FaultScore

2008 Toyota Tacoma fuel system problems

13 of the 558 complaints about the 2008 Toyota Tacoma are about the fuel system — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 137,062 miles.

A

13

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Fuel/Propulsion System 11 84.6%
Fuel System, Gasoline 2 15.4%

Fuel & Propulsion across every Toyota Tacoma year

2003 22 6.2%
2004 25 7.0%
2005 11 3.1%
2006 16 4.5%
2007 13 3.7%
2008 13 3.7%
2012 52 14.6%
2016 14 3.9%
2017 26 7.3%
2018 65 18.3%
2019 75 21.1%
2020 23 6.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 199,875 miles Monroe, GA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

RUNAWAY VEHICLE REPORTED FRIDAY, 04/24/2020. HAPPENED AGAIN FRIDAY 05/01/2020, AND TODAY 05/04/2020. SIX TIMES NOW I HAVE REPORTED. FRIDAY AND TODAY I WAS BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. STARTED UP, HAD FOOT ON BRAKE, PUT IN REVERSE, AND THROTTLE WENT WIDE OPEN. TURNED SWITCH OFF, PUT IN PARK, AND STARTED UP. ALL OK.THOUGHT A/C COMPRESSOR MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH ELECTRONICS, BUT A/C WAS OFF ON 05/01/20. I HAVE A ELECTRO / MECHANICS TECH DEGREE AND HAVE WORKED IN APPLIANCE SHOP OVER 15 YEARS. WORKED IN VEHICLE SHOPS OVER 25 YEARS. CURRENTLY SCHOOL BUS PARTS SPECIALIST FOR GWINNETT BOE. I KNOW FROM INTERNET THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT NOBODY WANTS TO FIX. I HAVE WRITTEN TO SENATOR, CONGRESSMAN, TOYOTA CORP AMERICA. THEY WANT TO BLAME PROBLEM ON FLOOR MATS. AT TIMES I DID NOT HAVE ANY MATS IN. LAST TWO TIME I HAD WEATHER TECH CUSTOM FIT HARD PLASTIC MATS IN VEHICLE. I CAN'T SELL AS-IS, AS I DO NOT WANT ANYONE TO GET KILLED IN IT.SO AS A TAX PAYING AMERICAN, I AM STUCK WITH WHAT EVERYONE KNOWS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT HAS KILLED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AND NO ONE CARES. MY WIFE HAS INFO ON REPORT FROM ELECTRONIC ENGINEER FIRM THAT WON CASES IN COURT. I TOLD HER WHEN I DIE IN ACCIDENT, FILE LAW SUIT AGAINST TOYOTA AND US GOVERNMENT AS THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD ABOUT THE PROBLEM. MY TRUCK WENT THREE YEARS WITHOUT DOING THIS. NOW HAS RUN AWAY THREE TIMES IN ONE WEEK! I COULD UPLOAD THE REPORT IF NEEDED, BUT YOU PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE SEVERAL COPIES.

NHTSA complaint #11323198 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 199,703 miles Monroe, GA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FORTH TIME. SAME SITUATION. WHILE CREEPING ALONG IN DRIVE, WITH FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL, A/C COMPRESSOR CLICKED ON, ENGINE RPM'S REVVED SLIGHTLY, THEN THROTTLE WENT FULL FORCE. TIRES STARTED SPINNING; BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD. HAD TO TURN IGNITION SWITCH OFF. TURN BACK ON AND ALL OK. GOVERNMENT KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH 2002-2011 TOYOTA'S, AND HAVE FINED THEM HEAVILY. THERE NEEDS TO BE A BRAKE OVERRIDE SYSTEM INSTALLED ON ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SO THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN. VERY DANGEROUS. AND IT DID NOT INVOLVE THE FLOOR MAT AS ONE WAS NOT IN VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #11321708 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 140,000 miles Missouri City, TX

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

DURING A 60MPH DRIVE OVER HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL BRIDGE MY VEHICLE START TO STALL MID INCLINE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PURSUED YIELDING PO171 & PO174. THIS HAS BEEN TROUBLE SOME AND FEAR OF POWER LOST DURING DRIVING. FUEL PRESSURE WAS CHECKED SEVERAL TIMES BUT FINALLY SEEN INTERMITTENT PRESSURE DROP BELOW 20PSI.. THE FUEL PUMP AND DRAINER HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND NOW HAVE DRIVEN 400+ MILES NO CEL. NOTE THE ATTACHMENT OEM REPLACEMENT KIT INFO. I AM CONCERNED OF REPEAT DANGER OF MAJOR STALL DURING DRIVERBILITY.

