How many miles can a Toyota Tundra last? When you’re in the market for a new or second-hand Tundra, that’s a very reasonable question to ask. After all, you’re probably looking to get the most bang for your buck. In this blog, we’ll look at this question in great detail but first, let’s start with a quick answer:
On average, a Toyota Tundra lasts between 280.000 – 330.000 miles. A Tundra needs to go to the garage for unscheduled repairs about 0.31 times per year, with an 18% chance of severe problems. Furthermore, Tundra owners spend an average of $597 per year on repair costs.
Having said that, we’re certainly not done. Below, we’ll explain in more detail how many miles a Tundra can last. After that, we’ll also show you how much a Tundra costs annually and which production years are the most and least expensive. Furthermore, we also discuss the common problems that the car can have. Read on!
How Many Miles Can A Toyota Tundra Last?
Today, we will analyze how many miles a Toyota Tundra can last. We conducted in-depth research on several different platforms to answer these questions. First, we have to look at the Toyota Tundra as a group. For this, we went to Autotrader.com to gather our sample size.
We took a pool of 13.370 Toyota Tundra units and divided them into groups based on the miles they had already driven. The results of this research are displayed in the table below.
| Amount Of Miles | Percentage Of Cars |
| Cars With 150.000+ | 9.02% |
| Cars With 100.000 – 149.000 | 12.13% |
| Cars With 45.000 – 99.999 | 32.84% |
| Cars With 0 – 44.999 | 46.01% |
By themselves, these numbers don´t say a lot. However, it just so happens that we´ve written hundreds of these articles for different passenger vehicles. For this reason, we know that it´s typical for trucks to have a percentage of 5-7% crossing the 150.000 miles mark.
And here we have the Toyota Tundra, a vehicle that has 9.02% of its available second-hand units cross the 150.000 miles mark already. Typically, those are numbers that we would expect with vehicles that have been out of production for a while. However, the Tundra is still being sold.
At first glance, it seems that the Tundra has an excellent lifespan. However, more research is needed to come to a more thorough conclusion. Let´s continue!
How Reliable Is A Toyota Tundra Compared To Its Competitors?
Even when you see a vehicle having hundreds of thousands of miles on the gauge cluster, more proof is necessary to know for sure what you are buying is, in fact, the most reliable and long-lasting vehicle. After putting the Tundra against its competitors, one thing was certain; not many competitors can beat Toyota’s reliability.
Even though Ford F150 is the most popular and the best-selling truck in the US, in terms of reliability, it is on the third podium –behind the Toyota Tundra and Silverado 1500. This means that Toyota Tundra is a better choice in terms of lifespan (although slightly). The only truck that falls behind in this comparison is the GMC Sierra, and it still puts up respectable numbers, but not as good as the competition.
| Model | Sample Size | Expected Mileage | Highest Mileage |
| Toyota Tundra | 13.370 | 305.000 | 390.000 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 56.104 | 310.000 | 330.000 |
| Ford F-150 | 67.949 | 290.000 | 340.000 |
| GMC Sierra | 29.746 | 255.000 | 340.000 |
How Reliable Is A Toyota Tundra Compared To Other Toyotas?
We took several Toyota models and examined their reliability based on the same data. We took the mileage numbers of these models and compared them with the mileage numbers of the Toyota Tundra.
What becomes clear from this table immediately is the fact that Toyota builds vehicles with an incredible lifespan. Car brands typically have vehicles that last between 200.000 – 250.000 miles, and anything above that is rare. However, Toyota has many cars with an expected mileage of 250.000 or higher.
Some of the standouts are Toyota’s Highlander hybrid which regularly gets up to 290,000 miles and Tacoma which has been known to last more than 300,000 miles.
The Tundra does hold up incredibly well. Besides the Tacoma and the 4Runner, the Tundra has the longest lifespan.
The Tundra even beats long-lasting Toyota standouts like the Prius and Sienna. Overall, this speaks in favor of the Tundra and Toyota as a whole.
| Model | Sample Size | Expected Mileage | Highest Mileage |
| Toyota Avalon | 2.763 | 255.000 | 360.000 |
| Toyota Camry | 18.503 | 270.000 | 349.000 |
| Toyota Yaris | 992 | 215.000 | 260.000 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 17.027 | 240.000 | 300.000 |
| Toyota Sequoia | 1.735 | 275.000 | 370.000 |
| Toyota Sienna | 6.166 | 255.000 | 290.000 |
| Toyota Highlander | 13.499 | 270.000 | 350.000 |
| Toyota Corolla | 17.297 | 265.000 | 340.000 |
| Toyota Tundra | 13.370 | 305.000 | 390.000 |
| Toyota Tacoma | 17.910 | 325.000 | 395.000 |
| Toyota 4Runner | 14.092 | 315.000 | 360.000 |
How Much Does Maintenance Cost Per Year?
