What Toyota engineers found inside a Tundra V8 after a million miles

If you like reading about million-mile trucks, cars, and SUVs, chances are you've heard about Vic Sheppard's 2007 Toyota Tundra, running on a 4.7-liter 2UZ-FE V8. After nine years of hauling heavy equipment in his Toyota, the only part of the truck that was showing serious wear was the bed.

What you might not know is that Sheppard actually doubled this feat, hitting a million miles on a 2014 Tundra last year, this one packing the 5.7-liter 3UR-FE V8. This begs the question of what makes the brand's V8s so dang reliable. An engine teardown gives us some clues.

The Teardown Revealed An Engine In Impeccable Condition

After trading Sheppard a new Tundra for his 2007 model, Toyota got to work tearing the V8 apart to see if there was anything to be learned from a million miles on the road. What the team in Huntsville, Alabama, found was a powerplant that would have scored a 99/100 in their quality tests.

• The biggest blemish the team could find was a slight mark on a bearing.
• There was very little carbon buildup on the valve stems.
• The cross-hatching on the cylinder walls was still visible.
• The crankshaft journals had no visible wear marks.
• The head, block and cams were noted, on remeasuring, as not being within spec, but the team said that "nothing was abnormal," noting that blocks and heads simply aren't going to fall within spec after a million miles.

Connie Roberts, a Toyota quality manager, reported that the bearings in particular were "probably the cleanest I've seen come out of an engine."

In short, if you were to tear this engine down yourself, you'd never guess the mileage. At a glance, it practically looks brand-new.

It's Just A Well-Built Engine

There's really no secret trick to the 2UZ's incredible longevity. Vic Sheppard's fastidious maintenance and tendency toward highway miles rather than stop-and-start city trips no doubt played a big part in getting the 2UZ and the 3UR over the seven-digit mile mark. Still, it really comes down to sturdy, durable engine-building. Here's what that entails.

• The 2UZ-FE uses a cast-iron block.
• The crankshaft is forged steel.
• The bearings are oversized.
• The engine is tuned to prioritize low-end torque rather than massive horsepower, producing 313 lb-ft of torque at just 3,400 rpm.
• Toyota was focused on thermal stability in this era, deploying an oversized cooling system with a belt-driven water pump and a front-mounted radiator to prevent the thermal cycling that kills a lot of engines.

The story goes that Toyota used the teardown of Vic Sheppard's 2UZ to inform future engine design, but we're betting they didn't find anything we couldn't have guessed. Use durable, high-strength components, tune it for consistent low-end performance, keep it naturally aspirated, and keep it cool.

It should be noted that Vic Sheppard's 2014 Tundra received a new transmission at 860,000 miles, but the 3UR engine under the hood made it to a million miles with no rebuilds, just like the 2UZ.

They Don't Make'em Like This No More

If we want to take a snapshot of the truck segment's transition away from durable, naturally-aspirated V8s, and toward turbocharged six-pots, we need look no further than the latest relaunch for the Tundra.

The third-generation went into production in late 2021 for the 2022 model year, dropping the V8 for a 348-hp 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6. All else being equal, a twin-turbo V6 simply isn't going to last as long as a naturally aspirated V8. Even if they produce the same horsepower and torque and use similar components, the V8 should outlast the V6 simply because it puts less stress on its parts.

The Third-Gen Tundra Has Seen Some Embarrassing Recalls

If that weren't enough, early third-gen Tundras have been plagued by some very worrying maintenance issues. Namely, a pair of embarrassing recalls on a number of 2022-2024 models. The first, issued May 30, 2024, addressed 102,092 Toyota Tundras and Lexus LX600s from the 2022 and 2023 model years that were at risk of engine failure due to machining debris in the main bearings.

A second recall, on November 6, 2025, covered 126,691 units with the same issue, including several 2022-2024 Tundras, and some Lexus LX and Lexus GX models, all sharing a V35A powerplant, with machining debris in the main bearings. The latest update on this second recall states that "additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available."

A third recall for the engine covers 43,566 Tundras, all from the 2024 model year, experiencing the same issue. At this point, it feels like there's no end in sight.

