Case file · TOYOTA-TUNDRA-2007-2021 · Field document

Toyota Tundra 2007–2021 · 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.

1. Check 01

   Crawl under the truck and inspect the frame — especially 2007–2008 and any truck from a salt state. Probe crossmembers and rails near the rear wheels with a screwdriver; flaking scale is one thing, perforation is a walk-away or a frame-replacement negotiation.

2. Check 02

   Scan for stored/pending codes before the test drive. P0412, P0415, P2440–P2445 point to the secondary air injection system — a repair that can run $1,500–$4,000 on 2007–2013 trucks.

3. Check 03

   Ask whether the air injection pump was ever replaced under Toyota's warranty extension (a Toyota dealer can check the VIN's service history).

4. Check 04

   Cold-start it. A ticking from the engine bay that fades as it warms is the classic cracked/leaking exhaust manifold tell on the 5.7.

5. Check 05

   Look down both sides of the 5.7's valve covers and the back of the engine for oil seep tracks — cam tower leaks show up as a wet film or drips on the bellhousing area.

6. Check 06

   Check the front of the engine for pink, crusty coolant residue below the water pump — the weep-hole leak that precedes pump failure.

7. Check 07

   On 2018–2019 trucks, run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm the low-pressure fuel pump recall (20V-012) was completed.