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8.9

pretty bad
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
2,540 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2009 Toyota Tacoma transmission problems

transmission problem

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2009 Toyota Tacoma Owner Comments (Page 1 of 3)

problem #44

Jul 202010

Tacoma 4WD 6-cyl

  • 29,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I have a 2009 Toyota Tacoma and when the vehicle is stopped for example at a red light the vehicle RPM will increase and the vehicle will then lurch forward. Fortunately my foot in on the brake. The vehicle also has a whining noise from the rear of the vehicle that has been identified by Toyota regional reps as a whining noise from the differential at 50 to 70 mph. Taken back 3 times to dealer they say its normal but I know it is not. These may be 2 separate issues but it is clear that Toyota makes it difficult for it's customers to get warranty repairs and in acknowledging a problem. Toyota should be ashamed for its lack of customer service in fixing its vehicles until people get injured.

- Coventry, RI, USA

problem #43

Aug 192010

Tacoma

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,000 miles
2009 Toyota Tacoma automatic transmission slippage while trying to accelerate from low speed. This occurs after slowing down to between 5 and 10 mph. When you try to accelerate the engine revs up between 500 and 2000 RPM but the vehicle does not accelerate. I reported this shortly after I purchased the vehicle and the service manager said it was a known issue and all the Tacoma transmissions did this and it was normal. The issue still occurs and I have asked the dealer if Toyota has a fix for it every time I take the vehicle in for service and I am told there is no fix and the transmission is working correctly even though the service advisor said he get numerous complaints from other Tacoma owner. This could be a serious problem if it happens while driving and I am unable to accelerate to avoid an emergency situation.

- Columbus, OH, USA

problem #42

May 302009

Tacoma

  • 0 miles
Bought a 2009 Toyota Tacoma new. The automatic transmissions has acted strange at low speeds from day one. When slowing down to make a turn, then accelerate the engine revs up and the transmissions takes several seconds to engage into gear. This is a definite hazard when it comes to on coming traffic. Went to the Toyota dealership and was told that it was normal for this vehicle!!!! if this is normal, this will be my last Toyota. How many complaints will it take to make Toyota do something about this problem?

- Redding, CA, USA

problem #41

Mar 132010

Tacoma

  • 1,500 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

'09 Toyota Tacoma. Transmission shifts erratically at slower speeds. Drops into first gear and lurches when turning a corner. Truck transmission feels out of control at apex of turn in an intersection. Not safe for foot traffic or other vehicles in the intersection. Dealership says transmission is ok. Many other complaints about this problem on edmonds.com forum. Toyota will not acknowledge the problem.

- Mount Juliet, TN, USA

problem #40

Aug 282009

Tacoma 4-cyl

  • 900 miles
Note: The date given is for the first of several incidents. Vehicle: 2009 Toyota Tacoma; 4 cyl. Auto trans. When ascending mountain passes, in drive, letting off on gas as summit is reached, vehicle accelerates over summit and continues acceleration. I've been able to drop the RPM by repeatedly hitting brake and then tapping gas. This lowers the RPM and puts transmission back into highest gear. This is a computer or electronic problem. It has happened the same way several times, over a few thousand miles and several months. I now make the ascent in third, shifting into drive at the summit, with no problems. I took the vehicle to the dealer, lithia Toyota in klamath falls or, and was told "the computer needs to adjust to your driving style", but it still hasn't happened. Toyota is stonewalling, and telling the dealers to do the same. There are dozens of similar complaints about Tacoma with automatic transmission.

- Klamath Falls, OR, USA

problem #39

Feb 202009

Tacoma 6-cyl

  • 11,000 miles
I brought a 2009/Tacoma prerunner /acc cab 4X2 V6-and it has about 18,500 miles. My compliant is when you put this vehicle in neutral at a red light or when you stop and then put it in drive---the transmission spins for a few seconds and then it take off. I brought this to the attention of the local Toyota dealer and the service person told me that this was neural with this vehicle. It?S hard to believe that this is a neutral thing. My other Tacoma 2007 did not do this at all. I feel there is something wrong with this transmission. To me it's a safety hazard especially when you have the vehicle is natural/park and then you put it in drive and the vehicle goes no-where for a few second and then it take off very fast. This needs to be look in to I would be happy to bring in my vehicle for test at the local dealership. Maybe I am not explaining well enough for you to understand --however, please call me an I can explain better.

