2011 Toyota Tacoma Lights Problems
27 owner-reported lights complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (27)
Your headlights have become yellowed and cloudy, making it harder to see at night. Buffing them provides only temporary improvement, and replacing the headlight assemblies with OEM parts is expensive. You're concerned this is a safety issue that affects many vehicles of this age.
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Your headlights on both the driver and passenger sides stopped working. When you inspected them, you found the headlight assemblies were extremely hot and had melted. The dealer confirmed that both headlight assemblies need to be replaced to fix the problem.
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MY DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHT KEEPS BURNING OUT AND SPLITTING THE LENS. IT'S THE SECOND SET OF LIGHT I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THEM.
BOTH LEFT SIDE AND RIGHT SIDE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHT LENS INSIDE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY ARE BURNED AND DISCOLORED. HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY LENS ARE CRACKED.
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY HEADLIGHTS 4 TIMES IN TWO YEARS.
DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS BUBBLING AGAIN AFTER RECALL AND REPLACEMENT. NOTICED IT YESTERDAY (8/15/18). THE TRUCK HAS 80,812 MILES AND THE RECALL NOTICE SAID WARRANTY ONLY GOOD UNTIL 5 YEARS OR 70,000 WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. SEEMS TO ME THEY PUT NEW BAD ONES IN WHEN THEY REPLACED THEM UNDER THE RECALL. NOT SURE EXACTLY WHEN THEY STARTED BUBBLING AGAIN.
HEADLIGHTS ARE FORMING CRACKS IN LENSES, AND THEY ARE GROWING.
THE INNER DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT/TURN SIGNAL LENS BECOMES DISTORTED AND BUBBLED WITH A BROWN, SCORCHED RESIDUE WHICH OBSCURES AND/OR DIMINISHES THE RUNNING LIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL FUNCTIONS TO ON-COMING TRAFFIC. ADDITIONALLY, THE INNER LENS IS CRACKED AND/OR SEPARATED. TOYOTA DID OFFER A WARRANTY EXTENSION ON THIS DEFECT SO IT HAS BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED AS A PROBLEM. THIS WARRANTY EXTENSION HAS SINCE EXPIRED ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS FOR THESE VEHICLES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS BECAME REALLY HOT. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS TURNED BROWN AND MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED TEMECULA VALLEY TOYOTA AT (951) 694-0575 (26631 YNEZ RD, TEMECULA, CA 92591) AND WAS INFORMED TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT HAD EXPIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000. *TT *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING WITH THE DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED, THE CONDENSATION ON THE HEADLIGHTS SPLIT AND MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (PREMIER TOYOTA , 5601 NATIONAL RD E, RICHMOND, IN 47374) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHT/TURN SIGNAL ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: [XXX]. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. *TT INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
MY DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS QUIT WORKING BECAUSE THEY GOT TOO HOT AND BURNED THE LENS AND BULB SOCKET. THIS CAUSED MY FRONT AND REAR RIGHT BLINKERS TO CEASE WORKING AND COULD HAVE HAD DISASTROUS RESULTS.
PURCHASED NEW TOYOTA TACOMA 2011 FROM LOCAL DEALER. PROBLEM IS WITH DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS GETTING TOO HOT AND BURNING AND CRACKING LENS. CUSTOMER SERVICE SAYS THEY SENT OUT WARRANTY POLICY BULLETIN (POL14-03) , BUT I NEVER RECEIVED NOTICE. THEY ALSO SAY BOTH WARRANTIES THEY CREATED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, HAVE EXPIRED, AND WILL NOT PAY FOR REPAIRS. I AM WORRIED THEY MAY START A FIRE BECAUSE OF THE OVERHEATING.
MY HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY LENS WERE DISTORTED AND BUBBLED ON BOTH SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS TWICE ON THE RIGHT & 1 ON THE LEFT. NOW THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS DISTORTED AND BUBBLED AGAIN AND TOYOTA REFUSED TO REPLACE IT BECAUSE IT IS OUTSIDE THE 5 YEARS/70,000 MI WARRANTY. THIS IS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD AND A DEFECT FROM THE DESIGN. PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PICTURE FOR REFERENCE.
DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS ARE TOO HOT. THE BULBS HAVE MELTED AND BUBBLED THE PLASTIC HOUSING. CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT A NOTICE WAS SENT OUT ABOUT THIS ISSUE WHICH I NEVER RECEIVED. TOOK MY TRUCK TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND WAS NEVER TOLD ABOUT ANY ISSUE. TOYOTA WILL NOT COVER ANY REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENTS.
THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT HOUSING OVER THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS IS MELTING / BUBBLING. THE TRUCK HAS ONLY 40,000 MILES. TOYOTA WILL NOT REPLACE OR REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT. POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD.
THE RUNNING LIGHT LENS ON DRIVER'S SIDE IS FOGGED AND CRACKED. TOYOTA ISSUED A VOLUNTARY RECALL AND SENT ME A LETTER THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE PART UP TO 5 YEARS OR 70,000 MILES. I HAVE 65,000 MILES BUT MY TRUCK IS GREATER THAN 5 YEARS OLD, AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE PART AFTER I CONTACTED THEM. ACCORDING TO MY LOCAL DEALER THIS WILL EVENTUALLY HAPPEN TO THE OTHER SIDE AS WELL.
