Toyota Tundra reliability by year
42 recalls and 3,777 owner complaints across 21 model years. Best year to buy: 2021. Year to avoid: 2023.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 3 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025 and others. Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 21 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Tundra aggregated across 21 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Toyota Tundra?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2021 Toyota Tundra scores 8.2/10 — the strongest in the 2005–2025 range. 23 complaints on file, 1 active recall. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Toyota Tundra year should I avoid?
The 2023 Toyota Tundra scores 5.8/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 356 owner complaints with NHTSA, 7 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2023 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Toyota Tundra should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2007 (avoid — the cruise-control — 2 fatality reports and 9 crash-related complaints on the cruise-control); 2008 (high-risk ownership — cruise-control: 55 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 8,749–38,009 mi); 2006 (high-risk ownership — suspension: 80 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 65,000–165,000 mi). The cleaner years on the data are 2021, 2020, 2019, 2016, 2015, 2013. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the Toyota Tundra are tracked?
21 model years (2005 through 2025) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 42 recalls and 3,777 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Toyota Tundra?
engine is the most-reported category — 543 complaints across 15 model years. Average shop repair runs about $3,100.