For a vehicle to be considered reliable, one must know the maintenance cost. A car with high mileage and high maintenance costs can´t be deemed to be reliable.
So we have to know if the Toyota Tundra can give us the high mileage that we expect at lower maintenance cost. We went through several model years and presented the annual maintenance cost. Data is gathered from Repairpal and Caredge.com.
| Model Year | Annual Maintenance Cost |
| 2022 | $268 |
| 2021 | $304 |
| 2020 | $362 |
| 2019 | $453 |
| 2018 | $518 |
| 2017 | $674 |
| 2016 | $590 |
| 2015 | $578 |
| 2014 | $601 |
| 2013 | $642 |
| 2012 | $623 |
| 2011 | $608 |
| 2010 | $578 |
| 2009 | $610 |
| 2008 | $574 |
| 2007 | $450 |
On average, you can expect to pay $606 in annual maintenance costs for a Tundra. When we compare this to the average number for full-size trucks, which ends up at $936 per year, we see the Tundra does exceptionally well.
What also becomes clear in this table is the fact that no model year seems to stand out exceptionally negatively. Only the 2017 model year is a bit on the high side, but besides that, most models five years or older have consistent maintenance costs.
When compared to other Toyota vehicles, the Tundra certainly holds its own but vehicles like the Sienna have it beat (especially the extremely reliable 2013 or 2016 models) with a typical maintenance cost of around $540 dollars.
Of course, not everyone wants to drive a mini-van, no matter how affordable it is. But when compared to a smaller truck like the Tacoma, with an average maintenance cost of $478 per year, we see that the larger Tundra will still cost more. That puts the Tundra more in line with larger, but still long lasting, vehicles like the Sequoia.
Owners’ Reviews Of The Toyota Tundras Reliability
Besides knowing all the data, it’s, of course, also essential to see how owners experience the Tundra. For this, we went to Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, and Cars.com. All three platforms have gathered hundreds of reviews from actual car owners. We summarized our findings in the image below.
Please remember that these are the ratings for the second generation of the Tundra. The third generation has only been released recently at the time of updating this article. Therefore, it´s too early to draw conclusions from these ratings.
There´s very little else we can say then that the second generation of the Toyota Tundra received excellent ratings. The truck received 4.4 stars out of 5 or higher in most cases. We rarely see those kinds of numbers on all three platforms. We feel the below quote sums up owning a second-generation Tundra perfectly:
Outdated? A little, but all the bugs and issues have been worked out years ago. Bad on gas? Yes, It’s a full size truck. Lack of technology? Yep, not all the bells and whistles, but less to go wrong. Reliable? 100%! I’ve owned 5 Tundras in the past 20 years and all had over 150K miles before selling.
If you look at the actual total repair costs of ALL my Tundras over the years (not maintenance) combined, it is still less than my neighbors one trip to the dealer for his Silverado and then F150. Tundra will run forever. Good resale value? Best in class for a reason.
Source, 2021 owner
Toyota Tundra Common Problems
Besides knowing the factors we´ve already discussed, it´s also vital to understand the common problems the Tundra has had throughout the generations. This gives us a complete understanding of the vehicle as a whole.
NOTE: Before buying a used car, I always like to make sure the vehicle isn´t having any problems that you should be aware of. The easiest way to do this is by buying an OBD2 scanner. These scanners can easily be plugged into any car you’re interested in, and they’ll give you a rundown of potential problems.
Third Generation (2022 – Present)
The third generation of the Tundra is relatively new. As of writing, there has only been one model year. However, as with most new generations, problems have occurred already.
Currently, there´re some owners that have complained about a sudden loss of power on the highway. It seems a defective V6 turbo wastegate is causing this problem, but no official research has been done on this.
Furthermore, this generation has already had four recalls. Two of them involve the failure or malfunctioning of the rearview camera, and the other two involve a separating axle shaft and parking brake failure.
Updated Second-Generation (2014 – 2021)
Loss Of Headlights
One of the most frequently occurring problems of the 2014 – 2018 Tundra was that the headlights and/or taillights would turn off when using the turn signals. Furthermore, the navigation system and radio could reset as well at the same time. A recall or technical service bulletin was never issued, and owners were left with figuring out things for themselves. Nowhere can we find reports of a solid fix for this issue, but it´s most likely caused by faulty wiring somewhere in the car.
