Used Toyota Tundra Buying Guide: 5.7 V8 vs Twin-Turbo and Engine Recalls

A used Toyota Tundra comes in two very different flavors. The 2014-2021 trucks use a 4.6 or 5.7-liter V8 with a six-speed automatic (a few 2014 base trucks had a 4.0 V6), and the 2022-and-newer trucks use a twin-turbo 3.4-liter V6, optionally as the 437-hp i-Force Max hybrid, with a 10-speed. If you are shopping a 2022-2024, the first thing to check by VIN is the V35A engine debris recalls, because one of the fixes is a new engine and another is still an inspection program.

We decoded Tundra VINs in NHTSA's vPIC decoder on October 13, 2026. Every pattern started with 5TF and came back as Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, in San Antonio. The engine field is what tells the generations apart: our 2014 patterns returned the 1UR-FE 4.6 and 3UR-FE 5.7, a 2017 returned the 3UR-FBE 5.7, and the 2022-2024 patterns returned the V35A-FTS 3.4, with a 2023 Limited hybrid listing "V35A-FTS, 1TM." For the other positions, see our Toyota VIN decoder guide.

V8 truck or twin-turbo truck

The old truck is simple and thirsty. In its 2014 test, Car and Driver rated the 5.7 V8 at 381 hp and 401 lb-ft with a six-speed, ran it to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, and saw 15 mpg against an EPA 13/17. The 4.6 V8 made 310 hp. The V8s stayed until the 2022 redesign dropped them.

The 2022 truck is a clean-sheet design. In its 2022 drive, Car and Driver listed the twin-turbo V6 at 389 hp (348 in the base SR), the i-Force Max hybrid at 437 hp and 583 lb-ft, a 10-speed automatic, and a new coil-spring rear suspension that made it ride and handle better. It also pointed out that Toyota calls the engine a 3.5 when it is really a 3.4, so do not be thrown when the window sticker and the VIN decode disagree. Car and Driver's current Tundra page lists max towing at 12,000 pounds and max payload at 1,940 pounds, both behind the class leaders, and says four-wheel-drive models use a part-time system.

The V35A engine recalls, and why the year matters

This is the big one for 2022-2024 buyers. Recall 24V-381 covers about 102,100 2022-2023 Tundras (and Lexus LX600s) whose V35A engine may have machining debris that can make the main bearings fail and the engine stall; the remedy is a replacement engine. Then 25V-767 expanded to about 126,700 2022-2024 trucks, where dealers inspect the number 1 main bearing using inspection software and drive data and replace the engine only if needed; owner letters went out August 28, 2026. A third campaign, 26V-320, covers about 43,600 2024 trucks the same way.

So "the engine recall was done" can mean three different things. Ask which campaign, and whether the repair order says the engine was replaced or only inspected. A truck that passed an inspection is not the same as a truck with a new long block, and honestly, the price should not be the same either. A seller who shrugs at that question is telling you something.

Other recalls by generation

Newer trucks have a few more. Recall 24V-125 covers about 280,700 2022-2024 Tundras that can move unexpectedly in Neutral with the brakes off, fixed with transmission control software. Recall 23V-566 covers about 168,200 2022-2023 trucks whose plastic fuel tube can chafe against the brake lines and leak; dealers add protection and a clamp. On the older trucks, recall 21V-920 covers about 22,500 2007-2021 Tundras and Sequoias whose power steering gear may leak oil, and 2019-2020 Tundras are in the large low-pressure fuel pump recall, 20V-682. Our guide to checking recalls by VIN shows how to run each one.

Towing wear, fleet use and the underside

Tundras get worked. Look at the hitch receiver for heavy wear, check for a brake controller, and ask what it towed and how often. A truck that pulled a camper every summer is not ruined, but transmission fluid and brake records matter more on that truck. Read the history for commercial or fleet registration; our post on commercial fleet use on CARFAX explains what those lines mean. And get under it. We are not going to repeat forum claims about frames here, but a flashlight and ten minutes underneath will tell you more about rust than any listing photo. If a Tundra is too much truck, our used Toyota Tacoma guide and used Toyota 4Runner guide cover the smaller options.

Title, history and price

CARFAX says its reports can show title brands, odometer readings, ownership and reported accidents. Pull it yourself. A seller's PDF can be edited, and a salvage brand is the first thing to get cropped out. As of mid October 2026, a CARFAX report through us is about $5.50 as a guest or about $4.50 as a member, and a CARFAX plus AutoCheck bundle is about $6.75, versus roughly $39.99 to $44.99 at retail. Confirm at checkout. We are a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, or Experian.

Sources

• NHTSA vPIC VIN Decoder
• NHTSA: Toyota recall report 24V-381 (V35A engine debris)
• NHTSA: Toyota recall report 25V-767 (main bearing inspection)
• NHTSA: Toyota recall report 26V-320 (2024 V35A engines)
• NHTSA: Toyota recall report 21V-920 (power steering gear)
• Car and Driver: 2014 Tundra 5.7 tested
• Car and Driver: 2022 Tundra drive
• Car and Driver: Toyota Tundra
• CARFAX: Vehicle History Reports