Toyota Tacoma Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 392 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the Toyota Tacoma across 29 model years. The 2019 model year has the most (53). The words owners use most often: “master cylinder” (14% of reports).
- 392service brakes complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 52mention a crash
- 13mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- $2,100typical repair cost reported by owners
- 26%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Master cylinder: mentioned in 54 of 392 complaints (14%)
- Brake fluid: mentioned in 39 of 392 complaints (10%)
- Pedal depressed: mentioned in 27 of 392 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes repair on the Toyota Tacoma at $2,100, and half of them between $1,500 and $2,500.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2014–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 242 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 392 complaints, 52 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 13 an injury.
Toyota Tacoma service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Tacoma | 3 | 3% | — |
| 2024 Tacoma | 19 | 13% | 24,322 |
| 2023 Tacoma | 5 | 9% | — |
| 2022 Tacoma | 6 | 10% | 10 |
| 2021 Tacoma | 12 | 15% | 9,400 |
| 2020 Tacoma | 12 | 13% | 5,156 |
| 2019 Tacoma | 53 | 24% | 2,700 |
| 2018 Tacoma | 44 | 21% | 9,000 |
| 2017 Tacoma | 31 | 13% | 13,400 |
| 2016 Tacoma | 18 | 6% | 4,850 |
| 2015 Tacoma | 11 | 11% | 9,000 |
| 2014 Tacoma | 17 | 18% | 10,500 |
| 2013 Tacoma | 16 | 13% | 17,338 |
| 2012 Tacoma | 21 | 7% | 51,500 |
| 2011 Tacoma | 10 | 5% | 61,090 |
| 2010 Tacoma | 7 | 2% | 55,500 |
| 2009 Tacoma | 16 | 3% | 90,000 |
| 2008 Tacoma | 12 | 3% | 29,000 |
| 2007 Tacoma | 19 | 4% | 64,000 |
| 2006 Tacoma | 19 | 2% | 78,500 |
| 2005 Tacoma | 7 | 1% | 85,107 |
| 2004 Tacoma | 10 | 2% | 88,610 |
| 2003 Tacoma | 9 | 3% | 139,000 |
| 2002 Tacoma | 2 | 1% | 152,500 |
| 2001 Tacoma | 7 | 2% | 143,000 |
| 2000 Tacoma | 2 | 1% | 186,210 |
| 1999 Tacoma | 1 | 0% | — |
| 1998 Tacoma | 2 | 1% | 205,000 |
| 1995 Tacoma | 1 | 1% | 163,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Model years: 2024, 2025
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Tacoma 4-wheel drive vehicles. The rear brake hoses can be damaged if mud and dirt builds up inside the rear wheels. This can result in a brake fluid leak.
Risk: A brake fluid leak can reduce braking ability and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace both rear brake hoses, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 1, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB04 and 25TA04.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Model years: 2018, 2019
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Toyota Tacoma vehicles. Improper machining of the brake master cylinder may result in internal damage of one of the seals, affecting brake performance.
Risk: Reduced brake performance can lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, free of charge. The recall began January 28, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J16/J06.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum
Model years: 2017
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Toyota Camry and Highlander vehicles, 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles and 2017 Lexus RX350 vehicles. During the manufacturing process, the oil galley in the rotor for the brake booster vacuum pump assembly may have been improperly machined possibly resulting in a sudden loss of brake assist.
Risk: A sudden loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake booster vacuum pump, free of charge. The recall began on May 9, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371, or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0K/JLD.
Electronic stability control (esc); service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module
Model years: 2012, 2013
Problem: 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.
Risk: If this occurs, these systems could become inoperative, reducing the directional control assistance, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The brakes failed, out of nowhere, no codes and no warning. The vehicle was taken to lithia Toyota of [XXX] on XXX for inspection and they say they couldnât recreate the issue. 5 days later the vehicle was taken to Grants Pass Toyota and they have isolated the issue to be a faulty master…
The parking brake sticks. This is an issue because the vehicle automatically applies the parking brake briefly when switching from neutral to first gear or reverse to prevent rollback. When this happens, the parking brake sticks, and the rear wheels lock. I believe the brake cables have been…
Brake Master cylinder. The brakes lose all pressure and do not stop the truck all of a sudden. This is an open recall on many of these trucks but apparently my specific truck isnât included in this. Because it just happened we are looking for the parts to fix this. Although itâs to the tune of…
The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle jumped a curb, went down a riverbank, and crashed into a telephone pole. The air bags did not deploy. The brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The parking brake was…
Brake master cylinder failed on 2019 Toyota Tacoma. Vehicle had ~40000 miles at time of failure summer of 2025. Out of pocket expense was over $2000.00.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota Tacomas have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 392 owner complaints about service brakes for the Toyota Tacoma. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Toyota Tacoma service brakes?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes problems on the Toyota Tacoma?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,100 (half paid between $1,500 and $2,500), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the Toyota Tacoma?
The most frequent phrase is “master cylinder”, in 54 of 392 complaints, followed by “brake fluid” (39).
Other Toyota Tacoma problems
- Structure problems (2,204)
- Suspension problems (1,533)
- Power Train problems (941)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (779)
- Air Bags problems (556)
- Steering problems (476)
- Electrical System problems (434)
- Engine problems (433)
See all Toyota Tacoma problems.