NHTSA complaint #11316862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 59,000 miles Sparta, WI

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE AT A FUEL STATION ADDING FUEL TO THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT ONCE THE FUEL GOT NEAR TO THE TOP, IT WOULD LEAK UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WHERE THE FUEL PIPE CONNECTED TO THE FUEL TANK. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE PIPE THAT CONNECTED TO THE TANK LEAKED AND THE ENTIRE FUEL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

NHTSA complaint #10985730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 156,000 miles Salt Lake City, UT

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, TURN, ON THE FREEWAY OR A NORMAL ROAD MY THROTTLE WILL GIVE OUT FOR .5-4 SECONDS. A FAILED THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY IS TO BLAME AND I'VE BEEN HEARING OF MORE AND MORE TACOMAS WITH IT. I'M WORRIED THAT ONE DAY I'LL BE TURNING AND WILL GET INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND WON'T BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE AND THEN WILL GET SLAMMED BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC

NHTSA complaint #10945354 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 148,000 miles Monroe, GA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I HAVE REPORTED THIS VEHICLE GOING FULL THROTTLE ON ITS OWN WITHIN A ONE YEAR PERIOD. YESTERDAY, I WAS AT TEXACO GAS STATION AT BOLD SPRINGS RD AND HWY 81 IN BOLD SPRINGS, GA. FILLED UP GAS TANK, STARTED ENGINE, HAD FOOT ON BRAKE, PUT IN DRIVE, AND THROTTLE WENT WIDE OPEN, SPINNING REAR TIRE. I SHUT IGNITION KEY OFF AND RE-STARTED. PROBLEM CORRECTED ITSELF. I HAVE AN ELECTRO-MECHANICAL TECHNICAL DEGREE, AND AM CURRENTLY A PARTS SPECIALIST FOR GWINNETT COUNTY SCHOOL BUS SHOP. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE IS IN THE ECM AS IT CONTROLS THE THROTTLE. I INTEND ON WRITING MY CONGRESSMAN AND SENATOR, COPYING TOYOTA DEALER IN STONE MOUNTAIN, GA AND THEIR CORPORATE OFFICE IN CALIFORNIA. THE LAST E-MAIL I RECEIVED FROM YOU ON INCIDENT # 10817501, STATED; "EVERY COMPLAINT IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY, REVIEWED IN DETAIL AND ANALYZED FOR DEFECTS TRENDS. YOUR COMPLAINT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT HELPS TO INFORM NHTSA, OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS AND MANUFACTURERS ABOUT POTENTIAL SAFETY CONCERNS. SUCH INFORMATION HELPS SAVE LIVES, AND WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO SHARE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV WITH YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND OTHERS IN YOUR COMMUNITY." I HAVE YET TO SEE ANYTHING HAPPEN TO SAVE LIVES. THIS VEHICLE IS STILL ON RECALL FROM 09/2014 FOR LEAF SPRINGS BREAKING AND PUNCTURING FUEL TANK. PARTS ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE FROM DEALER. I KNOW TOYOTA HAS GONE BEFORE CONGRESS MORE THAN ONCE ON 2002 - 2011 VEHICLES RUNNING OUT OF CONTROL, AND PAID $4.3 BILLION IN FINES. HOW DO I GET SOME OF THAT MONEY TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE?

NHTSA complaint #10851027 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 34,000 miles Kahului, HI Crash

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION TO FULL THROTTLE WHILE IN DRIVE.

NHTSA complaint #10778552 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 140,000 miles Jackson, MO

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED A FUEL ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS SHIFTED, A BURNING ODOR EMITTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CLUTCH FAILED TO SWITCH GEARS INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATING AS DESIGNED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA complaint #10764131 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 134,125 miles Monroe, GA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

WHILE MOVING AT IDLE IN A PARKING LOT, LOOKING FOR SPACE TO PARK, A/C COMPRESSOR TURNED ON. ECU RAISED ENGINE RPMS THE NORMAL 200+- RPMS. IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS, ENGINE WENT TO FULL THROTTLE. STOOD UP ON BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET. REAR TIRES WERE SPINNING AND SMOKING. BEGAN TO MOVE FASTER THAN ORIGINALLY. TURNED OFF IGNITION SWITCH, PUT IN PARK. RESTARTED AND NO PROBLEMS SINCE THEN. BELIEVE SOMETHING CONFUSED ECU WHEN RPMS WERE RAISED TO COMPENSATE A/C COMPRESSOR ENGAGING.

NHTSA complaint #10695332 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 87,000 miles Weatherford, TX

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE TACOMA TRUCK STARTED ACCELERATING REDLINING THE BRAKES HELD BUT FELT MUSHY I TURNED CAR OFF. I TURNED ON HEATER COMPRESSOR BUTTON WAS ON. I HAD IT TOWED TO TOYOTA FORT WORTH WHERE THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AS IT STARTED ACCELERATING WHILE BRAKING.

