Toyota Tundra Reliability
Quick answer
Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 2,845 complaints about the Toyota Tundra with NHTSA, most often about the engine and the transmission, and NHTSA lists 60 recall campaigns. We have no published sales figures for the Tundra to turn that into a per-1,000-sold rate, so these counts compare its model years with each other, not with other models. CarWhere's year-by-year verdict engine flags 2008, 2018 and 2022–2025 as years to avoid and rates 2021 as a better year. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
By CarWhere Research · Last reviewed 2026-11-10 · Source: NHTSA
2,845
NHTSA owner complaints (2008–2026)
97
Complaints citing a crash
60
Recall campaigns
6
Years to avoid
Most-reported Toyota Tundra problems
NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, by the component owners named, filed 2007–2026. A complaint can name more than one component. The last three columns count complaints that report a crash, a fire or an injury.
| Component | Complaints | Share | Crash | Fire | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 744 | 26% | 5 | 8 | 1 |
| Powertrain / transmission | 455 | 16% | 13 | 1 | 8 |
| Electrical system | 361 | 13% | 8 | 11 | 2 |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 356 | 13% | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Speed control / throttle | 270 | 9% | 24 | 0 | 7 |
| Service brakes | 265 | 9% | 20 | 2 | 8 |
| Body structure | 203 | 7% | 7 | 2 | 6 |
| Engine & cooling | 148 | 5% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Of all 2,845 complaints, 97 (3%) report a crash, 25 (1%) a fire and 49 (2%) an injury.
For 2020-and-newer models (1,425 complaints), the most-reported areas are the engine (543), the transmission (319), the fuel system (217), the electrical system (132).
Toyota Tundra complaints by model year
Where problems concentrate. Year flags come from CarWhere's year-by-year verdict engine, which compares each Tundra model year with the model's other years. The full year-by-year verdicts are on the years-to-avoid page.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 327 | 13 | Speed control / throttle | Avoid |
| 2009 | 38 | 13 | Powertrain / transmission | — |
| 2010 | 163 | 16 | Suspension | — |
| 2011 | 135 | 11 | Engine | — |
| 2012 | 156 | 4 | Engine | — |
| 2013 | 85 | 6 | Engine | — |
| 2014 | 93 | 5 | Electrical system | — |
| 2015 | 51 | 5 | Service brakes | — |
| 2016 | 120 | 6 | Service brakes | — |
| 2017 | 78 | 6 | Electrical system | — |
| 2018 | 100 | 9 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2019 | 74 | 10 | Fuel / propulsion system | — |
| 2020 | 47 | 5 | Engine | — |
| 2021 | 24 | 3 | Electrical system | Better year |
| 2022 | 435 | 13 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2023 | 417 | 13 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2024(new) | 358 | 10 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2025(new) | 144 | 5 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2026(new) | 0 | 1 | — | — |
Raw counts are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, and older years have had longer to collect complaints. Years marked "new" have had less than three years on the road. — = not flagged either way.
Toyota Tundra recalls
NHTSA lists 60 recall campaigns across Toyota Tundra model years 2008–2026. The ones below cover the most model years. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Model years | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21E103000Dec 23, 2021 | 2008–2021 | Steering — hydraulic power assist system | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain JTEKT power steering gear assembly service parts for 2007-2021 Tundra and 2008-2022 Sequoia, part numbers 44250-0C160, 44250-0C131, 44250-0C170, and 11250-0C121. The… |
| 21V920000Nov 23, 2021 | 2008–2021 | Steering — hydraulic power assist system | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2008-2022 Sequoia and 2007-2021 Tundra vehicles. The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak. |
| 17V311000May 11, 2017 | 2013–2017 | Wheels — lugs/nuts/bolts/studs | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia vehicles accessorized with Southeast Toyota accessory 20-inch Rockstar wheels installed by Southeast Toyota or a Southeast Toyota… |
| 13V123000Apr 9, 2013 | 2008 and 2010–2013 | Equipment — other / labels | Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid,… |
| 25V657000Oct 1, 2025 | 2022–2025 | Backup camera / back-over prevention — software | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Tundra, Tundra Hybrid, and 2023-2025 Sequoia Hybrid vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview image not to display when the vehicle is placed in… |
Best and worst Tundra years
- Years to avoid: 2008, 2018 and 2022–2025.
- Better years: 2021.
- 2024–2026: too new to judge fully; complaint counts are still building.
Toyota Tundra years to avoid: the verdict for every model year →
What to inspect on a used Toyota Tundra
Based on the components owners report most. None of these replaces an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Fuel system: smell for fuel around the car, watch for hesitation or stalling, and check for a lit check-engine light.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Recalls: check the VIN for open recalls; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any Toyota Tundra can be better or worse than the model's record. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
Toyota Tundra reliability FAQ
Is the Toyota Tundra reliable?
Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 2,845 complaints about the Toyota Tundra with NHTSA, most often about the engine and the transmission, and NHTSA lists 60 recall campaigns. We have no published sales figures for the Tundra to turn that into a per-1,000-sold rate, so these counts compare its model years with each other, not with other models. CarWhere's year-by-year verdict engine flags 2008, 2018 and 2022–2025 as years to avoid and rates 2021 as a better year. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
What are the most common Toyota Tundra problems?
In NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, the most-reported areas are the engine (744), the transmission (455), the electrical system (361) and the fuel system (356). For 2020-and-newer models, the most-reported areas are the engine, the transmission and the fuel system. One complaint can name more than one component, and complaints are unverified owner reports.
What years of the Toyota Tundra should you avoid?
CarWhere's year-by-year verdict engine flags 2008, 2018 and 2022–2025 as years to avoid and rates 2021 as a better year. Each model year is compared only with other Tundra years: complaints are adjusted for time on the road, and serious ones (engine, transmission, brakes, steering, fuel system, or a reported crash, fire or injury) count double, with a smaller adjustment for recall campaigns.
How long does a Toyota Tundra last?
In CarWhere's lifespan study, 6.1% of 19,392 used Tundra listings in the US had passed 200,000 miles and 15.2% had passed 150,000. Among those 10+ years old, 23.6% are past 200,000 miles. Maintenance history matters more than the model average for any one car.
How many recalls does the Toyota Tundra have?
NHTSA lists 60 recall campaigns covering Toyota Tundra model years 2008–2026. The one covering the most model years is 21E103000 (steering, 2008–2021). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How do I check a specific used Toyota Tundra?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
How we measure Tundra reliability
- Complaints are every NHTSA owner complaint filed for the Toyota Tundra, model years 2008–2026, across all the body-style and trim names NHTSA files them under, de-duplicated by complaint number. They are unverified owner reports.
- Year flags compare each Tundra model year only with other Tundra years, so they say which years to prefer, not how the Tundra compares with other models.
- This is federal complaint and recall data, not a survey and not comparable to Consumer Reports or J.D. Power ratings. It does not estimate repair costs.
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints and NHTSA recall campaigns (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-11-10; published U.S. sales figures; CarWhere years-to-avoid analysis.
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Toyota Tundra reliability by model year: