2023 Toyota Tundra

On December 23, 2025, while driving at highway speeds, I began to hear a loud knocking sound. The sounds increased and a "low oil pressure" warning appeared on the dash. I began to loose power and the knocking sounds increased. I was able to carefully get the truck off the highway and parked to be towed to a local dealership. The loss of power while on the highway put myself and my family at risk due to not being able to keep at speed with traffic, and the possibility of being stuck on the side of a highway if I was unable to make it to the next exit. The vehicle experienced the same symptoms prior to the engine seizing in July of 2025. At that time the vehicle was not included in a recall campaign, and a short block replacement, rather than a complete engine replacement, was completed by Toyota.

While driving today the engine check light turned on, and the engine turned off (stalled) while in the middle of the road with a good amount of traffic around me. I pulled off to the side of the road and gave the engine a minute. I turned the truck back on again, the engine sounded very rough turning on and rough while driving. After a minute or two of driving, the engine light turned on again, and the engine stopped (stalled) again while in the middle of the road. I stopped this time for two minutes or so and turned the engine on again. I then proceeded to try to make it home, which I accomplished, but the truck's engine sounded rough and with a chattering sound (engine knocking) even when idling. I have received a recall notice letter concerning " Certain 2022-2024 Model Year Tundra Vehicles Engine May Stall During Driving." I possess the letter with the NHTSA Recall Number and the Toyota Recall Number. In the letter, it mentions the condition for which it is being recalled. The conditions are as stated in the letter. "Machining debris may not have been cleared from the engine when it was produced. In the involved vehicles, this can lead to engine knocking, engine rough running, engine no start, and/or a loss of drive power. A loss of drive power while driving can increase the risk of a crash." My truck has experienced all of the disfunctions that are stated in the recall letter. I would like for Toyota to look into this and remedy this problem before it ends in a major fatal crash or any other unfortunate circumstance. Thank you!

The hybrid version of the Toyota Tundra uses the same base V35A-derived engine architecture, block casting, bearing design, and oiling system as the recalled non-hybrid vehicles. Toyota has not demonstrated that hybrid engines were manufactured differently or are immune to the defect that prompted the recall. In towing conditions, an internal combustion engine failure creates an immediate safety hazard even if limited electric propulsion remains available. Electric-only operation provides severely reduced power, limited speed, and restricted torque, making highway merging, grade climbing, or maintaining safe traffic flow unsafe while towing. Retaining minimal electric motion does not equate to maintaining safe propulsion under load. Additionally, a catastrophic engine failure may introduce metal debris, oil pressure loss, or thermal imbalance that can compromise shared drivetrain and hybrid coupling components. The presence of an electric motor does not mitigate the underlying defect risk or the secondary damage potential. Toyota’s distinction between hybrid and non-hybrid vehicles appears to be regulatory and financial rather than engineering-based. The same defect risk exists regardless of the hybrid system. I request that NHTSA evaluate whether Toyota’s exclusion of hybrid vehicles is based on actual engineering differences or solely on regulatory interpretation.

My Toyota Tundra (2023) has a recall notice due to possible debris in the engine that is over a year and a half old. This still has not been repaired by the manufacturer. I can hear sounds like knocking coming from the engine and I am concerned that the vehicle could stall or stop while driving on the highway with my children and cause a severe crash. How do I get the vehicle engine replaced expeditiously? The Recall is 24V381.

The vehicle is affected by a manufacturer safety recall related to the engine. According to the recall, machining debris may not have been properly removed during engine production. This can lead to engine knocking, rough running, failure to start, loss of power, or the engine stalling while driving. The manufacturer has stated that the fix will require replacement of the engine assembly, but the remedy is not yet available. Because of this, the vehicle continues to be driven with a known engine defect and no repair timeline. The main safety concern is the risk of sudden loss of power or engine stall while driving, which could be dangerous, especially at highway speeds or in traffic. The vehicle has been inspected by a dealer, who confirmed that the recall applies but could not perform a repair, provide a timeline, or confirm that the vehicle is safe to drive while waiting for the remedy. No crash or injury has occurred so far. There have been no warning lights or specific failure events yet, but the concern is based on the acknowledged manufacturing defect and the possibility that the issue could occur without warning. The vehicle is still being driven because there is no available repair, no clear safety guidance from the manufacturer, and no alternative transportation or loaner vehicle provided. The concern remains that the vehicle could unexpectedly lose power or stall, putting the driver and others at risk.

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the message to take the vehicle to the dealer to check the engine was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact stated that the messages were displayed while on a long trip. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.

While driving under normal conditions, my 2023 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Hybrid experienced a sudden and severe loss of propulsion. The vehicle abruptly entered fail-safe (limp) mode and would not accelerate beyond approximately 5–10 mph. This occurred without warning and created an immediate safety hazard in traffic. Multiple warning messages illuminated simultaneously, including: Hybrid System Malfunction, Check Engine, Smart Stop System Malfunction, and Advanced Ultrasonic Detection Malfunction. The hybrid system effectively shut down and the vehicle could not maintain normal road speed. I brought the vehicle to a Toyota dealership. The dealership performed only ECM and hybrid ECU software updates and cleared codes. No mechanical inspection, oil pressure analysis, particulate inspection, turbo system evaluation, hybrid motor synchronization testing, or engineering-level diagnostics were performed. Toyota Corporate subsequently stated that the software update was the “final” resolution and declined further diagnostics. I was advised to return to the dealership if the issue reoccurs. This failure mode matches the documented loss-of-propulsion behavior described in Toyota’s V35A engine machining-defect recall (sudden power loss, limp mode, cascading system failures). Hybrid models are currently excluded despite using the same engine platform and exhibiting identical symptoms. Sudden loss of propulsion at road speed presents a serious crash risk. This appears to be a safety-related defect that is not being adequately investigated or remedied for hybrid models.