Toyota has not launched a recall campaign but has reportedly begun replacing transmissions in some 2024 Tacoma pickup trucks.
The Tacoma has long been the best-selling midsize truck in America. An all-new Tacoma, redesigned from the ground up for 2024, won our Best Buy Award in the midsize truck class. KBB expert test driver Colin Ryan says the new model “builds on the truck’s traditional strengths — things like capability, durability, and variety — and reaches a higher level.”
However, some owners have reported problems with one of the Tacoma’s two available transmissions. Toyota sells the truck with a 6-speed manual gearbox or the much more common 8-speed automatic.
Owners with automatic transmissions have reported sporadic problems. In response, the company has reportedly begun replacing problematic transmissions entirely.
Not a Recall, but the Fix Is Free
The campaign is not a formal recall. Instead, it appears to be a Technical Service Bulletin – a notice sent to dealers to repair an issue that may not require attention from government regulators.
“A Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) is a communication between Toyota and its dealerships that can serve as an update to Toyota publications, describe parts updates, or relay enhanced or new service procedures,” Toyota says.
A user on the Tacoma4G forum has posted what appears to be a copy of the TSB instructing dealers to replace the automatic transmission and the torque converter on models exhibiting specific error codes.
Motor Trend explains that the codes suggest “a stuck pressure control solenoid actuator, or a torque converter clutch actuator being frozen in the off position.”
Because the 2024 Tacoma is just a few months old, each example on the road is still under warranty. Toyota should cover parts and labor.
We have limited information about the issue since Toyota hasn’t issued a formal recall through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). As the company gathers more data from trucks with transmission issues, it may discover that the problem is limited to a particular batch of parts or trucks built on specific dates.
For now, we’d advise owners who detect any odd shifting in their new Tacomas to contact a Toyota dealership immediately and inform them of the TSB if they don’t know about it.
