Toyota Tundra Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Toyota Tundra options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Toyota Tundra has 1,633 owner complaints and 75 safety recalls across model years 2017–2026. The most reported issue area is ENGINE. 2022 drew the most complaints; 2021 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Toyota
- Model
- Tundra
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 1,633
- Safety recall campaigns
- 75
- Crash-related complaints
- 34
- Fire-related complaints
- 15
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2022 (428 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2021 (24 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ENGINE
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Toyota Tundra: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe TOYOTA TUNDRA has 1,633 NHTSA complaints and 75 recalls on record. 34 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 1,633 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 75 federal recall campaigns
- 34 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Oct 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
75 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 1,633 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
1,633 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
When driving on the freeway at 70mph speeds during rush hour, I lost all power to the vehicle causing me to have to immediately pull to the side of the freeway with minimal control of the vehicle. I had to come to a complete stop on the freeway putting myself and others at high risk for a high speed crash. There were no warning lamps just a full system failure. There are recalls on certain VIN numbers for the Denso Low Pressure Fuel Pump and a class action lawsuit settlement that resulted in Customer Support Program 23TE05 but when I called Toyota they said my VIN did not qualify.
Between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. while heading west with cruise control on and I passed a truck that was fully in the left turn lane my vehicle has done a collision avoidance complete stop three time in the same day. I wasn’t tailgating and I was doing the speed limit of 55 mph. The road was very straight. It did this twice before about a year ago. I reported it to the dealer and they could find nothing wrong with my vehicle.
Steering is intermittently difficult, almost as if no power steering. Steering wheel does not return to center after a turn. There were no warning lamps or messages displayed on the vehicle. This is a safety issue in that it could an accident by not responding properly to driver input. Took vehicle to Toyota dealer who diagnosed problem as "Intermediate Steering Shaft Binding." Toyota dealer replaced steering intermediate shaft. Dealer kept old steering shaft.
In a 2020 Toyota Tundra, 1794 Edition (60k miles), traveling at normal highway speed, the moonroof glass panel spontaneously exploded. There was no previous damage or modification to the moonroof panel. Panel explosion was extremely loud and surprising. Large pieces of glass were blown back onto the highway. If the shade was not drawn at this time, large amounts of glass would have also rained down onto the driver and passenger of the vehicle. Clear dash camera footage shows speed under the speed limit, and no impact from any sort of debris.
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact discovered that there was smoke inside the vehicle. The contact opened the front passenger side door and discovered that the front passenger seat was burned and had melted. The contact stated that the front passenger seat had caught on fire and extinguished itself prior to the contact discovering the smoke. The origin of the fire was from the front passenger’s heated seat function. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was unoccupied during the fire. Neither a Fire nor a Police Report was filed. The vehicle remained at the residence. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the front passenger’s seat heater needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact also mentioned that the insurance company declined coverage since they deemed it to be a manufacturer's defect. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
IN BACK CEILING LEAKING WORSE NOW...
Read 14 more owner reports
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that while opening the sunroof, the sunroof made an abnormal chainsaw sound. The message "Window Open" was displayed. The contact stated that the sunroof was opening and closing independently. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the cables had seized, and the sunroof glass was stressed. The dealer linked the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 004220. The contact stated that the window failed to close. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there was no warranty coverage or Goodwill assistance for the repair. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000. The VIN was not available.
BODY TOP CELING IS LEAKING.. TOYOTA TRY TO COST ME OVER ONE THOUSAND I CANT AFFORD.. I SEE LOT OF COMMON RECALL FROM OLD TUNDRA HAVE SAME PROBLEM. I THINK TOYOTA IS RESPONBILE TO FIX...
It happend today .. I notice while I Cleaned .....back seat ceiling leaking . it seem come from third brake light it no recall on list..
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the "Pre-Collision System Failure” warning light and icon were illuminated. Additionally, the message "See Dealer" was displayed. The contact also stated that the rear passenger’s side wheel locked up intermittently. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence where the contact disconnected the battery, cleaned the cameras, and allowed the ECU to reset; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 2,550.
Spontaneous explosion of sunroof, under normal driving status, pictures were taken, the toyota deealer has replaced and repaired at my cost, I have filed an insurance claim with USAA and uploaded bill and pictures, The shattered glass could have entered the cab but did not. No warning lights or other symptoms appeared before the incident.
