2013 Toyota Tacoma Brakes Problems
9 owner-reported brakes complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Brakes Recalls (1)
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 Toyota Tacoma and Lexus RX350 vehicles and certain model year 2012 Toyota Rav4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the brake system contains a brake actuator that adjusts the fluid pressure of each wheel cylinder. An electrical component within the actuator may experience an increased resistance resulting in the illumination of various warning lights, including those for the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system, Antilock Brake System (ABS), and Traction Control system.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and Toyota and Lexus dealers will update the software for the Skid Control electronic control unit, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Owner Complaints (9)
Your power brake booster failed while driving, causing a significant loss of braking power with no warning. Fortunately, you were in a low-traffic area when it happened. This part has been known to fail on some Toyota models, and the repair cost $3,000 at the dealership. The fix will involve replacing the brake booster unit.
Parts you may need:
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Your ABS (anti-lock braking system) unexpectedly activated while turning at 35 mph without any warning lights coming on. This happened at around 92,000 miles and may be related to a known Toyota safety recall. Having the ABS and stability control system inspected by a dealer is important to ensure your brakes work as intended.
Parts you may need:
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REPORTING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2013 TOYOTA TACOMA VIN [XXX]: ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN VERY RELIABLE OTHERWISE, THERE ARE THREE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH MY VEHICLE: 1. THE VEHICLE CAN EXPERIENCE SUDDEN ACCELERATION, NOTED ESPECIALLY WHILE IDLING. THE SET IDLE SPEED, WHICH THE DEALER HAS TOLD ME CONFORMS TO MANUFACTURER'S GUIDELINES, IS VERY HIGH, AND WHEN AT A STOP SIGN OR OTHER STOP, IT CAN SUDDENLY LURCH FORWARD. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION, WHICH MAY BE LINKED TO IDLING WHILE THE AIR CONDITIONING IS ON, IS VERY ALARMING. IN ONE INSTANCE, LINKED TO WHAT I DESCRIBE IN ITEM 2, I BELIEVE THIS WAS A CONTRIBUTOR TO A CRASH INTO MY GARAGE, CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE. 2. THE FLOOR MATS, WHICH WERE A MANUFACTURER'S ACCESSORY FOR THE VEHICLE, CAN EASILY BECOME DETACHED FROM THEIR EYELET HOOKS, AND MAY THEN SLIP UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS WAS ALSO A LIKELY CONTRIBUTOR TO THE ACCIDENT DESCRIBED ABOVE. 3. THE SUN VISOR RETAINING BRACKET NO LONGER WORKS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, AND IT NO LONGER HAS THE REQUIRED TENSION TO HOLD IT UP. THE BRACKET ASSEMBLY IS A CHEAP PLASTIC BRACKET. I?M SURE TOYOTA CAN COME UP WITH SOME FIX AND CHANGE THIS FOR FUTURE MODELS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ABS ACTIVATED ON ITS OWN AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE WHILE MAKING A TURN. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF ANY INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAS POSSESSION OF VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,905.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. THE BRAKE PEDAL REQUIRED TO BE DEPRESSED VIOLENTLY IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000. UPDATED 05/11/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER CLEANED AND ADJUSTED THE BRAKES. UPDATED 05/17/16. *JB
IN STOP AND GO HEAVY TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE, BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. ON TAKING TRUCK TO TOYOTA DEALER, A FAILED BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. NO EXPLANATION WAS OFFERED AS TO WHY A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 6000 MILES ON IT WOULD SUFFER A FAILED BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH AND INJURY TO OTHER CARS AND PASSENGERS. *TR
