Toyota Tundra engine lemon law in California: the V35A recalls, stalls and engine replacements

The twin-turbo V35A V6 in the 2022–2024 Toyota Tundra, and in the Lexus LX 600 and 2024 GX 550, is now the subject of three separate safety recalls for the same problem: debris left in the engine at the factory can ruin the main bearings and stall the truck. Some owners have had their engine replaced; others are waiting for an inspection or parts. If that is your truck, the Tundra engine lemon law question is a fair one. California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act can require the manufacturer to repurchase or replace a vehicle it cannot fix within a reasonable number of attempts.

This guide goes deeper than our Toyota and Lexus lemon law guide. It covers the three V35A recalls, other documented Tundra recalls, the class action, and what to get on paper. It is general information about California law as of October 2026, not legal advice, and it does not suggest that every Tundra is defective.

The V35A engine recalls: three campaigns, one problem

Toyota has filed three recalls for the V35A main bearing problem, each expanding the last.

NHTSA's records describe the defect the same way in all three: manufacturing debris may contaminate the engine and cause the main bearings to fail, leading to an engine stall and loss of drive power, which "increases the risk of a crash." When the second campaign was filed, PickupTruckTalk reported from Toyota's recall filing that machining debris "of a particular size and amount" may not have been cleared during manufacturing, that the engines came from Toyota's Huntsville, Alabama plant, and that bearing failure can show up as knocking, rough running, a no-start or a stall. The same report said Toyota excluded hybrid Tundras because a hybrid with engine failure keeps some motive power for a limited distance and warns the driver.

Engine replacement versus inspection: why the difference matters

The first recall had a simple remedy: a new engine. The two expansions do not. Under 25V-767 and 26V-320, the dealer inspects the No. 1 main bearing with software and drive data, and replaces the engine only if the inspection calls for it. That leaves three groups of owners in different positions:

• Trucks that received a replacement engine. The replacement is a repair visit, and usually a long one. If the new engine develops problems, every later visit belongs in the same repair history.
• Trucks that passed the inspection. Passing does not end the story if symptoms appear later. Ask for a printout of the inspection result, the date and the mileage, and keep it.
• Trucks still waiting. For 2024 trucks under 26V-320, NHTSA's record shows only interim letters so far. Follow the instructions in your letter and write down every call or visit about the recall.

Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or use our recall and complaint lookup tool, to see which campaign covers your truck and whether the remedy is shown as complete.

Does the engine recall make my Tundra a lemon?

Not by itself. A lemon law claim is about your truck: a defect covered by the warranty that substantially impairs its use, value or safety, and a manufacturer that had a reasonable chance to fix it and did not. Civil Code § 1793.2(d) then requires the manufacturer to replace the vehicle or make restitution, and the buyer chooses which.

Under the Tanner Act presumption in Civil Code § 1793.22(b), within 18 months or 18,000 miles a reasonable number of attempts is presumed after two repairs of a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four repairs of the same defect, or more than 30 total days out of service. The first two routes also need one direct notice to the manufacturer if the warranty or owner's manual clearly requires it. Our guide to how many repair attempts the lemon law requires explains why claims also succeed outside those numbers.

A stall is a safety defect candidate

A defect that can stall the engine at speed is a strong candidate for the two-attempt safety route, and NHTSA's own record ties this one to crash risk. Whether it qualifies is a question of fact, so record the speed, warning lights and whether the truck restarted.

Days waiting for an engine count

The 30-day rule counts calendar days the truck was out of service for repair, added up across every visit, including days it sat at the dealer waiting for an engine or parts. Civil Code § 1793.2(b) separately requires warranty repairs to be completed within 30 days unless you agree otherwise in writing, with extra time only for delays beyond the manufacturer's control. An engine swap that took weeks can move a Tundra close to, or past, the 30-day line on its own.

A recall visit is a chance to fix it

A recall visit for the problem you are dealing with is a repair opportunity. If the problem returns after the remedy or a passed inspection, that history counts. One clean engine replacement that ends the problem may not be enough by itself; a replacement followed by new symptoms, a long wait, or repeat visits usually tells a different story.

Hesitation and "throttle lag" are not the same complaint

Some Tundra owners describe a delay before the truck accelerates. In the class action discussed below, Toyota's lawyers told the court that this complaint matches Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0111-22 from December 2022, which Toyota describes as a transmission issue fixed by updating the transmission control module, not the engine bearing problem, according to CarComplaints. For a lemon law claim the record matters more than the label. Report hesitation the same way each time, and keep it separate on the repair order from knocking or stalling so each defect has its own history.

