TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2023 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2006 Toyota Tacoma cruise control problems
severe 116 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
116
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
38crashes
11injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 116 cruise control complaints filed for the 2006 Toyota Tacoma, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 14 model years of Toyota Tacoma we track for cruise control problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 116.
Owners have filed 116 cruise control complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering cruise control on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
TSB: Some 2005 ? 2014 model year Tacoma vehicles equipped with 1GR-FE engine (PreRunner and 4WD) and automatic or 6-speed manual transmission may exhibit a vibration felt in the seat, floorboard, and steering wheel between 15 ? 25 mph caused by a second order drivetrain vibration under acceleration. The following Repair Procedure may improve this condition.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Some 2005 ? 2014 model year Tacoma vehicles equipped with automatic transmission may exhibit a vibration felt in the seat, floorboard, and steering wheel between 15 ? 25 mph caused by a second order drivetrain vibration under acceleration. The following Repair Procedure may improve this condition.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TOYOTA: ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR ASSEMBLY INFORMATION REGARDING THE INSPECTION, REMOVAL, AND INSTALLATION, IF LUBRICATION OR OIL, IS APPLIED.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe a pattern of sudden unintended acceleration in their 2006 Tacomas that Toyota refuses to acknowledge. The vehicle lurches forward at traffic lights, accelerates while braking, or revs to full throttle with no foot on the accelerator. Incidents occur from low speed (5–15 mph in parking lots) to highway speeds (65–90 mph), and in some cases the engine races past 100 mph. Brakes either fail to respond or require both feet and maximum pressure to overcome the acceleration; some owners resort to shifting to Neutral or killing the engine to regain control.
The problem is not floor mats alone. While Toyota issued recalls (09V388000, 90L) for mat entrapment starting in 2009, owners with factory-secured mats report acceleration events before, during, and after recall work. Dealers repeatedly state they cannot duplicate the failure and find no defect, even after Event Data Recorder inspection by third-party investigators. One owner reports that since the recall, replacement mats are cheap, tear easily, and their retainer hooks now catch drivers' shoe heels—creating a new entrapment risk.
Owners report cruise control causes aggressive downshifts and overspeed on grades, and the accelerator pedal itself is often slow to return to idle or sticks wide open. High idle and lurching occur regularly, worsened by AC use. Brake fade and smoking result from the vehicle forcing drivers to ride the brakes hard during acceleration events. Multiple owners have experienced two or three separate incidents in the same vehicle. Dealership and Toyota responses range from dismissal to refusal to perform diagnostics on accident-involved vehicles.
Same Toyota Tacoma cruise control reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended acceleration—sudden, uncontrolled engine racing
Engine revs and vehicle accelerates at full throttle without driver input on accelerator pedal. Occurs during normal driving, at stops, in parking situations, and while backing. Brakes either fail to respond or require extreme pressure to overcome acceleration. Many incidents involve shifting to Neutral or turning off ignition as only means of stopping.
When: Throughout 2006 model year ownership; incidents reported from 2005-2019. Mileages: 4,000–79,000 miles; some occur early in ownership, others intermittently over years.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine races to high RPM without foot on accelerator; Vehicle accelerates rapidly when brake pedal depressed; Acceleration continues after releasing accelerator pedal; Brakes fail to slow vehicle or require both feet and maximum force; Rear tires spin and squeal under braking during acceleration event; RPMs climb to 3,000+; occasionally to red line; Vehicle lurches forward when stopped or at traffic lights; Acceleration follows brake application in reverse gear
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers unable to duplicate problem in most cases. Cruise control replaced on one vehicle (2008) without resolving acceleration events. Accelerator pedal replaced on one vehicle; failure persisted. One owner reports replacement floor mats are lower quality and tear, creating renewed pedal entrapment risk.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 09V388000 for floor mat entrapment (2009) addressed via accelerator pedal modification and floor mat replacement/repurchase. Recall 90L floor mat entrapment also issued. Override system installed on some vehicles (both brake and gas pressed simultaneously) reportedly did not prevent acceleration in at least one accident (2019). Toyota corporate case numbers issued; vehicles sent for Event Data Recorder (EDR) download and inspection in some cases. Dealers claim no defect found; Toyota stated 'safety issues don't affect your vehicle.' Some owners report Toyota denial of problem or refusal to acknowledge Tacoma inclusion in acceleration recalls.