I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT A COMPLAINT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION DUE TO A RECALL ON MY TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK. I RECENTLY CALLED A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP (SERVCO WAIPAHU) AND EXPLAINED THAT TWO OUT OF THE 3 INDICATOR LIGHTS NOTED ON MY SAFETY RECALL LETTER CAME ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND DID NOT TURN OFF. KNOWING THAT THIS WAS NOT A GOOD SIGN, I MOVED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO TURN OFF MY CAR. IN DOING SO, NOTHING HAPPENED. THE INDICATOR LIGHTS CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE. WHEN I CALLED, THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF MY RECALL ISSUE HOWEVER DID NOT SHOW ANY CONCERN OF THE PROBLEM THAT I JUST STATED. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE BOOKED WITH CARS AND WERE UNABLE TO SERVICE MY CAR UNTIL JUNE 23. THAT IS MORE THAN 50 DAYS AWAY. THE NOTE/RECALL LETTER MENTIONS THAT THE FUNCTIONS BEING INOPERATIVE "CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH" AND THAT IF THE LIGHTS DO NOT TURN OFF, I NEEDED TO CALL FOR "IMMEDIATE" DIAGNOSIS AND APPROPRIATE REPAIR. IN ASKING HOW SERIOUS WAS THE ISSUE, THE LADY COULD NOT HELP ME NOR DID SHE TRY TO GET SOMEBODY ON THE PHONE. THEY MENTIONED THAT I COULD BRING IN MY CAR AND LEAVE IT FOR STANDBY. SHE ALSO MENTIONED THAT IT COULD TAKE A WEEK. I WOULD BE WITHOUT A CAR FOR A WEEK. HOW DO THEY EXPECT ME TO GO TO WORK? I AM FRUSTRATED BECAUSE IT IS NOT MY FAULT THAT MY CAR IS ONE OF THE MANY THAT ARE BEING RECALLED, SO THERE SHOULD BE AT LEAST SOMETHING TO HELP THOSE THAT WOULD BE INCONVENIENCED WITHOUT A CAR. THEY DID NOT OFFER ANYTHING. I KNOW THE UPDATE/RECALL WILL BE WITHOUT A CHARGE HOWEVER THE AMOUNT OF TIME PEOPLE WILL BE INCONVENIENCED IS NOT WORTH IT. I WAS WILLING TO TAKE MY CAR IN SINCE THE LIGHT WAS ON, HOWEVER TO NOT HAVE IT FOR A WEEK OR MORE, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU FOR HAVING SUCH SITE TO VOICE MY CONCERNS. I AM ABOUT SAFETY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND I DON'T FEEL I RECEIVED THAT TODAY! *TR
THE VEHICLE HAS EXTREMELY GRABBY BRAKES AND I FEEL THAT THEY CONTRIBUTED TO THE LOSS OF CONTROL I EXPERIENCED ON SLIPPERY ROAD SURFACES. AS I ATTEMPTED TO GENTLY SLOW DOWN BY APPLYING THE BRAKES I LOST THE BACK END OF THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NOT FAVORABLE, BUT I HAVE DRIVEN MAY OTHER VEHICLES IN MUCH WORSE CONDITIONS WITHOUT EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE. I FEEL THAT PROBABILITY OF LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BEEN GREATLY REDUCED IF THE BRAKES WERE NOT GRABBY. *TR
IT HAPPENED IN A SUNDAY AFTERNOON. I WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK 2013 TOYOTA TACOMA (BRAND NEW LESS THAN A MONTH). I HAD FRIENDS RIDING WITH ME. I KNEW THERE IS A STOP SIGN AND I SAW THE STOP SIGN ABOUT SEVERAL BLOCKS AWAY AND LIFTED MY RIGHT FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL. WHEN I SLIGHTLY APPLIED MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, MY TRUCK DIDN'T EVEN SLOW DOWN A BIT EVEN THOUGH I PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. MY TRUCK KEPT GOING LIKE ACCELERATING ITSELF WITH BIG NOISE LIKE VROOOOOOOOOOM. I KEPT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND MEANWHILE SHIFTED THE STICK FROM D TO N TO R TO P JUST IN SPLIT OF A SECOND. EVERYBODY IN MY TRUCK WAS SCARED BECAUSE MY TRUCK ALMOST REARED INTO THE CAR AT THE STOP SIGN AND MY FRIENDS THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO CRUSH INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF US. THE DEALER GROUNDED THE TRUCK THE NEXT DAY AFTER I REPORTED THE INCIDENT AND PROMISED TO MAKE A THOROUGH SERVICE TO THIS VEHICLE AND FIND THE PROBLEM. *TR