Home › Cars › Toyota › Tacoma › 2010
2010 Toyota Tacoma problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2010 Toyota Tacoma. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 17% of relevant complaints.
Better than 91% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 49 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 14%).
Does the 2010 Toyota Tacoma have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 42 of 245 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2010 Toyota Tacoma concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (17%). For comparison, the 2011 scores 11%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2010 compares with other Toyota Tacoma years
Of the 14 Toyota Tacoma years with enough complaints to score, the 2010 is the 2nd-best on engine and transmission share (17%). The worst is the 2012 (65%), the best the 2011 (11%). By volume, the 2010 drew 294 complaints (42 drivetrain), against 186 for the 2011.
Toyota Tacoma years to avoid and best years →
2010 · 2011 Tacoma problems · 2012 Tacoma problems · 2013 Tacoma problems · 2014 Tacoma problems · 2015 Tacoma problems · 2016 Tacoma problems · 2017 Tacoma problems · 2018 Tacoma problems · 2019 Tacoma problems · 2020 Tacoma problems · 2021 Tacoma problems · 2022 Tacoma problems · 2023 Tacoma problems
The rest of the picture on the 2010 Toyota Tacoma
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2010 Toyota Tacoma said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 42 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2010 Toyota Tacoma powertrain recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2010 Toyota Tacoma involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 13 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 TOYOTA TACOMA PICKUP TRUCKS. THE PROPELLER SHAFT MAY DEVELOP CRACKS DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. OVER TIME, THE CRACKS MAY EVENTUALLY LEAD TO THE SEPARATION OF THE PROPELLER SHAFT.
Risk: THIS MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FRONT PROPELLER SHAFT ON AFFECTED VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 22, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
12 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2010 Toyota Tacoma? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.Questions people ask about the 2010 Toyota Tacoma
Does the 2010 Toyota Tacoma have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 42 of 245 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2010 Toyota Tacoma concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (17%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.
What is the most common problem with the 2010 Toyota Tacoma?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2010 Toyota Tacoma is suspension: 95 of 294 complaints (32%) name it, followed by vehicle speed control (34) and structure (30). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 17% of the relevant total.
Is the 2010 Toyota Tacoma reliable?
On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 17% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 91% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Toyota Tacoma years we score, it ranks 2nd-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2010 Toyota Tacoma?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2010 Toyota Tacoma involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 13 in total: 10V042000 (power train: driveline: driveshaft). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Toyota Tacoma years are better?
Among the Toyota Tacoma years we track, the 2011 (11%) has a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2010 (17%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/toyota-tacoma
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.