What is worse? Having your 2024 Toyota Tacoma transmission fail with only 15,000 miles on the truck, having to wait months for parts, or the dealer not communicating once with you on when the truck will be fixed?
Cole Haas shared his dilemma on the Toyota Tacoma Owners’ Facebook page, and he's understandably unhappy with the situation. He isn't happy that his Tacoma pickup's transmission died at 15K miles. Then, a month after his truck was towed to the Toyota dealer in Miami, he still hasn't heard a word from them about when his vehicle will be fixed.
He says, "I picked up my Toyota Tacoma truck after having my seats redone in leather, just to get paid a visit by a failed transmission the next day. I was 250 miles away from home! And my truck only has 15,000 miles on it."
If that isn't bad enough, Cole had to call the Toyota dealer to find out that they are waiting for parts before they can fix his Tacoma. They haven't communicated with him about his truck once.
One comment on the Facebook page says Cole should be proactive and call the dealer. Another comment from Scott Nguyen says, "It all depends on your Toyota service advisor. I had a similar experience at a particular dealership until I switched service advisors. Someone who actually cares about their job and follows up with customers."
Where is the customer service?
Cole shouldn't have to continually call the dealer for updates on his truck or ask to switch service advisors. The Toyota dealer should be one to take care of their customer who is now without the pickup that he purchased from them.
Cole says, "I took my 2024 Toyota Tacoma in on April 18 because the transmission took a dump and the truck was basically undrivable. Since it's been at the dealer, I've gotten ZERO updates from Toyota besides "they don't have the parts to fix it" mind you it had already been sitting there for a month and I had to call them to find this out."
He says, "I thought I was good a while ago, as I got the truck in May of last year, and I also never got an email or notification that my VIN was part of the recall."
"My VIN wasn't on the recall list either. Is anyone else in the same boat? I understand if they don't have the parts, but at least the dealer should keep me updated and provide some idea of when they expect the parts to arrive and when the repair will be completed. They still have not called, texted, or emailed me a single time."
First, does Toyota have a recall for its Tacoma transmission?
The Toyota dealer didn't inform Cole that his 2024 Tacoma had not been recalled; however, a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) was issued to Toyota dealers to address transmission-related concerns in the 2024 Tacoma.
A report from Motor Trend states that Toyota has not issued a safety recall for the Tacoma transmission; however, a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) has been issued to address transmission-related concerns in some 2024 Tacoma models.
This TSB (TSB-007-24) posted on Reddit is not a recall but rather a notification to dealers to replace transmissions that have already failed or are likely to fail. The TSB specifically addresses the eight-speed automatic transmission and does not affect the six-speed manual transmission.
Second, What is the Problem With Tacoma Transmissions?
Motor Trend says, "Judging by the codes, which have surfaced on a forum, it would seem that the cause of the issue is a stuck pressure control solenoid actuator or a torque converter clutch actuator being frozen in the off position. If your Tacoma displays one of the codes, Toyota will replace the entire transmission and torque converter assembly."
What Are Other Tacoma Owners Saying?
Mitch Hutton shares, "My transmission died with less than 1,000 miles last August. They also had no parts up here in Canada, and it took 95 days from when I dropped it off until the transmission was replaced."
This is just one of the many similar stories shared by Tacoma owners.
Anderson Perez - "I have 18,475 miles on my Tacoma, and I feel a jiggle in the transmission while I'm going 10 MPH. I have scheduled an appointment with my local dealership to see what they find."
How Long Will Cole and Other Tacoma Owners Have To Wait for Parts?
Some 2024 Tacoma owners have reported long wait times for replacement transmissions in the past, citing delays of two to four months.
Factors influencing wait time:
- Parts availability: Delays can occur if replacement transmissions are not readily available.
- Dealership workload: The number of vehicles requiring transmission replacement at a local dealership can also impact wait times.
- The severity of the issue: The complexity of the individual transmission problem and the extent of the repair required can affect the timeline.
We Get It
I can understand that the Toyota dealer in Miami is busy, but they should have communicated with Cole. It's inexcusable for them not to text or email him once and let him know what's going on with his Tacoma pickup.
He says, "So yeah if you're in Miami, I would advise going somewhere other than Kendall Toyota to get your truck serviced."
Conclusion:
Toyota will replace faulty eight-speed transmissions in 2024 model-year Toyota Tacoma pickups. However, this isn't a safety "recall" but rather a technical service bulletin (TSB) that's been issued to dealers. Note: Toyota does not consider this a safety issue and isn't replacing transmissions on all Tacomas, only those that have already failed.
We Want To Hear From You
Have you had transmission problems with your 2024 Toyota Tacoma? If so, we would like to encourage you to share your experience by clicking the red 'Add New Comment' link below. Your voice is important in this discussion.
Check out my 2025 Toyota Tacoma story: I Just Had My First 2024 Tacoma 10K Oil Change Done at the Toyota Dealer, Now I Have a Massive Oil Spill on My Garage Floor
I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.
Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Cole Haas
Comments
Mine lasted almost 50,000. I…
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Mine lasted almost 50,000. I guess I was lucky