My 2025 Toyota Tundra’s Rear Diff With 1,800 Miles Is Whining, the Dealer Brushed Me Off, But Later Found Metal Shavings and Now Has To Replace It

Does the 2025 Toyota Tundra have rear differential problems? 

Anthony Garcia shared on the 2025 Toyota Tundra Owners Facebook page that he already has to replace the rear differential in his 2025 Toyota Tundra SR5, and he only has 1,800 miles on the truck. Is this an isolated problem? Here is what Tundra owners need to know. 

Anthony's experience with his 2025 Toyota Tundra SR5 is a surprising one. He shares, "My Tundra went down today, fellas, but not for the usual reason. The rear differential was making weird noises on a road trip. It was howling and sounded like a jet airplane taking off. It only happened when I was accelerating." 

Picture Anthony, who just bought a 2025 Toyota Tundra. He loaded up his wife and young son and took off for a road trip through Arizona. The truck is less than 1,000 miles old, and they are enjoying the new truck. 

However, on the trip, Anthony hears a whining sound while driving on the interstate. He slows down, and it stops making the noise. When he speeds back up, it sounds like a Boeing 737 taking off. 

Now, he's afraid to drive at highway speeds. When he gets home, he does some research and finds out other Tundra owners have had the same problem. He calls the Toyota dealer the next day and gets his new Tundra in to get it looked at. 

Here is what Anthony says happened next.

"I've had my 2025 Toyota Tundra SR5 for a month, and my rear differential was making weird noises from 76 to 85 mph on a road trip. It was howling and sounded like a jet airplane taking off. It happened when I was accelerating during that range."  

"It also happens from 40-50 mph but is very quiet. I rolled down the window so I could hear it better. Even with the radio up, it's still very prevalent." 

"If I took my foot off the gas, it wouldn't happen. My wife didn't hear it initially, but I knew it wasn't a normal sound. So, I looked at some online forums and found it could be the rear differential." 

The Toyota Dealer Says It's Normal

"I took it to the dealer after the trip to let them know; they basically brushed me off at first, saying it's in the norm, but they can still look at it. I decided to let them take a look, and sure enough, they came back to tell me I needed a new rear differential." 

"They found metal shavings in the rear differential fluid, and they found the noise even at lower mph despite it being not too loud. I'm glad I got it checked. It wasn't too noisy, but I even made a video documenting what I heard before taking it to the dealer." 

Anthony Isn't the Only Tundra Owner With Rear Diff Problems

"I'm so glad I didn't neglect the sound because I've heard it's happening to others. My truck only has 1,800 miles, and I haven't even used my 4x4 option yet; out here in Arizona, no need to yet." 

What are Other Tundra Owners Saying?

Reddit user Banthebotsyagex - Mine is the same way. I brought it to Toyota, and they "couldn't replicate it." I made them go on a drive with me, and they told me it was normal. I guess that's what the warranty is for.

Deadsetweir-do expresses his frustration in a Reddit post, I bought a new 2025 Tundra Limited TRD and it's been a real bummer since day one. I wrote another post detailing the issues, but to summarize, it's been in the shop since I bought it, and it currently has 248 miles on it. 

He further shares his concerns, I bought it 17 days ago, and it's been in the shop exactly 14 days, and that's only because they couldn't get it in sooner. After poking and prodding for weeks, they think it needs a new rear differential completely, but they aren't confident it is even the solution. 

The problem is that the diff is on back order, and they can't tell me how long it's gonna take to get one; it's been 3 days since they told me it needed a diff, and they still have no ETA.

Anthony Concludes

"I'll get my truck back on Monday. Hopefully, all goes well, and there will be no more rear diff problems. For now, they have me in a RAV4 loaner." 

Does the Toyota Tundra Have Other Reliability Issues?

I've reported before that Toyota is replacing the failed Tundra engines. The Japanese automaker must replace over 100,000 - 2022 and 2023 Tundra pickup and Lexus LX SUV engines with the V35A twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 power plant. Check out my report here.

Toyota's Reputation for Reliability is In Decline

Toyota's excellent reputation for building reliable vehicles is in severe decline. The recent Tundra recall to replace its 3.4-liter V-6 is not the only problem the Japanese automaker faces. 

Now, the 2025 Tundra is also having reliability issues. 

Take Kirk Cashen, for instance, who purchased a new 2025 Tundra only to have the engine fail on him only 1,528 miles in. He was also on a road trip when he experienced problems with his Tundra truck. 

Imagine Kirk buying a new 2025 Tundra truck, and he can't wait to take it on a road trip. However, 400 miles into the trip, his new truck begins to make a terrible sound and smoke, and he has to pull off the highway. 

The new truck has to be towed to the Toyota dealer, and they tell him it needs a new engine. It's covered under warranty, but they will have to keep it for weeks before he gets his truck back because of the backlog of other Tundra trucks that also need new engines. 

Kirk says, "So, I just bought this beast in December. I headed out on a trip to Maryland, and we made it about 400 miles. It broke down with only 1,528 miles on the truck. I'm sitting at the Toyota dealership with a locked motor waiting on it. They said I needed a new motor swap. I have a 2025 TRD PRO Hybrid."

Conclusion

With more reports from 2025 Tundra owners like Anthony and Kirk, Toyota has not fixed the reliability issues with the new 2025 Tundra trucks. However, not all trucks are affected, as many owners report no problems with them.

It's Your Turn

Are you a 2025 Toyota Tundra owner? Have you experienced any reliability issues? We value your experience and insights. Share your story with us by clicking the red Add New Comment link below. Your input is crucial in understanding the full scope of this issue.

Check out my Toyota Tundra story: My Toyota Tundra Suddenly Lost Power and I Need a New Engine, I’ve Been to the Dealer Countless Times, Now They Say My $60,000 Truck Is Only Worth $35K

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Anthony Garcia