FaultScore

2003 Toyota Tundra engine problems

12 of the 524 complaints about the 2003 Toyota Tundra are about the engine — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 15,000 miles.

B

12

Complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Engine 4 33.3%
Emission Control 2 16.7%
Engine 1 8.3%
Exhaust System 1 8.3%
Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe 1 8.3%
Catalytic Convertor 1 8.3%
Engine AND Engine Cooling 1 8.3%
Turbo/Supercharger 1 8.3%

Engine & Cooling across every Toyota Tundra year

2000 52 5.1%
2001 13 1.3%
2002 11 1.1%
2003 12 1.2%
2004 11 1.1%
2005 25 2.5%
2006 23 2.3%
2007 59 5.8%
2008 56 5.5%
2010 18 1.8%
2011 35 3.5%
2012 60 5.9%
2013 24 2.4%
2018 11 1.1%
2022 196 19.3%
2023 203 20.0%
2024 158 15.6%
2025 46 4.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Juneau, AK

ENGINE

The frame on my tundra has rusted out so bad that the engine mounts are rusted through, my truck only has 86k miles please help this is our daily driver to get to work and take the kids to school

NHTSA complaint #11440362 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 215,000 miles Meadville, MS

ENGINE

SEAT BELTS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND FRAYED WEBBING ALSO FEAR OF TIMING BELT GOING OUT WHILE DRIVING WITH FAMILY AND CAUSING ME AND MY FAMILY AND/ OR A ONCOMING VEHICLE TO WRECK AND HAVE SERIOUS INJURIES OR MULTIPLE DEATHS!

NHTSA complaint #11324229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 129,000 miles Owensboro, KY

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL DRAGGING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS RUSTED AND DETACHED. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED DON MOORE TOYOTA (4216 FREDERICA ST, OWENSBORO, KY 42301, (270) 926-2500) AND WAS INFORMED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000. *BF

NHTSA complaint #11204005 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 60 miles Dallas, TX

ENGINE

TAKANA RECALL // AND TOYOTA RECALL

NHTSA complaint #11039285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Boxford, MA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL

FRAME AND REAR END BANJO HOUSING ROTTED TO THE POINT WHERE GEAR OIL FROM REAR END LEAKED OUT ONTO THE ROAD. HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO GARAGE TO MAKE TEMPORARY REPAIRS. IN ADDITION, FRAME IS DISINTEGRATED WITH PIECES FALLING TO THE GROUND. TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE TRUCK TO TOYOTA AND BOTH THE REAR END ASSEMBLY AND FRAME SHOULD BE REPLACED. GARAGE, STEWART'S OF GEORGETOWN, MA., STATES METAL OF FRAME HAS DETERIORATED TO THE POINT WHERE YOU COULD POKE HOLES IN IT WITH A SCREW DRIVER. FRAME EXAMINED ON AUGUST 6, 2011 AFTER PIECES OF FRAME FOUND UNDER THE TRUCK AFTER LABOR DAY WEEKEND. TRUCK HAS 40,700 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND USED TO DELIVER AND PICK UP SUPPLIES FOR PROPERTY OWNED. THE CONSUMER TO DATE, HE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO LOCATE A USABLE REAR END ASSEMBLY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVE THE FAILURE WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE USE OF REPROCESSED METAL IN THE MANUFACTURING, TOGETHER WITH THE FAILURE TO PROPERLY TREAT EXPOSED METAL PARTS WITH CORROSION RESISTANT COMPOUNDS. THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO HIM. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE OXYGEN SENSOR THAT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED IN AUGUST 2007. UPDATED IVOQ 12/01/11

NHTSA complaint #10425203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 71,000 miles Girard, PA Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. WHILE EXITING HIS HOME, HE NOTICED THAT HIS VEHICLES HOOD WAS ON FIRE AND THAT THERE WERE DRIPPING FLAMES FALLING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71000.

NHTSA complaint #10281148 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 32,375 miles Prospect, KY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

NARRATIVE: 1. NORMAL DRIVING 2. CRACKED EXHAUST FLANGE(S). 3. NOTHING, YET.

NHTSA complaint #10218227 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 15,000 miles Leesburg, VA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I BOUGHT MY 2003 TUNDRA NEW.GOT 15,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT SHOW.THE DEALER THEY FIXED IT AND AGAIN NOW AT 49,000 MILES.

NHTSA complaint #10185365 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 9,000 miles Garden City, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS SPEWING SULFUR DIOXIDE WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, BUT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE DEALER DOES NOT HAVE AN UPDATED CONVERTER. THE DEALER COULD ONLY USE THE SAME TYPE OF CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH THEY DETERMINED WOULD HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM THE WINDOW REGULATOR WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 02/07/06.

NHTSA complaint #10147918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Glendale, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

WHEN DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED FUMES COMING FROM THE VENTS, CAUSING THE CONSUMER'S EYES TO BURN, AND MAKING IT HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO BREATH.

NHTSA complaint #10059548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 2,900 miles Belchertown, MA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OTHER FUEL TYPES:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

WHEN HAVING AN OIL CHANGE DEALER NOTICED A SEVERE OIL LEAK. THE HEAD GASKET/ OIL PAN BOLTS, AND UPPER OIL PAN WERE REPLACED AT DIFFERENT TIMES BEFORE OIL LEAK WAS FIXED.

NHTSA complaint #10044028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 2,206 miles Bonita, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL

ENGINE LIGHT ON. I HAVE TAKEN IN 3 TIMES. UNKNOWN CAUSE/EMISSION SYSTEM OR FUEL SYSTEM. ENGINE HAS 2206 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA complaint #10041641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2003 Toyota Tundra problems

← Full 2003 Toyota Tundra report