2012 Toyota Tundra: Premature transmission failure
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2012 Tundra report: premature transmission failure. CarComplaints.com lists 2 owner complaints, average mileage 9,750 miles.
NHTSA has 21 owner complaints for the 2012 Tundra in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11534487 (filed 07/26/2023): “My power steering gear blew its seal on the passenger side losing all power steering fluid and almost making me crash into a car next to me, and toyota refuses to cover it stating that i hadn't had the steering gear replaced prior to whenever their dates were…”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11529370 (filed 06/28/2023): “2012 tundra faced a lot of problems like air injection pump failures, sticking of secondary air pumps, knock, along with other issues like speed control, engine cooling, and throttle failure. at present, it has been slapped with 136 complaints, 4 recalls, and …”
Likely causes
Sources do not establish a single root cause; diagnosis is needed. Owner-reported fixes are listed below.
Fix, in plain English
Most common owner-reported solutions on CarComplaints.com: rebuilt transmission (1 reports). Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Pro
Diagnosis needs a scan tool; repair or replacement needs a lift, transmission jack and the manufacturer's fluid fill/relearn procedure. (Our assessment.)
Cost
CarComplaints.com owners report a typical repair cost of about $5,500 (owner-reported average, not a quote).
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
AutoZone · O'Reilly · Advance · RockAuto
Sources
Page last updated .