Are these trucks really problem free?

Too many tundras ruining my resale value. I vote buy a Ford

 

I have a major problem with my 2020. I took my Mother In Law for a ride the other day, and couldn't get the ejection seat to work. I'm pretty fookin pissed.

 

Well, then it involved

a) beer and
b) the nearest restaurant. LOL

 

Bought my tundra used in Nov with 173k miles, going to hit 194k on my way home tomorrow. When I bought the truck I just had to replace the water pump because I saw it was weeping from the weep hole, think it was 80 bucks for an Aisin pump (the factory pump Toyota uses), replaced the belt, tensioner, and thermostat while I was at it. Had to clean the throttle body and MAF too. The door actuators go out after awhile, but the replacement motor for them is about 5 bucks. Havent read of any problems with these trucks that have left someone stranded. Everything I've done has been regular maintenance as far as I'm concerned with the amount of miles my truck has. The truck has only had basic maintenance done to it according to the maintenance records I got with the truck. I tow a camper, loaded, at about 6800-7000 lbs without issue. This truck is truly amazing and the reliability astounds me!

 

I recall there was a member who railed on about how terrible the Tundra was and how he nearly died when going to get his mail or something? I believe he was a Wapati hunter too...

In all seriousness, there are issues that pop up, but they are less frequent than other trucks. Look at Edmunds or KBB reliability reports and projections. Tundras eat the other trucks in the class. There was one member who did have some issues and got rid of his Tundra, but then hung around dogging on anyone that liked the truck. He was so sour about it and persistently negative that he eventually got the "suggestion" to join a Ford forum instead.

 

Nice!! Your almost at 420!!!

 

My 2010 with 83,000 miles is CONSTANTLY giving me problems. Just today,I couldn't decide whether to clean the wheel wells or detail the engine compartment!

 

I'm curious what the guys and gals on the Big Three forums say about toyota trucks. I wonder if they bash Toyota for being outdated or if they have their tail in between their legs and say how much more reliable Toyota's are.

Except Nissan. No one buys Nissan.

 

FTFY

 

Ah. Good call. Thank you!

 

It's about 50/50 on the GM-Trucks forum between guys who admit the Tundra is more reliable and guys who bash it because of the lack of features, worse fuel economy and higher price (which I still don't buy) and claim GM is just as reliable. That may have been true in the 90s. Not so much now.

 

First car 1985 Celica GTS with 130k
1990 Camry 165k
1991 Camry 191k
1990 Lexus LS400 170k
1991 Lexus LS400 225k
2004 4Runner 165k
2008 Lexus LS460 95k
2017 Highlander 38k
2019 Tundra 7k

I've had plenty of Mazdas, Hondas and Nissans in between but always come back to Toyota. Out of all those Toyotas I've owned, I can count the number of things that went wrong on one hand...take that back...on 3 fingers.

 

It's October 2024 and my 2019 tundra had 82k miles. 65k of those towing for my business (about 3500) lbs and some recreational towing(7k 34ft camper). Trans is still intact and no other issues until the other day when my ac went out. It's not a relat and self check shows no codes so looks like I'm off to the dealer. Not happy about it but not losing faith in reliability just yet. I lost an engine in my 07 GMC at 100k and a trans at 120k in my 2014 2500hd Chevy so if it beats that I'm happy

 

Well my Gen 2 has 147K, 2008 MY, at 5,000 miles per. year figure it will last me 30 more years. Purchased @ 104K, no repairs. Wife had a 1994 Land Cruiser (should have kept that one), next Lexus RX300, GX460 and now 2004 LX470 with 111K on the clock-all fantastic vehicles and with her driving 2,500 miles a year the truck should last 40 more years. Son has Gen 1, daughter on 2nd Gen 1 Tundra (needed a double cab). The family won't buy anything but a Toyota product. We all live in Freshwater, Humboldt County CA so not much driving required. Everything is 10-15 minutes away with ZERO traffic, whole lot different from my days commuting in SoCal and driving 30K miles a year in bumper to bumper traffic-don't miss SoCal traffic!

 

I knew that reliability was what I wanted after being a Chevy Silverado owner for years (rust bucket POS). I never balked at buying a 2007 with 213,000 on the odometer. I even drove it home 1250 miles without doing a thing to it. Now at almost 250k I know for a fact I made the right decision.

 

I’ve had (2) 2.5 Gens. A 2014 DC and my current 2019 CM. 120k miles between the 2 of them. Here are the “problems” I’ve had in the last 8 years of ownership:

2014 DC: all 4 door locks stopped working (had to use a key in the driver door but could unlock and lock the other 3 doors from inside - which was awful so I just didn’t anymore)

2019 CM: HVAC core replacement under warranty.


That’s it. Oil (5k) and other fluid changes per the manufacturer recommendations, new tires and new brakes (2014 DC).

buy one and enjoy!

 

I owned Jeeps for 10 years previous to buying my 2015 Tundra SR5 4x4 with 166,000 miles approximately 1 year ago. I was suprised to find it on a Toyota lot with that many miles. Looked it over and could not find anything wrong except some minor flaws in paint(scratches). Took it for a test drive and I literally could not tell it was used. It now has almost 180,000 on it and all I have done is service it, replaced the spacer lift with 5100s, and changed tires.

Not one single oil leak and underneath it looks 1-2 years old.

With Jeeps it was always something. Usually something stupid. Never felt confident driving them.

If I can keep people from wrecking this one it will be the last one I need.

 

Being a professional mecanic for 20+ years : i always had a sweet spots for toyota's , Especially the 90's ( Damn those 90's corolla's and camry where Bullet proof and soooo mechanichely sound and simple and genuinly very well built , so where the cool turbo cars from that era and the 4wd corollas , camry and tercel where SO cool, too !!! I remember some local guy who swap a whole 3sgte drive train in a AWD camry , i was so jealous haha ) My Dad had a Brand new BJ 40 Diesel Landcruiser in the early 80's , and i Believe my Love for toyotas came from there haha ! I had a TONS of toyotas since then , and was always please on how bullet proof these where and still are .

Regarding my '19 Tundra reliability ; i had it new from the dealer floor in August of 2019 and i'm getting up soon to 140 K kilometer to this date ; list of issues i had ; i'm not mechanicly hard on the truck BUT i put it to very good use and do tons of millages on nasty forest road... ;

- 1 Oem Front shock blew just shy of 100K kilometer
-1 FR wheel bearing , at 115K kilometter
- Transfer case output shaft oil seal leak AND differentials pinion shaft seal, at around 80 K kilometers ( i beleive it was due to a particular cold winter where i have driven the truck with a cold drive train at - 40 Celcius a couple times ... )
- both ball joint at around 100K kilometer ( thanks god it got cover under waranty and dealer installed a whole front end kit, both LCA and all the hardware ! )
- couple rear shocks and bushing ( I used extented cheap ranchos from new , because of the leveling kit ...)
- Both Right and Left leafs springs one after the other, around 90K kilometers .
-BRAKES damn they are horrible ... i had one OEM front rotor explode at around 110K , thickness was good, but to much rust in between that i could not see . even with a proper brake cleaning and lube , 2x a years ; i had to change both rear caliper at about 120 Kilometer ; they whent beyond '' maintaineble'' and 1 FR galiper too. leaving in the salt road contry capital sure dosent help , tho .
-1 back up camera , cant remember the millage but around 50K kilometers
-1 cracked ABS sensor ( mostly due to road hasard i guess ! )
- '' Trailer disconect'' alarm that was fix by a dealer repro .
- i start having an annoying Vibration on some type of wash board frenquency's that come from the brake pedal area ; i guess something to doo with the steering colum that i will eventually have to find out ! Its not too bad and only noticable on a very particular type of small and close washboard that i dont enconter all the time ; so this will wait a bit for now haha !

Thats about it, beside regular maintenance ! Never had a check engine nor any malfuntion at all !

Fun fact , at my old job in the canadian great north in artic and remote area : we had a fleet of about 40 toyotas ; mostly Tacos, rav4's and Tundra's and some higlander and a couple 4 runner's etc ; these where neglect and abuse , cold start at -50 -60 celcius no heater plug, all the time , rav4's use as 1/2 tons pick up truck in the quarry ; and beside ''regular maintenance'' and the here and there oil solenoide leaking from the cold start ; barely any that i can remember had serious or catastrophic issues , but one time an engine in a 2016-17 Tacoma , if i remember correctly , and a couple drive train parts on one particularly abused Tacoma ( axles and stuff... )

That part of the contry , Harsh arctic weather, abuse and neglect from the drivers , misused of some vehicule , was a good testimony on how tough and reliable toyota is compared to others ! I've seen SO MANY catastrophic failure while up there on other Car maker brand and SO many '' Not normal'' and '' not usual'' type of failures that you just cant imagine seeing down here in a normal Garage ( exploding power steering hoses or Trans/engine cooler hose was a daily thing on GM and Ford product in the winter , never had one single power steering problem on any toyota up there, for exemple ! ) ... Beleive me those toyota are TOUGH !!! 99.9% of us could never be able to abuse them as much as up there , even if we try lol !!!

 

I know this thread is getting a little long in the tooth, but I really think the 2nd gen is peak half ton truck. Solid v8 paired with a bomb proof 6 speed auto is hard to beat. My particular example, a 2021 with 23k on it now, has easily been the best truck we've owned. Even my 2nd gen Tacoma needed a couple warranty repairs by this point; this one has needed nothing but maintenance.

My other Toyota truck is a 1996 T100. It has 275k on it. I use it to haul firewood, make short trips around town, and haul stuff. Bought it from the second owner, who is a friend of mine. I know the original owner as well. The funny thing, while the second owner thought it was the best truck they'd ever owned the original owner thought it was a POS due to all the issues it had early on. I have a stack of warranty invoices from the late 90s fixing things ranging from head gaskets (twice), wheel bearings on both front hubs, and the power antenna replaced with fixed. The last time the head gaskets were done was in 1999 at 60k and it's been fine since. We now know that 1996 3VZ-FE engines had faulty head gaskets that were resolved with a part change. The point being, that even Toyota has issues once in a while. Toyota has also proven they will resolve those issues once identified, unlike the Big 3 who just kick the can down the road (lifters GM and Ram and cam phasers for Ford).

