties. The powertrain is all the real expensive stuff. So, drive it 300k miles and just keep getting things fixed. Nothing will drive forever w/o some issues.

The only downside to their warranty is if you ever want to start seriously modding the truck, you could be giving up the warranty.

This is my second Tacoma, they're built and live up to their great reputations.

http://dickdyertoyota.com/Lifetime-Warranty.aspx

 

you saying I'm 16?!

 

Thanks everyone...one of the reasons I ask is that my 2012 has developed an engine noise I either just now noticed or a new development. Sounds like a cross between a slipping belt and a hiss. I went through a drive through last night and only noticed it from the sound reflection off the building. Got home, left the engine running and popped the hood. Can still hear it...but I have to quality my observation. I noticed everything especially when it comes to my vehicles. Nicks, blemishes, sounds, rattles, etc.

This probably is noting more than the normal noise of the engine and I'm getting used to the sounds this thing makes.

12Tac

 

If you want to know if the sounds you are hearing are normal you can always go to a dealer and have them crank up another Tacoma for comparison.

There are quite a few videos of Tacoma engines running on YouTube too.

 

Coming from a decade of Honda cars to the Tacoma was a bit of a shock. It's not quite up to that level of reliability (already had a few minor issues) but it's still really decent.

If I had to put it on a personal opinion scale I'd have Hondas at 95/100, Toyota cars at about the same, Toyota Tundras around 90/100, Tacomas around 85/100, and subtract 30 more points for domestics.

As for the v6.... sounds like it has 500k miles on it from the factory but runs like a top. It ticks, it clatters, it burbles - nothing like the L15A1 Honda I came from that sounded like a sewing machine even with the hood open - but it's normal.