Toyota Tundra: common faults & what to check

Which Toyota Tundra are you looking at?

2 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Petrol

1 variant documented

2007–now2007–nowGeneration5.7 V8 petrolPetrolDocumented issues5 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

Hybrid

1 variant documented

2007–now2007–nowGeneration3.4 twin-turbo hybridHybridDocumented issues1 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Toyota Tundra

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Toyota Tundra before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Costly issue

  Scan for secondary air injection codes, listen at cold start for the air pump, and inspect the air switching valves for corrosion.

  See why

  3UR-FE secondary air injection pump failure

  The 5.7 3UR-FE V8's secondary air injection system fails as the pumps and switching valves corrode, throwing P24xx codes and CELs, especially on cold-climate or coastal trucks. A well-known and costly Tundra/Sequoia fault.

  What you would notice

  • Check-engine light with P2440/P2442 codes
  • Rough cold-start running
  • Loud pump noise briefly on cold start
  • Failed emissions

  Typically $800–$3,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Inspect the ladder frame rails, crossmembers and brake/fuel lines for heavy scale, and probe suspect areas for structural weakness.

  See why

  Frame and underbody rust on older imports

  Older Tundras, particularly North American trucks from salted regions, suffer frame and brake/fuel line corrosion. NZ buyers should inspect the ladder frame, crossmembers and spare-tyre carrier for structural rust.

  What you would notice

  • Flaking scale on the frame rails
  • Corroded brake and fuel lines
  • Rust on crossmembers
  • Perforated spare-tyre carrier

  Typically $500–$6,000 to put right.

• Worth checking

  Inspect the cam towers and timing cover for oil weep, check the engine valley and front cover, and look for drips after parking.

  See why

  Cam tower and timing cover oil leaks

  The 5.7 V8 develops oil leaks from the cam towers and timing cover as the sealant ages, weeping oil down the front and sides of the engine. Not catastrophic but messy and labour-intensive to reseal properly.

  What you would notice

  • Oil weeping down the front of the engine
  • Oil smell and smoke off hot components
  • Low oil level over time
  • Oily residue in the valley

  Typically $500–$3,000 to put right.

• Worth checking

  Start dead cold and listen for a phaser rattle, note duration, scan for VVT codes, and check oil condition.

  See why

  Cam phaser / VVT-i rattle on start-up

  The 5.7 V8 can exhibit a brief cam-phaser (VVT-i actuator) rattle on cold start as the actuator wears, and if ignored the actuator or oil control valve may need replacement. Common on higher-mileage trucks.

  What you would notice

  • Brief rattle on cold start
  • Metallic ticking that fades as oil pressure builds
  • VVT-related codes
  • Rough momentary idle at start

  Typically $400–$1,800 to put right.

Other Toyota models