The Lemon Index2009 Toyota Tundra.
The 2009 Toyota Tundra has too few complaints to score: 18 in its first 3 years. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 13 recalls, and it gets 14 to 16 mpg combined. The best Toyota Tundra year is 2015.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 38 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Toyota Tundra year. 2009 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 14K to 103K miles on the car (31 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
Recalls 13
- steering 2021
An oil leak may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
- steering 2021
The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak.
- seats 2016
The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
Show all 13 recalls
- visibility 2015
During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.
- seats 2014
Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
- tires 2011
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2011 TUNDRA VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 138, "TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS." THE TPMS ON SOM…
- tires 2011
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 FJ CRUISER AND MODEL YEAR 2009-2011 TUNDRA VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 138, "TIRE PRESSURE MON…
- tires 2011
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 FJ CRUISER, LAND CRUISER, TACOMA, SEQUOIA AND TUNDRA VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 138, "TIRE P…
- equipment 2010
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETW…
- equipment 2010
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE S…
- speed control 2010
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 AVALON, MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 CAMRY, MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 COROLLA, COROLLA MATRIX, RAV4, MODEL YEAR 2010 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2008-2010 SEQUOIA, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 …
- speed control 2009
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 PASSENGER VEHICLES.
- equipment 2009
TOYOTA IS RECALLING 27,080 MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2010 PASSENGER CARS BUILT FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 TO MAY 4, 2009.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Toyota told dealers about
Toyota sent dealers 236 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Automatic transmission/transaxle
- Rear ale bearing abnormal noise
- Information on installing manual transmission shift lever or park neutral position switch
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★☆ · side — · rollover ★★★☆☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $4000–4600 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 4.0L 6-cyl, 4.7L 8-cyl, 5.7L 8-cyl.
In owners' words
Letter regarding problems he having with 2009 Toyota Tundra (since march 2009 to now), he has taken it to 2 different dealerships 3 times and is still having problems
2009 Toyota Tundra owner · NHTSA complaint 10354268
More owner reports
Ltr fwd (tx) re 2009 Toyota Tundra, considers vehicle a lemon after experiencing several defects especially w/electrical & fuel system, filed complaints w/NHTSA odi system in 2009, reply to houston, tx ofc.
NHTSA complaint 10313259
Quick answers
Is the 2009 Toyota Tundra reliable?
There isn't enough data to score it: owners filed only 18 complaints in its first 3 years.
What are the most common 2009 Toyota Tundra problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (56%), speed control (28%) and electrical (17%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2009 Toyota Tundra have?
13 safety recalls (latest: steering). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2009 Toyota Tundra get?
14 to 16 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2009 Toyota Tundra problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 14,000 and 103,000 miles. The middle report was at 60,000 miles, from 31 complaints.
Does the 2009 Toyota Tundra have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 56% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2009 Toyota Tundra cost in fuel a year?
About $4000 to $4600 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2009 Toyota Tundra have?
4.0L 6-cyl, 4.7L 8-cyl, 5.7L 8-cyl.
What Toyota Tundra year is better than the 2009?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2015, 2011 and 2013.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works