What to ask the dealer to write on the repair order

Lemon law cases are won on paper. For a Tundra engine complaint, ask that each repair order show:

• Your complaint in your words, for example "engine knocking at idle and rough running" or "engine stalled on the freeway, would not restart."
• The recall or campaign number (24V-381, 25V-767 or 26V-320) and Toyota's own campaign code from your letter, if the visit was for the recall.
• The inspection result under 25V-767 or 26V-320, and whether the engine was replaced.
• Dates in and out, and the mileage both ways. If the truck waited for an engine, ask that the order show the wait.
• "Could not duplicate," if nothing was found. It is still a documented attempt.

Also open a case with Toyota at 1-800-331-4331, the number in NHTSA's recall records, and keep the case number. Save loaner, rental and tow records.

Other documented Tundra recalls

The engine is not the only Tundra campaign. Repeat visits for any of these add to days out of service. This is a selection, not a complete list.

• 22V-445 (2022 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid, 46,176 vehicles): rear axle flange nuts may loosen and let an axle shaft separate from the housing, reducing stability and braking.
• 23V-566 (2022–2023 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid, 168,179 vehicles): a plastic fuel tube can rub against brake lines and leak fuel, raising fire risk.
• 25V-322 (2022–2025 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid, 443,444 vehicles): moisture can enter the reverse lights and make them fail.
• 25V-657 (2022–2025 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid and 2023–2025 Sequoia Hybrid, 393,838 vehicles): a software error may stop the rearview camera image from showing in reverse.

The 2024 recall for unexpected movement in neutral (24V-125) is covered on our Toyota and Lexus page.

The Tundra engine class action

Owners have also sued as a class. In December 2024, CarComplaints reported that Daley v. Toyota Motor North America was filed in federal court in Vermont on behalf of 2022–2024 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid owners. The complaint alleges that the recall was inadequate, that it left out 2024 and hybrid trucks, and that owners had to keep driving while they waited for engines. Toyota answered that the replacement recall gives owners full relief, that hybrid Tundras do not use the affected engine, and that one plaintiff's failure was caused by the wrong fuel. These are allegations. We have not found a reported ruling or settlement as of October 2026, and the later recalls have since brought 2024 trucks into the campaign.

A lemon law claim is separate: it is your own, based on your truck's history, and can lead to a full repurchase. Have a lawyer read any class settlement notice before you opt in or out.

Warranty, dispute programs and deadlines

Toyota lists powertrain coverage of 60 months or 60,000 miles for new vehicles, covering the engine, and basic coverage of 36 months or 36,000 miles, on its warranty page. Recall work is free regardless, but a lemon law claim depends on a defect that arose under warranty. If your Tundra is past those limits, read our guide to the lemon law after the warranty expires.

A June 2025 Department of Consumer Affairs notice lists Toyota with the state-certified California Dispute Settlement Program and lists Lexus among manufacturers without a certified program. That can affect Tundra and LX or GX claims differently (Civil Code §§ 1793.22(c) and 1794(e)).

Toyota and Lexus were not on the lists of manufacturers reported to have opted in to California's 2025 lemon law procedures. Confirm on the Department of Consumer Affairs list. If the new procedures do not apply, the deadline is generally four years under the Commercial Code's warranty statute of limitations, and tolling rules can apply. Do not count on extra time; call promptly.

What a Tundra buyback includes

A repurchase generally covers what you paid or owe, including taxes, registration and finance charges, plus incidental costs such as towing and rentals, minus a mileage offset for miles driven before you first took the truck in for the defect (Civil Code § 1793.2(d)(2)). Our buyback calculator runs the formula. If the manufacturer willfully failed to comply, a court can add a civil penalty of up to two times actual damages, and a buyer who wins recovers attorney's fees and costs (Civil Code § 1794).

How LaCour handles Tundra engine claims

LaCour Trial Lawyers handles California lemon law claims statewide, in English and Spanish, with trial counsel leading each case. When a claim succeeds, the law requires the manufacturer to pay the buyer's attorney's fees and costs. Send us your recall letters, inspection printouts and repair orders for a free, confidential review.

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information about California and federal law and about public records as of its date. It is not legal advice, and reading it or contacting us does not create an attorney–client relationship. Allegations in lawsuits are claims, not findings. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney advertising.