2020 Toyota Tundra Problems

What owners reported to NHTSA about the 2020 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 2020 compares

One of the better Tundra years

Owners filed about 42% fewer complaints than a typical Tundra year. The area owners reported most is the fuel system, which half of owners reported by about 1,000 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 47 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Toyota Tundra. The most reported problem area is the fuel system (7, 15% of complaints), followed by the engine and cooling and the steering. That ranks 12th of 13 Tundra years from 2012 to 2024 for complaints. It has 5 recalls.

Complaints47filed with NHTSA
Recalls5for this model year
Crashes43 injuries reported
Fires1reported in complaints
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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 2020 Toyota Tundra before you buy.

Fuel system

7 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 1,000 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

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 34,000 miles
Vehicle stalled and lost power at approximately 45 mph. Warning lights activated and "Not ready to drive" message was displayed. Vehicle has had 3 other similar episodes all resulting in the vehicle losing power at high speed. Vehicle was towed to local Toyota service dept. where they said it generated a code for rough idling - low fuel.…Owner complaint, filed 2022

Engine and cooling

6 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

Air conditioning compressor partially seizes if air conditioning is turned on while driving and when air conditioning knob is on at time engine is started. Makes very loud noise. When driving, and it occurs, truck will slow suddenly as if the brakes were applied until compressor engages. Dealer mechanic says it sounds like the compressor…Owner complaint, filed 2022
The contact owns a 2020 toyota tundra. The contact stated while driving at low speeds, he started to hear an abnormal noise. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer toyota of santa maria (700 east betteravia rd, santa maria, ca 93454, (805) 928-3881) where the mechanic was unable to…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 8 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

Safety Complaint for 2020 Toyota Tundra The power steering intermittently becomes difficult to operate, as if power steering assistance is lost. The steering wheel does not consistently return to the center position after making a turn. The issue began approximately one and a half month ago and continues to present a serious safety…Owner complaint, filed 2026
Steering is intermittently difficult, almost as if no power steering. Steering wheel does not return to center after a turn. There were no warning lamps or messages displayed on the vehicle. This is a safety issue in that it could an accident by not responding properly to driver input. Took vehicle to Toyota dealer who diagnosed problem…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Lights, wipers and visibility

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

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 2020 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that while opening the sunroof, the sunroof made an abnormal chainsaw sound. The message "Window Open" was displayed. The contact stated that the sunroof was opening and closing independently. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 46,000 miles
The front turning indicators are too dim for daytime use. I have had several close calls with vehicles not realizing my indicator was on.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 7,500 miles

Electrical system

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

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

When driving on the freeway at 70mph speeds during rush hour, I lost all power to the vehicle causing me to have to immediately pull to the side of the freeway with minimal control of the vehicle. I had to come to a complete stop on the freeway putting myself and others at high risk for a high speed crash. There were no warning lamps…Owner complaint, filed 2026
NOTE: Toyota has confirmed this issue, but is unable to resolve this. When the SOS button is pressed, the DCM module is supposed to send the proper VIN number and location to the call center. The call center does not receive the proper VIN number and pulls up the wrong person / location. In my case, if an emergency occurred, they would…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Brakes and stability control

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

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

I was driving in a 25 MPH zone approaching a red light preparing to stop. I had increased the pressure on my brake pedal and then my foot slipped of the pedal just seconds before I ran into a truck that was stopped at the red light. After further investigation I found out that the brake pedal pad has been substituted by Toyota…Owner complaint, filed 2023
Breaks and rotors and caliber broke 2 times and the car is brand new, it cost me over 2400. Bought the truck with 0miles- have all paper work.Owner complaint, filed 2022

Driver assist systems

4 complaintsPhantom braking, false collision warnings, and lane keeping or backup sensors that act up.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
  • Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
  • Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

Between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. while heading west with cruise control on and I passed a truck that was fully in the left turn lane my vehicle has done a collision avoidance complete stop three time in the same day. I wasn’t tailgating and I was doing the speed limit of 55 mph. The road was very straight. It did this twice…Owner complaint, filed 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the "Pre-Collision System Failure” warning light and icon were illuminated. Additionally, the message "See Dealer" was displayed. The contact also stated that the rear passenger’s side wheel locked up intermittently. The…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 2,550 miles

Transmission and drivetrain

3 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

The contact owns a 2020 toyota tundra. The contact stated while driving at 10 MPH, the four-wheel drive would not engage. The contact stated when trying to engage the four-wheel drive, the vehicle would make a loud noise and not allow the vehicle to turn. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 3,000 miles
When driving on the freeway at 70mph speeds during rush hour, I lost all power to the vehicle causing me to have to immediately pull to the side of the freeway with minimal control of the vehicle. I had to come to a complete stop on the freeway putting myself and others at high risk for a high speed crash. There were no warning lamps…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Body, doors and structure

