2013 Toyota Tundra Problems and Recalls (83 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2013 Toyota Tundra is Engine (25% of 83 owner reports). There are 6 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 83 complaints · 6 recalls

What problems show up on the 2013 Toyota Tundra?

21 of 83 filings named Engine (25% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Fuel system (12 reports).

There are 6 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags, Wheels, and Steering. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2012 has 153 reports on file; this year has 83. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2013 Toyota Tundra

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 6 campaigns on file below.
  2. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  3. Fuel system. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly.
  4. Steering. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Engine. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Engine 21 complaints · 25.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 4
  • Fires 3
  • Injuries 3
  • Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Engine (ENGINE) appears in 21 of 83 owner complaints (25.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Engine (ENGINE): 21 complaints, 25.3% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 3 fire reports 21 · 25.3% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 12 complaints, 14.5% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 12 · 14.5% Steering (STEERING): 9 complaints, 10.8% of reports Steering (STEERING) 9 · 10.8% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 8 complaints, 9.6% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 8 · 9.6% Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 5 complaints, 6.0% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 crash reports 5 · 6.0% Wheels (WHEELS): 5 complaints, 6.0% of reports Wheels (WHEELS) 5 · 6.0% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 4 complaints, 4.8% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 crash reports 4 · 4.8% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 3 complaints, 3.6% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 3 · 3.6% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 3 complaints, 3.6% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 1 crash reports 3 · 3.6% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 15 complaints, 18.1% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 crash reports 15 · 18.1% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Engine (ENGINE) 21 25.3% 0 crashes · 3 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 12 14.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 9 10.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 8 9.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 5 6.0% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Wheels (WHEELS) 5 6.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 4 4.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 3 3.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 3 3.6% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 15 18.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2013; the first recall shown was reported in Jan 2013. 2013-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2015-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2016-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2016-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2017-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2018-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2018-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2019-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2024-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 2013 Oct 2025 Recall campaign 13V014000 ◆ Recall campaign 13V014000 Recall campaign 13V123000 ◆ Recall campaign 13V123000 Recall campaign 14V429000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V429000 Recall campaign 17V311000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V311000 Recall campaign 21V920000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V920000 Recall campaign 21E103000 ◆ Recall campaign 21E103000 Investigation EA19001 ● Investigation EA19001
  • Campaign 17V311000 was reported 333 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 21V920000 was reported 3,029 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 21E103000 was reported 3,059 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2013-Q1 Owner reports 2
2013-Q2 Owner reports 1
2013-Q3 Owner reports 2
2013-Q4 Owner reports 2
2014-Q1 Owner reports 2
2014-Q2 Owner reports 2
2014-Q3 Owner reports 1
2014-Q4 Owner reports 3
2015-Q1 Owner reports 2
2015-Q3 Owner reports 1
2015-Q4 Owner reports 3
2016-Q2 Owner reports 3
2016-Q3 Owner reports 1
2016-Q4 Owner reports 2
2017-Q1 Owner reports 3
2017-Q2 Owner reports 2
2017-Q3 Owner reports 2
2017-Q4 Owner reports 2
2018-Q1 Owner reports 4
2018-Q2 Owner reports 1
2018-Q3 Owner reports 5
2018-Q4 Owner reports 2
2019-Q1 Owner reports 1
2019-Q2 Owner reports 5
2019-Q3 Owner reports 2
2019-Q4 Owner reports 1
2020-Q1 Owner reports 2
2020-Q2 Owner reports 2
2020-Q3 Owner reports 3
2020-Q4 Owner reports 1
2021-Q1 Owner reports 1
2021-Q3 Owner reports 1
2021-Q4 Owner reports 1
2022-Q1 Owner reports 1
2022-Q2 Owner reports 1
2022-Q3 Owner reports 2
2022-Q4 Owner reports 1
2023-Q2 Owner reports 3
2024-Q1 Owner reports 2
2024-Q3 Owner reports 2
2025-Q2 Owner reports 2
2025-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 13V014000
Recall campaign 1 13V123000
Recall campaign 1 14V429000
Recall campaign 1 17V311000
Recall campaign 1 21V920000
Recall campaign 1 21E103000
Defect investigation 1 EA19001
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (6)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Airbags, Wheels, and Steering.