- Fayetteville, NC, USA

problem #38

Jul 152009

Tacoma 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 6,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. While driving 70 mph on a hill with the cruise control activated, the vehicle changed gears and the rpms increased rapidly. The failure has occurred approximately 20 times. The dealer was contacted, test drove the vehicle and duplicated the failure; yet, they said that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. No repairs were made to the vehicle. The failure mileage was 6000 and the current mileage was 17311. Updated 03/19/2010. The consumer stated the transmission down shifted into second gear. Updated 07/19/10

- Pickins, SC, USA

problem #37

Feb 052010

Tacoma

  • 3,465 miles
From a complete stop I turned right and accelerated. The transmission failed to shift causing the truck to nearly stop. Immediately after that pause, the transmission found a gear and the truck accelerated forward. My brakes stopped the truck and I drove it to my dealer. This has only happened once so far. I have an appointment to have it looked at. The Toyota national hotline gave me a claim number and called my dealer to make sure they look at my problem. Word on the street is that Toyota knows about this computer problem and is working on a "fix". I just hope it does not take as long as the accelerator problem to fix.

- Dania Beach, FL, USA

problem #36

Feb 082010

Tacoma 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 3,900 miles
Truck was purchased new in May 2009 (Tacoma SR5, 4X4, access cab, 4L, V6, automatic transmission, towing package). When coming to a stop, the engine will rev up to 5000 RPM. My foot is on the brake when this happens, and I am not slamming on the brake. When I shift into neutral, the revving stops. This has happened three times in two days, not every time I stop. The truck has 3900 miles on it. After the third time, I drove directly to the dealer. They did a "system health check" and the test came back ok. They could not duplicate the condition in the time they had the vehicle. I left the vehicle there for a technician to drive to see if he/she can replicate the condition.

- Middletown, PA, USA

problem #35

Sep 282009

Tacoma

  • 100 miles
I purchased a new Toyota Tacoma SR5 pickup 8/27/09. Immediately I noticed a problem when I slowed down at speed bumps and to turn corners and then started to accelerate. The vehicle would hesitate then surge forward. I can stop the hesitation somewhat by very lightly pressing the accelerator after I slow down and then slowly accelerating. If I forget to very lightly accelerate, the vehicle will surge forward following the hesitation. One time this surge as I turned a corner almost took me into oncoming traffic. I attempted to resolve the issue with service representatives locally who told me the transmission was operating normally. I filed a complaint with Toyota, was given a case number and was told by their complaint center that it was Toyota's position that the transmission is operating normally. I feel that this tendency, which has been documented by numerous other owners at online sites such as edmunds.com, is a safety hazard that should be remedied in a recall. This situation occurs every time the vehicle is driven and requires very careful concentration to avoid a sudden and potentially unsafe surge in speed. Nothing has been done to correct this issue and no response other than to deny my complaint has been taken.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #34

Sep 172009

Tacoma

  • 200 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

In August of 2009 I purchased a new Toyota Tacoma. After a week or so I noticed that the automatic transmission was not responsive and slipped when you decelerate than accelerate. The transmission slips and stalls the vehicle while it tries to find an appropriate gear to move forward. I took it to the dealer and the tech said this is normal for new Tacoma's. this is a hazard and will get somebody killed because you cannot merge into traffic under these conditions.

- Keaau, HI, USA

problem #33

Jun 182009

Tacoma

  • 200 miles
While in cruise at 70mph on interstate highway, vehicle shifts down from drive to second. Thus redlining the engine.brought this to the attention of Toyota and their answer was, "vehicle is operating properly and is doing what it is designed to do". so they are telling me that they have designed a vehicle that is designed to shift down to second, not third at 70mph.

- Manhattan, KS, USA

problem #32

Nov 112009

Tacoma

  • 150 miles
2009 Toyota Tacoma w/automatic transmission after decelerating below 20 mph to accommodate traffic or to make a turn the transmission fails to engage when trying to accelerate with traffic or out of the turn. The transmission seems to search for the correct gear for 2 - 3 seconds before responding to the accelerator pedal. Will someone need to die after being struck broadside trying to come out of a turn before Toyota is forced to respond to this problem?

