2021 Toyota Tundra problems & reliability
23 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Toyota Tundra, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2021 Toyota Tundra vehicles were involved in 44 fatal crashes with 8 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown OR Other | 6 | 26% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 17% |
| Seats | 4 | 17% |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 13% |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 9% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 9% |
| Steering | 2 | 9% |
| Structure | 2 | 9% |
| Air Bags | 1 | 4% |
| Engine | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Were were driving, my 2021 Toyota Tundra, just stopped running. No check engine lights had come on until the engine stalled as we coasted to a stop on the side of the road. We had it towed to the Central Maine Motor in Waterville, Maine 04901. Central Maine Motor -Toyota service just got my truck in to a service bay…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Jan 29, 2026
“Airbag , it was bad accident on freeway , but my car airbag did not work.car did not inspect with dealer , they were not any waring sign”
Air Bags · filed Jan 6, 2026
“When I turn the key to crank my radio doesn’t come on , A/C won’t blow and I have to jiggle the keys or restart it to end the issue. My husband has witnessed thi happen many times. Scared I might have an electrical issue. Contact me back for assistance to me for this issue please. It doesn’t happen every time either.”
Unknown OR Other · filed Oct 11, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
134 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2021 Toyota Tundra. The 10 most recent:
OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26.
T-SB-0106-22 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 30, 2026
Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.
T-SB-0001-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 28, 2026
Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
T-SB-0055-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 7, 2026
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and…
T-SB-0058-23 Rev1 · Service Campaign · issued Jun 13, 2025
To assist with the early detection and early resolution of audio related concerns you may be asked to recover MMR data from the head unit. The following steps are instructions on how to retrieve the data from the system…
T-TT-0780-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 2, 2025
To assist with the early detection and early resolution of audio related concerns you may be asked to recover MMR data from the head unit. The following steps are instructions on how to retrieve the data from the system…
T-TT-0780-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 2, 2025
OBSOLETE NOTICE February 11, 2025: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0021-25.
T-SB-0107-20 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 12, 2025
Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software…
T-SB-0106-22 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 11, 2025
Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software…
T-SB-0106-22 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 11, 2025
Flash reprogramming allows the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) software to be updated without replacing the ECU. Flash calibration updates for specific vehicle models/ECUs are released as field-fix procedures described in…
T-SB-0021-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 10, 2025
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2021 Toyota Tundra has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2021 Toyota Tundra?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.