Toyota Tundra 2007–2021
2nd generation · XK50
NHTSA data through 12 August 20262,554 complaints, 1,821 with mileageMethod
On this generation, 27% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 4 times higher than during the rest of the car's life.
- First 12,000 miles — 27% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 24 complaints (1.3%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 1,000
- 25%
- 10,000
- Median
- 42,500
- 75%
- 88,000
- 90%
- 128,268
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 321 | 17.6% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 128 | 7.0% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 89 | 4.9% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 88 | 4.8% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 75 | 4.1% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 62 | 3.4% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 56 | 3.1% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 49 | 2.7% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 56 | 3.1% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 45 | 2.5% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 42 | 2.3% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 53 | 2.9% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 46 | 2.5% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 46 | 2.5% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 62 | 3.4% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 54 | 3.0% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 53 | 2.9% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 63 | 3.5% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 42 | 2.3% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 39 | 2.1% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 48 | 2.6% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 29 | 1.6% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 23 | 1.3% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 23 | 1.3% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 35 | 1.9% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 15 | 0.8% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 12 | 0.7% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 21 | 1.2% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 14 | 0.8% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 19 | 1.0% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 16 | 0.9% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 9 | 0.5% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 9 | 0.5% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 10 | 0.5% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 11 | 0.6% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 9 | 0.5% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 8 | 0.4% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 6 | 0.3% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 6 | 0.3% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 5 | 0.3% |
| 200,000+ | 24 | 1.3% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 2,554 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007–2021 Toyota Tundra, and 1,821 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
27% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 4 times higher than during the rest of the car's life. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are the electrical system (10.2% of complaints, typically around 46,000 miles), the engine (9.1% of complaints, typically around 80,000 miles), body structure (9.0% of complaints, typically around 64,000 miles).
34 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Electrical system46,000median 46,500 miles, middle half 14,000 to 97,000
- Engine80,000median 80,100 miles, middle half 50,000 to 111,000
- Body structure64,000median 64,000 miles, middle half 16,000 to 107,000
- Throttle and speed control23,000median 22,700 miles, middle half 6,500 to 46,000
- Transmission and driveline50,000median 50,000 miles, middle half 15,000 to 90,000
- Problems owners could not categorise52,000median 52,500 miles, middle half 9,000 to 110,000
- Fuel and propulsion system73,000median 73,400 miles, middle half 50,000 to 102,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 260 | 10.2% | 46,000 | 14,000–97,000 |
| Engine | 232 | 9.1% | 80,000 | 50,000–111,000 |
| Body structure | 230 | 9.0% | 64,000 | 16,000–107,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 220 | 8.6% | 23,000 | 6,500–46,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 215 | 8.4% | 50,000 | 15,000–90,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 183 | 7.2% | 52,000 | 9,000–110,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 161 | 6.3% | 73,000 | 50,000–102,000 |
| Brakes | 157 | 6.1% | 15,000 | 3,000–65,000 |
| Suspension | 147 | 5.8% | 8,500 | 200–80,000 |
| Steering | 105 | 4.1% | 56,000 | 14,000–88,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 42,500 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The electrical system accounts for 10.2% of complaints (260 reports, 179 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 46,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 14,200 and 97,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 9.1% of complaints (232 reports, 176 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 80,100 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 111,414 miles.
Body structure accounts for 9.0% of complaints (230 reports, 138 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 64,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 16,000 and 107,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 8.6% of complaints (220 reports, 185 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 22,700 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,500 and 46,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 8.4% of complaints (215 reports, 176 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 50,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 90,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 7.2% of complaints (183 reports, 104 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 52,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 9,000 and 110,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2007 model year drew the most — 535 complaints — while 2021 drew the fewest at 30. The median year sits at 115.
