Has my 157,000 mile 2009 TRD Off Road had an abnormal amount of failures?

2009 SR5 Access Cab V6 TRD Off Road with 157,000 miles on it. Daily driver every day since day one in southeast Pennsylvania.

So far, I've had to replace:

1. alternator
2. starter
3. 4WD actuator (transfer case)
4. u-joint (differential)
5. u-joint (middle driveshaft)
6. driveshaft center support bearing
7. AC condenser
8. radiator fan clutch
9. cabin envirnomental fan
10. right rear wheel bearing

Currently, it needs:

1. front left wheel bearing
2. front right wheel bearing
3. left CV axle

To be honest, I'm not even sure I would expect this from an American truck, let alone an Asian one.

Is what I'm experiencing normal, or do I have a "longevity lemon"?

Thanks for any replies.

 

Depends on how it’s driven, maintained, modified, etc.

 

It's garage kept and well-maintained. For example, I lube the u-joints once per year.

My driving style is VERY conservative. Old man like, if anything.

 

Seems normal to me. Those are wear items.

But that said I haven’t had to replace any of those items with the exception of wheel bearings.

Rears twice.
Fronts once.

Truck has 130k

 

Was the condenser a road debris victim?

 

I say yes that is a lot of failures for that year and mileage. I have a 2009 I bought new, has less miles (114,000+) and I’ve only had 2 things fail. Front left wheel bearing and water pump.
Couple questions are you original owner? How long have you had the truck? What’s your maintenance like? What mods? Is it lifted? Do you off road?

 

I agree those are mostly wear items and things like wheel bearings and water pumps generally after 100000 miles you can expect to replace them at some point. But the u joints, drive shaft, actuator, no. The total sum of failures is concerning.

 

I havent changed a 1GR starter yet, and rarely have I seen the actuators fail. So ya a bit more issues than most see.

 

Oem U joints and carrier bearing w/ 157k in pa. Say that’s a fair life span.
Same with the actuator. Assuming it failed from rust or breather rot.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/u-joint-replacement.90843/

 

Original owner ‘06 with 197k. Now my daily again. I live in a dry climate Central CA.

2 alternators
Cabin Fan
Front wheel bearings
TPMS sensors

Everything else has just been wear like brakes, tires, batteries, headlight bulbs, serpentine belt / pulleys, shocks, worn suspension stuff, trans flush, ect.

Ohh and I have had a timing chain cover “weep” / leak for about 10 years now. It has never dripped, but does get a little messy. I got an estimate to fix it a long time ago and it and I did not feel like spending the money when it was not even dripping on the ground. I just clean it up every other oil change and roll with it.

 

I have an '09 TRD OffRoad Access Cab with 142K miles. I do ALL of my own maintenance, and I lube the driveshaft U joints and rotate the tires at every oil change (5K miles). I am proactive about maintenance, because I do not want to be stuck on the side of the road somewhere. If I think something needs to be done, I do it. Also, my reading TW probably goads me into doing stuff before necessary.

Here are MY service highlights:

• Battery in 2014 @ 54K miles
• New Frame in 2018 @ 79K miles
• Front Pads & Rotors in 2019 @ 86K miles
• Front Wheel Bearings in 2019 @93K miles
• Front & Rear Shocks in 2020 @99K miles
• TPMS sensors and Tires in 2020 @99K miles
• Inner & Outer Tie Rods in 2020 @99K miles
• Battery in 2021 @102K miles
• Headlight bulbs in 2021 @102K miles
• Intermediate Steering Shaft in 2021 @102K miles
• Front Swaybar Bushings in 2022 @ 113K miles
• AC Compressor / Condenser in 2023 @ 114K miles
• Headlight Housing in 2023 @ 117K miles
• Coolant Pump & CSF Radiator in 2025 @ 136K miles
• Carrier Bearing & U-Joints in 2025 @ 136K miles (none of this needed to be done, but the parts were getting old)
• New Carpet in 2025 @ 141K miles

​

 

I’m on my 4th Toyota truck since the 80’s my first gen needed a starter, the rest was only tires , batteries, wipers. You can’t judge a truck until you have owned it with zero miles on the clock. So, are you the original owner? Salt state ?

 

Regarding the 4WD actuator - use it or lose it! I don't do much 4 wheeling, but I pop the truck into and out of 4HI after every fill up. I put the truck into 4LO at least every 6 months.

 

You live on the edge of the rust belt, I'd say thats normal.

In drier climates that would be unusual, but not out of the realm of possibility.

My truck has ~130k on it and I just had to replace the inner TREs for the first time. Stock starter, alt, actuators. U-joints may be stock too?

 

One U joint, front brake pads, 168 thousand miles in Maine winters.

 

that is high amount of fixes needed. I have two Tacomas and my list is much more abbreviated.

 

My 2009 OR 4.0 6 ft bed access cab 2wd is probably the most dependable I ever owned.
Regular service- lube-oil-etc.
195k miles
Being a 2wd, I'm sure that saves on the parts wear but I can't tell you how many times I've pulled out a AWD out of the snow at the mountain house, A locker & 300 lbs of sand bags are your best friend. Snow & mud don't scare me. The 2023 is 4wd & I rarely ever use it- probably from owning a 2wd & learning how to drive it.
Brake jobs, belts, struts, shocks, tires- normal wear stuff
The biggest was probably the R&P- the only leak this truck ever had. Has 0 leaks today. I didn't even do the OEM rack- I cheaped out & did the NAPA knock-off & it's been fine.
I worked from it, hauled alot of shit in it so it wasn't babied but was parked in garage.
Never left me stranded

 

Forgot about this. 80k

 

Ok the more I think about it, it’s probably time to either part it out or dump it. I’ll give you $250 sight unseen if you don’t mind driving it out here to California.

 

Looking at your list, and comparing with mine:

You should realize that these parts are for a 16 year old truck with ~160K miles in the rust belt. If it were an other brand, it would probably be scrap by now.