The 2011 Tundra is generally solid, but the 5.7L V8 has a notorious camshaft lobe wear issue causing catastrophic engine failure, while both engines can suffer from secondary air injection pump problems. Rust on frames (especially in salt states) and exhaust manifold leaks are also platform signatures.
5.7L V8 Camshaft Lobe Wear and Engine Failure
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 60,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Check engine light with cam position sensor codes (P0017, P0018, P0019), Ticking or tapping noise from engine at idle, Loss of power, rough running, Metal shavings in oil, Complete engine seizure in severe cases
Fix: Camshaft lobes wear prematurely due to inadequate lubrication design on VVT-i cam gears. Requires complete engine teardown or replacement. Short block replacement is 18-24 hours labor, full rebuild 25-35 hours. Toyota issued TSB but no recall—many owners pay out of pocket after warranty.
Estimated cost: $6,000-12,000
Secondary Air Injection Pump Failure
Common · low severity
Typical onset: 80,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: Check engine light with P0410, P0441, P0446 codes, Whining or grinding noise on cold start for 30-60 seconds, Failed emissions testing in states that require it
Fix: Air pump seizes or check valves fail. Pump itself is 2-3 hours labor to replace, but many techs find corroded vacuum lines and valves adding another hour. System is emissions-only so some owners bypass it where legal, but pump replacement is proper fix.
Estimated cost: $800-1,400
Exhaust Manifold Cracks and Leaks
Common · low severity
Typical onset: 70,000-130,000 mi
Symptoms: Ticking noise from engine bay that increases with RPM, Exhaust smell in cabin, Visible soot marks around manifold joints, Failed emissions test due to exhaust leak
Fix: Both 4.6L and 5.7L suffer cracked manifolds, particularly rear bank. Aftermarket headers are common fix. OEM manifold replacement is 6-8 hours per side due to tight clearances and seized studs. Many shops quote both sides at once since access requires similar teardown.
Estimated cost: $1,200-2,200
Frame Rust and Perforation (Salt-Belt States)
Common · high severity
Symptoms: Visible surface rust progressing to scale and flaking, Perforation holes in frame cross-members, Rust around rear leaf spring mounts and spare tire carrier, Frame flex or cracking noises over bumps in advanced cases
Fix: Toyota had frame rust issues on earlier Tundras and Tacomas; 2011 is better but not immune, especially in Northeast/Midwest. Inspect frame thoroughly before purchase. Minor surface rust can be wire-brushed and treated; perforation requires section replacement (10-15 hours) or complete frame swap (40+ hours). Many trucks totaled due to frame damage.
Estimated cost: $3,000-8,000
Transmission Oil Cooler Line Leaks
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 100,000-180,000 mi
Symptoms: Transmission fluid puddle under truck, Low fluid warning or slipping gears, Pink or red fluid dripping near radiator, Transmission overheating on tow duty
Fix: Steel lines rust through where they mount to radiator cooler or along frame. Sometimes cooler itself fails internally causing trans fluid in coolant (engine killer if not caught). Line replacement is 2-3 hours, radiator cooler replacement adds 4-5 hours if contaminated.
Estimated cost: $400-1,800
Steering Rack Leaks and Failure
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 90,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: Power steering fluid leak from rack boots, Groaning noise when turning at low speed, Increased steering effort or wandering, Fluid puddle under driver side
Fix: Rack seals fail, sometimes rack itself cracks internally. Toyota had recalls on steering shaft intermediate shaft (different issue). Full rack replacement is 4-6 hours labor. Some shops attempt seal kits but racks often need full replacement on high-mileage trucks.
Estimated cost: $900-1,800
Owner tips
If buying a 5.7L V8, get a pre-purchase inspection with oil analysis and leak-down test—cam wear leaves telltale metal in oil
Inspect frame thoroughly with a wire brush and scraper, especially rear cross-members and spare tire area—surface rust is manageable, perforation is a deal-breaker
Change engine oil every 5,000 miles with quality synthetic to maximize cam life on 5.7L engines
Flush transmission fluid every 60,000 miles, especially if towing—these trucks work hard and heat kills transmissions
Address exhaust manifold leaks early before heat warps heads or burns O2 sensors
Solid truck if you avoid high-mileage 5.7L engines without documented cam health and rust-belt frames—4.6L is less powerful but more reliable; budget $2,000-3,000 for deferred maintenance on any 100k+ mile example.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
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STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM · 21E103000
2021-12-23
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain JTEKT power steering gear assembly service parts for 2007-2021 Tundra and 2008-2022 Sequoia, part numbers 44250-0C160, 44250-0C131, 44250-0C170, and 11250-0C121. The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak.
Consequence: An oil leak may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 17, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 21TH01.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM · 21V920000
2021-11-23
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2008-2022 Sequoia and 2007-2021 Tundra vehicles. The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak.
