Seat complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 9% | — |
| 2025 | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2024 | 5 | 3% | 61,000 miles |
| 2023 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2022 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2021 | 3 | 4% | — |
| 2020 | 2 | 2% | 3,000 miles |
| 2019 | 1 | 0% | 17,000 miles |
| 2018 | 2 | 1% | 0 miles |
| 2017 | 9 | 4% | 85,000 miles |
| 2016 | 19 | 6% | 41,000 miles |
| 2015 | 3 | 3% | 2,000 miles |
| 2014 | 3 | 3% | 88,000 miles |
| 2013 | 3 | 2% | 100,000 miles |
| 2012 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2011 | 2 | 1% | 148,000 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 0% | 10,000 miles |
| 2006 | 1 | 0% | 60,000 miles |
| 2004 | 2 | 0% | — |
| 2003 | 5 | 1% | 96,000 miles |
| 2001 | 3 | 1% | 129,000 miles |
| 2000 | 4 | 2% | — |
| 1999 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 1996 | 2 | 1% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (seat frames, recliners, heated seats and seat tracks).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's seat became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the driver's seat hydraulic function failed to operate properly, causing the contact to adjust the seat several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the failure could be due to an inadvertent engagement of the lever on the driver's seat. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,645.
The driver seat manual height adjustment. When you raise the drivers seat to the maximum height, within 30 minutes of driving, the seat slowly lowers on its own. I would have to give it 2-3 cranks to raise the seat. Overnight, the next morning, without anyone in the seat, it needs 2-3 cranks to raise the seat back to its maximum height. I'm afraid it may get worse in time and might just lower all the way down when driving. This is a daily occurrence.
The subject vehicle left roadway and impacted a tree in a pure frontal impact. The front seat passenger airbag failed to deploy. An 11 year old child was seated and properly belted in the front passenger seat. The child was killed as a result of blunt force trauma to his head when his head struck the front dash structure. In addition, the belted occupant seated behind the front passenger seat, while properly belted, impacted the rear of the front passenger seat and the seat deformed forward, limiting the ride down space for the front passenger seat occupant. The other three occupants in the subject Toyota Tacoma suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Tacoma was rear-ended at 80 mph. Tacoma rolled over three times front airbags did not go off.. side curtain bags did.. seat belt on driver side failed after the second rollover.. rear cross traffic warning did not go off.. driver seat collapsed. driver was injured and was in trauma unit for 3 weeks. Vehicle last known is located off of belvedere road in West Palm Beach Florida.. I called up Toyota and a third party got the EDR from the vehicle.. I have a copy of it. As far as I know the problem has not been inspected.
I had noticed my heated seat stopped working. Upon investigation and searching the web for similar issues I found that a relay for the seats located under each front seat was the issue. I saw pictures online of others and when I pulled my seat out I found the connection between the wires and relay had been completely burned and melted. This is Toyota part number 87501-0C020. When looking up this part it is discontinued with no replacement. There's no recall or warning from Toyota for this issue. This same part is also installed on Tundra too. By the amount of burning this is definitely a safety issue and I don't know why it has not been addressed.
2017 Tacoma TRD Pro Water has been leaking through the rear air-pressure vents for quite some time. I have had a moldy/musty smell in the truck after a good rain for at least 6 months. Then I started noticing mold coming up on the driver's side kick plate. We went through all the diagnostic steps with Toyota dealership, who kept telling us it was the windshield leaking. We had the windshield removed and reset. The windshield people told us it was the cowl under the windshield allowing water to come in through the air filter behind the glovebox. We took it back to Toyota dealer and they could not find the problem. I paid them $165 to "not" diagnose my truck. They also handed me an estimate for $11,000 to remediate the mold. When we got the truck home, we started looking up the problem on Tacoma forums and YouTube and finally discovered it was the air vents behind the rear seat. …
Driver's side front seat not delivering heat despite switch lamp indicating it's on and working. Further exploration reveals passenger side seat heater working as it should. I checked wiring harness and connections under driver's seat only to discover plastic connector entering amplifier scorched and melted with two of four pins destroyed (Red and Green wires). I believe the wire gauge sized for this system is improper and therefore represents a fire hazard. About the time the seat heater failed, I smelled a burning odor inside the car for a short time but didn't associate the two events until later. The vehicle has 135,998 miles on it and therefore out of warranty. I spoke to the dealer who explained he's had similar issues from other customers and added there is no recalls at this time.
While driving down the road with my driver seat warmer on, the heating element and/or associated electronics burned a hole in the seat canvas and through the jacket I was wearing. I think a small fire started which I put out with my finger and then I turned off the seat heater.
Related recalls (1)
Seats
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and…
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013.
Frequently asked questions
Which Toyota Tacoma years have seat problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2016 (19), 2017 (9), 2003 (5) and 2024 (5) model years. Seat complaints make up 6% of all complaints for the 2016.
Is there a recall for Toyota Tacoma seat problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 13V-014 (seats, Jan 16, 2013). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Toyota Tacoma seat problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 63,000 miles; 50% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front assembly › head restraint (4 mentions), followed by the front assembly › recliner (3).
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.