  1. Recall campaign 13V014000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
    Remedy:
    Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  2. Recall campaign 13V123000

    Safety recall 13V123000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
    Remedy:
    Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  3. Recall campaign 14V429000

    Wheels

    Report date
    Component:
    Wheels (WHEELS)
    Consequence:
    If the lug nuts loosen, or the wheel studs fracture, the wheel may separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    GST will notify owners, and dealers will replace 20 lug nuts and torque them to specification, free of charge. The recall began in August 2014. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  4. Recall campaign 17V311000

    Wheels

    Report date
    Component:
    Wheels (WHEELS)
    Consequence:
    Lugnuts that crack and detach may cause the wheels to separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    SET will notify owners, and dealers will install new replacement lugnuts, free of charge. The recall began June 23, 2017. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET17A.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  5. Recall campaign 21E103000

    Steering

    Report date
    Component:
    Steering (STEERING)
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  6. Recall campaign 21V920000

    Steering

    Report date
    Component:
    Steering (STEERING)
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 83 complaints · page 1 of 4
2025-10-07Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11691813
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that the horn failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer where the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN related to the failure. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was provided the same information as provided by the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
2025-04-17Wheels (WHEELS)
NHTSA ODI 11655306
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My factory stock Toyota painted steel wheels rotted and I had a 6 inch long area rusted through inside the rim losing air. I was advised by my tire center ,that i took it to ,that was not safe to drive on. I called my local Toyota dealer service manager and was told it was road corrosion and was not under any warranty. What would of happened if I had been on the highway and had a rapid deflation of the tire or what if the wheel broke and came apart. The truck has no rust. I replaced all 4 wheels the very next day. These wheels should be recalled and inspected and replaced if needed before someone gets hurt.
2025-04-16Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11654986
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2013 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was taken to a local dealer for repairs, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was an independent dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 84,00 and upon inspection at a local dealer, it was discovered that the mileage was 175,000.
2024-08-26Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11610993
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Secondary Air injection pumps went bad
2024-08-03Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 11606280
CrashFireInjuryDeath
While driving at various speeds (25mph or 65mph) I let off on the accelerator to either slow down or come to a stop, when accelerating again I get a check engine light and I have no power. I limp along for several minutes then all of a sudden the fuel pedal sensor that tells the ecu where the fuel pedal is at catches up and I’m able to continue on with my ride. This is a very dangerous situation to have happen because you are not expecting it and when it does happen it is very unnerving. I’ve spoken to various Toyota dealers and there seems to be a nonchalant attitude about it.
2024-03-29Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11580149
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Mechanic stated that the secondary air injection system is a common problem in this generation of Tundra.. I have had my check engine light come on 3 different times and addressed each by replacing all the sensors to the secondary air injection system. My mechanic is a Toyota dealer mechanic. My issue is that my car has lost power to accelerate at highway speeds and came close to causing and accident. I am now at my third attempt at replacing now the actual pump. I understand that Toyota has replaced the gooseneck part where the hose is attaches to the pump. This tells me that there was a problem or else why would they change a good thing? Is there a warranty for this part?
2024-02-16Engine (ENGINE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11572347
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle in for inspection, the vehicle failed the inspection. The contact was informed that a failure with the air injection pump had been detected. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 64,000.
2023-06-27VISIBILITY
NHTSA ODI 11529102
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Backup camera cuts in and out. When put in reverse only shows a blue screen. checked connections and seems to happen mostly when it rains.
2023-05-01Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11519744
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Steering has gone out twice in 2 months. Rack and pinion had to be replaced.
2023-04-08Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11516099
CrashFireInjuryDeath
It would crank but not start

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2013 Toyota Tundra?

Owners named Engine most often — 21 of 83 reports (25%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2013 Toyota Tundra?

NHTSA lists 6 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags, Wheels, and Steering. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2013 Toyota Tundra?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources