2017 Toyota Tundra Problems

What owners reported to NHTSA about the 2017 Toyota Tundra, its recalls, and what to check before you buy one.

Toyota Tundra, 2012 to 2021 model years
Photo: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0
How the 2017 compares

About average for the Tundra

Owners filed about as many complaints as a typical Tundra year. The main thing to watch is the electrical system, which half of owners reported by about 24,000 miles.

Based on owner complaints to NHTSA, compared with other Tundra years from 2012 to 2024. A good year can still be a bad car, so check the one you are looking at.

Owners have filed 78 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Toyota Tundra. The most reported problem area is the electrical system (27, 35% of complaints), followed by the lights, wipers and visibility and the fuel system. That ranks 9th of 13 Tundra years from 2012 to 2024 for complaints. It has 6 recalls.

Complaints78filed with NHTSA
Recalls6for this model year
Crashes21 injury reported
Fires0reported in complaints

2 of these complaints came from Utah owners.

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Most reported problems

Problem areas ranked by how many complaints mention them. One complaint can name more than one area. Open an area to see what to check on a 2017 Toyota Tundra before you buy.

Electrical system

27 complaintsDead batteries, warning lights, failed screens and cameras, and electrical shorts.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 24,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
  • Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
  • Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Toyota Tundra. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the vehicle mileage was 95,000. It was later discovered upon checking the Carfax report the mileage was 200,000.Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 200,000 miles
The headlights and the interior lights turn off when I use the turn signals. This has happened several times since I had the truck, the last time this happened the lights were off for about 5 minutes. The truck is being looked at by the dealership but they can't recreate the issue. This is a safety problemOwner complaint, filed 2021, at 27,000 miles

Lights, wipers and visibility

17 complaintsHeadlights that dim or fail, wiper and washer failures, and windshield cracks.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 24,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
  • Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2017 toyota tundra. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, when he noticed the front driver's side turn signal was inoperable. The contact stated that the light bulb was melted. The vehicle was taken to local dealer toyota on nicholasville located at 2100 lexington rd, nicholasville, ky 40356, (859) 887-4200, where…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 65,508 miles
When driving around at night and use the turn signal, the headlights will shut off and interior dash lights and radio lights will dim, as if it is day time. It typically happens in the mornings when it's cold out.Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 35,000 miles

Fuel system

16 complaintsHesitation, stalling, fuel smell, fuel pump and injector failures.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 40,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
  • On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
  • Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

Began experiencing long cranking, difficulty starting, then rough idling. Started researching online and found recalls for 2018 -2019 Flex fuel 5.7 Tundras. My 2017 is also a Flex fuel 5.7 with exactly the same issue. Dealer says 2017 not covered. I had to pay over $2000 to have the fuel pump replaced, ECM reprogrammed. I don’t…Owner complaint, filed 2026
My 2017 Toyota Tundra had been starting roughly the past couple of weeks, I initially thought this was due to the very cold weather we recently had. It has just over 71k miles on it, so there should be no issues with this truck. Then on the afternoon of 1/16/25 I tried to start my truck and it would turn over, but not start. No fuel was…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Brakes and stability control

13 complaintsBrakes that feel soft or grab, grinding, ABS and stability control faults.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 1,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
  • The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
  • Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

The factory IBC is a safety issue. I would not tow anything over 1500lbs as the brake controller does not work. This controller is an accident waiting to happen. When set on gain 10 you can barely feel a tug from the trailer. You can't feel anything if you apply the vehicle brake pedal. On a gain of 10 it should lock up the trailer…Owner complaint, filed 2025
Integrated brake controller. Tsb t-sb-0231-17 and t-sb-0231-16 performed with negative results. Unable to perform set up of controller according to owners manual. Dealer submitted a drp awaiting toyota corp. To investigate. Toyota corp. Has no other fix for this controller. Toyota corp. Said ibc works as designed. Ibc will not stop…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 500 miles

Transmission and drivetrain

6 complaintsHarsh or delayed shifts, slipping, shuddering, CVT whine, and drivetrain clunks.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
  • Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
  • Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
  • If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

Diagnostic report indicates problem with shift solenoid and it’s replaceable. Dealership instead charge me for full transmission replacement.Owner complaint, filed 2024
Traveling at 65mph - 70mph 12/26/19 2pm pst highway 5 northbound gilman dr ca slight uphill grade, pushed wiper control up to mist position, trans downshifted to 1st or 2nd instantly engine redlined and extreme driving measures were taken to maintain vehicle control until trans shifted up releasing power train to role normally, no…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 16,000 miles

