Tundra is definitely not one of the most appealing pickup trucks in its price range. And when you look at its underpowered base engine, dull handling and dull interior, this is made pretty clear. However, it does bear the Toyota badge, which is synonymous with reliability. But still, the 2014 Tundra has registered 77 complaints on the NHTSA website and has been recalled 5 times. Most of the problems revolve around the electrical system and the structure. 2014 Tundra comes with a starting price tag of $27,300 and it competes against American trucks, such as the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500.
User Complaints for the 2014 Toyota Tundra CrewMax
Mechanical Complaints
- Engine – The engine seems to have a problem in which the camshaft towers leak oil onto the exhaust. This not only causes a fire hazard, but users have also reported the smell of gasoline leaking into the cabin. There also has been a recall for the same.
- Steering – A couple of owners complained that the glass coating/wood on the steering has started cracking which makes it uncomfortable to use it. Another user complained that the steering shook and wobbled when he was driving at 60 MPH.
- Brakes – Some users complained that the brakes don’t offer enough stopping power even when they are pressed hard. This does become a serious issue, especially during emergency braking situations.
Safety Complaints
- Airbags – Tundra also seems to face an issue where the airbags would randomly deploy, even when there was absolutely nothing around the vehicle. Sometimes, it occurred when the driver was driving slow and other times it occurred when the driver was driving fast. However, the airbags still did deploy inadvertently. Also, a couple of issues were reported regarding the malfunction of the airbag lights.
- Vehicle speed control – A few instances where the vehicle accelerated on its own without any input from the user was also reported. Again, this could be dangerous in traffic or on a highway.
Structural Problems
- Wheels – Many users reported that the lug nuts of the wheels would fall off or rims would crack.
- Vehicle body – There are also reports of the grille cowling popping out, the hood popping out and the doors won’t close properly. Users have also reported corrosion on their vehicle bodies.
Electrical Problems
- Electronics – Several users have reported issues with the headlights and problems with the power doors. Either the door locks would stop working, or the door would not close at all. This issue with the door has affected quite a few trucks.
- Infotainment – A few owners have also reported that their iPhones would not connect with the Entune infotainment system over Bluetooth. This resulted in a freeze and the whole system need to be rebooted.
Recalls of 2014 Toyota Tundra CrewMax
|
S. No |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
July 16, 2014 |
14V429000 |
Lug Nuts loosening |
In certain vehicles with 20-inch alloy wheels and chrome plated lug nuts, the coating on the lug nuts may give, causing the lug nuts to loosen or the wheel studs to fracture. This would result in the wheel separating from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. |
The brand will notify owners, and dealers will replace 20 lug nuts and torque them to specification, free of charge. |
|
2 |
September 11, 2014 |
14V556000 |
Possible improper side-curtain airbag deployment |
Due to the possible improper installation of the upper tab of the B-pillar interior trim, the Curtain-Shield Airbags (CSA) may not deploy properly in the event of a crash. This increases the risk of occupant injury during a crash |
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the B-pillar interior trim installation and will replace it if it is not installed correctly, free of charge. |
|
3 |
May 11, 2017 |
17V311000 |
Defective Lugnuts may crack or detach |
Lugnuts on certain vehicles with 20-inch Rockstar wheels may crack and detach. This may cause the wheels to separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. |
SET will notify owners, and dealers will install new replacement lugnuts, free of charge. The recall began on June 23, 2017. |
|
4 |
November 23, 2021 |
19V920000 |
Oil leak may cause a loss of power steering assist |
The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak. This will result in a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash. |
Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly as necessary, free of charge. |
|
5 |
December 23, 2021 |
21E103000 |
Power steering may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash |
The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak. This may cause sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash |
Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. |
Should you buy the 2014 Toyota Tundra CrewMax?
2014 Tundra has some serious issues- defective lug nuts might come off from the front wheels during driving. But those issues have been fixed with the recalls. There were oil leaks and quite a few electrical problems with the vehicle as well, but Toyota has managed to address the majority of them. However, we would still not recommend buying it simply because of the fact there are way better options at this price range.
