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U.S. public vehicle records

2005 Toyota TUNDRA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

374 owner complaints analyzed

12 distinct recall campaigns

82,225 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 228 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 79 of 374 complaints (21.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior6016.0%
Steering behavior236.1%
Transmission and shifting215.6%
Fuel system concerns112.9%
Electrical and battery issues71.9%
Engine operation30.8%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags
79
Structure:Body
70
Suspension
55
Unknown Or Other
25
Vehicle Speed Control
22
Steering
20
Power Train
19
Service Brakes
19
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags79
Structure:Body70
Suspension55
Unknown Or Other25
Vehicle Speed Control22
Steering20
Power Train19
Service Brakes19

Air Bags: 79; Structure:Body: 70; Suspension: 55; Unknown Or Other: 25; Vehicle Speed Control: 22; Steering: 20; Power Train: 19; Service Brakes: 19

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
32
25,000 to 49,999
32
50,000 to 74,999
38
75,000 to 99,999
31
100,000 to 149,999
51
150,000 and above
44
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00032
25,000 to 49,99932
50,000 to 74,99938
75,000 to 99,99931
100,000 to 149,99951
150,000 and above44

Under 25,000: 32; 25,000 to 49,999: 32; 50,000 to 74,999: 38; 75,000 to 99,999: 31; 100,000 to 149,999: 51; 150,000 and above: 44

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (51). 146 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2005
10
2006
11
2007
28
2008
9
2009
5
2010
31
2011
9
2012
10
2013
12
2014
29
2015
54
2016
28
2017
21
2018
9
2019
27
2020
26
2021
20
2022
11
2023
7
2024
13
2025
4
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200510
200611
200728
20089
20095
201031
20119
201210
201312
201429
201554
201628
201721
20189
201927
202026
202120
202211
20237
202413
20254

2005: 10; 2006: 11; 2007: 28; 2008: 9; 2009: 5; 2010: 31; 2011: 9; 2012: 10; 2013: 12; 2014: 29; 2015: 54; 2016: 28; 2017: 21; 2018: 9; 2019: 27; 2020: 26; 2021: 20; 2022: 11; 2023: 7; 2024: 13; 2025: 4

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 60 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 23 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 21 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10122206 · 2005-06-20 (June 20, 2005)

DT: WHEN THE ENGINE IS STARTED COLD IT IDLES VERY HIGH. WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF BRAKE OR PUTTING VEHICLE IN GEAR IT ACCELERATES QUICKLY. NO ACCIDENTS REPORTED. ALSO, NO OTHER PROBLEMS. TAKEN TO DEALER TO INQUIRE ABOUT THIS, DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS NORMAL. IT SEEMED TWICE AS FAST AS A NORMAL VEHICLE IN IDLE. WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT THIS PROBLEM GOES AWAY. *AK *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 2 miles reported. Look up ODI 10122206 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10146662 · 2006-01-01 (January 1, 2006)

THE CRUISE CONTROL ON MY 2005 TOYOTA TUNDRA DOWNSHIFTS THE ENGINE ON THE SLIGHTEST INCLINE. IT JUMPS FROM APPROXIMATELY 2100 RPM'S TO OVER 3500 RPM'S. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE TRACTION ON JUST A WET PAVEMENT, NOT RAINING JUST WET LAST VISIT TO THE DEALER THIS WAS PART OF THE ISSUES I WANTED THEM TO LOOK INTO. THE ONLY THING I GOT WAS "THAT'S JUST THE WAY THEY WORK". THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS SOME ATTENTION REAL SOON. TOYOTA WHICH OWNS SUBURAU HAS THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AS THIS TUNDRA, I HAD ONE OF THOSE ALSO THA…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,432 miles reported. Look up ODI 10146662 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10149684 · 2006-02-07 (February 7, 2006)

2005 TOYOTA TUNDRA QUAD CAB. FRONT END ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS, EXTREME PULLING TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT, CONSISTENT RATTLING IN THE FRONT END. CONTROL ISSUES AT 5 MPH, EXTREME SHIMMERING OVER 65 MPH. RECOMMENDED PARTS BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT KNUCKLE SUB ASSEMBLY, BEARINGS, RING HOLE, SEALS. VEHICLE LOSES POWER, AND STEERING CONTROL, CAUSED ACCIDENT. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO HONOR WARRANTY AND REPAIR VEHICLE. PROBLEMS BEGAN AT 2000 MILES, TAKEN IN AT 5009 MILES FOR SERVICE AND REPORTED PROBLEM, 4 ATTEMPTS AT REPAIR WITH NO SUCCESS. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 5,009 miles reported. Look up ODI 10149684 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10164990 · 2006-08-08 (August 8, 2006)

DRIVING WB ON HWY 4 NEAR DOUGLAS FLAT, CA APPROX 55 MPH ON TWO LANE HIGHWAY. THE 2005 TOYOTA TUNDRA 4WD DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL DETACHED, FOLDING UNDER FRONT LEFT SIDE FRAME BEHIND WHEEL WELL WITH THE TRUCK LANDING ON THE FLAT SIDE OF THE WHEEL. I WAS THEN IN A CONTROLLED SKID ON A STRAIGHT PART OF THE HIGHWAY AND HELD THE STEERING WHEEL IN THAT POSITION. I DID NOT APPLY THE BRAKES AS I DID NOT WANT TO ALTER THE DIRECTION OF THE SKID. THE VEHICLE DRIFTED SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT AFTER ABOUT A 150 FOOT SKID. THE WHEEL HUB HAD SEPARATED FROM THE U…

Owner-reported narrative. 72,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10164990 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10116301 · 2005-04-03 (April 3, 2005)

1. FROM A STOP, AUTO TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF FIRST GEAR. WHILE TRYING TO BACK UP, REVERSE WOULD NOT ENGAGE. 2. WHILE DRIVING, FOURTH GEAR DID NOT ENGAGE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THEN IT SLIPPED OUT OF THIRD. AS A RESULT, I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED DUE TO THE LOSS OF POWER. 3. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. ACCORDING TO THEM, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. OLD UNIT NOT AVAILABLE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 563 miles reported. Look up ODI 10116301 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10117641 · 2005-04-08 (April 8, 2005)

WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEED OF 20-50 MPH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD INTERMITTENTLY JUMP OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL. THIS CONDITION ALMOST CAUSES\D CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO BE INVOLVED IN A REAR END CRASH. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. ON THE SECOND OCCASION THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10117641 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10617784 · 2014-07-30 (July 30, 2014)

BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED IN 2010 AND IT HAD A LOT OF CORROSION UNDERNEATH THEN. CURRENTLY HAS 50 K MILES. MY BRAKES ARE SQUEALING DUE TO CORROSION PREVENTING THE CALIPERS FROM MOVING AND THE WHEEL WAS CORRODED TO THE HUB AND IT TOOK A LOT OF EFFORT TO REMOVE IT. THE STRUCTURAL MEMBERS AND ALL THE COMPONENTS HAVE LOOSE LAYERS OF RUST. THE EXHAUST HEAT SHIELDS FELL OFF. THE SPARE TIRE RESTRAINT SYSTEM LOOKS TOO WEAK SO I REMOVED THE SPARE. THE SPARE WHEEL IS SO CORRODED THAT THE BOLT HOLES ARE NO LONGER SMOOTH FOR THE LUGS TO BEAR AGAINST EVENLY…

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10617784 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10725287 · 2015-06-15 (June 15, 2015)

I FILLED MY GAS TANK (17 GALLONS), DROVE ABOUT 4 MILES AND WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN I HEARD A GRINDING SOUND, I LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK AND SAW THE STRAPS HOLDING MY GAS TANK HAD SNAPPED IN HALF AND MY GAS TANK WAS LAYING ON THE GROUND. I HAD RECENTLY RECIEVED A LIMITED SERVICE CAMPAIGN LETTER FROM TOYOTA NOTIFIYING ME THAT "VEHICLES OPERATED IN COLD CLIMATES WITH HIGH ROAD SALT USE MAY EXHIBIT MORE-THAN-NORMAL CORROSION TO THE VEHICLES FRAME" "WHICH MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE THAN NORMAL RUST IN THE FRAME OF SOME VEHIC…

Owner-reported narrative. 121,793 miles reported. Look up ODI 10725287 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10153238 · 2006-03-20 (March 20, 2006)

TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK AS DESIGNED. FOR THE LAST 24,000 MILES THE SYSTEM HAS NOT WORKED AS INTENDED WITH MULTIPLE FAILURES OF MULTIPLE TYPES. INITIAL FAILURES CLUSTERED AROUND THE PRESSURE IN THE SPARE BEING SET AT A DIFFERENT PRESSURE THAN THE DRIVE TIRES. SECONDARY FAILURES CLUSTERED AROUND THE FACT THAT THE DRIVE TIRES HEATED DURING OPERATION AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY AT A DIFFERENT TEMPERATURE AND THUS PRESSURE THAN THE SPARE. INCLUSION OF THE MONITOR ON THE SPARE SEEMS A DESIGN FLAW. IF THE SPARE IS NEEDED THAN TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10153238 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10310911 · 2010-02-16 (February 16, 2010)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH THE ABS LIGHT WOULD FLASH ON THE DASH BOARD INDICATING THAT THE BRAKES NEED TO BE SERVICED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC TO HAVE THE BRAKES SERVICED AND THE LOCAL MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND A ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES. ALSO THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR FLOW BUTTON THAT CONTROLS THE AIR INSIDE THE VEHICLE IS MALFUNCTIONING. THE CONTACT FEELS THIS VEHICLE HAS A SERIOUS ELECTRICAL ISSUE AND NEEDS TO LOOKED AT BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE …

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10310911 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10488867 · 2012-12-15 (December 15, 2012)

SECONDARY AIR SWITCH STUCK OPEN... LOSS OF POWER THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10488867 at NHTSA ↗