Cruise control malfunction—overly aggressive downshift and acceleration
Cruise control causes transmission to downshift 1–2 gears aggressively when resuming from a reduced speed or when vehicle slows due to wind/grade, resulting in rapid acceleration that overshoots set speed by 5+ mph. Especially hazardous on curves and inclines. Issue persists from new. Dealer responses: 'behavior is normal,' no adjustments possible (computer-controlled).
When: Present since new or early in ownership (2006+). Occurs during highway cruising, particularly on grades and curves.
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission downshifts unexpectedly during cruise control operation; Engine accelerates aggressively to overshoot set speed by 5 mph or more; Throttle goes to wide open briefly during downshift; Vehicle feels unsafe on curves due to excessive speed gain; Requires driver to tap brake to disengage cruise and stop excessive acceleration
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Northern California Toyota dealer: 'The 2006 Tacoma does not have a speed control problem and there are no adjustments—it is controlled by the main computer.' No fixes offered.
Accelerator pedal sticking or slow return to idle
Accelerator pedal physically sticks in open throttle position, falls to floorboard, or returns very slowly to idle. Pedal may catch or become lodged under floor mat. On some vehicles, even after recall work, pedal is slow to return and revs up while driver attempts to slow down, especially at lower speeds.
When: Can occur early or intermittently throughout ownership. One case documents stick occurring after accelerating past another vehicle; another after coming over a hill; another while pulling into garage.
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator pedal stuck wide open; Pedal falls to floorboard or becomes lodged there; Pedal slow or unresponsive returning to idle; Revs up unexpectedly during deceleration; High idle when stopped, especially with AC compressor running; Pedal may catch on shoe heel due to floor mat retainer hooks (post-recall)
Repairs/costs cited: Accelerator pedal replaced on one vehicle; failure continued. Floor mat recall (09V388000) involved pedal adjustment and mat replacement. One owner reports new replacement mats are thin and flimsy, with old retainer hooks that catch driver's shoe heel and prevent proper braking. Owners note original thick all-weather mats had no interference with pedal; recall solution created new safety hazard.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 09V388000 (floor mat entrapment). Dealers performed mat swap and charged $185 for 'recall work'; one owner states floor carpet vacuum/shampooing called for in campaign was not done, and no pedal adjustment was made. Post-recall, shoe hooks on new mats create new entrapment risk.
High idle and engine revving at stop
Engine idles abnormally high at rest, particularly with AC compressor running (adds 300 rpm beyond normal). Vehicle creeps forward at stoplights or when held on brake. Engine revs unexpectedly during deceleration.
When: Present from early ownership; worsens with AC running.
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormally high idle speed, especially with AC on; Vehicle creeps or lurches forward while stopped on brake; Engine revs spontaneously during deceleration or downshifting; Lurching and acceleration overcome weak brake hold on inclines or curves
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers state 'nothing wrong' or 'normal behavior.' No recalls or service bulletins cited in complaints.
Brake fade and failure during unintended acceleration event
Brakes lose effectiveness during unintended acceleration episodes. Brake pedal feels spongy or unresponsive, or brakes fail entirely despite hard application. Brake fade occurs due to continuous hard braking against engine racing; brake components become extremely hot (hubcaps reported burning hot).
When: Occurs during unintended acceleration incidents; secondary to acceleration event, not primary failure.
Symptoms owners cite: Brakes unresponsive or require extreme force to work; Brake fade during prolonged hard braking; Brake components and hubcaps become extremely hot (smoking); Brakes smell badly after event
Repairs/costs cited: One vehicle towed with brakes smoking; Toyota drove it 111 miles for inspection and found nothing.
Synthesized from 116 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Vehicle accelerates (surges) on its own and braking does not remedy the problem. This has happened several times when the cruise control is not being used. It also is not attributed to the floor mats as we have carefully checked the positioning of our mats. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Toyota tacoma. The contact was stopped at a light when the vehicle accelerated independently and crashed into the rear of another vehicle. A police report was available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was contacted and stated they would give the contact a call back but have not yet returned…
Had cruise control trouble with your 2006 Toyota Tacoma?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2006 Toyota Tacoma?
It's a meaningful issue. 116 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 95 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 18,000 and 72,571 miles, with the median around 39,119. A quarter of owners report trouble before 18,000; a quarter make it past 72,571. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2006/Toyota/Tacoma.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.