Engine developed a loud knock while under normal driving conditions at 61,000 miles. Oil was changed every 5k miles since new. Dealer says my oil rings on piston skirt have failed and heavy scoring on cylinder #5 Replaced short block under my aftermarket warranty. Toyota refused to cover it because I was 1k miles over factory warranty
The worst 2021 Toyota Tacoma problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine14
- Transmission14
- Driver assistance13
- Brakes12
- Electrical9
- Fuel system9
- Airbags7
- Body6
- Acceleration5
- Seats3
- Steering3
- Suspension3
- Tires3
- Seat belts2
- Visibility1
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2021 Toyota Tacoma
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 2021 Toyota Tacoma 165
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Toyota has received some reports of paint peeling along the exterior door window frames and front inner...
- Customer Support Program 23TE08 Paint Repair Process
- Structure: body
- Obsolete notice
- Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System...
- Condition in which a musty odor is present
- Toyota has received some reports of paint peeling along the exterior door window frames, front inner...
- Technical instructions for customer support program 23TE08 coverage for paint peeling on exterior door...
- Customer Support Program 23TE08 Paint Repair Process Job Aid
- To assist with the early detection and early resolution of audio related concerns you may be asked to...
2021 Toyota Tacoma fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6‑cyl | RWD | 19 | 24 | 21 |
| 2.7L 4‑cyl | RWD | 20 | 23 | 21 |
| 3.5L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 17-18 | 20-22 | 18-20 |
| 2.7L 4‑cyl | 4WD | 19 | 22 | 20 |
What 2021 Toyota Tacoma owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Driving in town 30 to 40mph, (while in drive) the vehicle rev’d up like it was in neutral then went back to normal. That is concerning because it will cause transmission problems & pulling onto a road the truck could shift to (neutral) causing it to not go.
The cabin air pressure vents behind the back seat are leaking letting water into the vehicle. The seals have dried up. It's causing a moldy smell in the vehicle.
Having two issues major issues that’s causing me a $10,000 bill. The timing cover is leaking and there is a coolant bypass hose that is leaking. I have spend a lot of maintenance on this truck on maintaining it to have to remove the engine. As for the forward collision warning ive had it go off multiple times witout a vehicle there. While in cruise control ive had it unexpectedly break on me when there was no visible vehicle infront or next to me.
Brake master cylinder is leaking in the interior of truck on driver side floor mat. Oil is come from brake master cylinder seal.
The Multi-Information Display (MID) on the instrument cluster (combination meter) has failed completely. The display shows full-width horizontal RGB scan lines across the entire screen with no readable information. The analog gauges (speedometer and tachometer) remain functional but all digital display information is unavailable including speed, warnings, fuel economy data, and safety system status indicators. This failure occurred suddenly with no prior warning. Vehicle has approximately 50,000 miles. I am aware that Toyota issued Safety Recall 25V595 in September 2025 covering the identical combination meter failure on 2023-2025 model year Tacomas and other Toyota vehicles. The root cause identified in that recall — accelerated deterioration of the memory device inside the combination meter due to improper programming — appears to be the same failure mechanism present in my 2021 model year vehicle. I am filing this complaint to formally document that this known defect extends to 2021 model year Tacoma vehicles and to request that the federal safety agency investigate expanding recall 25V595 to include earlier model years. Toyota should be required to repair or replace the combination meter on affected 2021 vehicles at no cost to owners, consistent with the remedy already established for 2023-2025 vehicles. A Toyota case has been opened with the Brand Engagement Center at [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Digital instrument panel speedometer screen has gone blank. No longer displays speed. This occurred while driving the vehicle.
About a month ago the Blind spot monitoring system failed, dealer said $2500.00 to repair, about 10 days ago, backup sonar parking system failed, dealer cost to repair $2200.00
The plastic coolant crossover valve or pipe failed at 66,000 miles and 5 years of usage. This led to the radiator cracking. After researching online, I read about thousands of Tacoma 3rd generation users with the same issue. Also, the same issue was recalled for several other models of Toyotas but not the Tacoma.
After I purchased my 2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport with 4 miles on it and at 1,332 miles on 11/26/21, the Check Engine light with Traction Control Off light came on while I was driving. I immediately pulled over and on the truck media screen it read this: "A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle or automatic transmission has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer and have your vehicle inspected." The truck was rough idling and had no acceleration. I had the truck towed to dealership where it was purchased and upon diagnostic, it was determined that #3-cylinder injector was reading "Open Circuit" with code P020313. Being under warranty the dealership repaired the bad injector. No further issues until 4/22/26. On 4/22/26 with mileage at 48,361, I started my truck in my driveway and immediately recognized that the truck was rough idling and the Check Engine Light along with the Traction Control Light Off being on. The exact same message displayed on the screen as above, "A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle or automatic transmission has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer and have your vehicle inspected.". The truck was towed back to the same dealership and upon diagnostic the same issue of #3-cylinder injector "open circuit" with code P020313 was revealed. It was recommended to replace the bad #3-cylinder injector and also recommended to go ahead and replace all of the spark plugs. The total repair bill we be ~$2600 when I go to pick it up in 3 days. This is not just a coincidence that the exact same #3-cylinder injector has gone bad at 1,332 miles and then again at 48,361 miles. Seems to be a connection between the injector going bad and the issues that they have had with the High Pressure Fuel Pumps. Toyota needs to acknowledge this problem.
Compare the 2021 Toyota Tacoma
Tacoma vs Ford RangerTacoma vs Chevrolet ColoradoTacoma vs Nissan FrontierTacoma vs Honda RidgelineTacoma vs GMC CanyonTacoma vs Jeep Gladiator
Other model years
19951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Questions about the 2021 Toyota Tacoma
Is the 2021 Toyota Tacoma reliable?
Owners have filed 81 complaints about the 2021 Toyota Tacoma, fewer than a typical Tacoma model year.
What is the 2021 Toyota Tacoma year score?
The 2021 Toyota Tacoma scores 84 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Toyota Tacoma: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Toyota Tacoma?
Engine and cooling, with 14 complaints. Next is transmission (14).
How many recalls does the 2021 Toyota Tacoma have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the Toyota Tacoma have bad engine?
The Toyota Tacoma model years with the most engine complaints are 2012 (124 complaints), 2016 (47 complaints) and 2006 (45 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2021 Toyota Tacoma get?
Official estimates for the 2021 Toyota Tacoma range from 18 to 21 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.5L 6-cyl, RWD) gets 19 city and 24 highway.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2021 Toyota Tacoma?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history