TSB: Some 2016 ? 2023 model year Tacoma vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission (6AT) may exhibit a vibration under deceleration (coasting or braking) typically between 30 ? 10 mph. This vibration is felt in the seat, floorboard, and/or steering wheel. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to address this condition
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2018 Toyota Tacoma steering problems
moderate Owners of the 2018 Toyota Tacoma have filed 6 NHTSA complaints about the steering at roughly $700 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See steering across all vehicles →
Complaints
6
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
| Model year | steering complaints |
|---|---|
| 2014 Tacoma | 8 |
| 2015 Tacoma | 4 |
| 2016 Tacoma | 4 |
| 2018 Tacoma (this page) | 6 |
| 2019 Tacoma | 10 |
| 2020 Tacoma | 3 |
| 2021 Tacoma | 3 |
What stands out
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 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 steering 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 2016 ? 2021 model year Tacoma vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission may exhibit a vibration under deceleration (coasting or braking) between 30 ? 10 mph. This vibration is felt in the seat, floorboard, and/or steering wheel. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to address this condition.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TT: Some customers may encounter Bluetooth® connectivity concerns such as: ?Difficulty to pair the phone. ?Intermittent Bluetooth® failure to connect to the vehicle when first turning on the vehicle. ?Various Bluetooth® Audio functions are no longer functioning with customer?s phone such as ability to change the track using the steering wheel controls. These concerns can be caused by changes made on the customer?s phone. Make sure to inquire with the customer if the connectivity concerns occurred after receiving an operating system update on their phone, or if they have restored their phone data/settings recently.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TSB: Some 2016 ? 2019 model year Tacoma vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission may exhibit a vibration under deceleration (coasting or braking) between 10 ? 30 mph. This vibration is felt in the seat, floorboard, and/or steering wheel. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to address this condition.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TT: Some customers may encounter Bluetooth® connectivity concerns such as: ? Difficulty to pair the phone. ? Intermittent Bluetooth® failure to connect to the vehicle when first turning on the vehicle. ? Various Bluetooth® Audio functions are no longer functioning with customer?s phone such as ability to change the track using the steering wheel controls. These concerns can be caused by changes made on the customer?s phone. Make sure to inquire with the customer if the connectivity concerns occurred after receiving an operating system update on their phone, or if they have restored their phone data/settings recently.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Vibration in steering wheel and seat when driving between 10-30mph and braking between 10-30mph. This is a new 2018 tacoma access cab with only 4000 miles. Tsb 0171 and 0023 address the same problem????
Had steering trouble with your 2018 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 steering problem on the 2018 Toyota Tacoma?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 6 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Based on the 6 complaints filed, steering issues most often appear around 109,316 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering 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 steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering 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/2018/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.