Toyota Recalling Over 100K Tacomas for Brake Lines That Can Fail Due to Mud
More than 100,000 Toyota Tacomas are in need of a brake hose fix after an issue with clearance popped up, according to a recall notice filed with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. These mid-size trucks could develop a problem where dirt or mud between the wheel and brake line causes a failure. Perhaps the most surprising part of this whole issue is that it could expand far beyond the already large population it includes.
NHTSA states that Toyota includes exactly 106,061 Tacomas in this recall. All of them come with four-wheel-drive, 17-inch wheels, and 16-inch rear brakes. Notably, the potential issue seems to only occur in the rear. Moreover, Toyota currently believes that the problem won't arise in rear-wheel drive versions of the truck,and versions with 18-inch wheels are safe from this recall for now. Toyota sells 17-inch wheels on the SR, SR5, TRD PreRunner, and TRD Off-Road (i-Force) trims only. All of those come with the same rear brake package, as well.
The notice says Toyota first heard of the problem back in July of 2024 when dealers sounded the alarm. The combination of that specific brake-and-wheel package means the two are close enough that mud and dirt built up in the wheel can come into contact with the brake line; if that happens enough, it can damage the line and spring a leak.
Soon after this finding, Toyota began an investigation including tests to replicate the condition and a review of the brake package design. It found that the positioning of the brake hose relative to its 16-inch brake setup was outside of the rear caliper profile. Essentially, it was a possible point of contact for debris. The automaker says it knows of five technical field reports and 12 warranty claims associated with the issue.
The fix involves "improved" rear brake hoses that local dealers will install on affected trucks. It's worth noting that the recall population could expand too; Toyota is still investigating other drive-line, wheel, and brake package combinations to determine if any of them might exhibit the same issues. For now, owners should keep an eye out for build-up of mud and dirt in their Tacoma's wheels — and probably clean it out when they find it.
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