2016 Toyota Tacoma Engine Problems
NHTSA lists 53 engine complaints for the 2016 Toyota Tacoma, 16% of all 323 complaints filed for the year, with median failure mileage at 14,738. A related recall (17V356000) covers a faulty crank position sensor on six-cylinder engines.
- Engine complaints
- 53
- 16% of 323
- Crashes reported
- 0
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 14,738 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical engine symptoms owners report
- Owners report chirping, clicking, or grinding engine noises that come and go, sometimes accompanied by a loss of power in four-wheel drive.
- Coolant crossover pipes and rear coolant bypass joints are described as leaking, in some cases requiring partial engine disassembly.
- Some owners report leaking timing chain covers that required a full front-end teardown to fix.
- Several owners describe the engine failing to start on the first attempt, needing multiple tries, sometimes recurring several times within a few days.
- Owners tied stalling and stuttering symptoms to the crank position sensor covered by recall 17V356000, and reported delays getting the recall repair completed.
- One owner described oil seepage from the engine block attributed to a manufacturing defect in the block seal.
When 2016 Toyota Tacoma engine complaints were filed
First complaint Feb 2, 2016, latest Oct 14, 2025.
Engine recalls for the 2016 Toyota Tacoma
- NHTSA 17V356000Jun 1, 2017Engine31,824 vehicles
Engine
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Tacoma vehicles equipped with a six-cylinder engine. The affected vehicles have a crank position sensor that may malfunction, potentially resulting in an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crank position sensor with an improved design, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0H.
Engine complaints by Tacoma model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many engine complaints does NHTSA have for the 2016 Toyota Tacoma?
- NHTSA lists 53 engine complaints for the 2016 Tacoma, which is 16% of the 323 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there an engine recall on the 2016 Toyota Tacoma?
- Yes. Recall 17V356000 covers 2016-2017 Tacoma trucks with a six-cylinder engine whose crank position sensor may malfunction; Toyota replaces the sensor with an improved design free of charge.
- At what mileage do 2016 Tacoma engine problems typically show up?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 14,738 at the time engine failures were reported.
- Were there any crashes, fires, or injuries linked to these engine complaints?
- No. NHTSA records show 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries associated with the 2016 Tacoma engine complaints.
- How does the 2016 Tacoma compare to other years for engine complaints?
- The 2016 Tacoma's engine complaints make up 16% of its total complaints, close to nearby years like 2017 (19%) and 2018 (19%), and well below 2012's 46% share.