 

100%

 

LOL true.

In general they'll say stuff (IMHO) like "They're reliable but that's about it."

Thing is...that's what I want. I drive a 2020 Tundra CrewMax SR5 4x4. When I bought it to replace my 2013 F150 5.0 4x4, I literally wanted a truck that could handle what my F150 did, but easier and more reliably. Being a Toyota achieved the second...and 4.30 gears (vs 3.31) achieved the first.

I'm well aware I can 'tow easier' with some trucks, and that some have more features, more power, etc. I don't care. Mine is paid off, and below is the list of issues this truck, my wife's 4Runner, my 2000 4Runner, and her two previous Highlanders have had:

- Tundra - HVAC solenoid (heat works but vents default to the defroster position once out of every 20 startups or so) - replaced

That's it.

Below is the list of issues my F150 alone had in 110K miles:

- valve body separator plate - replaced
- CONSTANT media system issues - no fix
- emergency brake - replaced 2x
- failing rear window defroster - replaced 3x under warranty
- drivers' rear door would not shut when temperature below freezing - no fix

You get the idea. Yes, Tundras overall may have some issues, but FAR fewer than most other vehicles.

 

My 2020 TRD OR has had just under 60K trouble free miles. Just regular maintenance and new tires at 42K!

 

2020 1794

110k miles
80k S/C'd

trouble free.

 

Buddy of mine has a 800 HP Cressida with a turbo 2jz in it. Thing rippppps. Dedicated drift car.

 

Here's what I've had to fix on mine:

• Front Left Door Check - failed at 45K
• Rear Right Door Check - failed, haven't replaced yet, but will soon
• Front Differential Needle Bearing - replaced with ECGS, started really getting bad at around 40K
• A/C Blower Motor - failed around 50K
• Passenger front door JBL speaker - blown
• Driver side dash JBL speaker - blown
• Alternator failed - 60K

2020 Tundra - ~68K now

I've had to do a lot more work on the Tundra than our 2014 Sequoia, which has over 100K on it.

I also added a transmission cooler.

 

I’ve had numerous Toyotas over the years. Currently driving a 2000AC and a 2018CM. The 2020 will be a great truck but some things to consider.
1. Toyota discontinued the external trans cooler. You’ll want to add it back if towing especially in the mountains. Keeping trans temps below 200 improves the longevity. Also don’t tow in OD.
2. Use 5W30 full synthetic motor oil and OEM filter every 5K miles
3. Change all other fluids at recommended intervals
4. Rubber parts will get brittle and fail eventually, ie. hoses, seals, boots, belts etc.
5. Suspension parts wear out ball joints, bushings, shocks, steering components
6. Plastic radiators don’t last forever, FGT owners are having to replace at ~200K due to tank failure and coolant/ATF leaks at the trans cooler. Same with water pumps.
7. 5.7L is pretty bullet proof but many have some degree of cam tower leaks - DIYable but tedious and expensive to send to shop.
8. Some electrical parts such as coils, solenoids and pumps can fail. Always use Denso. Toyotas don’t like aftermarket electrical components.
9. Toyota sucks at rustproofing their frames. Beware if in rust belt.

Overall the Gen 2.5 is extremely reliable especially compared to Gen 3 but does require normal maintenance

 

However, only really needs to be repaired if it's dripping badly enough onto hot components that it's causing smoke or bad smells.

 

Can anyone recommend any particular service I should do at 60K, other than the typical oil and tire rotation? Doesn't seem like Toyota really recommends too much, just curious. I do not tow or drive off road with it. Thanks for any advice in advance.

-T

 

If you haven't done it already, 'drain and fill' for the transmission.

Replace fluid in the differentials and transfer case (if it wasn't done at 30k)

Coolant exchange @ about 5yr or 50,000 miles (I'd recommend OE Pink 50/50 super long life)

Brake fluid is hydroscopic, so I'd recommend replacing that every 3-5 years

If you're feeling zealous, power steering fluid at about 50-70k

Not sure if you are doing this yourself or taking it somewhere, but a lot of places will charge $1k + for a major service (30k, 60k, etc.) and that does not include everything listed; but generally speaking if you a la cart the request, you should be at about $700 for the main stuff (trans, diffs, and t-case) at most shops...

You'll also want to inspect belts and hoses

 

I think opinions vary on this one, but I recall a Toyota service advisor on this forum recommended power steering fluid flush every 60k. It wouldn't surprise me if most folks have way over 60k on their power steering fluid, but it's one I'll keep in mind when I get to 60k on my 2021. And based on comments in other threads, I plan on radiator coolant flush around 75k, which is a bit shorter than Toyota's recommendation. But yes, not too much at 60k particularly if you don't tow or drive off road.