Engine and cooling

5 complaintsStalling, misfires, oil consumption, leaks, overheating and engine failure.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
  • Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
  • Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
  • Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

My 2017 Toyota Tundra Limited has 107,192 miles. I took the vehicle to Berlin City Toyota in Portland, ME for an oil change. The service technician told me that the truck has a cam tower leak. The engine is leaking oil directly onto the exhaust manifold. The service technician told me that if the leak gets worse the engine oil could…Owner complaint, filed 2024
Unburnt fuel is entering the exhaust system and combusting when it comes in contact with the catalytic convertors. This happens almost every time it is driven. This has been happening from the day we bought it. Took the truck to dick hannah toyota in longveiw wa. They had never heard of this. The talked to the factory but nobody has a…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 200 miles

Steering

5 complaintsLoss of power steering assist, wandering, play in the wheel and noises when turning.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
  • On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
  • A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

Vehicle was driven 30 miles to work with no steering issues and parked in work parking lot. Upon returning to vehicle to return home when backing out of parking spot the front driver wheel would not turn almost causing me to back into parked car next to me. I looked under the front of the driver side tire, and noticed the outer tie rod…Owner complaint, filed 2023
NHTSA Recall No. 21E-103 I received a recall letter for my vehicle about a potentially defective power steering gear service and I called my local dealer about it and they said only if you put one in since August 5 2021 I said no but I think I have a steering problem sometimes while driving and they could look at my vehicle just to make…Owner complaint, filed 2022

Air bags

3 complaintsAir bag warning lights, air bags that did not deploy, and inflator recalls.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
  • Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, while the vehicle was idling in park, the driver’s and passenger’s side curtain air bags deployed. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who was unable to find the cause of the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 90,000 miles
My airbag sensor is active. My vehicle only has 94000 miles on it. Power training warranty does not cover this failure. This happened when my car was parked and I turned on the engine and the sensor remains active.Owner complaint, filed 2023

Cruise control and acceleration

2 complaintsHesitation, loss of power, sudden acceleration and cruise control problems.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
  • Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

The transmission solenoid D shows high voltage which sets my check engine light off. At first no difference would be noticed and it would randomly turn off and then back on randomly. After doing this on and off for the last few months, the transmission has randomly been getting stuck in 4th gear but will lower when slowing down.…Owner complaint, filed 2025
As I am driving down the pickup loses power/ has no power. Was driving down the interstate and trying to make it up the Harbor bridge I could only go 40. Then try to pass a semi that (BAD DRIVER) was dangerously close, I could not even pass him. Not to mention people were angry at me and getting defensive. There were no warning lights, I…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Body, doors and structure

2 complaintsRust, doors and liftgates that will not latch, leaks, and frame or structure concerns.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
  • Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
  • Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

Front grille piece on hood keeps coming off even after being replaced 4 times now and this last time it flew off busted my windshield on the expressway and Toyota just tells me to go to collision center as a solution! This piece just snaps in as it's just plastic and it just flys off the front when it catches air under it, it busted my…Owner complaint, filed 2026
Mice are able to enter the air ventilation system from a large gap at the ends of the air intake grill below the windshield, once in, they enter the cab and dash area. These mice will damage the wiring and cause a vehicle system failure (braking-power-air bag, etc.) I have reported this to my dealer rochester toyota and toyota customer…Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 4,800 miles

Wheels and tires

2 complaintsTire failures, wheels and lug nuts, and tire pressure sensor faults.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
  • Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
  • The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

The spare tire detached from its mount under the vehicle while we were driving at highway speed on I-76 in ne colorado. The tire fell to the pavement and was struck by the travel trailer we were towing, blowing out a trailer tire and damaging the trailer. The spare tire was struck a few minutes later by another vehicle, causing failure…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 11,800 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated while driving 65-70 MPH, the TPMS warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and became aware that the passenger's side rear tire was losing air. The contact attempted to use the OEM jack; however, the jack was too small. The contact used several rocks to add height to…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 87,500 miles

Suspension

1 complaintClunks over bumps, broken springs, worn struts and uneven tire wear.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
  • Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
  • Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

Power steering rack and pinion failure on 2017 Toyota Tundra Limited. Leak and Popping clunk noise when turning steering wheel . Potential for steering loss and accident.Owner complaint, filed 2025

Toyota Tundra complaints by year

Compare the 2017 with other years before you choose one. Tap a year to see its problems.