These recalls have been a major source of contention for once-loyal Toyota buyers. Reports of engine seizure date back to 2022, when the truck was brand-new, but it wasn't until 2024 that the first recall was issued. Toyota is still a reliable automaker, but, for many buyers, these recalls have cost Toyota big in the most important currency there is: trust.

Will Any Modern Trucks Go The Distance?

Ram introduced the Hurricane straight-six to the Ram 1500 for the 2025 model year, dropping the Hemi V8. Thankfully, the Ford F-150 and the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (and the GMC Sierra 1500, likewise) both pack NA V8 options.

The F-Series Might Last A Million Miles, But Watch Out For The Timing Chain

The base engine in the 2026 F-Series is a 5.0-liter Coyote V8, a naturally-aspirated flex-fuel-capable powerplant delivering 400 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm. The Coyote is regarded as a fairly reliable engine, with the newest iteration benefiting from 15 years of updates and fine-tuning.

We have reported on a handful of issues affecting the Coyote 5.0, including a potential problem with the timing chain tensioner, which is usually foretold by jerky shifts. You'll also want to be on the lookout for blue oil, which can indicate burning oil due to worn piston rings.

The Silverado's 5.3-Liter EcoTec V8 Is Durable, But Be Wary Of Lifter Tick

The 2026 Silverado 1500 is available with a pair of naturally-aspirated V8s. The 5.3-liter EcoTec V8, producing 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque, isn't quite as powerful as the 401-horsepower 6.6-liter engine. It hasn't produced as many reports of total engine failure, either.

The biggest problem you'd likely run into with an EcoTec is lifter-tick, caused by failing Active Fuel Management (AFM) lifters. Some drivers recommend replacing the lifters early with high-performance upgrades as a preventive measure.

A Used Toyota Tundra Is Still One Of The Smartest Buys You'll Ever Make

We don't want to scare anyone off of a Toyota Tundra by highlighting recent engine problems, but we would like to steer you toward a second-gen model. Vic Sheppard drove two of these trucks to a million miles each, so we're pretty sure you can put an easy half-million on there with little more than routine oil changes.

Checking trending prices for a five-year-old 2021 Tundra, we find the truck is selling for around $29,062, down from an original MSRP of $34,125. Problems with the new Tundra, and the absence of a V8 option, have kept the Tundra (already a slow depreciator) from losing much value.

We were able to turn the following listings up in our marketplace.

• A 99,850-mile 2017 Tundra SR is selling for $15,900 in Florida.
• A 129,425-mile 2016 Tundra SR5 is selling for $21,495 in Virginia.
• A 110,307-mile 2020 Tundra SR is selling for $17,900 in Florida.
• A 131,720-mile 2017 Tundra SR5 is selling for $23,500 in Georgia.
• A 105,390-mile 2017 Tundra SR is selling for $24,966 in Montana.

Note that these listings are just to give you an idea of what's out there. There's no telling what will be available when you're ready to buy, and in your area. All the same, we'd trust a 2017 Tundra with 100,000 miles on the odometer over a fresh 2026 with a twin-turbo under the hood.

The Tundra Isn't the Only Million-Mile Vehicle

We'll never get tired of reading about people's million-mile cars. The Tundra above is one of the more famous ones, since its engine was torn down to see it's in miraculously good shape. However, the Tundra, and Toyota's in general, aren't the only ones to reach that mile marker.

For example, a 1989 Saab 900 SPG driven by Peter Gilbert reached 1 million miles before being donated to the Wisconsin Automotive Museum in 2006 — he attributes its longevity to regular maintenance and synthetic oil.

A 1990 BMW 325i reached 1 million miles in a laboratory setting, due to the oil company Mobil 1 using it as a test vehicle for its synthetic oil. Researchers stuck it on a dyno for four straight years, day and night, servicing it at BMW's recommended intervals, until it reached 1 million miles.

Other examples include a 1996 Lexus LS 400 owned by Matt Farah, a 2007 Nissan Frontier, a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD, a 1990 Honda Accord, and surprisingly, a few more that go to show Toyota isn't the only brand capable of such a feat.

Sources: Toyota, Ford, Chevrolet.