AI Damage2003 Toyota Tundra: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Toyota Tundra filed 399 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 399
- involving a crash
- 26
What fails most often
- 1 Structure 38% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 22% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 16% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 9% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 6% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 4% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 3% of all complaints
- Structure: 150 complaints (38% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 86 complaints (22% of all), 9 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 63 complaints (16% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 40 complaints (10% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 35 complaints (9% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.4 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 4.7 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speednamed in 1 complaints
Drive: RWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 399 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 150 | 4 | 0 |
| Air bags | 86 | 9 | 0 |
| Suspension | 63 | 6 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 40 | 6 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 22 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 12 | 7 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
After the collision, the airbag did not deploy. The takata airbag was replaced by the auto manufacturer (toyota dealership) prior to my above mentioned accident. The auto accident occurred for unknown reasons, possibly brake failure or unexpected acceleration of the car engine.
The contact was driving 35 mph when the vehicle crashed into two trees and the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained head injuries as a result of the crash. The police were contacted and a police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic and the manufacturer was contacted.
My 2003 toyota tundra was involved in a accident february of 2008 due to sudden acceleration in which my vehicle spin out of control and went over a concrete barrier, my vehicle sustained heavy rear end and side damage. The damage to my vehicle cost me $5,663.14, I have the accident report.
Front brake caliper corrosion leading to reduced braking capability.
Suddenly, the vehicle rolled down the steep incline into a ditch. The vehicle landed on the passenger side. The air bags failed to deploy and the driver sustained injuries to the arm and neck. The vehicle was completely destroyed and was towed to a body shop. The insurance company was notified of the failure.
Tl*- while driving at 55 mphthe 2003/toyota/tundra ran into the retainer wall because the tie rod on the passenger's side snapped, lifting the truck. On january 11 2006 the dealer fixed the recalled tire rod end and ball joint.
Recemt rainy weather in southern california have shown the oem tires b.f.goodrich tires 265/70r16 rugged trail on my 2003, toyota tundra to be dangerous. These tires not only show significant wear, at only 17000 miles, but dangerously slip and slide on wet roads.
The front rotors and pads have had to be replaced four times because of vibration. Consumer was involved in a rear end collision because of the brakes.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 975 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 3% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Tundra has 248 complaints (28 years in the data). This year has 399, above average.
What to check before buying
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
- Tundra 20001,011 sources
- Tundra 2001415 sources
- Tundra 2002482 sources
- Tundra 2004466 sources
- Tundra 2005377 sources
- Tundra 2006545 sources
- Tundra 2007390 sources
- Tundra 2008327 sources
- Tundra 200938 sources
- Tundra 2010163 sources
- Tundra 2011134 sources
- Tundra 2012156 sources
- Tundra 201385 sources
- Tundra 201493 sources
- Tundra 201551 sources
- Tundra 2016258 sources
- Tundra 2017182 sources
- Tundra 2018219 sources
- Tundra 2019190 sources
- Tundra 2020185 sources
- Tundra 2021158 sources
- Tundra 2022664 sources
- Tundra 2023594 sources
- Tundra 2024500 sources
- Tundra 2025193 sources
- Tundra 202672 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Toyota Tundra?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, air bags, suspension. Total complaints: 399. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (43%), warning lights, check engine (5%), vibration (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Toyota Tundra?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2003 Toyota Tundra from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2003 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.