2005 Toyota Tundra: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2005 Toyota Tundra: 12 recalls, 376 owner complaints and up to 18 mpg combined.
Recalls
12 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer, plus 2 equipment/tire recalls that can apply. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Engine & cooling Vehicle recall #05V123000 · 2005 · 5,726 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain pickup trucks equipped with both vehicle stability control (vsc) and the trd dual exhaust systems. The trd dual exhaust system met all clearance specifications on models without vsc, however the driver's side exhaust located in a position where contact between a brake line found only on vehicles with vsc and the trd exhaust pipe might occur.
Why it matters: In this condition, the exhaust pipe flange May rub against the right rear brake line, which could cause brake fluid leakage. This could lead to an increase of vehicle stopping distance, which could result in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and, if so equipped, will replace the trd dual exhaust system free of charge. During this replacement, the dealer will also inspect the specific brake line to assure it has not been damaged and replace it if necessary. The recall began on May 31, 2005. Owners should contact…
Airbags Vehicle recall #05V254000 · 2005 · 156,111 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain pickup trucks fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 225, 'child restraint anchorage systems.' these vehicles have a manual air bag on-off switch to disable the front passenger air bag and do not have a child restraint lower anchorage system in the front passenger seat. This specification does not meet the standard requirements.
Why it matters: This standard establishes requirements for child restraint anchorage systems to ensure their proper location and strength for the effective securing of child restraints, to reduce the likelihood of the anchorage systems' failure, and to increase the likelihood that child restraints are properly…
The fix: Dealers will remove the manual air bag on-off switch, replace the owner's manual, and affix a new sun visor air bag warning label. The recall began in early January 2007.
Airbags Vehicle recall #05V328000 · 2005 · 2,527 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain pickup trucks equipped with automatic transmissions and optional fabric front captain's chairs fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' these vehicles were built with an incorrect front passenger occupant classification system indicator light lens which will not display the status of the front passenger air bag.
Why it matters: As a result, the vehicle occupants will not be made aware of whether or not the air bag is activated and ready to protect the occupant as appropriate.
The fix: Dealers will replace the front passenger occupant classification system indicator lens. The recall began August 5, 2005.
Suspension Vehicle recall #07V013000 · 2007 · 533,124 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain trucks and MINI vans, due to possible improper finishing of the front suspension lower ball joint, some ball joints May experience an incidental deterioration of the internal lubrication. This May cause the ball joint to wear and loosen prematurely, which could result in increased steering effort, reduced vehicle self-centering, and noise in the front suspension.
Why it matters: In extreme cases, if the vehicle is continuously operated in this condition, the lower ball joint May separate from the knuckle and could cause a loss of vehicle control.
The fix: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints. The recall began on February 28, 2007.
Equipment Vehicle recall #10V035000 · 2010 · 271,417 vehicles
What's wrong: 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between September 1, 2005 and June 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Why it matters: This does not meet the standard requirements.
The fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual. The safety recall began on May 27, 2010.
Equipment Vehicle recall #10V036000 · 2010 · 153,418 vehicles
What's wrong: 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Why it matters: A driver May overload a vehicle which May increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall began on May 27, 2010.
Airbags Vehicle recall #15V285000 · 2015 · 1,973,468 vehicles
What's wrong: On June 16, 2015, Toyota expanded the recall to include an additional 1,270,468 vehicles, including model year 2002-2003 and 2005-2007 sequoia, 2005-2006 tundra, 2003-2007 corolla, 2003-2007 corolla matrix, 2003-2007 Pontiac vibe and 2002-2007 Lexus sc vehicles. This is to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag inflator which May produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to…
Why it matters: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: 2003-2004 corolla and corolla matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15v-043 and 15v-285 are under a do not drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac vibe owners will be…
Airbags Vehicle recall #15V286000 · 2015 · 1,069,055 vehicles
What's wrong: S. Virgin islands, guam, saipan and american samoa. On June 16, 2015 Toyota expanded the recall to cover an additional 769,055 vehicles, including certain model year 2002-2004 Lexus sc, Toyota sequoia, 2003-2004 Toyota corolla matrix, Toyota corolla, Pontiac vibe, and Toyota tundra vehicles, as well the vehicles covered by the May 13, 2015 notification in the portions of georgia, alabama, louisiana, mississippi and…
Why it matters: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: 2003-2004 corolla and corolla matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15v-043 and 15v-286 are under a do not drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac vibe owners will be…
Airbags Vehicle recall #16V065000 · 2016 · 320,409 vehicles
What's wrong: The affected vehicles have an air bag control module that May be improperly programmed, causing the side curtain-shield-air bags to deploy inadvertently.
Why it matters: If the side curtain-shield-air bags deploy unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of occupant injury.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control module with one that has improved programming, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016.
Seats Vehicle recall #16V396000 · 2016 · 7,749 vehicles
What's wrong: The electrical wiring in the seat heaters May be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
Why it matters: If damaged, the copper strand heating element May short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Set will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016.
Airbags Vehicle recall #18V883000 · 2018 · 168,993 vehicles
What's wrong: These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators May explode due to propellant degradation.
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General motors will notify the Pontiac vibe owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, or replace the air bag assembly that includes an alternate inflator, free of…
Airbags, Airbags Vehicle recall #19V741000 · 2019 · 928,220 vehicles
What's wrong: These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators May explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019.
2 aftermarket equipment / tire recalls replacement parts sold to fit this car, not the car itself
Exterior lights Equipment recall #06E049000 · 2006 · 27,176 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain ck motorsports combination headlights, clear corner, bumper, and side marker lights sold as replacement lamps for use on the passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Why it matters: Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
The fix: Ck motorsport will notify owners and replace the noncompliant lamps free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2006.
Suspension Equipment recall #22E002000 · 2022 · 15,200 vehicles
What's wrong: The ball joint housing May have inadequate hardness, causing premature failure.
Why it matters: A ball joint failure May cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Driv will work with distributors to return unsold parts. Dealers will inspect and replace the ball joint as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 17, 2022.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 3 mention a fire, 24 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Body & structure (91): the most common themes are rust / corrosion (78).
- Airbags (83): the most common themes are fails to deploy (7), deploys unexpectedly / inflator (6).
- Suspension (75): the most common themes are rust / corrosion (33), noise or vibration (15).
- Transmission & drivetrain (35): the most common themes are hard / delayed shifting (7), noise or vibration (6).
The 2005 Toyota Tundra has 376 owner complaints, ranking #10 of 28 Tundra model years for complaints (1.5× the average Tundra year). Complaints peaked in 2015 (54 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 10 years old, at a median of 82,225 miles. Neighboring years: 2004 (466 complaints, 8 recalls), 2006 (545 complaints, 10 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 L 6-cyl | Automatic 5-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 | 20 | 18 | Regular |
| 4.0 L 6-cyl | Manual 6-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 | 19 | 16 | Regular |
| 4.7 L 8-cyl | Automatic 5-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 | 17 | 15 | Regular |
| 4.7 L 8-cyl | Automatic 5-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 13 | 17 | 15 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2005 Toyota Tundra.
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FAQ
Does the 2005 Toyota Tundra have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 12 vehicle recalls for the 2005 Toyota Tundra, plus 2 equipment or tire recalls that can apply. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2005 Toyota Tundra problems?
Owners have filed 376 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are body & structure (91), airbags (83), suspension (75).
What gas mileage does the 2005 Toyota Tundra get?
EPA ratings run up to 18 mpg combined (4.0 L, Automatic 5-spd), across 4 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2005 Toyota Tundra repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.