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 ↗2009 Toyota Tacoma cruise control problems
severe 45 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
45
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
15crashes
When does it fail?
Of the 45 cruise control complaints filed for the 2009 Toyota Tacoma, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 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
Owners have filed 45 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.
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 15 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
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 of the 2009 Tacoma describe sudden, uncontrolled engine acceleration happening most often when braking to a stop or shifting gears—the truck revs hard and refuses to slow, forcing them to shift into neutral or stand on the brakes with extreme force. In several cases, multiple crashes and near-misses resulted; one owner flipped the truck during an exit-ramp loss of control, another struck a pole while parking, and several hit vehicles at intersections. The problem appears across a wide mileage range, from brand-new trucks to vehicles with 94,000 miles.
Dealers consistently cannot replicate the issue during test drives and find no fault codes, floor mat obstruction, or mechanical problems with the accelerator linkage. Despite Toyota's 09V388000 recall addressing floor mats, owners confirm mats are properly installed and secured—the recall fix did not eliminate the acceleration events. Some dealers cut the pedal and reflashed the computer; failures returned. A few owners mention an engineer visited to pull data from the event recorder, with no resolution reported.
The failures happen during braking, shifting from park to drive, downshifting under load, and at random low-speed and highway driving. A handful of owners note inconsistent throttle response, where light pedal pressure causes excessive acceleration or the engine lags then surges. One owner with 45 complaints also documents intermittent cruise control dropout and excessive downshifting on hills. The unpredictable nature—combined with dealer inability to find a cause—leaves owners unwilling to drive the truck.
Same Toyota Tacoma cruise control reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2012
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended acceleration during braking
Engine revs or accelerates unexpectedly when driver applies brakes, often requiring extreme brake pressure or gear shift to neutral to stop.
When: Varies; some incidents in first few months/low mileage (under 10,000 miles), others at higher mileage (up to 94,000)
Symptoms owners cite: Engine revs uncontrollably while foot on brake; Rear wheels spin or slip despite hard braking; Truck surges forward despite brake pressure; Brakes provide little to no effect initially; Requires shifting to neutral to stop
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers typically find no fault codes, cannot replicate the issue, or suggest floor mat involvement. Some dealers cut/modified accelerator pedal and reflashed computer; failures recurred. Floor mats confirmed properly installed and secured in most cases.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 09V388000 (Vehicle Speed Control: Accelerator Pedal) issued; floor mat replacement performed but did not resolve acceleration issues. Toyota sent investigators in some cases; no permanent fix documented. Some owners told vehicle was out of warranty and received no further assistance.
Unintended acceleration while shifting gears
Engine rapidly accelerates when shifting from park to drive, neutral to drive, or during transmission gear changes, even with foot on brake.
When: Occurs at various mileages, some in first year of ownership (under 8,000 miles), others at higher mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Engine races to 4500–5000 RPM when shift lever passes through or reaches neutral; Sudden acceleration when moving shift lever from park to drive; Rapid engine revving during upshift or downshift while driving; Acceleration triggered by shifting action regardless of foot placement on brake
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report dealers unable to replicate during test drive. No mechanical obstruction found at accelerator or floor mats. One owner reports accelerator pedal modification by dealer without resolution.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 09V388000 applied; floor mat replacement did not address shift-related acceleration. Toyota case numbers opened in some reports with no follow-up resolution noted.
Cruise control malfunction with excessive downshifting
Cruise control causes vehicle to downshift excessively and rev engine to over 5000 RPM when climbing hills, creating startling and dangerous conditions.
When: Occurs repeatedly during hill climbing in one case; 2009 Tacoma with cruise set at 61 MPH
Symptoms owners cite: Engine downshifts 3+ times unnecessarily when climbing small grades; Engine revs above 5000 RPM; Repeated downshifting on same hill after reengaging cruise control; No excessive downshifting when cruise control is off
Cruise control intermittent on/off operation
Cruise control engages and disengages erratically without driver input, stopping while vehicle is in motion.
When: Ongoing intermittent issue
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control turns on and off as it pleases; Cruise control stops while truck is in motion; Malfunction despite replacement of brake light switch and cruise control switch
Repairs/costs cited: Owner replaced brake light switch and cruise control switch without resolution. Issue appears related to spiral cable clock spring.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota stated issue not covered under spiral cable clock spring recall (VIN a few digits away from recall list).
Acceleration lag followed by sudden surge
Vehicle fails to accelerate smoothly when pedal is pressed; engine hesitates then suddenly surges, or responds inconsistently to throttle input.
When: Occurs during normal driving at various speeds
Symptoms owners cite: Delayed acceleration response when pedal depressed; Sudden engine surge after brief hesitation; Inconsistent throttle response; light pressure accelerates rapidly while heavy pressure produces insufficient response; Engine races momentarily then engages when turning or slowing
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer inspections found no issues; attributed to 'drive by wire' electronic system. No repairs completed.
Unintended acceleration with brake failure
Vehicle accelerates unexpectedly while brakes are applied and brake effectiveness is compromised, sometimes requiring multiple brake applications or extreme force to stop.
When: Various mileages from 3,850 to over 14,000 miles; incidents range from early ownership to years into vehicle use
Symptoms owners cite: Engine surges while brakes applied; Brakes ineffective or slow to respond; Multiple brake applications required to stop; Rear wheels spin uncontrollably despite hard brake pressure; Extreme brake pressure required to eventually stop vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers find no fault codes or mechanical problems. Some owners report dealer removed floor mats as suggested remedy. No accelerator obstruction found. One owner reports brake light switch replacement did not resolve issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 09V388000 floor mat replacement did not resolve acceleration with brake failure. Some owners report manufacturer claimed vehicle was electronically fine after investigation.
Throttle pedal physically stuck or jammed
Accelerator pedal becomes mechanically stuck or jammed in wide-open position, requiring driver to physically pull or manipulate pedal to regain control.
When: Occurs during acceleration at various speeds (40–60 MPH reported)
Symptoms owners cite: Throttle pedal stuck in wide-open position; Pedal physically jammed; requires driver to pull back with foot or shoe tip; Engine continues revving even after foot removed; Floor mat wedged under accelerator pedal in one case
Repairs/costs cited: One owner pulled floor mat away and vehicle returned to normal operation. Dealer confirmed floor mats not properly hooked to clips in that case. Another owner pulled pedal back with shoe to regain control.
Synthesized from 45 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Toyota tacoma. The contact stated that while attempting to park and depressing the brakes, the vehicle abnormally accelerated and crashed into a pole. The contact stated that the brake and accelerator pedals were too close together and she has simultaneously depressed both pedals causing the abnormal acceleration. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of…
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Toyota tacoma. While driving above 45 MPH the vehicle began to rapidly accelerate and would not slow down. As a consequence she crashed and went into a ditch. Her front fender, hood and driver side door were damaged. There was a police report available. The Toyota manufacturer has not been contacted. The failure mileage was 10,000. Updated 03/10/10 *bf the…
Five months old 2009 Toyota tacoma prerunner, v6 5-speed automatic transmission. Had made short trip from home and was returning. Proceeding down slight grade about three blocks from home manually downshifted from drive to 4th. Seeing red signal several blocks ahead downshifted again to 3rd, then 2nd, slowing enough so as to have green light at intersection. Made braking right turn at…
Had cruise control trouble with your 2009 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 2009 Toyota Tacoma?
It's a meaningful issue. 45 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 39 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 5,200 and 15,000 miles, with the median around 10,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 5,200; a quarter make it past 15,000. 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/2009/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.