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2017 Toyota Tundra problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
37%
22 of 59 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

37% of relevant owner complaints on the 2017 Toyota Tundra are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 58% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 19 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 28%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2017 Toyota Tundra have fuel system problems?

More than most. The pattern is elevated rather than severe. 22 of 59 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Toyota Tundra concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (37%), and the largest group is filed under fuel/propulsion system (14). For comparison, the 2016 scores 15% and the 2018 scores 30%. On a test drive, check for hard starts, stalling, hesitation, a fuel smell or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
22
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
78
this model year
Fires reported
0
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
6
2 crashes · 1 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM27 · 35%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING17 · 22%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM14 · 18%
SERVICE BRAKES14 · 18%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER10 · 13%
POWER TRAIN6 · 8%

The years either side

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2017 compares with other Toyota Tundra years

Of the 13 Toyota Tundra years with enough complaints to score, the 2017 is the 6th-worst on engine and transmission share (37%). The worst is the 2023 (72%), the best the 2016 (15%). By volume, the 2017 drew 78 complaints (22 drivetrain), against 120 for the 2016 and 100 for the 2018.

Toyota Tundra years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2017 Toyota Tundra

  • What the repair costs. Typical fuel system repair ranges, to price into your offer.
  • Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM01/03/2026
Began experiencing long cranking, difficulty starting, then rough idling. Started researching online and found recalls for 2018 -2019 Flex fuel 5.7 Tundras. My 2017 is also a Flex fuel 5.7 with exactly the same issue. Dealer says 2017 not covered. I had to pay over $2000 to have the fuel pump replaced, ECM reprogramme…

One of 22 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2017 Toyota Tundra engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns on the 2017 Toyota Tundra, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

6 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
steering: hydraulic power assist system21E103000 · Dec 2021
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain JTEKT power steering gear assembly service parts for 2007-2021 Tundra and 2008-2022 Sequoia, part numbers 44250-0C160,…
steering: hydraulic power assist system21V920000 · Nov 2021
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2008-2022 Sequoia and 2007-2021 Tundra vehicles. The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which…
seats: mid/rear assembly18V123000 · Feb 2018
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017 Toyota Tundra vehicles. One of the rear split bench seat leg brackets may not have been properly tightened to the…
equipment: other: labels17V831000 · Dec 2017
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles.…
wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs17V311000 · May 2017
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia vehicles accessorized with Southeast Toyota accessory 20-inch Rockstar wheels installed by…
structure: body: bumpers17V051000 · Jan 2017
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Tundra vehicles equipped with a resin rear step bumper and resin reinforcement brackets (vehicles with chrome step…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2017 Toyota Tundra? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2017 Toyota Tundra

Does the 2017 Toyota Tundra have fuel system problems?

More than most; the pattern is elevated rather than severe. 22 of 59 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Toyota Tundra concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (37%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the fuel system and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

What is the most common problem with the 2017 Toyota Tundra?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2017 Toyota Tundra is electrical system: 27 of 78 complaints (35%) name it, followed by exterior lighting (17) and fuel/propulsion system (14). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 37% of the relevant total.

Is the 2017 Toyota Tundra reliable?

On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 37% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (elevated signal). That is better than 58% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 13 Toyota Tundra years we score, it ranks 6th-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2017 Toyota Tundra?

No. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns on the 2017 Toyota Tundra, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Toyota Tundra years are better?

Among the Toyota Tundra years we track, the 2016 (15%), the 2014 (20%) and the 2010 (25%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2017 (37%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/toyota-tundra

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.