NHTSA complaint #10672602 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 55,000 miles Dover, NH

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

INITIALLY BEGAN OCCURRING ON HIGHWAY OFF-RAMPS THAT CURVED IN AN ARC. ACCELERATOR WOULD DIE AND NOT RESPOND TO BEING PUSHED DOWN. ENGINE WOULD NOT EVEN REV. LOSS OF FORWARD MOMENTUM WOULD LAST 5-9 SECONDS AND CAUSE TRAILING VEHICLES TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION. ACCELERATOR WOULD THEN RETURN TO BEING RESPONSIVE, AND ENGINE WOULD REV WHEN ACCELERATOR PRESSED, AND SPEED INCREASE ONCE AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED 4 TIMES OVER A SPAN OF 25000 MILES; 3 TIMES WHEN TURNING TOWARDS LEFT ON A RAMP, AND THEN ONCE WHEN TURNING TOWARDS RIGHT ON A TRAFFIC CIRCLE. IN MID DEC 2012, ISSUE AGAIN OCCURRED WHILE PASSING A VEHICLE ON A STRAIGHTAWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH. ACCELERATOR BECAME NON-RESPONSIVE, AND SPEED DROPPED, WHILE IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE DURING PASSING MANEUVER. IN FEB 2013, ISSUE OCCURRED WHILE TURNING LEFT NINETY DEGREES, IN MID-TURN, FROM A FULL STOP AT A T-INTERSECTION. HAVE SPOKEN TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER, WHO CONTACTED TOYOTA USA REGIONAL OFFICE IN MANSFIELD MA, AND WAS TOLD THAT TOYOTA "WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT HAD CHOSEN NOT TO ISSUE A SERVICE BULLETIN ON IT AT THIS TIME".

NHTSA complaint #10505406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hurst, TX

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

MY 08 TOYOTA TACOMA 4X4 THAT I PURCHASE ON 3/5/08 HAS HAD A THROTTLE AND STEERING PROBLEM FROM THE DAY I PURCHASE IT. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN CHECKED BY FREEMAN TOYOTA OF HURST, TX SEVERAL TIMES AND TOYOTA OF IRVING. TOYOTA OF IRVING CALLED IN A FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE, WHO ALSO CHECKED AND DROVE IT. ALL TELLING ME THE TRUCK WAS PROGRAMMED TO ACT THE WAY IT WAS PERFORMING. ON 12/05/08 I FILLED A COMPLAINT WITH NCDS, CASE# 6008198. THE ARBITRATION RESULTS BETWEEN TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, U.S.A., INC., GULF STATES TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, INC. HOUSTON, TX AND MYSELF, WAS, "THE VEHICLE IS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED." MY TOYOTA TACOMA STILL DOES NOT RESPOND TO THE DRIVER, BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY RECALLS ON MY 2008 TACOMA 4X4.

NHTSA complaint #10312187 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 14,000 miles Springfield, VT

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

2008 TOYOTA TACOMA SPORT TRD 4X4 TRUCK. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65MPH AND WENT TO CHANGE LANES TO PASS AND THE ACCELERATOR SEEMED TO HAVE STUCK AND KEEP ACCELERATING EVEN KNOW I WASN'T PUSHING THE GAS & THE BRAKE FELT LIKE A WEIGHT NOT A NORMAL BRAKE PEDAL. THE TRUCK ALSO HAS HIGHER IDLE AT TIME OF AND HAS DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES BUT NOT ALL THE TIME. THE GARAGE CLAIMS THEY CAN'T FIND AN ISSUE AND THEY TELL YOU NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. THE CONSEQUENCES TO THIS FAILURE OR ACTION IS VARY DANGEROUS AS THE VEHICLE SEEMS UNCONTROLLABLE AND YOU COULDN'T SLOW IT, EVEN WHEN DOWN SHIFTING IT WOULD WIND OUT. IT LASTS ABOUT 1 MILE OR SO (SOMETIMES LONGER) AND THEN SEEMS TO GO BACK TO NORMAL. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT I HAVE ALREADY FILED FOR THE TOYOTA DISPUTE SETTLEMENT PROGRAM BUT HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING TO DATE, I FILED BECAUSE MY BRAND NEW TACOMA HAS MANY,MANY OTHER ISSUES AND NOBODY WILL HELP OR FIX IT BEING CERTIFIED TOYOTA DEALERSHIP/GARAGE OR THE CALIFORNIA TOYOTA CORP. THEY DON'T CARE 1 BIT AND CLAIM IT'S UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE GARAGE NEEDS TO TELL THEM WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT TO FIX IT. A MASSIVE HUGE RUN AROUND. I HAVE ALSO RESEARCHED THIS MYSELF AND IT SEEMS TO BE A GROWING PROBLEM AND HAVE A REPORTED 400+ CASES OF SIMILAR INSTANCES. TOYOTA DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR TRUCKS ANYMORE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE PEOPLE GET SERIOUSLY INJURED AND OR DIE FROM THIS ISSUE. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS TRUCK FOR SEVERAL REASONS AND THAT BEING THE MOST IMPORTANT 1. ALSO YOU CAN FIND MANY MANY MORE OTHERS THAT HAVE THIS ISSUE ON CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM UNDER TOYOTA RECALLS OR PROBLEMS. HAVE A LOOK. THE TRUCKS HAVE MAJOR ISSUES AND NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT IT. I WAS A LOYAL TOYOTA OWNER UNTIL ALL THIS. I HAD A 2003 TACOMA WITH VARY SIMILAR ISSUES AND SHOULD OF NEVER WENT BACK FOR MORE.

NHTSA complaint #10259233 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2008 Toyota Tacoma problems

← Full 2008 Toyota Tacoma report