Buyer Research

2022 Toyota Tundra — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $38,000–$62,000. There is 1 high-severity known issue you need to know before handing over a check.

Deciding between model years? Compare the 6 Toyota Tundra years we've written up →

Kestrel Take

The 3rd-gen Tundra is a complete redesign with a twin-turbo V6 replacing the legendary 5.7L V8. Capable and efficient, but this generation is too new to have a proven long-term track record. Early builds had teething pains.

What we checked

Partly reconciled against public records, 2026-09-11

NHTSA holds 427 owner complaints for the 2022 Toyota Tundra, across 13 recall campaigns.

A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. 47% of them are about one thing — the engine. That much concentration is a genuine pattern rather than background noise, and it is the first thing to check on any example you look at.

13 recall campaigns cover this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.

Not written up yet: the fuel system (103 complaints). That group is in the public record and is not covered by the issues below. Treat it as something to ask about, not as absent.

Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.

Known Issues for the 2022 Toyota Tundra

Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents.

Twin-turbo V6 early build quality issuesHigh — wallet impact

Early 2022 Tundras had oil consumption, turbo noise, and drivability concerns. Multiple TSBs issued. Verify all applied.

Repair cost (estimate): $0 TSB to $5,000+ if engine damage

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the engine (201).

10-speed automatic harsh shifts when coldMedium

Shifts harshly when cold. Improves as transmission warms up.

Repair cost (estimate): $0 software to $3,000

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the transmission and drivetrain (103).

14-inch screen lag and freezeMedium

The new large touchscreen lags, freezes, requires reboots. Software updates have improved but not eliminated the issue.

Repair cost (estimate): $0 software update

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under electrics and electronics (29).

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗Early 2022 build date before TSBs were applied
✗Oil consumption at low mileage
✗Transmission harshness that doesn't improve after warm-up

Good Signs

✓Late 2022 production with TSBs applied at factory
✓All TSBs documented at dealer
✓i-FORCE MAX hybrid if available

Found a specific Toyota Tundra?

This page covers what goes wrong on the 2022 Toyota Tundra in general. The Kestrel report covers this specific car— the asking price vs. market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.

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Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for this year. It stops short of the verdict, because that needs the photos.

Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.

Other Toyota Tundra years

2019 Toyota Tundra

$27,000–$40,000

2017 Toyota Tundra

$24,000–$36,000

2016 Toyota Tundra

$20,000–$32,000

2012 Toyota Tundra

$15,000–$24,000