# Toyota Tundra 2000–2006 Pre-Purchase Checklist | CarCaseFile

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> Printable pre-purchase inspection checklist for the 2000–2006 Toyota Tundra: the generation-specific checks that separate a good one from someone else's problem.

Case file · TOYOTA-TUNDRA-2000-2006 · Field document

# Toyota Tundra 2000–2006 · Pre-purchase checklist

Bring this to the inspection. Every check below is specific to this generation's documented failure modes, not generic used-car advice.

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Check 01

Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm the frame corrosion recall (09V444, 2000–2003), the front lower ball joint recalls (05V225000, 07V013000), and the Takata airbag recall are all completed.

Check 02

Crawl under the truck and probe the rear cross-member, frame rails, and fuel tank straps with a screwdriver. Flaking scale is normal aging. Perforation is a walk-away or a hard price negotiation.

Check 03

Ask for timing belt service history on 4.7L V8 trucks. It's an interference engine on a 90,000-mile belt interval. A snapped belt means a wrecked engine, and 20-plus-year-old trucks with no record should be assumed overdue.

Check 04

Cold-start the truck and listen for a ticking or chuffing sound from the engine bay that fades as it warms. That's the classic cracked exhaust manifold symptom on the V8.

Check 05

Scan for check-engine codes before the test drive; P0412-series codes point to a failing secondary air injection pump.

Check 06

Grab each front tire at 12-and-6 and rock it, and inspect the lower ball joint boots for tears or excess play.

Check 07

On 4x4 trucks, check the transfer case and front differential for fluid condition. These get neglected on trucks used for towing.

Walk-away signals

2000–2003 salt-belt trucks with an unresolved frame recall (09V444). Verify by VIN before buying · Any 2000–2006 Tundra with an open Takata airbag recall not yet completed

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