Failure of the secondary air injection system p2440 and p2442, while the vehicle was moving onto a city street from a parking lot. When accelerating immediately there was a decrease in power and the check engine light along with the "trac off" light illuminating simultaneously. The vehicle has a now maximum speed of around 55 MPH and extremely slow to accelerate being almost dangerous on busier…
2012 Toyota Tacoma engine problems
moderate 91 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
91
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
When does it fail?
Of the 91 engine complaints filed for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 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 18 model years of Toyota Tacoma we track for engine problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 91.
Engine accounts for 31% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 11 categories tracked.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
Air injection pump and diverter valve assembly failed causing vehicle to enter limp mode. Vehicle was moving at low speed from a fresh start up. Toyota has recognized the issue on the tundra truck and extended 150k mile warranty on the part. They have not extended the same consideration on the tacoma. Based on research and discussion with dealer it is a known issue on the 2012 tacoma. Cost…
I got the engine lights on in the morning starting the truck on nov 3, and truck went into limp mode. Got it home and let it sit for a bit and then it seemed to be okay accelerating but the engine lights were still on. Took it to Toyota and was reading the dreaded p2442 secondary air injection system code. They cleared the code and drove it around; cleared again they deemed it okay and charged me…
My 2012 Toyota tacoma check engine and traction control light came on. Truck went in limp mode, which was very unsafe. Took my truck to auto zone to have the codes read. My truck code was p2442. Air injection system switch valve stuck open. This is a known issue to Toyota tundra trucks but not for the tacoma.
Driving on the street to work one morning, the trac off and check engine lights both suddenly appeared. I then noticed that my truck was not able to accelerate past ~40 MPH. Going uphill, my truck was limited to only ~20 MPH. My truck went into this "safe mode." I connected an OBD device and the came up with the following two codes: p2440 and p2442. The codes refer to "secondary air…
Engine code p2442 & p2440: secondary air injection system switching valve bank 2. Truck only has 40,000 miles on it. Dealer what $1800.00 to make repairs. Toyota has a problem with the part and they need to fix it. Nothing like having numerous failures and leaving the customer to pay for the poor engineered part. *tr
Had engine trouble with your 2012 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 engine problem on the 2012 Toyota Tacoma?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 91 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 87 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 49,000 and 79,000 miles, with the median around 61,236. A quarter of owners report trouble before 49,000; a quarter make it past 79,000. 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 $3,100 for engine 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 engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine 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/2012/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.