For decades, Toyota trucks had a reputation for being incredibly reliable workhorses with powertrains that just keep on going. Then the Tundra went turbocharged. After two large rounds of recalls regarding engine failure, Toyota has announced a third. With another 43,566 examples recalled over internal engine problems, this story definitely isn’t over.
Let’s rewind to the start. In May of 2024, Toyota recalled 102,092 Tundra pickup trucks and Lexus LX 600 SUVs due to leftover machining debris potentially getting into the crankshaft’s main bearings and causing catastrophic engine failure. In 2025, Toyota issued another recall, this time covering 113,079 Tundra pickup trucks, 9,895 Lexus LX SUVs, and 3,717 Lexus GX SUVs. The problem? Identical to the previous recall.
Now there’s been a third recall covering a different batch of trucks built from Feb. 7, 2024 through Aug. 5, 2024, and the problem itself is rather familiar. As the recall report states:
The subject vehicles are equipped with a specific V35A engine that contains crankshaft main bearings which allow the crankshaft to rotate within the engine assembly while running. During a specific production period, there is a possibility that engine machining debris of a particular size and amount may not have been cleared from the engine during manufacturing and subsequently contaminated the engine assembly during the production process. For these engines in the subject vehicles, the pressure on a main bearing due to the engine configuration is such that, if the aforementioned machining debris adheres to that bearing and operation of the engine continues at higher loads over time, failure of the bearing may occur. This can lead to potential engine knocking, engine rough running, engine no start and/or an engine stall. In the subject vehicles, an engine stall while driving leads to a loss of motive power. A vehicle loss of motive power while driving at higher speeds can increase the risk of a crash.
That wording is literally identical to that of the last Tundra V35A V6 engine recall, which didn’t cover this batch of trucks. So what exactly went wrong? Well, it seems as in the process of making changes to the V6, some of the issue is still manufacturing-related while another part of the issue may be design-exacerbated. As per the recall report:
When filing recall 25V-767 in November 2025, Toyota continued to investigate certain vehicles with certain V35A engines produced at the Alabama manufacturing plant (TMMAL) with improved manufacturing processes and other changes built after those involved in that recall. Toyota investigated the effects of one of these changes, a cam housing clearance change, on bearing pressure and, together with the supplier, also studied the progression of bearing wear from engines in the field. To do this, both non-failed engines and engines with alleged #1 main bearing failure were collected, torn down, and had the bearing sent to the supplier for analysis.
Concerning the study of the cam housing clearance change, in February 2026 it was found that there was a stack up of bearing pressure based on variables that included timing chain tension and engine loading scenarios, but this pressure stack up could not differentiate those engines produced during the period under study from the engines previously recalled.
Now, this alone isn’t necessarily bad news. As long as pressure stack-up doesn’t overload the bearing, ride on. Introduce debris, however, and things can get not-so-fun. From there, Toyota and its supplier started bench-testing bearings for clearance and debris tolerance, finding “In late April 2026, Toyota and the supplier completed the bench testing and determined that, if a piece of debris of sufficient size is introduced onto the bearing, introducing additional pieces was not a significant factor on the fatigue strength of the bearings produced during the period under study.”
Judging by the wording, it sounds like one piece of debris is enough to cause a problem, which makes sense. Modern engines run incredibly tight tolerances, so one unceremonious burr or bit of slag can really ruin your day. From there, the next step was looking at field cases, and that’s where this all came full circle.
In early May 2026, Toyota and the supplier completed the engine collection, teardown, and analysis of the #1 main bearings from the field. The results of the bearing analysis showed that bearings produced during the period under study contained the same wear pattern that was observed on bearings produced during the periods covered by recalls 24V-381 and 25V-767.
Ah, yep, that’s it right there. Understandably, this meant it was recall time, although Toyota’s finding that “there are 30 Toyota Field Technical Reports and 360 warranty claims on the engines in the subject vehicles that have been received from U.S. sources that relate or may relate to this condition” probably meant the writing was on the wall.
If you own an affected Tundra, expect to get a letter in the mail by July 20. Why so late? Well, Toyota hasn’t announced a fix yet, nor has it announced an official fix for the last round of V35A engine recalls. With the initial recall, Toyota changed the engines in affected models out for new assemblies. It’s possible that manufacturing changes will be made, and we’ll see the same sort of fix here. Until the official remedy technical service bulletin rolls out, we won’t know. Still, another 43,566 trucks under recall for the same major engine issue means there’s probably more news to come.
Top graphic image: Toyota
I would hate to find out that the ugly truck I bought because I expected it to be reliable isn’t even reliable.
I have already seen “articles” about people choosing Nissan over Toyota because of current reliability issues.
It’s a failed design, they need to re-do the entire thing, but they won’t admit that, so the recalls will continue.
Best thing I’ve seen online is that the oil pump and system was not done correctly and you can’t resize that, without re-sizing the other stuff. Nothing they’ve said has made any sense, or proven true. The dis-honesty is a “New Toyota” trademark. As I’ve said 100 times already, I miss the old man.
I still think the lack of a 360-degree thrust bearing surface has something to do with all of this.
Whomever decided to hire Mr. Takata to run engine design needs to be fired.
Toyota used to brag that nothing stops a Tundra. Turns out the Tundra can stop itself.
Funny to me that the recall notice explains the purpose of crank main bearings. I’d assume that people reading the notice itself are very very likely to know what crank bearings do, and people that don’t know their purpose are not the demographic to go out and read recall notices.
I’m not sure I agree with this.
I’m stereotyping, but a median new Toyota owner being a conscientious and educated person who will read a notice like that, but not being a car enthusiast or knowing anything about crank bearings doesn’t seem far fetched at all. In fact, it describes a lot of my family.
I don’t agree with this either.
My mom is the sort of person that knows very little about cars, but if she were to receive a recall like this, would read every damn word and ensure she understood all of it. She was also an insurance underwriter for 35 years and is about the most risk averse human on the planet (presumably, she did purchase a Subaru).
People like her are going to want the explanation.