Toyota Recalls 2024-2025 Tacoma Models for Bad Brakes

Toyota Motor North America is recalling more than 106,000 model 2024-2025 Tacoma 4-wheel-drive vehicles built in Mexico and California. The clearance between the rear brake hose and wheel may allow mud and dirt to build up, which can damage the brake hose and lead to a brake fluid leak.

“The subject 4-wheel drive vehicles are equipped with 16-inch brake systems where the brake hoses, attached to rear brake calipers, transfer brake fluid under hydraulic pressure to the calipers for braking. These components are positioned inside the rear Toyota 17-inch wheels. The brake calipers and wheels of this specific size combination have clearance between the brake hoses and wheels such that, if mud and dirt build up on the interior of the wheels when operating under certain off-road conditions, this mud/dirt can contact the brake hoses. Over time, this may damage and wear through the brake hoses, causing a brake fluid leak. This can lead to a reduction of brake performance and increase in brake stopping distance, which increases the risk of a crash,” Toyota said in the required filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Dealers will replace both rear brake hoses, free of charge as required by U.S. safety regulations. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are not expected to be mailed until 24 March 2025. A second letter will be sent once the remedy for the safety defect is available. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota’s numbers for this recall are 25TB04 and 25TA04. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at nhtsa.gov about NHTSA 25V058 or 25V-058,

Chronology

• July 2024 – October 2024 – In mid-July, Toyota began to receive dealer reports on MY2024 Toyota Tacoma vehicles regarding a rear brake hose leak. The vehicles were 4-wheel drive with a combination of 16- inch brakes and 17-inch Toyota wheels. Upon further inspection, the dealer technicians found the rear brake hoses were damaged and worn through. It was also noted the brake hose was able to rub against mud and dirt that was built up on the inside of the rear wheels. Toyota was able to recover the rear brake hoses from one of these vehicles for additional investigation. During this time, Toyota confirmed that the manufacturing processes used to install the brake hose were following the proper routing. In addition, Toyota began a design review of the rear brake system. As a result of the design review, Toyota found: 1) the clearance between the brake hose and wheel of the 16-inch rear brakes and 17-inch Toyota wheels is less than other combinations; and 2) vehicles with 16-inch and 17-inch brakes use the same rear brake hose, but the positioning of the rear brake hose on 16-inch brake is different and outside of the rear caliper profile.
• November 2024 – January 2025 – Based on this review, Toyota undertook a study using MY2024-2025 Tacoma 2-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive models equipped with 16-inch brakes and 17-inch or 18-inch Toyota wheels to understand the effect of mud and dirt build-up on the wheel. Toyota was able to replicate the build-up of mud and dirt inside the wheel on 4-wheel drive models but was unable do so on 2- wheel drive models. Additionally, Toyota was able to confirm contact between the rear brake hose and mud/ dirt build-up on 4-wheel drive models with the 16-inch rear brake and 17-inch Toyota wheel combination due to the relatively small clearance but was unable to do so with the larger 18-inch Toyota wheels with larger clearance between the hose and the wheel. As a result of the above testing, Toyota concluded that 4-wheel drive vehicles with 16-inch rear brakes and 17-inch Toyota wheels may experience rear brake hose damage due to the smaller clearance between the brake hose and the wheel if, when operating under certain off-road conditions, mud and dirt build up on the interior of the wheels and contact the brake hose. Over time, this may wear through the brake hoses, causing a brake fluid leak. This can lead to a reduction of brake performance and increase in brake stopping distance, which increases the risk of a crash.
• January 31, 2025 – Based on the results of the above investigation, Toyota decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall campaign. As of January 29, 2025, based on a diligent review of records, Toyota’s best engineering judgment is that there are five (5) Toyota Field Technical Reports and twelve (12) warranty claims that have been received from U.S. sources that relate or may relate to this condition in the involved vehicles, and which were considered in the decision to submit this report.