THE BULBS IN THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ARE MELTING THE LENSES.
MY 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA HAS APPARENTLY HAS HAD A DESIGN FLAW SINCE EVEN BEFORE 2009 IN THE FRONT TURN SIGNAL HOUSING. THE DESIGN FLAW CAUSES THE LENSE TO MELT FROM EXTREME HEAT BUILD UP IN THE HOUSING CAUSING THE BULB TO BURN OUT AND ULTIMATELY THE SOCKET TO CHAR AND IN MY CASE DEFORM TO THE POINT I COULDN'T REPLACE THE BULB. TOYOTA HAS IN SEPTEMBER 2011 RELEASED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN INSTRUCTING THERE TECHS ON HOW TO REMEDIATE THE OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW. THERE WAS NO NOTICES SENT OUT TO OWNERS EVEN THOUGH THEY APPARENTLY KNEW BEFORE THEY EVEN BUILT THE 2011 TRUCKS THAT THERE WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. TO DO THIS AND NOT MAKE US AWARE IS CRIMINAL TO SAY THE LEAST BECAUSE IN THE CAB IT IS TELLING YOU THAT IT IS WORKING AND YOUR NOT AWARE THAT YOUR FRONT SIGNAL IS NOT WORKING. THINK OF ON COMING TRAFFIC NOT KNOWING THAT YOUR GONNA TURN AND YOU THINK THEY DO. THIS IS CRIMINAL. IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. JUST GO TO YOUTUBE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED BURN MARKS ON BOTH FRONT HEAD LAMPS CAUSED BY THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD LAMPS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO STATED THAT A VOLUNTARY RECALL FOR THE FAILURE HAD EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
WRONG RUNNING LIGHTS WERE INSTALLED AT THE FACTOR. NOW THE HEADLIGHTS ARE CRACKED AND FOGGY AND THE LIGHT IS WEAK AND DEFUSED MAKING IT DANGEROUS AT NIGHT. T DEALER THAT I TOOK IT TO TOLD ME THE TIME LIMIT FOR REPAIR HAD EXPIRED AND THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR.
THE RUNNING LIGHTS AREA DEVELOPED CRACKS AND A ROUND SHAPE CLOUDY AREA IN FRONT OF THE LIGHT BULB LIKE IT MELTING THE PLASTIC. *TR
THIS VEHICLE HAS 2 FRONT DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. THE LIGHTS IN THIS AREA ARE OVERHEATING AND CAUSING THE LIGHTING CASE TO HAVE A "BUBBLE" IN THE BULB CASING. THIS IS CAUSING DAMAGE TO BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER HEADLAMPS. THIS IS CAUSED WHEN AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE IS TURNED ON AND WHEN PARKED OR DRIVING. *TR
LOOKS LIKE BURN MARKS FROM THE AMBER DRIVING LIGHTS. ALSO, THERE ARE BUBBLES AND CRACKS IN THE HEADLIGHT COVERS. *TR
MY DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT BULBS ARE BEGINNING TO MELT THE LENSES. THE DRL ARE A SAFETY ITEM AND TOYOTA HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS. I FEEL AS THE TRUCK AGES THE DRL WILL CONTINUE TO MELT AND WILL NOT BE AS VISIBLE TO OTHER DRIVERS. ALSO IF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES BUILD UP ENOUGH HEAT IT COULD POSE A FIRE RISK. *TR
TOOK VEHICLE IN TO DEALER FOR OTHER WORK. WAS TOLD BY SERVICE ADVISOR THAT TECHNICIAN FOUND MY HEADLIGHTS TO BE MELTING. SERVICE ADVISOR SHOWED ME PROBLEM AND SAID IT WAS DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHTS. THEY WERE CRACKED AND BURNED AS WAS THE ASSEMBLY. I WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $1300 TO REPLACE THEM. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW AND HAVE HAD IT FOR 2 1/2 YEARS. THIS IS A HAZARD AND A DANGER AND THEY SHOULD BE REPLACED BY TOYOTA AT THEIR COST. *TR
NOTED DURING WASH THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS HAVE A QUARTER SIZE MELTED SPOT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE BULB AND ONE LENS HAS CRACKED APPARENTLY FROM HEAT AND THE NEAR PROXIMITY OF THE BULB TO LENS. POTENTIAL MAY EXIST WHERE THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE. IT APPEARS THAT NO RECALL IS BEING PROCESSED TO ADDRESS THIS MANUFACTURER ISSUE AND MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM FORM THE 2008/9 YEAR THROUGH 2011. TOYOTA MAY HAVE CORRECTED THE ISSUE IN 2012/13 YEAR TIME FRAME YET THEY STILL HAVE MANY VEHICLES OPERATING WITH THE THREATENING PROBLEM WHICH COULD IMPACT LIVES. *TR
DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS MELTING, MAY CAUSE POSSIBLE FIRE TO VEHICLE. SEVERAL TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK OWNER'S AT WORKPLACE HAVE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR DRL. TOYOTA DEALER STATING UNAWARE OF PROBLEMS AND THEY NEVER HEARD OF ANY ISSUES REGARDING THE DRL MELTING. *TR