Failure Of Brakes When Towing
Another problem with the 2016 – 2018 Tundras is the failure of the intermittent brake controller. The problem is described as follows by one of the owners:
Trailer brakes work for a few braking cycles then fail completely with an error message on the truck stating ´trailer wiring type, or connection fault´. Turning the vehicle off and on resets the controller and ´fixes´ the problem unitl another few braking cycles, then repeats.
Source
Toyota did issue a service bulletin for this problem, but only for the 2018 – 2019 models, which meant the other owners had to fix the problem themselves.
Pre-Collision System Malfunctions
Specifically a problem in the 2018 model years of the Tundra. The pre-collision warning system malfunctions and engages randomly or starts flashing warning signs. Simultaneously, the cruise control will also malfunction. This issue has occurred in more Toyota models, but a solution has never been found or described by Toyota or dealers.
Recalls
Besides the most common problems, we also want to notify you that almost all model years of this generation of the Tundra have had 5-10 recalls each. This blog post doesn´t go into that, but be aware of this if you´re in the market for a Tundra. Especially the 2019 model year has quite a track record here.
Is a Toyota Tundra A Smart Buy?
Finally, we have to answer the question of whether or not the Tundra is a truck that´s worth getting.
When we look at the potential mileage of the vehicle, we see that we expect the average Tundra to cross the 300.000 miles mark in its lifetime. This is an incredibly good number, and when we compare this to competitors, we see that only the Silverado 1500 achieves a similar number. This also means the Tundra beats the F-150, which should speak volumes about its performance.
Moving on to the annual maintenance costs, we see these are consistent throughout the model years. More importantly, they´re much lower than what we usually expect to pay for a full-size truck.
Moving on to the owners’ ratings of the updated second-generation Tundra, we see these are fantastic. The Tundra is everything owners ever wished for. Although we do have to say the third generation of the Tundra is received a little less favorable so far (but that´s very typical for a new generation).
Moving on to the problems, we see that each model year of the Tundra has had numerous recalls in the past ten years. However, not many of them have a whole lot of complaints. This indicates Toyota has been quick with resolving most of the issues they´ve been able to find.
In the end, we can do little else than conclude that the Tundra is a vehicle worth considering if you´re in the market for a full-size truck.
Are you in the market for this Toyota? Don’t forget to check out our extensive list of the largest Toyota dealers per state!
Toyota Tundra Maintenance Schedule
Even though trucks are made for rough terrains, you can not expect them to last you 390k miles without any maintenance. The best thing about the Toyota Tundra is the low maintenance cost – make sure to carry out the maintenance plan to the best of your abilities.
Before/On Every 3,000 Miles
- You must keep your oil change intervals short when hauling loads of stuff. If you are only driving your truck like any standard vehicle, you can delay the change only about a thousand miles or so – not more than that.
- Change the oil filter along with the oil change
- Rotate tires
- Have the underside of your truck treated with rust prevention treatment
- Lubricate the joints that need lubrication
- Inspect the brakes
- Clean or replace the air filter
Before/On Every 10,000 Miles
- Inspect the cabin air filter and replace it if it is dirty
- Inspect the fuel injectors and fuel pump
- Make sure to check the brakes, brake lines, rotors, etc
- Inspect the suspension components
- Lubricate the joints that require lubrication
Before/On Every 20,000 Miles
- Thoroughly inspect the exhaust system
- Check the PCV system for any leaks
- Check for any engine codes
- Carry out the rust prevention treatment if you find any rust
- Check all the fluid levels
Before/On Every 40,000 Miles
- Replace transmission fluid which will keep this reliable transmission running
- Inspect and replace the coolant if necessary
- Inspect the spark plugs
- Inspect the fuel pump, and clean it if it is clogged.
Before/On Every 60,000 Miles
- Replace the spark plugs
- Inspect the suspension components, and replace the part that is worn out
- Replace the brake pads, rotors, etc. if necessary
- Inspect the ignition coils and fuel injectors; replace them if necessary
- Check for any misfiring cylinder
Closing Thoughts
We’ve delved into the longevity of the Tundra, detailing the impressive mileage it can offer when properly maintained. We’ve given you a clear picture of its annual costs and highlighted the most and least expensive production years, providing you with a holistic view of its financial impact.
Additionally, we’ve tackled common problems that Tundra owners might face, preparing you for possible issues down the road. This comprehensive insight into the Tundra serves as a valuable guide for current owners and potential buyers alike, aiding in making informed decisions about this enduring vehicle.
But it’s far from our only guide on the Tundra and we’ve taken deep dives into everything from bolt patterns to fuel types and everything between.
So, whether you’re considering a purchase or seeking to prolong the life of your current Tundra, we trust this information has been invaluable. Drive on!
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!