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Last updated on April 6th, 2022 at 11:05 am

The 2016 Toyota Tacoma is an extremely reliable and comfortable vehicle with an excellent fuel economy. The car is pretty spacious for a medium-size truck, which comes with159 horsepower, standard four-cylinder engine. It also has a 278 horsepower V6 engine. The four-cylinder engine feels small and gruff on power, whereas the V6 has lively acceleration. Rear-wheel drive and six-speed transmission are standard. The gas mileage drops as low as 17/20mpg city/highway with the V6 engine: four wheels and six-speed manual drive.

The 2016 Toyota Tacoma has four car seats in access cab models with half-size rear suicide doors that provide entry for back seat passengers and five-car seats in double cab models with an extra 8 inches of legroom. This vehicle is very quiet, especially while driving on the highway. All Tacoma models have a USB port, Bluetooth, 6.1-inch touch screen, and Siri eye free support as standard. The car impresses with high-quality cabin materials and crisp dashboard design. As well, the vehicles have four-wheel anti-lock brakes, which comprise brake assistance and electronic force distribution.

Common 2016 Toyota Tacoma Problems

Several problems have been noted by the car owners while using the 2016 Toyota Tacoma. They include; wearing out of the spark plug, wind noise, oil leak, car battery issues, and cruise control not working, which drive them crazy.

• Suspension Problem

The customer report indicates that the leaf springs produce squeaky, creaky, and loud noise in the back where the leaf suspension is located. You will hear the sound while getting in and out of the vehicle, going over small bumps, and while accelerating.

• Fuel System Problem

The 2016 Toyota Tacoma fuel pump was reported to be making loud chirping noise that sounds like a lousy pulley. Vehicle owners also said that the gas gauge did not work correctly due to the electric system issues. Some pickup trucks started losing power while driving down the road. Common complaints from the 3rd gen Tacoma users resulted in the replacement of the fuel pump and fuel pump wire harness. 

• Crankshaft Position Sensor Failure

The manufacturing company made a recall to replace the crank position sensor because owners complained that the pickup would shut off while driving and was unable to push forward. A message would pop, saying that there was a high transmission temperature and showed charging system error.

• Electrical System Problem

The electrical connector for the truck’s heated seat module that is found under the driver’s seat, would overheat, leading to the melting of the connector. Such an occurrence pose a safety threat and render the heated seat unusable. The computer system also had a problem that led to the replacement of the dash harness. Vehicle owners complained about the fan blower motor’s failure, which resulted in the air conditioner not functioning as expected.

• The blind Spot Monitor Error

Reports show that the blind spot monitor (BSM) error message would pop up while the pickup truck drivers were moving. Therefore, it is advisable to replace the bad sensor. As well, ABS light failure is a common complaint that affects Toyota Tacoma and car owners should visit Toyota engineers to replace and check the engine and control the warning indicators.

• Inaccurate Eco Fuel Economy Display

The 2016 Toyota Tacoma MPG calculation is incorrect and very misleading. The owners suggested that the problem should be fixed. They complained about the inaccurate fuel gauge resetting the tank and the air system and had difficulty getting the pickup started.

• Rear Differential Oil Leak

Leaking of the gear oil has been a problem affecting truck owners and Toyota dealers have been unable to fix it.  The rear differential is misaligned and the mechanics’ current solutions do not resolve the howling noise problem. Contacting the Lemon law associations of California for review of individual cases can help with this problem. 

• Driveline Vibration

At 20mph, 35mph, and 50 mph, the driveline vibrations sound like a cyclical vibration. Toyota engineers confirmed that they felt it but didn’t have a solution.

• Frame Rust

This problem is common in 2nd gen Tacomas. Toyota carried over the 1st gen frame design that allowed moisture into the frame, causing corrosion and rusting from the inside. During late 2016, Toyota had agreed to pay $3.4billion to assist the 2005-2010 owners fix the problem.

• Broken Rear Leaf Springs

The breaking of leaf springs affects the 2nd gen Tacomas since they cannot handle the owner’s manual’s towing capacity. The leaf spring crack, flatten, or breaks will put under too much weight. 

• Transmission Issues

Owners complained about unfortunate transmission slip when shifting the gears from park to drive or reverse to drive. The fall caused a loud cranking noise while accelerating on a U-turn. The pickup truck also suffered from hard transmission shifting during the cold season, making it difficult to drive in traffic. Another transmission issue linked to the 2016 Toyota Tacoma is the transmission hesitation when shifting from reverse to drive.

• Water Leaking Problem

The 2016 Toyota Tacoma owners complained about water leaking in the pickup truck through the roof and the window seal during the rainy season. The water enters due to a loose rubber gasket not appropriately fitted to the truck bed light.

• Wind Noise

The howling wind noise coming from the front top corner of the driver’s side door appeared to worsen when there was a crosswind.

Conclusion 

The 2016 Toyota Tacoma is a great truck with comfortability and reliability. It’s excellent fuel economy ensures that you do not spend more on gasoline. Even so, this truck has various problems, including suspension issues, water leaking problems, wind noise, and transmission problems, among others. Some of these problems can be controlled by ensuring the 2006 Tacoma Engine Control Module (ECM) is functioning properly. 

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