The sunroof shattered while driving down the freeway. No vehicles near or overpasses near. The shade was closed so the glass fell on it not on my head or passengers that could have been present. Sounded like a loud pop. Then I heard wind noise. The glass is blown upward, not downward. I am 40 year auto technician and own my own shop. Its my personal truck I bought new. Has never had any issues at all. This is a defect of some sort. My thought is, since I never use it. The seals aroung the glass bound in the roof opening, thus binding it where it finally flexed and shattered.
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V682000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 34,000.
Driving on the highway and the sunroof spontaneously exploded — portions of glass traveling up and out of the vehicle, with some falling into the sunshade. Skies were clear with temperatures around 25 degrees Fahrenheit. There were no overpasses or other structure from which debris could have fallen, nor could it have come from another vehicle.
I was driving in a 25 MPH zone approaching a red light preparing to stop. I had increased the pressure on my brake pedal and then my foot slipped of the pedal just seconds before I ran into a truck that was stopped at the red light. After further investigation I found out that the brake pedal pad has been substituted by Toyota Manufacturing. My 2020 Tundra was purchased new and has 8,800 miles on it. The petal pad is made from a PVC plastic material as stated on the bottom of the pad. There are no part #s on the pad which is suspicious that this is not a Toyota pad. The PVC material is very slippery, especially if the surface was wet. Come to find out that my 2023 RX 350 has the same brake pad. Both of these pedal pads will be replaced immediately from Toyota. Please Note. I could not upload any of the documents that you had requested. Something is corrupted with the web page that asks for upload files??????
Can not fuel truck normally. Gas stops pumping after 2secs and have confirmed the issues with multiple gas stations.
NOTE: Toyota has confirmed this issue, but is unable to resolve this. When the SOS button is pressed, the DCM module is supposed to send the proper VIN number and location to the call center. The call center does not receive the proper VIN number and pulls up the wrong person / location. In my case, if an emergency occurred, they would send emergency assistance to a vehicle located in another state entirely. This is not because the wrong owner is assigned to their system. They can find my vehicle VIN with the proper owner information in their system. The issue is that the DCM module (or other system) is actually sending the wrong VIN to their system. The Toyota SOS call center says to see the dealer and the dealer says they are unable to fix this. If this is not isolated to just my vehicle, this could cause a loss of life if emergency assistance never arrives at the proper vehicle location.
The headrests on the seats slip out of place very easily. It is available for inspection on request. In case of accident, the headrests may fly off the seat very easily, with failure to prevent whiplash injury. The problem has not been confirmed by a dealer or service center. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone but me, the owner. There are no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem. The problem was there when I bought the vehicle in 2022.
was struck in front right corner of truck and air bags did not deploy or the automatic braking system did not respond causing me to be thrown in to rearview mirror and breaking the windshiled and causing body harm to my head and spine
This has happened twice now. 1st occurs on the DC beltway in VA HOV lanes, outer loop just past Tysons Corner while going 70+ MPH in the lane with no vehicles around the collision warning system and break automatically alerted , sensor indicated and dash board flashed BREAK. It resolved on its own. This was in august on a hot sunny day, no rain, no fog. The second occurrence just happened two weeks ago. It was sunny, 55-65 degrees, 35-49 PMH approx 3 vehicles back while turning south from rote 27 in mount airy maryland onto Penn shop road, the vehicle did the same thing. Indicated I was going to crash, applied the breaks automatically and almost caused an accident with a vehicle traveling behind me. First time I thought was a fluke- second time- no. Will be sending to dealer. Vehicle has less than 25k. 2020, Calvary blue, 4x4, shortened, crew max.
Showing 20 of 1,633 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Toyota Tundra
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Toyota Tundra, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Toyota Tundra has 1,633 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Toyota Tundra has 75 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 34 of the Toyota Tundra's 1,633 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Toyota Tundra vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Toyota Tundra vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Toyota Tundra has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Check a Toyota Tundra by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Toyota Tundra.
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Toyota Tundra reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Toyota Tundra reliable?
Poor. The Toyota Tundra has 1,633 NHTSA owner complaints and 75 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ENGINE. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Toyota Tundra years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2022 (428 complaints), 2023 (408 complaints), 2024 (341 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Toyota Tundra problems?
Top reported issues: ENGINE (549 complaints); POWER TRAIN (323 complaints); FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (261 complaints).
Does the Toyota Tundra have recalls?
Yes — 75 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Toyota Tundra. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.