YearToAvoid

2010 Toyota Tacoma Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2010 Toyota Tacoma has a complaint index of 65 and ranks 8th worst out of 21 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Owners logged 294 complaints and 13 recalls, with Suspension, Wheels & Tires the top problem area at 34% of complaints.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
65/100
#8 of 21 Tacoma years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
294
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
13
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
10
reported in complaints
Fires
7
Injuries
9
Top issue
Suspension, Wheels & Tires
Best nearby year
2013
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18
17 city / 21 hwy
Injuries / deaths
9 / 0

Top 2010 Toyota Tacoma problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Suspension, Wheels & Tires100 (34%)
  2. Engine40 (14%)
  3. Electrical System31 (11%)
  4. Structure & Body30 (10%)
  5. Other29 (10%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain29 (10%)
  7. Brakes23 (8%)
  8. Steering19 (6%)
  9. Airbags16 (5%)
  10. Seat Belts9 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Some drivers report the vehicle would not slow down or stop properly when the brake pedal was applied, leading to low-speed collisions.
  • Owners describe spongy brake pedal feel after dealer work on the brake override system, followed by reduced stopping power.
  • Daytime running light bulbs reportedly overheated and burned through the lens, cracking the housing and requiring headlight assembly replacement.
  • Clutch problems appeared repeatedly on one vehicle within the first few thousand miles, with owners noting a burning smell and repeated shop visits.
  • Frontal airbags reportedly failed to deploy in a head-on crash even though side airbags deployed.
  • Anti-lock brakes reportedly failed to provide adequate stopping power during a hard brake application, resulting in a crash.
2010 Toyota Tacoma complaints: complaints filed per quarter162009 Q42012 Q12014 Q12016 Q12018 Q12020 Q22023 Q12025 Q1
294 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2010 Q1 (16).

2010 Toyota Tacoma recalls

13 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V396000Jun 2, 2016Structure & Body7,749 vehicles

    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 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

    Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.

  2. NHTSA 14V743000Nov 19, 2014Structure & Body3,233 vehicles

    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 which may damage the seat heater wiring.

    Risk: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.

  3. NHTSA 14V604000Sep 29, 2014Suspension, Wheels & Tires710,711 vehicles

    Suspension:rear:springs:leaf spring assembly:leaf

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Toyota Tacoma Pre-Runner and 4x4 vehicles manufactured September 14, 2009, to October 11, 2010. In the affected vehicles, one of the leaf springs may fracture due to stress or corrosion. While being driven, the broken leaf could move out of position and contact surrounding components including the fuel tank, possibly puncturing the tank and causing a fuel leak.

    Risk: If the fuel tank leaks fuel from being punctured, there is an increased risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and dealers will install new rear leaf spring assemblies. The recall began on January 29, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

See all 13 recalls for the 2010 Toyota Tacoma →

2010 Toyota Tacoma fuel economy and fuel cost

City
17 MPG
Highway
21 MPG
Combined
18 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2010 compared with other Tacoma years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2008Avoid804461118
2009Avoid955191318
2010Caution652941318
2011Caution35186918.5
2012Caution55295719

All Toyota Tacoma years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Toyota Tacoma reliable?
NHTSA data shows a complaint index of 65 for the 2010 Tacoma, ranking it 8th worst among 21 model years, with a Caution verdict. Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints make up 34% of all reported issues.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Toyota Tacoma?
The top problem area is Suspension, Wheels & Tires (34% of complaints), followed by Engine (14%) and Electrical System (11%), which includes daytime running light failures.
Does the 2010 Toyota Tacoma have recalls?
NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns for the 2010 Tacoma, covering areas including Structure & Body, Suspension, Airbags, and Seat Belts.
How does the 2010 Tacoma compare to other Tacoma years?
The 2010 model's complaint index of 65 is lower than 2006-2009 (all rated Avoid with indexes of 80-95) but higher than 2011-2015 and most years after 2016, which score better.
What is the fuel economy of the 2010 Toyota Tacoma?
EPA rates the 2010 Tacoma at 18 mpg combined (17 city / 21 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,600.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.