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Toyota Tundra

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Toyota Tundra • Engine problems • Brake problems • Misc. problems --- News • Toyota Recalls Some 2007 Tundra Pickups • Camshaft Flaw in New Tundra Pickup • New Tundra Pickup Stumbles in NHTSA Safety Test • Toyota Recalls 533,000 Trucks for Failed Ball Joints • NHTSA Probes 600,000 Toyota Trucks and Vans • Toyota Tundra Recalled to Disable Front Passenger Airbag Switch --- • Toyota Trucks

It's one ugly truck all right. Problem is, it can be a little uglier than the buyer expects. Tundra is one of the models that is putting a pretty big blemish on Toyota's reputation for quality, reliability and customer service.

Biggest problem? The brakes. A design oversight can cause the front rotors to warp and wear prematurly. Toyota's response has been to keep quiet and hope the problem goes away. Not likely.

Here are some of the more recent complaints:

Kammy of Benicia, CA November 17, 2009

While out-of-state from where I live, when I turned my 1999 Toyota Tacoma truck off, the engine persisted to run...even when I pulled out my keys! So, I let the truck hit a cement wall lightly and ran to a nearby gas station where the attendant suggested I restart the truck. I did and somehow not only made it home but proceeded to drive the vehicle a bit for the next six months until...........it happened again. This time I was on a busy street and backed out my truck from the parking spot and tried to just keep driving it, knowing I had no control over the truck, until I saw smoke coming out of the hood.

I am sweating just thinking of it and will sign off except to say the Starter had been on fire and had to be replaced for over 500 (including labor). Does some lawyer think this is similar to the problem the poor family had who while going faster than I did, lost their lives over their same Tacoma not shutting off? Please advise. More people's lives may still be at stake here! Also, embarrased to ask, but I would appreciate a reimbursement of the starter from Toyota, as I received a gift for the repair. The other peculiarity of this truck is the engine which was tested to have the 4th cylinder out - and no mechanic would just replace that, nomatter how far I called; I would need a full engine. Is there some part responsible for both problems?

Eugene of Bakersfield, CA November 14, 2009

I bought my 04 Tundra used in 2006. It had 111k on the engine and I knew to expect some wear and tear.But I figured with Toyotas reputation for quality it was a safe bet.Recently I went to pick my kids up from school and had the front right tire fall off and go under my truck.Upon inspection I saw that the the lower ball joint had broke completely off from the steering knuckle where the to join together.

Roger of Laguna Niguel, CA November 12, 2009

It cost me over 800 to get my 2001 Tundra SR-5 smogged, because the Oxy sensor went bad. Why can't these things be made easier to change so it doesn't cost so much! This is totally rediculous, off the scale stupid! Or...Toyota should warranty them for the life of the vehicle. It was the SECOND one to go bad, but the first one was covered by warranty of 25K mi. It got fused into the manafold so they had to put a new manafold in. I would have caused me thousands of dollars if it had not been on warranty at the time. These people are IDIOTS!

MY WIFE'S TOYTA COROLLA - She had some wacko girl pull infront of her broadside and ran into her causing the air bag to go off on BOTH SIDES. This in itself is a stupid when there's only one person (driver) in the car. Now it costs the price of TWO airbags to replace for no reason. POINT #2: The little fly-out door covering the rider's side air bag flyes up and BREAKS THE WINDSHIELD. Now this is really stupid!! Now we gotta get a new windshield...for no reason!!! 250 right off the bat!!!

Kenneth of candia, NH November 3, 2009

Back in November of 2000, we bought a NEW 2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA TRD 4X4 EXTENDED CAB truck. Our Tundra has continuously let us down in several areas such as; brake vibration, and the emergency brake cam arms are rusted so when releasing the parking brake, the shoes stay engaged, dragging on the brake pads causing warped drums. We have had a cracked exhaust manifold since 35k miles, transmission failure at 63k miles, continuous oxygen sensors issues (including two that fell out), broken sway bar mount, rusted tailgate mounts, and now the extreme frame rust.

The truck is being eaten away by rust, causing parts to break and even fall off. Now the extensive frame rust has caused parts to fall off, and break. The latest is the passenger side spring shackle mount that was cracked and flexing, and now has completely broken off allowing the spring to rest along the underside of the body. We are very disappointed because this truck has been completely unreliable; it will not pass inspection and is now completely unsafe to drive.

We know that this is not an isolated case. We have read about many other Tundra owners, in the northeast, who are plagued with the same problems with their first generation Tundra’s. It is quite frustrating looking out in the driveway seeing this expensive pile of metal. This is the truck that was supposed to last forever; after all it is a Toyota…Yeah right!

Noah of Georgetown, ME October 21, 2009

1973 FJ-40... NEVER A PROBLEM 180+k miles. 1983 fj-40... same thing, a wonderful experience. 1993 No more fj-40s, got a T-100 and drove the daylights out of it, predictable things wearing out,broke springs from weight, etc. 2002 Tundra Transmission went at 30K, warranty but it took months to get one, but ok. Went again at 112k, this one on me! O2 sensors one after the other, and a converter when an O2 sensor was misdiagnosed. Broke more springs, pulled trailers, boats etc. Sold it to a friend cheap at 200k. He had bought my T-100 and had it up over 250K.

Now I bought a used 2006 Tundra with only 26K on it, kids getting too big for the extra cab seats. The brakes started heating up almost right away, front end locking up in the morning until I stop and let them cool down. Dealer changed calipers, resurfaced rotors, still happening. 8 miles to the gallon at times when they drag. Now thy are trying to replace everything again, calipers, rotors, booster and the master cylinder, with a loaner truck for two weeks while they try to figure the problem out to boot.

This is great service from a dealer, Lee Toyota are great people to deal with. I have always had a great fondness for Toyota since a FJ-40 farm truck with corrugated doors, but their reputation will not outlast this recent decline. If I wanted a cheap truck that shed paint or transmissions or rear ends, there are plenty competitors in that field.

RONALD of EASTON, PA October 15, 2009

i have a 2007 toyta tundra 4.7 engine. it burns oil and has a transmission problem. i have been back and fourth to the dealer for a year and a half. they will not look at the trans only the oil problem witch it burns about a qrt in 1500 miles. i watch them play games when they check the oil. they hold the stick up and turn it untill the pil runs down to where they want it then say it is not low enough to worry about or they take the fill cap off to make the oil drop befour they check it.

i check the oil befor they do and its low some times in the morning. the trans will not shift. then after it gets hot it bangs into gear on the highway. they will not even writ it down. the last time i was ther they told me not to come back and the service manager told about other trucks with the same problems

Lee of Monroe , LA August 30, 2009

I purchased my 2001 toyota tundra used with 14,000 miles in 2004. At around 50,000 miles I started noticing a slight shimmying in the steering wheel when I applied the brakes. The shimmying became more noticeable to the point that my hand would shake back and forth enough that I would grab the steering wheel with both hands,I guess I was just trying to hang on until the vehicle stopped or I let off the brake. I took the truck to a local auto repair shop where they turned the front rotors and replaced the pads. I drove off, no problems, brakes good.

I now have 95,000 miles and the same problem is back again. That's where I am right now.

Kevin of Owens Cross Roads, AL July 27, 2009

I bought a 2007 Tundra. Loaded. Nice truck. At 10K miles the front end would shake your teeth out when braking. I had Bill P look at it and they turned the rotors. Seemed like no big deal. Now at 20K miles it is SHAKING AGAIN. I take it back. They tell me that "it is the way I'm driving and that I don't know how to drive and brake a truck and it needs NEW front and possibly rear rotors". They said since it was the way I was driving that I would have to pay for this. It was right at 1000.00 I was not very nice and I informed them that a 42K truck should not be wearing out brake equipment that fast. I do not pull anything, I don't race it, it has never been off road.

After I spent 30 minutes on the phone with Bill P telling me that I can't drive. I asked for the main Toyota number. They said they would give it to me but they never called back. I looked it up on the web and called. I complained and they assigned a "case manager". I called Bill P back and told them this and they said that they would replace the front rotors and turn the back but I would have to pay for the pads. I paid 150.00 to put new pads on a truck with 20K miles on it.

There is a PROBLEM with the brakes on the Toyota Tundra. When my truck was in the shop I had a rental Tundra and guess what...it would shake you to death. I hope Toyota will fix this before someone gets hurt. This is really ridiculous. What about those Toyota commercials bragging on the brakes? Oh, they broke one of my calipers when they were working on it...at least they paid for this.

Jim of Olathe, KS July 10, 2009

2002 Toyota Tundra front brakes cause a serious viberation when applied. I service the vehicle, most everything including brake work. I find out after the milage stipulation has been passed that Toyota has issued a technical service bulletin recommending that if a customer comes in before the milage cutoff that the brakes (rotors, calipers, etc) should be upgraded due to excessive warping caused by under-engineering. The Toyota Customer Assistance Center stated that they do not send out the notices to owners or those who have purchased factory service manuals. Only dealers get the notices. How is an independent shop or owner to know if there is a problem with an important part of the vehicle?

Clyde of Deridder, LA July 9, 2009

About 6 months ago I had Lake Charles Toyota install a new engine in my Toyota Tundra. After the engine was installed I started having transmission problems. My overdrive quit working and then finally it quit shifting gears. I never had it worked on when the overdrive went out because it wasn't that serious and I priced the new transmissions and could not afford one (new or used). I figured the transmission might be going out because of having a new engine with an old transmission. That was not the case.

When the transmission stopped shifting gears I had to bring the truck to a mechanic. Instead of Toyota I brought it to a local mechanic to save money. I explained to the mechanic what the truck was doing and how I just had a new engine put in. The Mechanic informed me that the symptons sounded like it was a bad torque convertor.

The mechanic later informed me that the Torque convertor was bad. He also informed me that the torque convertor was not the original torque convertor that was on the truck before Toyota replaced the engine. He explained to me how the Original would have a barcode and how it would look. In Conclusion, the Mechanic and I believe that Lake charles Toyota either made a mistake or replaced the torque convertor with a bad one on purpose.

I lost gas milage while I drove without an overdrive, I will lose about 600 for parts and labor. I have lost work time because I have to bring my wife to work and then go to my job because we only have one other vehicle. It has been stressful and very disappointing.

I called Lake Charles Toyota and talked to the Maintenance Manager and explained to them what had happeded and then asked them to pay for the cost of the parts and labor to replace the Torque Convertor. He just laughed. I told him I would call the better business bureau and he just laughed more and told me he would give me the number. I know I may never get reimburst for the money and time and emotional stress but writing you guys makes me feel better.

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