3 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

Body top celing is leaking.. Toyota try to cost me over one thousand I cant afford.. I see lot of common recall from old tundra have same problem. I think toyota is responbile to fix...Owner complaint, filed 2025
The sunroof shattered while driving down the freeway. No vehicles near or overpasses near. The shade was closed so the glass fell on it not on my head or passengers that could have been present. Sounded like a loud pop. Then I heard wind noise. The glass is blown upward, not downward. I am 40 year auto technician and own my own shop. Its…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Suspension

2 complaintsClunks 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

I bought a 2020 Tundra in mid year of 2020. By December 2020 I started to notice a strong vibration in the steering and from the front end between the low speeds of 20-30 mph and between 60-70 mph. The hotter the vehicle gets the more vibration occurs. Now my alignment seems off and curves to the left when trying to drive straight. I…Owner complaint, filed 2021
We purchased a brand new tundra and from the minute we drove home there seemed to be a bounce or vibration like running over rumble strips in the front end. We then noticed the bed was mounted to the passenger side by about a half an inch which to me tells they didn't do a very good final check before it left the factory. We took it to…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 15 miles

Air bags

2 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

A dump truck came off of the highway and made an illegal turn in front of me. He caused a frontal impact on my vehicle and the air bags did not deploy. I was traveling 55 MPH with a trailer attached and slammed on brakes but still impacted him really hard. I was on the feeder or frontage road.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 7,500 miles
was struck in front right corner of truck and air bags did not deploy or the automatic braking system did not respond causing me to be thrown in to rearview mirror and breaking the windshiled and causing body harm to my head and spineOwner complaint, filed 2022

Seats and seat belts

2 complaintsBelts that will not latch or retract, seat adjusters and passenger occupancy sensors.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
  • Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact discovered that there was smoke inside the vehicle. The contact opened the front passenger side door and discovered that the front passenger seat was burned and had melted. The contact stated that the front passenger seat had caught…Owner complaint, filed 2026
The headrests on the seats slip out of place very easily. It is available for inspection on request. In case of accident, the headrests may fly off the seat very easily, with failure to prevent whiplash injury. The problem has not been confirmed by a dealer or service center. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone but me, the…Owner complaint, filed 2023

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 contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the TPMS warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the tire pressure sensors had been mismatched on the vehicle due to the wheels being replaced. The contact had…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 14,900 miles
I bought a 2020 Tundra in mid year of 2020. By December 2020 I started to notice a strong vibration in the steering and from the front end between the low speeds of 20-30 mph and between 60-70 mph. The hotter the vehicle gets the more vibration occurs. Now my alignment seems off and curves to the left when trying to drive straight. I…Owner complaint, filed 2021

Toyota Tundra complaints by year

Compare the 2020 with other years before you choose one. Tap a year to see its problems.

Compare with similar 2020 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
2020 Toyota TundraOne of the better years5Fuel system
2020 Ford F-150One of the better years11Transmission and drivetrain
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500About average12Engine and cooling
2020 Ram 1500One of the better years14Engine and cooling
Compare side by side

2020 Toyota Tundra recalls

This is every recall issued for the 2020 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.

Lights Headlights

Sep 2021 · NHTSA campaign 21V688000
Risk
An overheated electrical connector can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix
Dealers will modify the engine wire harness assembly and replace any damaged bulb, bulb connector, and/or headlight assembly as necessary, free of charge.
Full recall summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Tundra vehicles. The headlight electrical circuits may power the high and low beams simultaneously, which could overheat the electrical connector.

Fuel system Fuel pump

Nov 2020 · NHTSA campaign 20V682000
Risk
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge.
Full recall summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Lights Turn signal

Jul 2020 · NHTSA campaign 20V410000
Risk
If the turn signals or hazard lamps do not flash brightly enough, other drivers may fail to see that the turn signal or hazard lamp functions have been activated, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will modify the wire harness connected to the front turn signal bulbs free of charge.
Full recall summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Toyota Tundra vehicles equipped with LED headlight assemblies. Due to a wiring error, the front turn signals may not flash brightly enough. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

2020 Toyota Tundra questions

What are the most common problems with the 2020 Toyota Tundra?

The most reported problem areas on the 2020 Toyota Tundra are the fuel system (7 complaints), the engine and cooling (6 complaints) and the steering (5 complaints).

Is the 2020 Toyota Tundra a good year to buy?

One of the better Tundra years. Owners filed about 42% fewer complaints than a typical Tundra year. The area owners reported most is the fuel system, which half of owners reported by about 1,000 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 2020 Toyota Tundra have?

NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2020 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 2020 Toyota Tundra problems start?

Half of the owners who reported a problem with the fuel system gave a mileage of about 1,000 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.