Toyota has been battling some reputation issues with its Tundra trucks in recent years. Judging from what one expert is saying, that’s only going to continue as more and more owners express their discontentment with engine issues.
The video heaping criticism on Toyota, from TikTok creator Micheal Bordenaro (@curmudge.inn.alask), went up on Nov. 25 and has drawn nearly 352,000 views in its time on the platform as of Saturday.
In it, Bordenaro expresses concern about the 2024 Toyota Tundra, noting in the on-screen caption, “MORE 2024 Toyota Tundra engine failures” and “owners selling before warranty expires.”
Expert issues Toyota warning
“You hear that?” he says over the sound of a rattling engine. “That’s another dead Tundra, 2024.”
He then remarks, “I can’t believe I’m making another video on 2024 Tundras with cooked engines,” blaming “spun main bearings,” referring to a bearing that seizes up and spins, which could be attributable to a range of causes, including a loss of oil pressure, excessive heat, or a high operating load.
“People are dumping these new Tundras before they’re out of warranty,” he contended, colorfully alleging they’re “depreciating faster than EVs after an EMP pulse.”
Bordenaro then relays a few nightmare stories from Tundra owners who experienced engine failures, including one driver named Chris who had to be without his truck for a few weeks while the dealership mechanics rebuilt the engine, scratching up his grill and breaking his volume knob (somehow) in the process.
How is Toyota responding?
He goes on to allege that Toyota’s only really stepping up when aggrieved Tundra owners take to social media and its people catch wind of the issue and the negative PR it’s generating.
“You built an inferior product for $60,000-80,000,” he charges. “Fix it … and give ’em a new truck. You eat the cost.” He theorizes that if Toyota has to replace enough Tundras with engines that fail at the 7,500-mile mark, Toyota will figure out how to make more consistently performing trucks.
This summer, Toyota announced it would replace engines in more than 100,000 Tundra and Lexus LX vehicles impacted by the May recall. The pickups and SUVs that qualify for the replacement are from the 2022 and 2023 model years.
There’s also a follow-up video with more of Bordenaro’s thoughts, including some depreciation math he worked out, and an invitation to have Chris on his TikTok channel to talk about his Tundra woes, as well as a Part 3 and a Part 4.
A review and a Reddit discussion
Consumer Reports took the 2024 Toyota Tundra for a test drive and found that it is “powerful, quick, and roomy, and an improvement over its predecessor.” It went on to say good things about its “silky-smooth powertrain” and powerful engine, but also found it to be inferior to the Ford F-150 when it comes to fuel efficiency.
On Reddit, one person who caught wind of 2022 and 2023 model issues, as reported by CarBuzz, contemplated a 2024 model. “I understand the Turbo 6 engine isn’t as “proven” as the V8, and the ‘22 models are on the struggle bus. Is the 2024 at the same risk level for engine failure? Or does that model have other design flaws that would make the 2025 more attractive?”
“The real down and nerdy is that Toyota quietly began changing the engine design sometime in January of 2024,” one respondent said. “How do we know this? The part number for the short block engine assembly, which includes the main #1 and #4 bearings, had its part superseded around this time.”
That person added, “Safe theory is that any engine made sometime after March or April of 2024 is definitively safe as it is essentially using the design that will be in these new engines. A second theory is that, so long as your engine wasn’t subject to the shavings issue,” referring to a problem with metal debris prompting the recall, “it’s also fine but may be riding around on a fragile bearing design.”
The public weighs in
Commenters expressed their thoughts.
“All these new Toyota cars are made in the US,” one said, cynically. “There’s your answer.”
Another asserted that when it comes to reliability, “Toyota is the new Kia.”
Someone else said, “Watching Toyota burn their reputation in a year has been wild.”
But some repped older Toyota trucks as reliable, including one who maintained, “I’ve got a 2002 Toyota Tundra with 980,000 miles on it. All original drive train.”
@curmudge.inn.alask MORE 2024 Toyota Tundra Engine Failures Owners Selling Before warranty expires
♬ original sound – Micheal Bordenaro
The Daily Dot reached out to the creator via TikTok direct message and online contact form and to Toyota via email.
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