Consequence: An oil leak may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 21TB10 and 21TA10.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS · 15V689000
2015-10-22
Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.
Consequence: If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 20, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is C0M.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.
Consequence: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS · 13V123000
2013-04-09
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence: An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE · 13V014000
2013-01-16
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Consequence: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS · 11V588000
2011-12-14
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 TUNDRA VEHICLES THAT HAVE AN INACCURATE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY LABEL. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS.
Consequence: AN INACCURATE LABEL COULD LEAD TO VEHICLE OVERLOADING WHICH COULD RESULT IN TIRE FAILURE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: GULF STATES TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND WILL PROVIDE A CORRECTED LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 24, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATE TOYOTA AT 1-800-444-1074.
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS · 11V278000
2011-05-12
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2011 TUNDRA VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 138, "TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS." THE TPMS ON SOME VEHICLES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY CALIBRATED AND AS A RESULT THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LAMP MAY NOT ILLUMINATE SHOULD THE INFLATION PRESSURE IN ONE OR MORE OF THE VEHICLE'S TIRES FALL BELOW THE THRESHOLD FOR WHEN THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LAMP SHOULD ILLUMINATE.
Consequence: DRIVERS WILL NOT RECEIVE A WARNING FROM THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR THAT ONE OR MORE TIRES ARE UNDERINFLATED, INCREASING THE RISK THAT THE VEHICLE WILL BE DRIVEN WITH ONE OR MORE UNDERINFLATED TIRES, INCREASING THE RISK OF A TIRE FAILURE THAT MAY LEAD TO A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL RECALIBRATE THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REGULATION FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN DURING JULY 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER TOLL FREE AT 1-800-301-6859, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 8:30 AM TO 5:00 PM, EASTERN STANDARD TIME.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT · 11V254000
2011-04-26
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 TUNDRA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3-JOINT TYPE PROPELLER SHAFT. DUE TO IMPROPER CASTING OF THE SLIP YOKES, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SLIP YOKE MAY BREAK, CAUSING THE PROPELLER SHAFT TO SEPARATE AT THE JOINT AND COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE ROAD SURFACE.
Consequence: THE DRIVER COULD EXPERIENCE LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER AND VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND INSPECT THE PROPELLER SHAFT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE IT FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS · 11V185000
2011-03-16
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 FJ CRUISER AND MODEL YEAR 2009-2011 TUNDRA VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 138, "TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS." THE TPMS ON SOME VEHICLES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY CALIBRATED AND AS A RESULT THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LAMP MAY NOT ILLUMINATE SHOULD THE INFLATION PRESSURE IN ONE OR MORE OF THE VEHICLE'S TIRES FALL BELOW THE THRESHOLD FOR WHEN THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LAMP SHOULD ILLUMINATE.
Consequence: DRIVERS WILL NOT RECEIVE A WARNING FROM THE TIRE PRESSURING MONITOR THAT ONE OR MORE TIRES ARE UNDERINFLATED INCREASING THE RISK THAT A VEHICLE WILL BE DRIVEN WITH ONE OR MORE UNDERINFLATED TIRES AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A TIRE FAILURE THAT MAY LEAD TO A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL RECALIBRATE THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REGULATION FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATE TOYOTA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER TOLL FREE AT 1-800-444-1074 MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, 8:30 AM TO 5:00 PM, OR FRIDAY 8:30 AM TO 4:00 PM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME.
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS · 11V148000
2011-03-04
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 FJ CRUISER, LAND CRUISER, TACOMA, SEQUOIA AND TUNDRA VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 138, "TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS)." WHEN FACTORY-INSTALLED WHEELS AND TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH TOYOTA AUTHORIZED ACCESSORY WHEELS AND LT TIRES PRIOR TO FIRST SALE, THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS WERE NOT RE-CALIBRATED CORRECTLY AND THEREFORE DO NOT START ILLUMINATING THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING TELLTALE AT THE REQUIRED MINIMUM ACTIVATION PRESSURE.
Consequence: FAILURE TO WARN OF TIRE DEFLATIONS IS A NON-COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS 138 AND COULD LEAD TO TIRE FAILURE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: FOR THE LAND CRUISER, SEQUOIA, TACOMA AND TUNDRA VEHICLES, THE DEALER WILL RE-CALIBRATE THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM ON AFFECTED VEHICLES AND INSTALL AN UPDATED TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION LABEL AT NO CHARGE. FOR THE FJ CRUISER VEHICLES, THE TPMS CANNOT BE RESET SO THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) FOR THE TPMS WILL BE REPLACED. TOYOTA IS CURRENTLY DEVELOPING THE REMEDY ECU. IF AN OWNER IS NOT CERTAIN WHETHER HIS OR HER VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THESE ACCESSORIES, PLEASE CONTACT ANY TOYOTA DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
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