34,000 Miles In, My Tundra's Engine Fails, But Toyota Is Giving White Glove Treatment

A growing number of Toyota Tundra owners are reporting premature engine failures, a troubling development for a brand long synonymous with reliability. One such case involves a 2022 Platinum Tundra that succumbed to a main bearing failure at a mere 34,000 miles. Despite the unexpected setback, the owner, Tyler Thiede, has expressed satisfaction with Toyota's customer service response to the issue.

Thiede's experience underscores the anxieties of Tundra owners who have invested in a vehicle expected to provide years of dependable service. As more cases of engine failures emerge, questions arise about the root cause of the problem and the potential implications for Toyota's reputation.

Tyler Thiede's ordeal began in early July 2023, two weeks before Toyota issued a recall affecting approximately 100,000 Tundra and Lexus vehicles due to potential engine failure. Now Toyota informs that all involved Tundra and Lexus vehicles will have their engines replaced with new ones, at no cost for the owners. If your vehicle is involved you will be notified via first-class mail by late July 2024. In a conversation with Automotive News, a spokesperson for Toyota Motor North America said that customers will receive loaner or rental vehicles during the repair, which is expected to take between 13 and 21 hours to complete.

Now Thiede's experience highlights the frustrations faced by Tundra owners who encountered engine problems prior to the official recall. While Toyota is standing by and honorably handling the issue, this is what Thiede wrote.

"Welp, 34k miles. I was hoping I’d make it to the recall, but alas. Am I upset? Yes. Am I going to jump ship? No. Have owned several Toyotas and they always take care of me. They are standing behind this, paying for everything. I’ll miss my baby but will have a new motor in about a month (or less). The dealer has/is giving me a white glove treatment. Absolutely love the truck and am glad they are standing behind it.

"I’m just glad I noticed the main bearing going out when I was near home. We had driven an hour away with our 5k lb boat with our two kids and one of their friends. If we had been stranded that would have been tougher.  It felt a bit “jumpy” on the hills on our way home but thought it was the heat on the roads and trailer. But when we got home, I ran my daughter’s friend home. I noticed the exhaust noise was off, and it seemed to have a bit of a loss of power. Got to the driveway, opened the door, revved the engine a bit, and heard a knock/rattle. Called the dealership in the morning and they arranged an appointment and loaner. Got me in touch with a local tow company that would charge them for the tow. Fantastic service all around. Can’t wait to get my Toyota Tundra back with a new power plant soon!  2022 Platinum non-hybrid with Westcott 3/1 lift/level, Toyo OC AT3 35s and Timbrens on the rear. The truck held out till my family got home safe and sound.

"Oh, and it still had enough fight to drive across the road to a parking lot where the big flatbed fit better and get up on the bed. The Tundra was knocking and spitting but got up there!"

You know, I am so glad Toyota is handling the engine replacement because there seems to be a real issue. Another Tundra owner, named Jim Wanderlinde, commented under Thiede's post and wrote, "Had the same thing happen to my 22 tundra this morning. 59,000 miles complete engine failure. Dealership is taking good care of me. Got 24 4Runner as loaner until my new engine gets put in."

The situation described in the post and the comment is obviously frustrating. But as I wrote about there's actually some good news on the horizon for these guys and other Tundra owners facing similar issues. Yesterday, Toyota announced a recall for over 100,000 Tundra and Lexus LX vehicles from model years 2022 and 2023 due to potential engine failure caused by manufacturing debris. This sounds very similar to what happened with their truck!

According to Automotive News, referred above, Toyota will be replacing the engines in all affected vehicles free of charge. This is a significant step by Toyota, and it reflects their commitment to customer satisfaction.

Here's what this means for you guys if your vehicle is involved in it:

• Free Engine Replacement: You should be eligible for a brand new engine in your Tundra! Contact your local Toyota dealership as soon as possible to schedule an appointment and discuss the recall process.
• Loaner Vehicle: It sounds like you already received a loaner from the dealer while your truck was getting serviced initially. You can expect this again while your engine is being replaced.
• Reimbursement: Since your issue predated the official recall, inquire with the dealership about any potential reimbursement for the tow truck or other expenses you incurred due to the engine failure.

On a brighter side, it's fantastic that Tyler's truck held out long enough to get your family safely home, even with the failing engine. Also, it sounds like you have a great relationship with your dealership, and their "white glove treatment" throughout this ordeal is definitely reassuring.

While it's a bummer that Tyler had to go through this in the first place, the good news is that Toyota is taking responsibility and fixing the problem. 

Do you think replacing an engine negatively affects the vehicle's value? Please, let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Armen Hareyan is the founder and the Editor in Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, and Youtube. He has more than a decade of expertise in the automotive industry with a special interest in Tesla and electric vehicles.

Image by Tyler Thiede from his Facebook Post in a public group referenced above.