2020 Toyota Tundra: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2020 Toyota Tundra
On the 2020 Toyota Tundra, the failure owners report most often is fuel pump failure, with 5 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 5,000 miles. Overall it scores 74 out of 100, high risk for a 2020.
High risk for a 2020 — 146th riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. 55 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
The failures owners actually file about
Owners have reported 23 named failure modes on the 2020 Toyota Tundra, and the three most-reported carry 24% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Fuel pump failure leads with 5 reports and about 0.1 per 1,000 vehicles.
Sunroof failure or glass breakage follows with 4 reports.
Other fuel system problem follows with 4 reports, median 35,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into fuel (10), body (7) and engine (4).
At what mileage it happens
24 of the reports on the 2020 Toyota Tundra came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 5,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 96% by 50,000 miles and 96% by 100,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 83% of the dated reports.
96% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 23. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
Severity, and what it costs
Across the named modes, 4 mention a crash, 1 a fire and 3 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.20, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: fuel pump failure at $600–$2,600, sunroof failure or glass breakage at $700–$4,500, other fuel system problem at $300–$2,200 and airbag failed to deploy in a crash at $1,000–$5,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
13% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 5 | 5 | — | 710 | — | 0.1 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 4 | 1 | — | 34k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 3 | 1 | — | 8k | — | 0.0 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Other engine problem | engine | 3 | 2 | — | 3k | — | 0.0 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 3 | 2 | — | 3k | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 3 | 2 | — | 71k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| CV axle or driveshaft failure | drivetrain | 2 | 2 | — | 15 | — | 0.0 | $450–$2,200 | High |
| Tire pressure monitor failure | wheels | 2 | 2 | — | 15k | — | 0.0 | $80–$600 | Low |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 2 | 1 | — | 6k | — | 0.0 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 2 | 1 | — | 8k | — | 0.0 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 250 | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Strut, shock or spring failure | suspension | 1 | 1 | — | 600 | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Rust or structural corrosion | body | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $500–$6,000 | High |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 3k | — | 0.0 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Unclassified problem | other | 5 | 2 | — | 6k | — | 0.1 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2020 Toyota Tundra draws about 0.9 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 74th percentile of complaint rates among 2020 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 61,132 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2020 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
Recalls on the 2020 model year
NHTSA has issued 5 recall campaigns covering the 2020 Toyota Tundra, affecting an estimated 125,005 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover steering:hydraulic power assist system, steering:rack and pinion, electrical system:wiring and fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
151 vehicles 2021-12-23- Defect
- 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:RACK AND PINION
22,462 vehicles 2021-11-23- Defect
- 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.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
158,489 vehicles 2021-09-02- Defect
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Tundra vehicles. The headlight electrical circuits may power the high and low beams simultaneously, which could overheat the electrical connector.
- Consequence
- An overheated electrical connector can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will modify the engine wire harness assembly and replace any damaged bulb, bulb connector, and/or headlight assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 21TB06 and 21TA06.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
1,525,742 vehicles 2020-11-04- Defect
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019…
- Consequence
- If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-012. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus'…
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
183,397 vehicles 2020-07-15- Defect
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Toyota Tundra vehicles equipped with LED headlight assemblies. Due to a wiring error, the front turn signals may not flash brightly enough. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- Consequence
- If the turn signals or hazard lamps do not flash brightly enough, other drivers may fail to see that the turn signal or hazard lamp functions have been activated, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will modify the wire harness connected to the front turn signal bulbs free of charge. The recall began August 17, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB12/20TA12.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2020 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
How 2020 compares with the other years
High risk for a 2020 — 146th riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 27 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2014 comes out best at 63 and 2026 worst at 79, with 2020 itself at 74.
If the model year is negotiable, 2014, 2021, 2004, 2003, 2001, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2011 and 2008 score lower than 2020 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2018–2021 generation specifically, 2021 is the strongest year at 64 and 2018 the weakest at 78.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2018-2021 generation, 2021 Toyota Tundra scores best at 64 and 2018 Toyota Tundra worst at 78.
What this page cannot tell you
55 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 55 reports, 24 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 44% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Toyota Tundra?
The most-reported failures are fuel pump failure (5 reports, median 700 miles), sunroof failure or glass breakage (4 reports) and other fuel system problem (4 reports, median 35,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2020 Toyota Tundra reliable?
It scores 74 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 146th riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2020 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Toyota Tundra is best?
Within the 2018–2021 generation, 2021 scores best at 64 out of 100 and 2018 worst at 78. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed