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When did your Starter fail on your 2007-2013 Tundra?

Discussion in '2nd Gen Tundras (2007-2013)' started by mlong219, Aug 31, 2018.

  1. Aug 31, 2018 at 5:26 AM
    #1
    mlong219

    mlong219 [OP] New Member

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    Hi All,

    I've a 4x4 2010 CrewMax tundra, with 128k miles. At some point, I know I'm going to have to replace the starter. For those of you who have already replaced your starter, can you tell me the year of your tundra, and the miles when the started failed, and what year you actually replaced the starter. I'm trying to get an idea, when my starter may fail on me.

    Thanks!
     
  2. Aug 31, 2018 at 5:35 AM
    #2
    Trooper2

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    Houston, TX (Suburban South)
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    TSS 20's with Cooper ATP ll's, N Fab 3 Step Nerf Bars,, Pioneer AVIC-8100NEX, Masters Tailgate Replacement Latch with Camera, 1" Maxtrac Shackles, LED Interiors/Brake/Reverse/Cargo/Fog Bulbs, Fumoto Drain Valve, Toyota Aluminium Oil Filter Housing, TRD Shift Knob, Courtesy Door Projector LEDs with Toyota Emblem, Console Tray and Lower Divider.
    Not sure Miles or years will be a good gauge for failure. Thinking of Brakes; mileage and years not really a factor like many seem to boast for longevity - more about kind of driving and brake usage. With starters, more of how many starts and climate could be a factor. There could have been some mfg issues for a period of time as well.

    Disclaimer: Do not know any thing about 2nd Gen starter issues. Have an 07 3rd owner, do not know if original starter or replacement.
     
  3. Dec 31, 2018 at 7:23 AM
    #3
    rebmo

    rebmo 2020 Crewmax Limited 4wd Silver/Black

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    2010 DC SR5 orignal starter but only 53kmi. Starter going strong.
     
  4. Dec 31, 2018 at 7:27 AM
    #4
    Rica25

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    130k on my 2008 still strong
     
  5. Dec 31, 2018 at 7:28 AM
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    War Machine

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    112k on my 2011, no issues.
     
  6. Dec 31, 2018 at 7:35 AM
    #6
    Black Wolf

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    94K on my 07...starter still working.
     
  7. Dec 31, 2018 at 8:39 AM
    #7
    Smoofers

    Smoofers New Member

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    My 2007 5.7L RCSB had the starter fail around 205k miles in 2017. I got in to start it and just heard a the starter screaming with no bendix engage. I assume the shaft fatigued and failed right at the gear. I wasn't upset, I feel like 10 years and 200k+ miles was a good amount of life.
     
    myt1, Bgsxrunner and equin like this.
  8. Dec 31, 2018 at 1:38 PM
    #8
    FXFormat

    FXFormat New Member

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    The 5.7 Tundra 4X4 starter job is an absolute nightmare, I'm a mechanic and this is something i'm not looking forward to doing some day, I just hope it's a lot later rather than sooner for my starter.
     
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  9. Dec 31, 2018 at 1:39 PM
    #9
    FXFormat

    FXFormat New Member

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    How much did you pay to have it done?
     
  10. Jan 1, 2019 at 9:42 AM
    #10
    Smoofers

    Smoofers New Member

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    I had just done my own alternator change out about a month prior. Looking back I think my battery actually died and my alternator was fine, I learned this after i went through the work of changing it. After that, when the starter broke I had the dealer change the starter. Total for new starter and labor out the door was like $1k.
     
    equin likes this.
  11. Jan 1, 2019 at 9:48 AM
    #11
    Trooper2

    Trooper2 Premium Lone Star Member / SSEM #13

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    TSS 20's with Cooper ATP ll's, N Fab 3 Step Nerf Bars,, Pioneer AVIC-8100NEX, Masters Tailgate Replacement Latch with Camera, 1" Maxtrac Shackles, LED Interiors/Brake/Reverse/Cargo/Fog Bulbs, Fumoto Drain Valve, Toyota Aluminium Oil Filter Housing, TRD Shift Knob, Courtesy Door Projector LEDs with Toyota Emblem, Console Tray and Lower Divider.
    $1k DAMN!!! Makes me want to get some estimates so I know where to have it towed when the time comes.....

    Question for those who have replaced their starter: Did it fail suddenly or were there some signs of weakness or "soon to be failure"? Did it leave you stranded?
     
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  12. Jan 1, 2019 at 9:51 AM
    #12
    FXFormat

    FXFormat New Member

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    Depends, sometimes it's just silence and die abruptly, sometimes it'll take a couple cranks to fire up, weather pending as well. So when that happens, check your battery first, if it's strong and healthy and you have trouble starting, then it's probably the starter. Most cars the starter is visible, that you can poke it with a stick and have someone crank the ignition to get it going, but not this truck, Toyota effed us on this one, it's behind the exhaust manifold hidden behind heat shields.
     
    Trooper2[QUOTED] likes this.
  13. Jan 1, 2019 at 10:08 AM
    #13
    Dr_Al

    Dr_Al New Member

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    Just an FYI, one of the worst things for a starter is a weak battery. At the first sign it's starting to go replace it.
     
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  14. Jan 1, 2019 at 10:45 AM
    #14
    Red_Leg

    Red_Leg New Member

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    The starter on my 07 failed in 2017 at 200k miles
     
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  15. Jan 1, 2019 at 2:04 PM
    #15
    Smoofers

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    Yeah, it wasn't cheap. At that point my time was more valuable to me and I needed my truck fixed. Change your own starter on any gen Tundra and you might not mind coughing up a grand.

    As for the starter failing, it gave no warning. I turned the key and it screamed up to like 5000 rpm since it had no load and wasn't engaging the flywheel.
     
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  16. Jan 1, 2019 at 2:06 PM
    #16
    FXFormat

    FXFormat New Member

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    The first gen Tundra 4.7 starter is not fun either, i've heard lots of stories about mechanic doing the job and end up dropping a wrench into the manifold and mess up the engine. AllData labor book gives us 5 hours to do the starter job, so for a grand at the dealership it's not too bad.
     
    Bgsxrunner likes this.
  17. Jan 14, 2019 at 7:41 AM
    #17
    ukpaul

    ukpaul New Member

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    2010 4X4 Crewmax. 150kmiles original starter no problems!
     
  18. Aug 26, 2019 at 3:04 PM
    #18
    Ga boy

    Ga boy New Member

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    Got a 07 5.7 2wd starter made noise for bout 2 days told wife day before it broke down I think my starter is going out probably need to do something about it soon. Well soon it was. Starter Just spinning making ugly noise. Had truck towed home. Started researching on you tube found different ways people were doing job which helped a lot. I did not want to take off the manifold ,oil cooler lines and other things people were suggesting I even left tire on cause I didn’t want to be all under truck jacked up. Had wheels turned to left, took off rubber flaps inside wheel well, heat shields (not easy). For the starter bolts used 14mm straight Ratchet wrench on lower ,for upper bolt used regular 14mm wrench. These were tight. Getting the small wire off the starter wasn’t easy you can’t see it and need a small flathead to undo clip. This took me around 7 hrs to complete. So give yourself a day. O yea I got 288,000 out of my starter. So if it starts making any different sound at startup park it.
     
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  19. Aug 26, 2019 at 3:26 PM
    #19
    Larly5000

    Larly5000 Local Scumbag

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    2007 crewmax. 152k 50/50 city/highway. Daily driver still on original starter(and everything else under hood)
     
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  20. Aug 26, 2019 at 3:38 PM
    #20
    Boudin

    Boudin New Member

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    07 Tundra 5.7, replaced in 2016 at 99k miles
     
  21. Aug 26, 2019 at 4:49 PM
    #21
    Kerch71

    Kerch71 Surgical Precision

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    Mine failed somewhere in the neighborhood of 18K miles. Yes, 18K miles. And it was sudden. When I was driving cross country. Got stranded in Evansville, IN on a Saturday. Got a tow to Firestone, they wouldn't touch it with a 10' pole. Had to wait for the dealership to open on Monday. To the dealership's credit, they had me back on the road early afternoon. Still pissed that it went out that quickly. And that you have to take apart half of the engine to get to it.
     
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  22. Aug 26, 2019 at 6:00 PM
    #22
    Trident

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    2007 5.7 4x4, failed at 232k about a month ago. Yeah it's one helluva pesky job but got it done in my driveway. I opted to loosen the passenger side motor mount & jack the engine up instead of removing any exhaust components.
     
  23. Aug 26, 2019 at 6:50 PM
    #23
    bsktball55

    bsktball55 New Member

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    Is a starter something to really be concerned with or expect to go out? I've been driving for 20 years, had a 4Runner with 190,000 miles, a Tacoma with 180,000, my wife had a Celica with 140,000, and a 4Runner with 150,000 miles on them, we never once had any issues with a starter. I know my dad's Tundra has 180,000 with the original starter as well.
     
  24. Aug 27, 2019 at 2:04 PM
    #24
    Trooper2

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    Not sure if to be concerned about, but hearing that the replacement is a royal PITA on the Tundra. Also hearing very expensive to have done like $1200 in Labor. Guessing some are fearing the repair or maybe trying to schedule proactively.
    I will wait for failure.
     
  25. Aug 27, 2019 at 8:05 PM
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    Yakattack

    Yakattack New Member

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    2009 DC 4 x 2 V6 165,000 miles No starter issues
     
  26. Aug 27, 2019 at 8:24 PM
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    iFRANChISe

    iFRANChISe New Member

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    I can't remember the exact mileage, but the starter in my 2009 tundra failed around the 160k mile mark.
     
    Rica25 likes this.
  27. Aug 27, 2019 at 8:35 PM
    #27
    NoRcptn

    NoRcptn Better than mediocre poster

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    Well out of your range but my 04 failed around 150k. Same deal...900-ish to fix it. Didn't have the time or the tools.
     
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  28. Aug 27, 2019 at 9:26 PM
    #28
    Mountun Goat

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    2008 4wd 5.7 starter went at 285000 miles. Replacement was the worst job I’ve done, and I’ve built a truck. I was dead set against spending even more money and having to buy manifold gaskets so I did it differently. I unbolted the motor and jacked it up until i had room to slide the starter out. Took me 7 hours over two days outside in -30c and in snow. :bananadead: Only cost $ for the starter though
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2019
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  29. Aug 28, 2019 at 9:27 AM
    #29
    snivilous

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    My 2008 went out a few weeks ago, ~215k. No warning signs at all. Bought a new one off rockauto for like $100, took maybe 4 hours to replace it. Wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be.
     
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  30. Aug 28, 2019 at 7:34 PM
    #30
    FXFormat

    FXFormat New Member

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    Which engine, which transmission? A 5.7 4x4 is a nightmare to swap out
     

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