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2016 Toyota Tundra problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
15%
15 of 101 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2016 Toyota Tundra. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 15% of relevant complaints.

Better than 94% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 19 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 13%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2016 Toyota Tundra have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 15 of 101 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Toyota Tundra concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (15%). For comparison, the 2015 scores 27% and the 2017 scores 37%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
15
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
120
this model year
Fires reported
0
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
6
2 crashes · 3 injuries

Complaints by component

SERVICE BRAKES34 · 28%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM26 · 22%
STRUCTURE21 · 18%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING15 · 13%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER15 · 13%
STEERING7 · 6%

The years either side

2010
25%
38 of 163
2011
46%
58 of 134
2012
58%
85 of 156
2013
46%
34 of 85
2014
20%
17 of 93
2015
27%
11 of 49
2016
15%
15 of 120
2017
37%
22 of 78
2018
30%
28 of 100
2019
26%
17 of 74
2020
29%
12 of 46
2021
too few complaints
2022
67%
284 of 428
2023
72%
286 of 408

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2016 Toyota Tundra

What one owner reported

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGI09/25/2026
The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated and shuddered. While driving approximately 65-70 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle stalled. There was an unknown warning light was displayed after the failure. There was an abnormal fuel o…

One of 15 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2016 Toyota Tundra?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns on the 2016 Toyota Tundra, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

6 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
steering: hydraulic power assist system21E103000 · Dec 2021
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain JTEKT power steering gear assembly service parts for 2007-2021 Tundra and 2008-2022 Sequoia, part numbers 44250-0C160,…
steering: hydraulic power assist system21V920000 · Nov 2021
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2008-2022 Sequoia and 2007-2021 Tundra vehicles. The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which…
air bags: knee bolster17V416000 · Jun 2017
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Tundra vehicles. The affected vehicles have a passenger knee air bag module that was attached to the instrument panel…
wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs17V311000 · May 2017
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia vehicles accessorized with Southeast Toyota accessory 20-inch Rockstar wheels installed by…
structure: body: bumpers17V051000 · Jan 2017
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Tundra vehicles equipped with a resin rear step bumper and resin reinforcement brackets (vehicles with chrome step…
equipment: other: labels16V420000 · Jun 2016
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Camry and Highlander, 2015-2016 Toyota Tundra, Scion FR-S, and tC vehicles. The Load Carrying Capacity…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2016 Toyota Tundra? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2016 Toyota Tundra

Does the 2016 Toyota Tundra have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 15 of 101 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Toyota Tundra concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (15%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2016 Toyota Tundra?

No. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns on the 2016 Toyota Tundra, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Toyota Tundra years are better?

The 2016 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Toyota Tundra years we track (15%). The other years run higher.

Should I buy a 2016 Toyota Tundra?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2016 Toyota Tundra shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.