- East Longmeadow, MA, USA

problem #31

Jul 152009

Tacoma 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 2,000 miles
2009 Toyota Tacoma 4X4 crew pickup truck with auto transmission and V6 engine accelerated unexpectedly to over 80 mph, then later on the same trip it happened again. I was on a long straight stretch of interstate the second time so I allowed the truck to accelerate to approximately 95 mph at which time I stopped the truck again. The first time it happened, I had disengaged the cruise control due to a slower car in front of me and when I engaged the cruise control resume feature the truck accelerated 15 mph past the preset speed at which time I turned off the cruise control and regained control of the truck. The second time that it happened the truck was again in cruise control mode and was going up a long hill. When the cruise control shifted the transmission down and accelerated to maintain set speed the truck continued to accelerate past 95 mph and was only stopped by turning off the cruise control again. I allowed the truck to get to that speed to see if it would discontinue accelerating but chickened out at 95 mph because it is after all a truck. I took the truck to the selling dealer, he tried to make it happen again with no success (told me he would have to replace the cruise control unit but could not do that unless he could duplicate the problem because it is a very expensive change out) and it has not happened but one more time. 4 things seem to be common: 1. the cruise is turned on. 2. the vehicle is accelerating when the problem starts. 3. the transmission has automatically downshifted. 4. the problem is halted by turning off the cruise control. I had the dealer document the problem since he would not fix it. I hope this info helps in your continuing investigation of the problems that Toyota seems to be having. I am not a disgruntled customer, I have purchased a 2010 corolla from the same dealer since the incidents.

- Bloomingdale, GA, USA

problem #30

Apr 172009

Tacoma

  • 7 miles
When re-accelerating after a low speed turn my 2009 Toyota Tacoma revs high but does not go anywhere. After a second or so it returns to a normal RPM and then is in gear to drive normally. I feel this is a safety concern because if cars were approaching in a fast manner, the truck would not be able to accelerate properly to get out of the way.

- Lee's Summit, MO, USA

problem #29

Oct 022009

Tacoma

  • 3,000 miles
1. new vehicle--problem began at approximately 3000 miles. 2. transmission disengages for approximately 3 seconds while attempting to accelerate after making a turn at approximately 10 mph--tachometer indicates engine speed reaches approximately 3000 RPM before the transmission reengages with a jerk sufficient to cause rear wheel slip on wet asphalt pavement. This problem occurs at almost every instance when I slow to approximately 10mph for a turn. This problem is apparently very common for my vehicle make /model--there are numerous posts on various internet sites under the heading "2009 Toyota transmission problems". this problem, if not resolved, will likely cause many accidents during the approaching winter months. 3. took vehicle to dealer at 4018 miles (08/12/09)--service manager test drove vehicle, refused to acknowledge problem and stated "if check engine indicator light is not on, there are no problems with the vehicle".

- Simpson, IL, USA

problem #28

Jul 162009

Tacoma

  • 1,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. The transmission hesitates when attempting to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and a technician concluded that the computer software failed. He then added that there was not an updated version of the software. He called the manufacturer on 10/16/09 and was told that he would receive a response within one business day. The current mileage was approximately 4,100. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.

- Midland, NC, USA

problem #27

Oct 012009

Tacoma

  • 3,379 miles
The problem with the transmission is when I slow down to go around a curve or decelerate for any reason it does a hard down shift and then when I proceed to press the accelerator the truck acts like it is searching for what gear it should be in, at the same time the RPM is increasing (engine starts to race) and finally the transmission lurches forward and goes into gear. If you are in heavy traffic or crossing a busy highway this is very unnerving and in my opinion a safety issue and an accident just waiting to happen. I have taken my truck to the dealer twice and was told that there was nothing wrong with it. I was told that it was new technology and that I had to get used to it.

- Lexington Park, MD, USA

problem #26

Jul 232009

Tacoma

  • 1,000 miles
I purchased a 2009 Tacoma double cab SR5 4X4 auto in June of 2009. It now has 9000kms. Ever since new I have noticed that the transmission shifts strangely and somewhat unpredictably. When I am driving at approx 18km/H and press the accelerator (to accelerate or continue same speed) the truck usually drops into 1st gear and stays there for a few seconds before going back into second gear. This causes a "lurching" as it should not be jumping to 1st. It is very noticeable and I have driven many, many automatics, including Toyota, and they do not do this. I had a 2001 Tacoma before purchasing this new one and it did not do this. Also, when you shift the truck from neutral to drive, and immediately press the gas, it is almost like the truck hesitates, then lurches forward violently. Sometimes causing wheelspin. It seems like when shifting to drive there is no power for about 3 seconds then it suddenly hits. These problems are dangerous as they cause the vehicle to lurch forward when in traffic this is not safe.

- St. Anthony, 00, USA

problem #25

Aug 252009

Tacoma

  • Automatic transmission
  • 136 miles
2009 Tacoma, 5 spd. Auto transmission. Since the first day of owning this car (now at 2400 miles) the transmission does not respond when you accelerate after slowing probably between 1st and 2nd gear (10-15mph). The tach will go up but the transmission fails to engage and you just end up coasting into a turn or merging into traffic. This has occurred since I purchased the vehicle. Took it to the dealer and they said nothing was wrong. This poses a dangerous condition due to the hesitation and should not be an acceptable condition.

- North Bangor, NY, USA

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