2011 Toyota Tacoma: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
186 NHTSA owner complaints · 9 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2016, 2017 and 2019 Tacoma (323, 239 and 217 complaints, scores of 55, 61 and 54) and the 2024 and 2025 fourth-generation trucks, which score 38 each at 72.5 and 86.0 complaints per year on the road, the highest rates on record. Buy a 2013 to 2015, scoring 85, 90 and 89 on 124, 93 and 101 complaints, or a 2020 to 2023, all at 76 or better on 87 complaints or fewer. Read the full note on the model page. 2011 specifically: a year the record favours — 186 complaints, score 79/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Toyota Tacoma: the years to avoid and the years to buy, including 2011 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 186 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 12.4
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
I purchased a vehicle from a car dealer "as is" with a clean title. About two months after purchase I took it to a mechanic after I got an airbag light and he told me the vehicle was missing airbags and was in a hard enough collision that it caused the airbags to deploy. This was not listed on the Carfax report and was not disclosed to me. I would have never purchased a vehicle if I knew it was missing airbags.
The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Tacoma. While inspecting underneath the vehicle, the contact discovered that the vehicle was only equipped with three leaf springs instead of four. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall for the failure associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was…
The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that over time the horn intermittently became inoperable; however, the horn operated while in the middle of making a turn. The contact was concerned about the failure because the horn and the air bag in the steering wheel were connected by the clockspring. No warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnose…
Recalls: 9 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 16V396000 | Seats:Front Assembly:Seat Heater/Cooler | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010… |
| 17V425000 | Structure:Body:Hood:Hinge And Attachments | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2011-2016 Toyota Tacoma and 4Runner vehicles equipped with accessory hood scoops installed by SET or SET dealers. The adhesive attaching the hood scoop may weaken, allowing the hood scoop to detach from the vehicle. |
| 11V148000 | Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems | TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 FJ CRUISER, LAND CRUISER, TACOMA, SEQUOIA AND TUNDRA VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 138, "TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS)." WHEN FACTORY-INSTALLED WHEELS AND TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH TOYOTA AUTHORIZED ACCESSORY WHEELS AND LT… |
| 14V475000 | Equipment:Other:Labels | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2014 FJ Cruiser and Tacoma vehicles equipped with accessory wheels and tires installed by Toyota or dealers prior to the vehicle's first sale. The affected vehicles may list incorrect spare tire size and/or cold tire inflation information on the tire placard. |
| 13V337000 | Seat Belts | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Tacoma Access Cab vehicles manufactured September 14, 2004, through March 29, 2010; and model year 2011 Tacoma Access Cab vehicles manufactured July 1, 2010, through September 7, 2011. If the access doors are repeatedly and forcefully closed, the screws that attach the seat belt pre-tensioner to the seat belt… |
| 13V123000 | Equipment:Other:Labels | Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota… |
| 13V014000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module-Inactive | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013… |
| 14V743000 | Seats:Front Assembly:Seat Heater/Cooler | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a pickup of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,950
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Suspension60 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Exterior Lighting32 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
- Electrical System22 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Structure21 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Air Bags17 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Steering17 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
Other Toyota Tacoma years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Toyota Tacoma?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Suspension (60 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 Toyota Tacoma a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 79/100, computed from 186 NHTSA complaints and 9 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 Toyota Tacoma's most common problem?
60 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 Toyota Tacoma sit in the Suspension group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle: about 4.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $780–$1,580 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2011 Toyota Tacoma cost to run per year?
About $5,675 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $28,375 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2011 Toyota Tacoma have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 9 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Toyota Tacoma, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 02/06/2016. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other pickups of about the same age.
What will a 2011 Toyota Tacoma really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 186 complaints, 9 recalls on record
- 186 NHTSA complaints on record (12.4/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (16.7/yr)
- 9 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems