My engine is, from a parts and processes standpoint, identical to the engines built 2-3 months earlier that are under recall. There's nothing mechanically different about my vehicle that would keep it from seizing suddenly and leaving me stranded on the side of the road waiting for a tow. I just have to hope that (i) Toyota will eventually recall mine and (ii) that the new crate engines fixed the issue.

Without researching, I walked into a Toyota dealership and bought my Tundra new—the only new vehicle I've ever purchased—because I trusted Toyota's reputation and planned to drive my Tundra for 15-20 years. It was absolutely gutting to learn about this issue, and exactly what I was trying to avoid when I passed on RAM, GM, and Ford. I paid cash for mine (again, planning to average the cost of the vehicle over 15-20 trouble-free years) and it's been brutal to be left holding the bag on the truck that is the least reliable and has depreciated the most.

It's a shame, too, because the V8 in the prior-generation Tundras and Sequioas is a bona fide 500,000k engine.

This is how I feel every time I think back about going into that dealership and buying my Tundra: