1. Toyota Tacoma
  2. Problems
  3. 2009
  4. Electrical System

2009 Toyota Tacoma Electrical System Problems

38
Owner complaint records in our dataset

Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.

Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.

Among these 38 stored complaint records:

  • 1 indicate a crash
  • 0 indicate injury
  • 1 indicate fire

What owners report

  • daytime running · 15 records
  • running lights · 15 records
  • running light · 8 records
  • plastic lens · 6 records
  • fire hazard · 6 records
  • light bulbs · 5 records

Mileage in stored records

BandRecords
1–30k mi16
30–60k mi11
60–100k mi7
100–150k mi2

Complaint records

Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.

  • March 15, 2019

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    Headlight lens get hot melted lens, light bulb plug is also burned ready to crack this is a safety issue

    ODI 11187394

  • February 15, 2016 · 120,000 miles

    Electrical System

    Both headlamp assemblies show inner running light/turnsignal lens have bubbling, burning and now the right one has cracked with the inner lens separating. I have checked both bulbs and they are the proper, listed bulbs, 4157na

    ODI 10836793

  • February 28, 2014 · 67,000 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota tacoma. The contact stated that the day time running light system failed which caused the lens to fracture and the bulbs to burn. The turning signals that are connect to the daytime running lights also failed. The contact replaced the daytime running light bulbs several times; however, the failure was not corrected. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The daytime…

    ODI 10568733

  • February 15, 2014 · 500 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    The daytime running lights have melted the lens and the high heat has also cracked and distorted the main head light lens on my 2009 toyota tacoma. *tr

    ODI 10564551

  • December 29, 2013 · 65,000 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    The day time running lights that also doubles as turn signals are burning a hole through the plastic lens inside the headlights and cracking the lens as well. These are a known issue with toyota and they put out a t-sb-0129-11 on september 7th, 2011 and called it an "appearance concern". It is also a fire hazard as i don't believe the lenses should be melting. *tr

    ODI 10559258

  • November 8, 2013 · 83,000 miles

    Air Bags · Electrical System

    The air bag sensor came on in my '09 toyota tacoma. The vehicle was brought to a mechanic and a diagnostic test was run. The diagnosis was a faulty air bag spiral cable. This identical issue forced a recall of 481,000 tacomas, including '09 vehicles. However, i was told that my truck did not fall within the vin # database that is covered by the recall. This is resulting in an out of pocket repair costing $500. I…

    ODI 10553354

  • October 15, 2013 · 49,567 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    My vehicle daytime running lights (drl), are burning through the lenses. The lens in front of the bulb is discolored and seems to be melting and cracking due to overheating. The plastic is dark and looks burned. Because of the defect there is concern for driver safety as there seems to be an obvious fire hazard that has not been addressed by toyota. This problem exists in both of my front headlights. *tr

    ODI 10548255

  • September 2, 2013 · 93,545 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting · Unknown Or Other

    Both left and right dtrl lenses are melted from heat from the bulb, i am worried about an electrical short, or fire. Dealer says it is cosmetic and does not want to replace headlight assemblies since vehicle is out of warranty. I believe this is a safety issue that toyota motor company should address with urgency. *tr

    ODI 10567043

  • August 26, 2013 · 63,000 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    Daytime running lights generated enough heat to melt. The interior colored lens on both headlight assemblies, i noticed discoloration and cracks in the colored lens within 1st 12 months. More recently the colored lens began to melt and run, looks as if they were exposed directly to flames. There is also noticeable heat damage to the clear exterior lens cover near the area of the drl. Toyota issued a service bulletin…

    ODI 10541739

  • August 19, 2013 · 42,000 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    Daytime running lights (drl) light bulbs along with outside temperatures generated enough heat to cause bubbling and cracked both headlight lenses. This may posed a fire hazard. *tr

    ODI 10536212

  • July 28, 2013 · 30,500 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    My vehicles daytime running lights (drl), which are located in the headlight assembly, are burning through the lenses. The lens in front of the bulb is discolored and seems to be melting due to overheating. The plastic is dark and looks burned. Because of the defect there is concern for driver safety as there seems to be an obvious fire hazard that has not been addressed by toyota. This problem exists in both of my…

    ODI 10532986

  • July 26, 2013 · 59,069 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    Excessive heat from daylight running light bulbs cause my vehicle headlight lenses to slowly burn and crack. *tr

    ODI 10532054

  • June 28, 2013 · 54,700 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    The plastic housing/plastic lens covering the amber daytime running lights and the clear fog lights are burned, melted, cracked and broken. This is not due to any front end collision but due to the extreme heat generated by the original factory-installed light bulbs. The lights are generating so much heat that they are melting, burning and cracking the plastic housing which then breaks under driving stress.…

    Fire reported

    ODI 10522926

  • February 15, 2013 · 41,000 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    Inside the front left and right headlight assembly is a combination turn signal indicator/ emergency flash indicator/daytime running light. *tr the lense for this combination indicator inside the headlight assembly has melted and affected the integrity of the component. I contacted my local dealership twice and toyota customer satisfaction by telephone. But they did not offer any additional information for…

    ODI 10513237

  • January 31, 2013 · 76,000 miles

    Air Bags · Electrical System

    Airbag warning light on and horn does not work. After researching, learned this is an airbag clock spring (otherwise known as a spiral cable) issue that has a related recall for 2005-2009 toyota tacomas under campaign number 12v-092. That recall applies only to 7 channel circuit spiral cables and not the 16 channel ones. The 7 channel circuits are steering wheels without the audio controls, where the 16 channel…

    ODI 10557208

  • November 12, 2012 · 70,000 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    Daytime running light bulbs on both headlight assemblies have burned straight through the orange plastic covers, causing them both to bubble, and crack in half. This is now causing the entire headlight assembly to fog over! Bought truck brand new from dealer so these are the original, factory equipped headlamp assemblies. They have never been changed. *tr

    ODI 10552221

  • September 1, 2012 · 25,000 miles

    Electrical System

    Both front marker light lenses are melting and the lamp socket is charred brown. The plastic lens is burnt brown and cracked. After driving for just a half hour, the plastic lens covering the marker light was soft and very hot. The hot marker lights were always on when driving, as as the directional turn signal lights. This a factory design defect. At what temperature will the plastic lens or socket wiring start an…

    ODI 10551305

  • August 1, 2012 · 40,000 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    I have a 09 tacoma and the drl's have actually burned, melted and popped the lens in front of them. Also, the bulbs themselves, upon examination, have burned the socket in which they are held. You can see black around the base of them. Took it to toyota at 59k miles and i have the platinum 7year/100000mi warranty and was told it would cost me 1100 for parts alone to fix, offered no help and lied to me and said they…

    ODI 10494392

  • July 3, 2012 · 39,000 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    The drl (daylight running lights) bulbs were designed to close to the lens cover and the bulb is to hot. It burnt / melted the lens on both the right and left headlights. It leaves a dark spot ( approx 2.5 inches in diameter) . It happened when the outside temp was hot (greater than 105 deg f) and the running lights were on (they come on automatically when truck is started). I have looked on line (google search) and…

    ODI 10559314

  • June 1, 2012

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    My trucks headlight unit has daytime running lights "amber turn signal lighting" and its continued to cause melting around the housing. This has been going on for a year now and the dealership has been informed on more than one occasion and they refuse replacement because its not a declared recall from toyota. The light issue continues to get worse and is almost completely melted around the turn area. *tr

    ODI 10460424

  • February 9, 2012 · 46,100 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    Daytime running lights are to close to the plastic in front of the bulb, which has cracked and melted the plastic lens, which is a fire hazard. *tr

    ODI 10450706

  • January 2, 2012 · 35,000 miles

    Body · Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    The daytime running lights have melted and cracked the lens/plastic. These are also used as front end turn signals. If these fail, it could be a major safety hazard. While there is a tsb, the dealership denied to pay for replacements since my 36k warranty has now expired. This is not something that just started to happen and toyota is aware of the problem. *tr

    ODI 10480100

  • December 8, 2011 · 17,246 miles

    Electrical System

    IGNITION COIL FAILED CAUSING ROUGH ENGINE. *TR

    ODI 10447495

  • September 8, 2011 · 45,000 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    On the headlight assembly of my vehicle both of the running light lenses are melting. They first started to bubble and i noticed it at approximately 40,000 miles. I took it into the dealership to have it checked out and they said that the warranty would not cover it and offered no fix. Recently, i looked at the lenses again and they are now cracked and burnt. The plugs that the bulbs are in are burnt as well. Toyota…

    ODI 10470854

  • April 6, 2011 · 24,811 miles

    Electrical System · Exterior Lighting

    Headlight housings turn signal/dtrl lens is burned and cracked due to excessive heat from bulb. Apparently from what i have read in forums and other on line sources, toyota is avoiding this problem by saying no remedy due to factory warranty expired or completely denying it. However, they have made available upgraded replacement parts. I bought this vehicle in march 2011 and noticed this condition right after…

    ODI 10524305