Does The 2023 Toyota Tundra Have Many Problems?
Toyota completely redesigned its full-size Tundra pickup truck for the 2022 model year. Some early buyers complained of serious drivetrain issues with the all-new truck. But Toyota promptly addressed these problems. While the 2023 Tundra has some open recalls, they are just for the factory tonneau cover, instrument panel malfunctions, and misprinted weight capacity labels.
Are the new Tundras having problems?
Toyota completely redesigned the 2022 Tundra from the ground up. The 2022 truck was not without its issues. But it looks like Toyota solved most of the new Tundra problems by the 2023 model year.
Toyota made the dramatic choice to toss its old naturally-aspirated 5.7-liter V8 engine. It builds every third-generation Tundra with a 3.4-liter turbocharged V8, similar in configuration and output to Ford’s EcoBoost.
A few early buyers reported new Tundra engines going into “limp mode.” In November 2022, I reported that Toyota claimed it had addressed the problem by sourcing new suppliers for critical turbocharger components. The NHTSA recorded 22 complaints of engine problems but did not require a recall.
The automaker did recall certain 2022 Toyota Tundras for instrument panels that would malfunction and go blank or display an image from the forward-facing trail cam when the driver shifted into reverse.
There were also three more serious safety-related recalls of the 2022 Tundra. It seems some electric parking brakes failed to engage, a rear axle shaft sub-assembly sometimes came apart because of improper assembly, and the factory tonneau cover sometimes unlatched itself at high speeds. Owners also reported fuel system issues, brake problems, and steering malfunctions with their 2022 Tundras to CarComplaints.com.
Which is the best Toyota Tundra engine?
Every third-generation (2022 and 2023) Toyota Tundra has some version of the same 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6. This includes the i-FORCE MAX hybrid pickup truck.
The Toyota Tundra SR is a bare-bones work truck with an MSRP of $37,865. It has a detuned (358 horsepower) version of the standard V6. With a regular transmission and drivetrain, this reduced output might help it last longer than high-output Tundras.
Every other Tundra trim–without the hybrid engine–has a version of the turbocharged V6 that makes 389 horsepower. Buyers can opt for the i-FORCE MAX performance-oriented hybrid version (standard on the TRD Pro and Capstone trim levels) to bump this to 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of low-end torque.
2023 Toyota Tundra buyers trying to avoid mechanical problems might avoid the more complex hybrid drivetrain. But the truth is that previous Toyota hybrids are very reliable. Their electric motor/generator unit does much of the braking and acceleration, saving wear on the traditional engine and hydraulic brakes.
Is the 2023 Tundra better than 2022?
The 2023 Toyota Tundra is virtually identical to the all-new 2022 version. Instead of adding features or trims, Toyota focused on fixing bugs and thus cut the number of recalls in half.
I covered the 2023 Toyota Tundra changes, mostly limited to a new dark appearance, “SX Package,” for the SR5 trim.
There are only three open recalls for the 2023 Toyota Tundra. They are to address the randomly detaching tonneau cover, a software glitch that may cause the instrument panel to go blank, and some misprinted weight capacities on door stickers.
Toyota took the 2022 Toyota Tundra issues, such as the turbocharger failures, very seriously. It tore down affected trucks and sought a solution. So far, the result seems to be a 2022 Toyota Tundra with fewer problems than we saw in 2022. See how the open recalls for these two model years stack up in the table below:
| Recall | 2022 Toyota Tundra | 2023 Toyota Tundra |
| Electric Parking Brake Doesn’t Engage | Yes | No |
| Axle Shaft Separates from Housing | Yes | No |
| Displays Front Camera While Reversing | Yes | No |
| Weight Capacity Label Inaccurate | Yes | Yes |
| Instrument Panel Display Goes Blank | Yes | Yes |
| Factory Tonneau Cover Unlatches | Yes | Yes |
Next, find out the most problematic used Toyota Tundra model years or learn more about third-generation Toyota Tundra problems in the video below:
