With a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, four-stars overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one recall on file and just 48 complaints, the 2020 Toyota Tacoma is the most popular non-full-size truck in the US for good reason.
- The 2020 Toyota Tacoma has been included in just one recall thus far, for failing low-pressure fuel pumps.
- A handful of complaints have been registered for fidgety brakes, so make sure to run a thorough test drive.
- Various electrical problems likely point to rodents chewing through the soy-based wire coating.
- The Tacoma is famously reliable, commanding a loyal following and standing as the best-selling mid-size truck in the US.
- The Tacoma’s four-star crash test rating with the NHTSA is comprised of a five-star side rating, four stars for rollover, and four stars for frontal impact.
The 2020 Tacoma Was Included in a Massive Recall for Failing Fuel Pumps
Over one and a half million Toyotas were recalled in late 2020 over an issue concerning the low pressure fuel pump failing without warning. The low pressure fuel pump is the one that moves fuel from the tank to the engine, whereas the high pressure pump distributes the fuel into the combustion system.
The symptoms are about the same whether it’s the low pressure or high pressure fuel pump going on the fritz. You’re not getting any gas into the cylinders, so you’re going to get sputtering, stalling, and loss of locomotive power. At the least, that’s an inconvenience. At the worst, it’s an accident waiting to happen.
The recall covered dozens of Toyota makes and models, including 2017-2020 model Tacomas. The recall seems to have done its job, as fuel system complaints are scarce, but you’ll want to check the VIN of any used Toyota before you hand over any money.
If left unaddressed, failing fuel pumps may lead to long term damage. Running your engine with insufficient fuel distribution can result in debris making its way through the system and causing premature wear. So if the previous driver left the recall unchecked, you might want to shop around.
Fidgety Braking Has Been Reported in Small Numbers
A handful of drivers have reported a random assortment of braking issues in the 2020 Tacoma. One driver reports that the brakes locked up after they came to a stop, others report that the power assist may go out, forcing them to really lean into the pedal to bring the truck to a halt.
There are just eight complaints on file in total, which isn’t too many, but this is the biggest category for NHTSA complaints not related to the above-mentioned fuel pump recall. With only 48 complaints on file in total, 8 reports will be more than enough to qualify this as a leading issue.
Given that these braking issues are so varied, there’s no way of diagnosing a single root cause based only on the data available. That’s the catch-22 of a problem with a low rate of incidence: it’s unlikely to ever happen to you, but if it does, there’s not a lot of information to go on for how you should handle it.
Your best bet here is to simply run a thorough test drive before buying a used Tacoma. See how the brakes handle when you slow to a stop, see how they handle at a sudden halt, see how they handle on inclines and at various speeds. If you can’t solve the problem, you can at least avoid it.
Assortment of Electrical Glitches May Owe to Soy-Based Wire Coating
We’re seeing this a lot these days: a whole range of electrical issues are reported, everything from ignition delays to overheating phone chargers. The complaints are all over the place, with the only thing they have in common being that all of these problems are electrical.
When this occurs, it usually turns out to be the same thing in a Toyota as it is in a Honda, a Ford, a Chevrolet, or anything else: rats and mice are chewing through the soy-based coating used to protect and insulate the vehicle’s wiring.
Soy is cheap and easier on the environment than plastics, so as soon as someone figured out how to make a wire coating out of the stuff, automakers jumped on the opportunity and never looked back. Unfortunately, this makes your vehicle’s wiring delicious to rodents.
The best way to handle this issue is to test all of the electrical features when you take the Tacoma for a test drive, and, if you live in an area where pests are a concern, invest in a bottle of spray repellent. You can find this stuff at your local auto parts store, so pick some up next time you stop by.
Few Issues and Excellent Crash Test Ratings Make the 2020 Tacoma an Easy Pick
Your biggest concern with a Tacoma is going to be the previous owner. Some drivers like to buy compact and mid-size trucks and then drive them like full-size trucks, hauling larger loads than the truck is built to handle and taking years off the truck’s powertrain.
So, while the 2020 Tacoma comes with the highest possible recommendation, test drive and inspection are more important than usual. Feel the truck out, see how it performs on inclines, how it accelerates, and keep an ear open for any clunking, clanking, chugging and clicking.
If you can find a Tacoma in excellent shape, you might just have a mid-size truck that lasts you decades, just make sure you take some time to kick the tires.
