Most common 2021 Toyota Tundra problems
Share of the 24 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Tundra complaints by model year
Best Tundra years: 2015, 2021, 2020. Years to avoid: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2025, 2000. Compare all years →
2021 Toyota Tundra recalls (2)
Steering › Hydraulic power assist system
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.
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.
Exterior lighting › Headlights
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.
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.
What 2021 Toyota Tundra owners say
Electrical system
Wayne drove the truck to work. It was an icy day in Texas so he drove slower than usual. He went to pick up a part (for work) from another shop, he arrived at the shop, turned off the truck and went inside to retrieve the part for work. A few minutes later he came out to his truck and the hazard lights were blinking. He did not turn them on. He then noticed the cab of the truck filled with black smoke, he opened the door, raised the hood to take off the battery cables. The fire destroyed his dash and all electrical in the dash. There were no warnings or messages that appeared prior to the fire.
LED lights are loose and rattle and flash all over the place. While driving over 40+mph or going over any bumps on the road . This only affects TRD PRO tundra's with factory Ridgid lights . Toyota does not have a toyota approved repair even after going to dealership multiple times and calling toyota USA . They will not do anything for this safety issue besides offer lemon law options . Toyota states this is the only one with this issue . I have done research and brought this issue on a toyota trd forum and received over 100 complaints of other trd pro tundra owners with the same issue and toyota just gives them the run around . I brought this up to my toyota case manager and declined this is an issue . This can cause Photosensitive Epilepsy seizures and can cause serious injuries or death. …
Seats
I've taken my truck in 3 times for a problem with the driver seat having excessive play. Whenever I stop at a light or pull off the seat rocks back and forth. Each time I've taken it in to the dealership they tell me that it is a seat track issue and that if I raise my seat the play will lessen? I've tried that and it still didn't correct the issue. This problem has gotten progressively worse and I'm worried that the seat is going to collapse completely one day when I stop or pull off. I've driven different Tundras of friends and relatives and those trucks don't have this problem. I feel like this is a major safety issue and Toyota should correct this issue or replace the seat track. The first time took it in for this issue was on 7-12-2021 and the last time I took it in for this issue was 23-Jan-2024 .
The seat has been loose since I first purchased the truck, first time at the dealer they said it was the cushion which it wasn't and they ordered part and it didn't fix the situation. The next oil change I took it in and they said it was the frame, bottom of seat, and they ordered one and it's been on back order a year now or thereabouts. Now I've owned the truck for over a year and a half and still no resolution. If an accident occurs will the seat completely break and fling me out of the vehicle? Anyhow multiple phone calls to dealership and now a phone call to Toyota themselves has yielded no resolution.
Windows, wipers & sunroof
Vehicle is now 6 months old from original & new purchase. Within 30-days of ownership, (1) approx 1.5mm in size chip was fully repaired half way up from the front of the windshield. Eight hours ago (1) extremely small pebble, approx 2mm in size, contacted the front windshield 2 inches from lower portion centered in front of the driver and NOT in the area of the previous repair. Now, the same chip is a full length horizontal crack. Windshield material(s) seem to be extremely prone to failure and possibly not up to NHTSA or federal specifications...
When I was driving and snow accumulating on the windshield put stress on the windshield wiper arm. The arm stopped working and I later found that the arm stripped out. I contacted three different dealerships and Toyota America and was told the wiper arm is no longer made ( part #85221-0C021 ). I told Toyota if it rains or snows I can not drive the vehicle due to laws and safety issues. I thought under the Magnuson-Moss act, a manufacture had to keep parts for items under warranty.
2021 Toyota Tundra engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.7L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 17 / 15 |
| 5.7L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Toyota Tundra a good car?
Based on 24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 Tundra rates better than average: 66% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Tundra at the same age. It is one of the best Tundra years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Toyota Tundra?
The electrical system — 4 complaints, 17% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the seats (4) and windows, wipers & sunroof (3).
How many recalls does the 2021 Toyota Tundra have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2021 Toyota Tundra, the most recent from November 23, 2021 (hydraulic power assist system). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota Tundra?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2015, 2021 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2025 and 2000. See the full Toyota Tundra years comparison.
At what mileage do 2021 Toyota Tundra problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 18,000 miles; 100% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.