2012 Toyota Tundra Engine Problems
Owners have filed 57 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2012 Toyota Tundra, 37% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 81,120 miles. The words owners use most often: “air injection” (49% of reports).
- 57engine complaints
- 81,120median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $3,950typical repair cost reported by owners
- 33%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air injection: mentioned in 28 of 57 complaints (49%)
- Limp mode: mentioned in 24 of 57 complaints (42%)
- Check engine trac: mentioned in 6 of 57 complaints (11%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2012 Toyota Tundra at $3,950, and half of them between $3,300 and $4,750.
Based on 15 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2017–2022), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 45 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 57 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 a fire.
Toyota Tundra engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Tundra | 7 | 22% | — |
| 2025 Tundra | 46 | 33% | — |
| 2024 Tundra | 151 | 44% | 30,000 |
| 2023 Tundra | 166 | 40% | 41,000 |
| 2022 Tundra | 165 | 38% | 26,100 |
| 2021 Tundra | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2020 Tundra | 6 | 13% | 710 |
| 2019 Tundra | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2018 Tundra | 12 | 12% | 30,477 |
| 2017 Tundra | 5 | 6% | 9,550 |
| 2016 Tundra | 6 | 5% | 67,000 |
| 2015 Tundra | 3 | 6% | 70,950 |
| 2014 Tundra | 7 | 8% | 70,500 |
| 2013 Tundra | 23 | 27% | 62,000 |
| 2012 Tundra | 57 | 37% | 81,120 |
| 2011 Tundra | 35 | 26% | 69,500 |
| 2010 Tundra | 10 | 6% | 50,000 |
| 2009 Tundra | 5 | 13% | 81,544 |
| 2008 Tundra | 36 | 11% | 116,000 |
| 2007 Tundra | 27 | 7% | 80,000 |
| 2006 Tundra | 18 | 3% | 88,500 |
| 2005 Tundra | 10 | 3% | 90,000 |
| 2004 Tundra | 6 | 1% | 106,759 |
| 2003 Tundra | 4 | 1% | 129,000 |
| 2002 Tundra | 4 | 1% | 80,000 |
| 2000 Tundra | 8 | 1% | 147,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2012 Toyota Tundra. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Wife was driving truck and immediately went into limp mode on the highway. Check engine light came on, no accelerating then died. Had to get it towed. This is the 3rd incident with this issue.
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the light stayed illuminated while driving. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent certified mechanic where it was diagnosed and…
Computer software issues. Flex full engine.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Toyota Tundras have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 57 owner complaints about engine for the 2012 Toyota Tundra (37% of the 156 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Toyota Tundra engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 81,120 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2012 Toyota Tundra?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,950 (half paid between $3,300 and $4,750), from 15 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2012 Toyota Tundra?
The most frequent phrase is “air injection”, in 28 of 57 complaints, followed by “limp mode” (24).
See all 2012 Toyota Tundra problems or engine problems across all Tundra years.