Know Your Truck

2007–2021 Toyota Tundra common problems and fixes

The issues owners report most are the secondary air injection pump that can put the truck in limp mode and frame rust on 2007–2008 trucks; on forums, 5.7L owners also report cam tower oil leaks.

What owners should know

Covers 2007–2021 · 5.7L V8, 4.6L V8 (2010+), 4.7L V8 (2007–2009), 4.0L V6 (2007–2014) · Updated 2026-10-06

The second-generation Tundra is mostly sold with the 5.7L V8, plus a 4.7L V8 (2007–2009), a 4.6L V8 (2010–2019) and a 4.0L V6 (2007–2014), all with automatic transmissions. It ran with few changes for 15 years.

We counted 1,867 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for 2007–2021 Tundras (retrieved October 5, 2026; each complaint counted once): 1,250 from 5.7L V8s, 234 from 4.6L V8s, 133 from 4.7L V8s and 40 from 4.0L V6s, identified by VIN; the rest (210) couldn't be matched to an engine. We left out 7 whose VIN belongs to another vehicle (e.g. a Tacoma or a Camry). Most years have under 100; 2007 and 2008 have the most. Complaint counts show what owners report most often, not how many trucks have a problem.

At a glance

  • Secondary air injection pump failures put trucks in limp mode, mostly 2007–2008 and 2011–2012.
  • Frame rust on 2007–2008 trucks.
  • Cam tower oil leaks on the 5.7L V8.
  • Certain 2007–2010 trucks were part of Toyota's floor mat and accelerator pedal recalls.

Secondary air injection

About 195 complaints mention the secondary air injection pump or valves or their trouble codes, 89 from 2007–2008 and 83 from 2011–2012 trucks. Failures can put the truck into limp mode. Toyota says moisture in the pumps and valves causes it, and extended coverage to 10 years or 150,000 miles on certain trucks; that coverage has run out. Out of warranty, owners on forums report repairs of $2,000–$3,000, mostly labor.

Frame rust

About 100 complaints mention the frame along with rust or corrosion, 72 of them from 2007–2008 trucks. Toyota's 2007–2008 frame program, from a class action settlement, ran for the later of 12 years from first use or January 31, 2019, so it has ended. Owners describe frames with holes and rusted crossmembers.

Cam tower leaks

On 5.7L V8s, the cam towers on top of the heads can leak oil. Only 28 NHTSA complaints mention it, but owners on forums report it often, sometimes before 60,000 miles. The repair takes most of a day of labor.

Recalls to check

  • Floor mat pedal entrapment and sticking accelerator pedals on certain 2007–2010 trucks (09V388000, 10V017000)
  • Propeller shaft welds and slip yokes on certain 2007, 2010 and 2011 trucks (07V579000, 10V091000, 11V254000)
  • Turn signal and headlight wiring on certain 2018–2021 trucks (20V410000, 21V688000)

Before you buy

Researched from owner forums and NHTSA complaints and written by Know Your Truck. These are patterns in what owners report, not a guarantee about any particular truck.

Sources (14)

Common failures & how to fix them

Parts and video buttons search for your 2007-2021 Toyota Tundra. Always confirm a part fits using your VIN. Brakes, steering, fuel and airbag work affects your safety, so if you're not sure, have a qualified mechanic do it.

  • Secondary air injection pump failure

    Hard DIY

    Signs: Limp mode with a check engine light, VSC and traction lights on, often after a cold, wet start.

    Fix: Have the codes read first (P0418 and P2440 to P2445 point to this system) and find which part failed: the pump, one or both switching valves, or wiring. The failed parts are replaced. Toyota extended the warranty on this system to 10 years or 150,000 miles from first use on certain trucks (program ZG6 for 2011 trucks; Tundra Headquarters reports a similar program for 2007–2010 trucks); those terms have now run out. Off-road kits that bypass it aren't legal for street use.

    Shop: Tundra secondary air injection pumpShop: Tundra air switching valve▶ How-to videos

  • Frame rust (2007–2008)

    Best left to a shop

    Signs: Flaking or perforated frame rails and crossmembers, especially near the rear and the fuel tank.

    Fix: Toyota's frame corrosion program for 2007–2008 trucks (from a class action settlement: inspection, coating or a new frame) ran for the later of 12 years from first use or January 31, 2019, so it has ended. A badly rusted frame makes the truck unsafe, so have a qualified shop assess it.

  • 5.7L cam tower oil leak

    Best left to a shop

    Signs: Oil seeping from the joint between the cylinder head and the cam towers, sometimes dripping onto the exhaust and smoking.

    Fix: Confirm where the oil comes from first; valve cover gaskets and other seals leak too. If the cam towers are leaking, they're removed and resealed, which takes most of a day of shop labor. Many owners just monitor a light seep, but have it fixed if oil drips onto the exhaust.

    ▶ How-to videos

  • Unintended acceleration (floor mats and pedals, 2007–2010)

    Dealer job

    Signs: The gas pedal sticks or gets trapped by a floor mat.

    Fix: Covered by Toyota's floor mat recall (09V388000) and sticking pedal recall (10V017000) on certain 2007–2010 trucks. Recalls cover only specific trucks, so check this VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if it's included and whether the repair was done.

    May be covered free by recall 09V388000 / 10V017000. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Each year in this generation

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared with the typical truck of the same kind and model year. Open a year for its recalls and complaints.

Going to look at one?Bring our free inspection checklist, with these known problems added →