Over the years Toyota has built a bulletproof reputation for reliability. For many model years, Consumer Reports gave the Toyota Tundra a 5/5 for reliability. But the 2022 Toyota Tundra’s reliability score plummeted to a 3/5, or “average.” This is probably because 2022 is the first year of the all-new third-generation Tundra; Consumer Reports is waiting to see how the truck performs long-term. But the first 2022 Tundra buyers are already reporting some issues.
The Toyota Tundra’s legendary reliability
2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro | Toyota
It was not easy for Toyota to convince American buyers to purchase a Japanese truck. The manufacturer introduced the Hilux, T100, and Tacoma–all to glowing reviews–before it rolled out the Tundra in 2001. The automaker even builds its full-size Tundra pickup truck in the United States, first in Indiana and now in San Antonio, Texas.
One way Toyota really won truck buyers over is with its legendary reliability. According to Consumer Reports, every Tundra since 2006 has offered above average reliability.
Consumer Reports gave most recent model years of the Tundra a perfect 5/5 reliability score. One of these years was 2021. The 2021 Toyota Tundra was Consumer Reports’ most reliable pickup truck.
Consumer Reports gave the 2022 Toyota Tundra an “average” reliability score
2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro | Toyota
Toyota fans were shocked to see the Tundra’s reliability score take a tumble in 2022. Consumer Report’s predicted reliability score dropped from 5/5 in 2021, to 3/5 for the 2022 model year. This makes 2022 the first year of the Tundra to receive an “average” rating since 2006.
What’s going on here? Does Consumer Reports know something the rest of us are missing?
Consumer Reports has years of data on the reliability of vehicles across many brands. The watch group reveals that the most issues crop up in a vehicle’s first model year. The most reliable cars tend to be the final years of each generation.
So, Toyota built its second generation Tundra from 2006 through 2021. By the final model year, the automaker had worked out most of the vehicle’s issues, the result was one of the most reliable trucks around. Then for 2022, the company chucked its trusty V8 for a turbocharged V6 and the i-FORCE MAX hybrid. It added new electronics, changed up the suspension, and even based the frame on the fully-boxed unit beneath the Land Cruiser.
All this change made Consumer Reports nervous enough to give the 2022 Toyota Tundra a 3/5 for predicted reliability. Is Consumer Reports being a worry-wart, or is the organization on to something?
Is the 2022 Toyota Tundra reliable?
The 2022 Toyota is not without its fairshare of new vehicle generation issues. Some of these are superficial and easily repaired. Others may signal a bigger problem.
Many of the reported build quality issues are simple failures of quality control: a window that does not seal properly, a windshield that seems a bit loud, a body panel improperly gapped, a rear seat that does not latch in place, and automatic braking that is a bit aggressive.
One build quality issue is a bit more troubling: multiple owners have reported a driver’s side door that locks and unlocks, seemingly at random. Toyota engineers have traveled to dealerships to examine such malfunctioning trucks, and rolled out a supposed fix.
Another issue does not bode well for the new drivetrain. Multiple engines suffer a turbocharger malfunction. The turbo’s wastegate, engineered for reducing the pressure when necessary, is not opening. This could cause rapid turbocharger wear. Toyota is also studying this problem.
Some brand-new 2022 Toyota Tundras are suffering some quirks. But Toyota appears to be taking its commitment to its new trucks very seriously. In the past the company has been great about honoring recalls.
Read about the 2022 Tundra’s first real-world road trip test or see the Toyota Tundra’s build quality issues in the videos below:
Keyword: 2022 Toyota Tundra Receives One of the Pickup Truck’s Lowest Reliability Scores, Ever