2011 Toyota Tacoma: Daytime running lights melting lens covers
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2011 Tacoma report: daytime running lights melting lens covers. CarComplaints.com lists 7 owner complaints, average mileage 62,250 miles.
NHTSA has 32 owner complaints for the 2011 Tacoma in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11555787 (filed 11/18/2023): “1.) headlights are yellowing. 2.) hard to see at night. 3.) everyone has the same problem. the government should mandate going back to glass headlights for safety reasons. buffing them only lasts a short period of time and the elderly can't afford to buy n…”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11480199 (filed 08/19/2022): “The contact owns a 2011 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that the driver's and passenger's side headlights were inoperable. upon inspection, the contact noticed that the headlight assemblies were extremely hot and had melted. the vehicle was taken to the deal…”
Likely causes
Sources do not establish a single root cause; diagnosis is needed. Owner-reported fixes are listed below.
Fix, in plain English
Most common owner-reported solutions on CarComplaints.com: replace entire headlight (5 reports). Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Moderate
LED DRLs are often integrated into the headlamp assembly, which may require bumper removal. (Our assessment.)
Cost
No sourced cost range: get a written quote after diagnosis.
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
AutoZone · O'Reilly · Advance · RockAuto
Sources
- CarComplaints.com: Daytime running lights melting lens covers (2011 Tacoma)
- NHTSA complaints API, 2011 Tacoma
Page last updated .