This 2023 Toyota Tundra owner review covers what it’s really like to own Toyota’s full-size pickup after more than 106,000 miles. From receiving a replacement engine under Toyota’s recall program to everyday reliability, one owner says the experience hasn’t changed his opinion of the truck.
After driving his 2023 Toyota Tundra Limited more than 106,000 miles, receiving a brand-new engine under Toyota’s recall program and putting another 1,000 miles on the replacement engine, YouTuber Worn Knobbies said he’d still buy another Toyota Tundra without hesitation in a YouTube video. His experience offers a rare look at what ownership has actually been like before and after the engine replacement.
Buying a Tundra During the Inventory Shortage
The owner purchased his 2023 Toyota Tundra Limited in January 2023 after his previous 2008 Toyota Tundra with 285,000 miles was totaled. With truck inventory extremely limited at the time, he didn’t have the luxury of waiting for the perfect truck.
Looking back, there are a few options he wishes he had ordered.
His biggest regrets include skipping the JBL premium audio system, the upgraded LED headlights with the distinctive daytime running lights and the available 6.5-foot bed. Instead, he ended up with the 5.5-foot bed, which works well for hauling dirt bikes but occasionally leaves him wishing for the extra foot of cargo space.
Otherwise, the truck has remained largely stock throughout ownership.
He replaced the factory tires around 38,000 miles with slightly taller Pathfinder AT tires, added Go Rhino running boards, a roll-up tonneau cover, mud flaps, a Bulletpoint phone mount with MagSafe charging, TRD reusable air filters and a matte black overlay to replace the piano black center console trim.
Despite seeing weekly automatic car washes and more than 106,000 miles of daily driving, he says the paint and overall fit and finish have held up exceptionally well.
The Elephant in the Room: Toyota Replaced the Engine
The biggest question surrounding this truck is, of course, the engine recall.
His Tundra qualified for Toyota’s engine replacement program, and after receiving notification from his dealership, the replacement process moved surprisingly quickly.
About a month after being notified that his replacement engine had been ordered, the dealership called to schedule the repair. He dropped the truck off on a Monday morning with just over 106,000 miles on the odometer and picked it up Tuesday afternoon.
The entire engine replacement took roughly one day.
“My experience with Toyota throughout this process has been excellent,” he said.
While stories online have documented everything from missing clamps to wiring problems after engine replacements, his experience was exactly the opposite.
He praised both his dealership and service advisor, saying everything was completed professionally. There were no leaks, no warning lights and no drivability issues after the repair.
Technicians told him one of the most time-consuming parts of the job isn’t removing the engine itself but disconnecting and reinstalling the truck’s massive wiring harness. According to the dealership, ensuring every connector and harness is routed correctly requires significant time and attention.
Now, after putting roughly 1,000 miles on the replacement engine, he says the truck continues to run flawlessly.
In fact, he noticed one small improvement.
“The only thing I’ve noticed a little different is I don’t have that little bit of throttle lag anymore.”
Otherwise, the truck drives exactly as it did before, only with a brand-new engine under the hood. He plans to continue changing the oil every 5,000 miles, the same maintenance schedule he followed with the original engine.
2023 Toyota Tundra Owner Review: Life After 106,000 Miles
Aside from the engine replacement, ownership has been remarkably uneventful.
Routine maintenance has included oil changes approximately every 5,000 miles, differential and transfer case fluid service around 85,000 miles and a transmission service performed during the engine replacement.
The truck has also proven to be a comfortable long-distance cruiser, regularly covering more than 80 miles per day while making annual cross-country road trips.
The composite bed has held up well despite years of hauling dirt bikes and other equipment, while the optional air suspension continues to impress by automatically leveling the truck when towing or carrying heavier loads.
There have been a handful of minor issues along the way.
The driver’s seat side trim panel has cracked multiple times, an item we noted in our 2022-2024 Toyota Tundra known problems article, the driver’s window occasionally sticks and requires silicone lubricant, and the factory paint protection film hasn’t held up as well as he expected.
He also experienced a failure of the forward-facing safety camera after replacing the windshield. Initially, Toyota suspected the aftermarket windshield, but the camera itself ultimately proved to be the problem. Although the repair would have cost roughly $2,200, Toyota covered it as a goodwill repair despite the truck being outside its extended warranty.
Other complaints are mostly preference-related.
He wishes every Tundra came with the JBL premium stereo because he finds the standard audio system disappointing in a truck at this price point. He also isn’t a fan of the factory cupholders or the hood glare created in certain lighting conditions.
Still, after more than 106,000 miles, he says those are inconveniences rather than serious complaints.
Would He Buy Another Toyota Tundra?
This 2023 Toyota Tundra owner review shows that long-term ownership isn’t defined by the engine recall alone.
His answer never changed, even after the engine recall.
“Absolutely.”
This is his fourth Toyota Tundra, and he says every one has been dependable. His previous truck accumulated 285,000 miles before it was totaled, and he expects this truck to provide the same kind of long-term ownership experience.
In fact, he says he prefers Toyota’s twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter i-FORCE V6 over the previous-generation 5.7-liter V8.
He describes the newer engine as smoother, quicker and perfectly matched to Toyota’s 10-speed automatic transmission.
With the replacement engine now installed, his confidence in the truck has only grown. The repair went smoothly, the truck drives exactly as it should and the slight throttle lag he occasionally noticed before the replacement has disappeared.
His biggest regrets still aren’t about reliability. Instead, they’re about buying during the inventory shortage and missing out on the JBL stereo, upgraded headlights and the longer bed.
After living through the entire recall process from notification to engine replacement, he says he’d still buy another Toyota Tundra tomorrow.
