YearToAvoid

2018 Toyota Tacoma Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 29 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2018 Toyota Tacoma, 14% of its 206 total complaints for the year. Median mileage at failure was 5,825 miles, and there are no related recalls tied to this problem area.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
29
14% of 206
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
5,825 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Owners report hesitation or a delay of roughly a second when accelerating from a stop or from a coast before the transmission engages.
  • Multiple drivers describe abrupt downshifts into a lower gear during highway speeds, sometimes triggered by wind gusts, inclines, or overpasses, with RPMs spiking.
  • Some owners report the transmission surging or hunting between gears in the 40-50 mph range and getting stuck in a lower gear.
  • Several complaints describe shuddering, shaking, or vibration when accelerating at low speed, which owners suspected involved the torque converter.
  • Owners note the truck feels underpowered or loses pickup after a dealer-applied transmission software update.
  • A few drivers report hard, jerking downshifts when slowing from around 30-40 mph and then trying to accelerate again.

When 2018 Toyota Tacoma transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Jul 10, 2018, latest Nov 19, 2024.

2018 Toyota Tacoma transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month3Jul 2018Dec 2018Jun 2019Dec 2019Apr 2020Jan 2021Nov 2022
29 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2018 to Nov 2024; peak Nov 2018 (3).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2018 Toyota Tacoma

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Tacoma model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201025 (9%)
  2. 20118 (4%)
  3. 201235 (12%)
  4. 201322 (18%)
  5. 201413 (14%)
  6. 20159 (9%)
  7. 2016136 (42%)
  8. 201768 (28%)
  9. 201829 (14%)
  10. 201940 (18%)
  11. 202015 (17%)
  12. 202114 (18%)
  13. 202210 (17%)
  14. 20237 (13%)
  15. 202454 (36%)
  16. 202520 (20%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are transmission problems on the 2018 Toyota Tacoma?
NHTSA has 29 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2018 Tacoma, which is 14% of all 206 complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2018 Toyota Tacoma transmission?
No. NHTSA lists no related recalls tied to this transmission & powertrain problem area for the 2018 Tacoma.
At what mileage do 2018 Tacoma transmission problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 5,825 miles, suggesting many owners noticed issues early in ownership.
What kind of transmission issues do 2018 Tacoma owners report?
Owners describe hesitation from a stop, abrupt or hard downshifts, surging between 40-50 mph, and shuddering during low-speed acceleration.
Did any 2018 Tacoma transmission complaints involve crashes or injuries?
No. NHTSA data shows 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries among the transmission & powertrain complaints for this year.

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.