2019 Toyota Tacoma — Known Issues & Recalls

Your engine is making an abnormal clattering sound and misfiring, and your check engine light is on. Multiple mechanics found that the fuel injector in cylinder #3 has failed, while the dealer diagnosed a complete engine failure. The issue started at around 89,000 miles and persists even after restarting the vehicle. Fixing this will likely require replacing the fuel injector or possibly the entire engine, depending on the extent of the damage.

Your 2019 Tacoma had a defective fuel pump that was recalled by Toyota in October 2020, but your truck wasn't repaired until June 2022 — during those 581 days, the bad pump caused the engine to run too lean with excessively high temperatures. This led to metallic debris and a damaged piston pin in cylinder 6, requiring a complete engine replacement at a cost of $21,000. Two Toyota dealerships confirmed the engine damage was linked to the recall defect, but Toyota has refused to cover any repair costs. The fix will require complete engine replacement or a long-block engine rebuild.

Your engine block may have a defect. While this hasn't caused a crash or fire, an engine block issue typically requires professional diagnosis to determine if repair or replacement is necessary.

Your engine's timing cover gasket is leaking, which you first noticed at 70,000 miles. This gasket seals the front of your engine and prevents oil from leaking out. You'll need to have the timing cover gasket replaced to stop the leak and prevent potential engine damage.

Your brake master cylinder is leaking fluid inside your cabin, which is a serious safety problem that could cause brake failure. You've shown Toyota evidence that your truck has the same issue covered under their recall, but they refused to help because of your truck's assembly date—even though Toyota can't track which parts were used for which dates. The repair will require replacing the brake master cylinder, which costs around $1,600 to $2,000 out of pocket since your warranty expired.

Your brake pedal started dripping brake fluid inside the cabin, and you experienced a loss of power when braking. A Toyota dealership diagnosed the problem as a failed brake master cylinder. There were no warning lights or messages before the brake power loss occurred.

Your brake fluid is leaking inside the cab near the brake pedal area. The leak appears to be coming from the brake master cylinder and actuator, and you may notice drips of fluid on the vehicle floor. This is a brake system issue that should be inspected and repaired promptly, likely involving replacement or repair of the brake master cylinder and seals.

Your truck's rear cabin pressure vent seals have deteriorated, allowing rainwater to leak into the back of your cabin. You may notice a mildew odor and potential mold growth inside the vehicle. Your dealer confirmed the seals are faulty and need replacement, which involves removing and resealing the affected vent areas.

Your 2019 Tacoma's paint is chipping and peeling off in multiple areas across the body panels, exposing the primer and metal underneath. While Toyota has acknowledged this issue in some repair programs, your truck's affected areas may not be covered. Over time, exposed metal can rust and corrode, potentially affecting the truck's appearance and structural integrity. The repair will likely involve stripping the affected paint and repainting those body panels.

Your fuel pump failed while driving on the highway at speed, nearly causing a collision. Toyota replaced the first pump under recall, but the replacement pump has now failed as well at just 36,000 miles. You've had to pay out of pocket for the second replacement, though Toyota has been found responsible for reimbursement in a related class action lawsuit. The repair will involve removing and replacing the fuel pump assembly inside the fuel tank.

Water leaked into your truck's cab through the third brake light assembly, soaking the ceiling, seats, and carpet, which caused extensive mold growth and electrical damage. This damage affected critical electrical components including the engine control module, making the vehicle unsafe to drive or occupy and creating a serious health hazard. The dealer inspected the truck and estimated over $8,000 in repairs, and this same defect was supposed to be covered under a Toyota recall campaign that was active when your truck was at the dealership but was never performed. Fixing this will likely require replacing the third brake light seal, removing and treating all contaminated interior materials, addressing electrical corrosion, and potentially replacing damaged electrical components.

You were driving at 60 MPH when you swerved to avoid another vehicle, went over a guardrail, and crashed into an embankment. Your side curtain airbags deployed as intended, but your front driver-side airbag did not deploy during the crash. You felt sore in the days following the accident. Toyota has been notified of the airbag failure. The airbag system may need to be completely replaced or the airbag control module may need to be repaired or replaced to restore proper deployment.

Your transmission cooling line wasn't installed by the repair shop after your accident, which caused your transmission to fail just 1.5 hours after you picked up the vehicle — while you were driving on the highway with no warning signs. The dealership confirmed the failure, and the repair shop has acknowledged responsibility for missing this critical installation. The transmission will likely need to be replaced or completely rebuilt, and the entire cooling system may need inspection to prevent future failures.

Water leaked into your rear passenger cabin through defective rear vent assemblies with faulty seals. The dealer estimates $15,153 to fix it because they need to remove your truck bed and replace all carpeting due to suspected mold damage, though you've requested just the vents be replaced instead. Toyota hasn't issued any warnings about this water intrusion issue or provided inspection guidance in the owner's manual. Fixing just the two vents requires removing the truck bed, which makes the repair labor-intensive and costly.

Water leaks into your cabin through the rear pressure vent during rain, making the vehicle unsafe to drive in wet conditions. You took it to the dealer but the warranty claim was denied because Toyota considers this a trim issue rather than a defect. Water intrusion into the cabin could pose safety and health risks if this problem affects other drivers with the same vehicle.

Your mechanic says your steering rack needs to be replaced for safety reasons, even though your truck only has 29,000 miles and hasn't been driven in harsh conditions. The repair costs about $2,200, and you're concerned this might be a defect affecting multiple vehicles that could happen again soon. A steering rack replacement typically involves removing the old rack assembly and installing a new one to restore proper steering control.

Your truck's rear leaf springs have flattened and curved backward, causing the rear end to sag excessively. With as little as 100 pounds of cargo in the truck bed, the suspension bottoms out, which can make the vehicle harder to control and keep straight on the road. This suspension failure needs prompt repair to restore proper handling and safety.

Your air conditioning system has stopped working, and your defroster can no longer clear moisture from your windshield—a safety issue in cold or humid weather. The problem is a corroded evaporator core that's leaking refrigerant, causing the AC to blow warm air instead of cold air. This is a known issue affecting many Tacoma owners (Toyota even issued a Technical Service Bulletin about it), but there's no recall. Fixing this typically requires replacing the evaporator core, which is an expensive repair.

Your check engine light turned on while driving and came back on multiple times even after you replaced air filters and added fuel injector cleaner. The dealership diagnosed a fuel injector problem and replaced it, but the check engine light returned with a different error code, and they're now suggesting the issue might be in the cylinder or engine itself. The repair may involve diagnostic testing to identify the root cause, followed by component repair or replacement depending on what's found.

Your fuel gauge needle is stuck on empty and your dashboard warning message keeps telling you to refuel, even after you've filled up the tank multiple times. The mechanic found no error codes in your truck's computer system. The issue likely involves a faulty fuel gauge sender unit or a damaged gauge cluster that needs to be repaired or replaced.