Transmission, brake, and quality issues make up some of the 2015 Tacoma’s NHTSA complaints. It has four moderate recalls, too, with two launched over incorrect load and tire labels. More serious is an open investigation into a faulty airbag sensor.
Key Points
- Out of its four National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recalls for the 2015 Toyota Tacoma, two relate to the potential for vehicle hood scoops to detach and fall off, causing a road hazard.
- An ongoing investigation regarding failed airbags points at faulty sensors that may not deploy the passenger airbag in a crash.
- Many 2015 Toyota Tacoma owners complain of failed brakes and unwanted acceleration.
- The 2015 model has also received consumer complaints about quality issues like water seepage, whistling noises from loose panels, and premature rusting.
2015 Toyota Tacoma has Four Recalls that Include Incorrectly Installed Accessories and Mislabeled Stickers
As per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), two of the 2015 Toyota Tacoma’s four recalls are for incorrectly installed vehicle accessories like running boards and hood scoops. Improperly tightened fasteners may cause vehicle accessories to become loose and even fall off while driving and become a serious road hazard.
The potential problem affects accessories installed by Southeast Toyota dealers on certain 2011-2016 Tacoma trucks equipped with running boards and/or hood scoops. Toyota is rectifying the issue by inspecting and tightening affected fasteners.
Incorrect Tire and Load Labels Could Potentially Lead to Vehicle Damage
The additional two recalls are for mislabeled stickers. Some 2015 Tacomas may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. This lot also fails to follow federal motor vehicle safety standards. If not rectified, owners might overload their trucks and cause damage to the suspension.
The other sticker recall is for incorrect tire placard information on 2015 Tacomas equipped with TRD accessories. Since 2015 was the first year for the TRD trim, sticker information was not updated.
The trucks equipped with TRD Pro accessory tires and wheels are meatier than the stock ones. But the tire placard sticker still has the stock-tire inflation information. This can result in improper inflation of tires, and an increased risk of a crash. Toyota is sending affected owners a revised tire placard.
One Open NHTSA Investigation Follows Many Complaints of Non-deployment of Airbags in a Crash
The 2015 Toyota Tacoma has one open NHTSA investigation launched in 2019 over the non-deployment of airbags. The investigation has determined that faulty airbag sensors may prevent deployment of the required airbags and other safety restraints during a crash.
Electrical overstress of a component that monitors signals from crash sensors is suspected to be the cause of the airbag deployment problem in the 2015 Tacomas. There is still no concrete idea on what exactly causes the overstress.
2015 Tacoma Owners Complain of Unintended Acceleration, Poor Finish, and Rodent Menace
The 2015 Toyota Tacoma currently has just under 70 consumer complaints registered with the NHTSA. Many owners report experiencing involuntary acceleration. This is mostly seen with trucks equipped with automatic transmissions. Even with brakes applied in Drive, the RPM suddenly increases and the vehicle plunges forward.
There have also been reported instances of limping when on full throttle. This is because of faulty gas pedal sensors and electronic control units. There are a total of nine complaints on malfunctioning brakes that have been traced back to faulty brake actuators and master cylinders.
A fair bunch of 2015 Tacoma owners are not happy with the fit-and-finish levels. The majority of these issues are water seeping into the cabin from the front windshield because of wiper blade cowls getting loose over time. This causes water to soak the cabin air filter and also drip onto the wiring harness.
Rodent menace is another issue that plagues many 2015 Tacoma owners. Toyota’s plan on going green with soy-based wire insulation is the reason. Also, the usage of rice husks for interior trimming has made it a treat for rodents.
Despite Some Problems, the 2015 Toyota Tacoma is a Capable Pickup Truck with Impressive Reliability Ratings
Toyota Tacoma is an off-road-ready compact pickup with a good track run for reliability. Just four recalls for the 2015 Tacoma that sold close to 180,000 units is a testimony of Toyota’s reliability quotient.
The most serious problems with the 2015 Tacoma are over an issue with non-deployment of airbags in a crash. However, the issue is currently being investigated to find a remedy.
All other issues are easy to detect and cheaper on the wallet. Most complaints are being catered to and only a fraction of the 2015 Tacomas have any sort of issues. The 2015 Toyota Tacoma makes for a great used truck, but make sure to check for transmission issues and avoid trucks with over 150,000 miles on the odometer.
Photos: Toyota
