AI Damage2013 Toyota Tundra: common problems
Owners of the 2013 Toyota Tundra filed 85 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and fuel/propulsion system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 85
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 27% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel/propulsion system 15% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 12% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 8% of all complaints
- 6 Seat belts 6% of all complaints
- 7 Wheels 6% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- Engine: 23 complaints (27% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 13 complaints (15% of all).
- Electrical system: 11 complaints (13% of all).
- Steering: 10 complaints (12% of all).
- Structure: 7 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 4.6 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- 5.7 L · petrol · 8 cylnamed in 2 complaints
- automatic, 5-speed
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: RWD, 4WD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 85 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 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.
The contact's front driver seat moved inadvertently towards the steering wheel but the seat belt did not prevent the contact's neck, chest, and stomach from slamming into the steering wheel. The contact heard a loud bang and the air bags deployed, filling the inside of the vehicle with a powder substance.
Vehicle surges/jumps forward when the gas pedal is barely touched from the stationary/stop position while in drive. I was moving the vehicle about 2ft.this problem caused property damage this morning. This vehicle has had this problem from date of purchase. I reported this to toyota in 2013.
I asked them to look at the brakes because there was a terrible vibration and the brakes have not stopped well since I bought the truck. They said the truck needed new brakes, rotors and pads all the way around. I was supposed to take it back on 08/29/14.
The air bags failed to deploy. The contact suffered from injuries to the head, neck and shoulders. In addition, the left side of the contact's body sustained severe injuries. A police report was filed of the incident. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 3,931 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Tundra has 248 complaints (28 years in the data). This year has 85, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
- Tundra 20001,011 sources
- Tundra 2001415 sources
- Tundra 2002482 sources
- Tundra 2003399 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 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 2013 Toyota Tundra?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, fuel/propulsion system, electrical system. Total complaints: 85. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (14%), vibration (13%), smoke, burning smell, fire (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 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 2013 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 2013 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.