Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Toyota Tacoma owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The daytime driving lights are too hot causing the plastic housing to melt, crack and, in some cases, break. My research has found that this is a common problem in Toyota Tacoma trucks from 2005-11. In April 2015, Toyota replaced the headlight assemblies with a supposed "redesigned" assembly to address this issue. However, now in April 2021, the "redesigned" assemblies have again melted, cracked and broken due to the daytime driving lights being too hot and too close to the light assembly. Nothing was redesigned in 2015. Whatever safety or fire hazard in the owner or operator that caused Toyota to replace the headlight assemblies in 2015 still exists today. I have contacted Toyota and my dealer and they have offered no assistance or remedy.
Headlight shows visible signs of over heating of the amber lenses on both driver and passenger side. Amber lenses are melted, obscured, burned through and causing additional discoloration to the clear lens of the headlight itself. This creates a safety issue for both driver and passenger side headlights and amber lights not illuminating properly but also reducing the reliability and longevity of the lighting systems themselves.
After completing an oil change on my 2009 Toyota Tacoma in October of 2011 I noticed that the amber lens in the headlight was discolored and seemed to be melting due to overheating. Over the past year I have been monitoring the situation and noticed that the melting and cracking of the amber lens inside of the headlight is progressively getting worse. It seems that the daytime running lights were not properly engineered in this model. Because of the defect there is a clear concern for driver safety. The melting lenses create an obvious fire hazard. The Toyota dealership where I purchased my Tacoma in the metro atlanta area advised me that Toyota has no recall of extended warranty for this "known" problem. I was very dismayed to hear this because the issue is clearly presents a threat to the driver. Because of this situation I have to make a decision on what options are available to me. …
Daylight running lights burn /melt the lens due to excessive heat, in less then 30K miles. I believe Toyota has a design problem with the drls. Every Tacoma with the drl option will eventually have this problem. The compartment that holds the dlr light is small, with no ventilation, and the lamp dissipates approximately 28 watts of heat, which is focused toward the lens (along with the light). It is simply too much heat in too small an area, and the heat is sufficient to melt the plastic lens in front of the lamp. Since the drl is part of the headlight assembly, the cost of parts is reported to be around $700 plus labor. I believe that lenses (with proper lamps) should never melt. Asking Tacoma owners to pay $700 +, every 30K miles is outrageous! …
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. Compounding the problem is that there is no way to turn off the daytime running lights when the vehicle is in operation. Either the daytime running lights must be on or the headlights must be on. Therefore, the lights continue to burn the plastic housing. Toyota will not completely cover the cost to repair and replace these defective light systems stating that the vehicle is out of the 3 year warranty. …
My 09 Toyota Tacoma drl (daylight running light/turn signal) lens burned/melted/broke. I have exceeded my warranty but I feel Toyota should stand behind their product and replace my light lens. My local dealer did do a 50/50 split on the cost of replacement, but this is a design problem. Light lens should never burn/melt/break regardless of how old or how many miles the vehicle has on it. Not all Tacoma's have drl , this is an option, my local dealer did not know this but I pointed this out to him. I have a friend with same problem but his Tacoma is still in warranty and the dealer did a 100% replacement. I contacted Toyota with a letter and pictures and was told Toyota would not stand behind their product because I had exceeded my warranty.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the signal lights started to separate from the vehicle and the lens lost color. Also, the contact mentioned that the headlights were dim. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000. ...updated 04/08/15 updated 4/13/15 the consumer stated the signal lights are housed in a heated lamp module and they constantly burned out/ the melted the signal lens inside the head lamp assembly and cracked the plastic and now the signal lamps are fogging up inside the lens of the head lamp assemblies. Updated 04/21/15 updated 10/22/2015
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the daytime running lights would cause the headlight lens to overheat, melting the plastic lenses. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised that there was a bulletin from the manufacturer that stated if any headlight was defective they have to replace both headlights. The dealer will repair the failure of the parts free of charge, but the contact has to pay for the labor. The manufacturer was notified and advised the contact that there were no recalls and offered no further assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 37,800.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the lenses for the daytime running lamps and the turn signals were melted. The contact was concerned that the failure could lead to a fire. The dealer was contacted and advised that the entire lighting assembly would require replacing. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 40,000. The current mileage was 100,000.
Tl * the contact owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the headlight lens would continuously overheat and become cracked. The contact was concerned that the vehicle would possibly catch on fire since the bulb was so close to the lens. The vehicle was not taken for inspection or repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 100,000. Updated 3/13/14
Headlight complaints in other Tacoma years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2009 Toyota Tacoma?
NHTSA has 105 complaints about the lights of the 2009 Toyota Tacoma, 20% of the model year's 519 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2009 Toyota Tacoma headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights recall for the 2009 Toyota Tacoma, though it has 13 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2009 Toyota Tacoma headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 45,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 16 fires and 0 injuries to lights problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.