TSB: Some 2007 ? 2010 model year Tundra vehicles may exhibit a howling or growling noise from the rear of the vehicle that increases with vehicle speed. Changes have been made to the rear axle bearing to address this condition. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to address this condition.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2009 Toyota Tundra powertrain problems
moderate 8 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
8
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
When does it fail?
Of the 8 powertrain complaints filed for the 2009 Toyota Tundra, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Powertrain accounts for 21% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 4 categories tracked.
No new NHTSA powertrain complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 15 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 01, 2019 Rev2: ? Applicability has been updated to 2019 ? 2020 model year Toyota vehicles. ? The Techstream Preparation and Process Overview sections have been updated. October 30, 2017 Rev1: ? Applicability has been updated to include 2018 model year vehicles. Any previous printed versions of this bulletin should be discarded. SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes SB No. T-SB-0012-13. Service Bulletin No. T-SB-0012-13 is obsolete and any printed versions should be discarded. Be sure to review the entire content of this bulletin before proceeding. Flash reprogramming allows the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) software to be updated
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Warranty Policy Bulletin (POL11-05): Toyota has received reports of customer concerns regarding the illumination of the check engine light (Malfunction Indicator Light) due to moisture/water in the Air Injection Pumps and/or Air Switching Valves in the engines of a number of these vehicles. T-SB-0160-11 has been released to assist dealers in the diagnosis and repair of these vehicles. However, some of the vehicles covered by T-SB-0160-11 may be outside of Toyota?s New Vehicle Limited Powertrain Warranty and California Emission Warranty due to age and/or mileage. To assure customers that we stand behind our product, we are offering a warranty extension on the Air Injection Pumps and Air Switc
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TechTip: Condition - The vehicle may be difficult to start or have an abnormally low or rough idle after the battery has been disconnected or power to the Engine ECM has been interrupted.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TSB: World Standard (WS) Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) was introduced to reduce maintenance costs and increase the mileage between scheduled maintenance checks. Here are some important tips when working with ATF-WS in Toyota vehicles requiring it's use.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
Letter regarding problems he having with 2009 Toyota tundra (since march 2009 to now), he has taken it to 2 different dealerships 3 times and is still having problems *tgw the transmission was not shifting properly. The consumer stated the transmission had to search for the proper gear and was slipping at low speeds. The dealer informed the consumer it was normal. *jb the consumer stated the…
I was the operator of the vehicle on my driveway when the engine suddenly accelerated. The accelerator was wide open while I was hard on the brakes. I was able to put the gear shift into park, and once I did the engine stopped its acceleration. I was on hard concrete, thus the rear wheels spun freely without catching traction. The vehicle left roughly 30" of front and rear wheel marks. The…
I have a 2009 Toyota tundra with the 5.7l engine and 6 speed auto transmission. Intermittent shifting occurs as slow speeds, with the vehicle acting like the transmission is in neutral. This has caused serious concern when trying to accelerate and could lead to a potential accident. I have also had this occur on slick surfaces, with the engine revving up before the transmission engages. This…
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Toyota tundra double cab sr5. The contact stated that the transmission was not shifting properly and when attempting to accelerate, the vehicle would independently downshift to 1st gear. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where they added transmission fluid but the failure was not corrected. The vehicle was then taken to a second dealer who stated that there was…
Truck gets a bump after coming to a stop. Sometimes it's gets a really hard bump and sometimes it's just a little bump. I kept thinking I got hit as it is very noticeable. No one seems to know why, but I do know this, it only happens when the a/c is running. I believe it's a computer software problem. It took a couple of years because I found out it only happens when the weather gets warm and I…
Purchased a 2009 Toyota tundra with 67 miles on it, at about 12,000 miles it started to make a dragging sound from the front drive train. Took it to the dealer and they said that they could not hear or find anything wrong with it. Had it back another time for inspection and mentioned noise again but still they could not "hear anything". I have been driving the truck since then with the noise…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2009 Toyota Tundra?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2009 Toyota Tundra?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 8 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 8 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 34,758 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Toyota/Tundra.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.