That makes 2007 an outlier: roughly 4.7 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 34 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around equipment (10), seats (4), the tyres (3). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 2,554 complaints filed against this generation, 155 reported a crash; 33 reported a fire; 110 reported an injury; 5 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 6.1% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 27% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, the electrical system and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 46,500, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Emissions/Engine 2007–2014
Secondary air injection (AI) pump and air switching valve failure on the V8s. Moisture and exhaust condensate corrode the pump and valves, triggering check engine lights and limp/fail-safe mode. Toyota issued a Customer Support Program / warranty enhancement covering 2007-2010 Tundra air pump assemblies and air switching valves, and separately addressed a 2012-2014 Tundra ECM software condition that could itself cause the air injection pump to fail and put the truck into fail-safe mode.
Engine 2007–2021
Cam tower oil leaks on the 5.7L 3UR-FE — the sealant between the cam towers and cylinder head degrades and weeps oil, commonly presenting as oil in the spark plug tubes or a leak at the front of the engine. Labor-intensive repair requiring cam cover and timing cover disassembly.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 535 | 419 |
| 2008 | 460 | 369 |
| 2009 | 53 | 38 |
| 2010 | 218 | 188 |
| 2011 | 184 | 132 |
| 2012 | 215 | 160 |
| 2013 | 105 | 81 |
| 2014 | 115 | 83 |
| 2015 | 59 | 30 |
| 2016 | 156 | 109 |
| 2017 | 112 | 66 |
| 2018 | 153 | 78 |
| 2019 | 104 | 41 |
| 2020 | 55 | 24 |
| 2021 | 30 | 3 |
Recalls (34)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 21V688000 | 2022-04-25 | Exterior Lighting:headlights |
| 21V920000 | 2022-01-21 | Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System |
| 20V682000 | 2021-01-21 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
| 20V410000 | 2020-08-17 | Exterior Lighting:turn Signal |
| 20V012000 | 2020-05-01 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
| 19V244000 | 2019-05-24 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 18V900000 | 2019-01-24 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 18V711000 | 2018-11-16 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 18V685000 | 2018-10-26 | Electrical System:software |
| 18V123000 | 2018-03-19 | Seats:mid/Rear Assembly |
| 18V122000 | 2018-03-14 | Electronic Stability Control (esc) |
| 17V831000 | 2018-01-23 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 17V311000 | 2017-06-23 | Wheels:lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs |
| 17V416000 | 2017-06-22 | Air Bags:knee Bolster |
| 17V051000 | 2017-04-21 | Structure:body:bumpers |
| 16V420000 | 2016-07-14 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 16V396000 | 2016-07-14 | Seats:front Assembly:seat Heater/Cooler |
| 15V689000 | 2015-11-25 | Visibility:power Window Devices and Controls |
| 15V315000 | 2015-06-29 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 14V743000 | 2015-01-29 | Seats:front Assembly:seat Heater/Cooler |
| 14V556000 | 2014-10-21 | Air Bags:side/Window |
| 14V429000 | 2014-08-29 | Wheels:lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs |
| 13V123000 | 2013-05-28 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 13V014000 | 2013-03-21 | Seats |
| 12V491000 | 2012-11-05 | Visibility:power Window Devices and Controls |
What owners reported
My truck first thing in morning will not shift into 3rd gear until i stop put in park and then drive and once going down road it shifts and drives fine when reported it to dealer he tells me that it has to warm up that his does same thing , all my lights on gauges comes on flashing oil light 4 wheel drive light the…
2007 · Electrical system
Unresolved safety issues with 2007 Toyota Tundra: 1. Towing mirrors vibrate, previously reported Toyota case # 200704230738. Mirrors are unusable above 40mph due to vibration. 2. Bed bounce is so severe on some roads, particularly i-10 between indio and los angeles, that it is impossible to carry on a normal…
2007 · 10 miles · Visibility equipment
Since day one that i have purchased the truck i have complained that the brakes don't slow the truck down as it should. That you have to pump it at least one time for them to act normal when slowing down. Some times it is over half way to the floor before you stop. And that is with out pulling a load. When i talked to…
2007 · 25 miles · Equipment
Built from 1,821 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page