Compare with similar 2017 full-size trucks

Each car is rated against its own other years, since popular models always get more complaints than rare ones.

CarVs. its other yearsRecallsMost reported
2017 Toyota TundraAbout average6Electrical system
2017 Ford F-150About average18Transmission and drivetrain
2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500About average7Brakes and stability control
2017 Ram 1500About average13Steering
Compare side by side

2017 Toyota Tundra recalls

This is every recall issued for the 2017 Toyota Tundra, not what is still open on one car. A recall that was fixed does not show up any differently here. Check a VIN at NHTSA to see what is still open on the car you are looking at, and ask the seller for proof any recall work was done.

Steering Hydraulic power assist system

Dec 2021 · NHTSA campaign 21E103000
Risk
An oil leak may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix
Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge.
Full recall summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain JTEKT power steering gear assembly service parts for 2007-2021 Tundra and 2008-2022 Sequoia, part numbers 44250-0C160, 44250-0C131, 44250-0C170, and 11250-0C121. The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak.

Steering Hydraulic power assist system

Nov 2021 · NHTSA campaign 21V920000
Risk
An oil leak may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix
Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly as necessary, free of charge.
Full recall summary

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.

Seats Mid / rear assembly

Feb 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V123000
Risk
If the rear split bench seat moves in a crash, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the five seat leg bracket bolts, as necessary, free of charge.
Full recall summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017 Toyota Tundra vehicles. One of the rear split bench seat leg brackets may not have been properly tightened to the vehicle's floor pan, possibly allowing the seat to move in a crash. A vehicle with an improperly tightened seat leg bracket could fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems," 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages," and 225, "Child restraint anchorage systems."

Equipment Labels

Dec 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V831000
Risk
An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix
Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge.
Full recall summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Wheels Lugs / nuts / bolts / studs

May 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V311000
Risk
Lugnuts that crack and detach may cause the wheels to separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix
SET will notify owners, and dealers will install new replacement lugnuts, free of charge.
Full recall summary

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia vehicles accessorized with Southeast Toyota accessory 20-inch Rockstar wheels installed by Southeast Toyota or a Southeast Toyota dealer. The Rockstar wheels were installed with lugnuts that may crack and detach.

Body and structure Bumpers

Jan 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V051000
Risk
If a person steps on the corner of the bumper that is damaged, a portion of the bumper may break away, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the resin rear bumper reinforcement brackets with steel ones, and replace the rear bumper tread, free of charge.
Full recall summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Tundra vehicles equipped with a resin rear step bumper and resin reinforcement brackets (vehicles with chrome step bumpers are not affected). In the event of an impact to the corner of the bumper, the resin bracket may be damaged but not be noticed.

2017 Toyota Tundra questions

What are the most common problems with the 2017 Toyota Tundra?

The most reported problem areas on the 2017 Toyota Tundra are the electrical system (27 complaints), the lights, wipers and visibility (17 complaints) and the fuel system (16 complaints).

Is the 2017 Toyota Tundra a good year to buy?

About average for the Tundra. Owners filed about as many complaints as a typical Tundra year. The main thing to watch is the electrical system, which half of owners reported by about 24,000 miles. Based on owner complaints to NHTSA, compared with other Tundra years from 2012 to 2024. A good year can still be a bad car, so check the one you are looking at.

How many recalls does the 2017 Toyota Tundra have?

NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2017 Toyota Tundra. The most recent, from Dec 2021, covers the hydraulic power assist system. Recalls cover the whole model year, so check the VIN of the car you are looking at to see which are still open.

At what mileage do 2017 Toyota Tundra problems start?

Half of the owners who reported a problem with the electrical system gave a mileage of about 24,000 miles or less. Half of the owners who reported a problem with the lights, wipers and visibility gave a mileage of about 24,000 miles or less. Plenty of cars have these problems later or never, so ask for service records.

Which Toyota Tundra years should I avoid?

The Tundra years with the most complaints compared with the rest are 2012. Years with clearly fewer complaints are 2015, 2020 and 2021. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly yet.

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Where these numbers come from. Complaints are reports that owners filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), counted from NHTSA’s complaint database as of November 5, 2026. Owners do not have to prove a problem to file one, so a complaint is a report, not a confirmed defect. Models that sell in big numbers get more complaints, and newer model years have had less time on the road, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Recalls come from NHTSA’s recall database and cover every vehicle of that model year, not one particular car. Quotes are trimmed, and anything that looks like a VIN is hidden.