2001 Toyota Tacoma Brakes Problems

Your ABS control unit failed in early 2020, and Toyota no longer manufactures replacement parts for your 2001 Tacoma. Despite contacting Toyota directly and searching nationwide, you found that no new parts were available, and two used units you obtained both failed after installation. Toyota declined to address this as a safety issue or provide assistance, leaving you and other owners unable to repair the ABS system.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BECAUSE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE WAS DAMAGED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MOUNTED ONTO THE LIFT, THE FRAME FRACTURED IN BETWEEN THE CABIN AND THE BED OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD AND ALL RECALLS HAD EXPIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT RESPOND CAUSING HIM TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER IN THE SECOND VEHICLE SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES ALTHOUGH THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BRAKES HAD FAILED BECAUSE THE STRUT AND SHOCK HAD DISMOUNTED FROM THE VEHICLE DUE TO SEVERE RUST ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE UNDER CARRIAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL WHERE THE UNDER CARRIAGE WAS TREATED WITH A ANTI-CORROSION COATING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000. *TR

THE BRAKES FAILED DUE TO LOSS OF HYDRAULIC FLUID. THIS OCCURRED SUDDENLY. THE STEEL HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE HAS CORRODED AND RUPTURED WITHIN AN INCH OF WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE BRAKE BIAS VALVE NEAR THE LEFT REAR WHEEL. UPON INSPECTION OF THE AREA AROUND THE BRAKE BIAS VALVE, THE BIAS VALVE ITSELF, THE BOLTS SECURING THE BIAS VALVE, AND THE BRAKE LINES SEVERE CORROSION WAS OBSERVED. THE INSPECTOR WHO HAS 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING ON TOYOTAS REGARDS THIS CORROSION AS ABNORMAL FOR ANY VEHICLE OF THIS AGE. THE VEHICLE'S FRAME WAS COATED WITH A SUBSTANCE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT CORROSION UNDER A TOYOTA RECALL IN OCT. 2010. THIS SUBSTANCE WAS SPRAYED ON THE BRAKE LINE WHICH RUPTURED AS WELL. THE INSPECTOR FEELS THAT THE COATING IS ACTUALLY ACCELERATING THE CORROSION. THE INSPECTOR OBSERVED THE COATING PEALING OFF OF THE TRUCK'S FRAME IN LARGE SHEETS. *TR

EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILURE, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON MY 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA HAS SEIZED FOR A SECOND TIME. WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SEIZED IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO OPERATE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE DESIGN OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM ALLOWS THE SYSTEM TO SEIZE DUE TO CORROSION AT THE LOCATION WHERE THE ACTUATING LEVER MEETS THE MOUNTING BLOCK. I HAVE PREVIOUSLY HAD THIS REPAIRED BY THE TOYOTA DEALER AT A COST OF $350 (2 MOUNTING BLOCKS@ $90.00 EACH AND 1 HOUR LABOR PER SIDE TO REMOVE AND REPLACE MOUNTING BLOCKS AND ACTUATING LEVER(S). THE PROTECTIVE RUBBER BOOT WHICH SHOULD PROTECT THE JOINT BETWEEN THE LEVER AND MOUNTING BLOCK IS LOCATED APPROX 1/8" FROM THE JOINT, WHICH PROVIDES NO MEANINGFUL PROTECTION FROM WATER AND SALT I.E. CORROSION. ONCE A SMALL AMOUNT OF CORROSION OCCURS THE JOINT SEIZES AND RENDERS THE EMERGENCY BRAKE UNUSABLE. *TR

MY 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA HAS DEALER VERIFIED FRAME RUST PERFORATION. WHEN THE FIRST LETTER FROM TOYOTA CAME TO MY DOOR IN EARLY 2009 I WENT DIRECTLY TO MY LOCAL DEALER WHO DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND STATED TO ME THAT THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME WITH MORE INFORMATION AS IT BECAME AVAILABLE TO THEM. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT WISCONSIN WAS ASKING TOYOTA TO PROVIDE MORE DATA ON THE PROPOSE SOLUTIONS TO THIS ISSUE AND HAD NOT APPROVED TOYOTA TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT ME WHEN I COULD GET MY TRUCK INSPECTED. MANY MORE MONTHS PASSED AND FINALLY I HAD ENOUGH AND CALLED TOYOTA DIRECT. I WAS ASSIGNED A CASE MANAGER AND SHE SAID SHE WOULD HELP ME GET MY TRUCK INSPECTED. THIS FINALLY HAPPENED ON APRIL 27, 2010. NOW THEY TELL MY ONLY OPTION IS A REPLACEMENT FRAME, WHICH TO ME IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THEN LUCKY 2001 OWNERS WHO WERE ABLE TO GET QUICK INSPECTIONS WERE OFFERED THE BUY BACK OPTION. IN VARIOUS FORUMS THE ONES WITH THE REPLACEMENT FRAMES ARE SEEING ISSUES WITH LEAKING GAS TANKS, AND UP CHARGES FOR INCIDENTAL ITEMS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED CORROSION ON THE FRAME AND THE BRAKE LINKAGE. HE THEN ADDED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NON-REPAIRABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 159000.

THERE HAS BEEN NO INCIDENT AS OF YET. THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER WE WENT TO HAVE THE BRAKES FIXED AND WERE TOLD THAT THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK WAS RUSTING THROUGH. THE DEALER INFORMED US THAT THE RECALL ON OUR TRUCK WOULD NOT BE PUT THROUGH FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS. AND THAT OUR TRUCK WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. HOW EVER I FEEL THAT IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE SINCE YOU CAN PUT YOUR HAND THROUGH THE FRAME WHERE IT HAS RUSTED. THIS IS OUR ONLY VEHICLE AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER AT THIS TIME. THE TRUCK IS A 2001 AND THIS IS 2008, THIS TRUCK IS USED FOR DAILY NEEDS AND GENERAL RIDING. *TR

WHILE BRAKING AT NY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A GRINDING NOISE, AND THE PEDAL PULSATED. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS. *AK

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BRAKES PADS ON HIS VEHICLE WAS WEARING OUT TOO FAST. HE STATED HE IS CONSTANTLY REPLACING THEM EVERY 3 MONTHS. *JB

THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DESIGNED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER, CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE WENT TO PRESS THE BRAKE HE ALSO PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. PH *JB

FRONT BRAKES MAKES LOUD CLICKING NOISE WHEN BACKING UP, AND I'VE BEEN TOLD TOLD THAT THE NOISE IS NORMAL FROM THE SHIFTING BRAKES PADS. PLEASE ADVISE

CONSUMER COULD HEAR A GRINDING NOISE WHEN MAKING A SLOW RIGHT TURN OR PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, DEALER FOUND CONTAMINATED BRAKE PADS AND REPLACED THEM, HOEWVER NOISE CONTINUED, CONSUMER ALSO NOTICED THAT VEHICLE WOULD NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, DEALER FOUND THAT ABS SENSOR WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY AND MADE REPAIRS. *SLC

CONSUMER COULD HEAR A GRINDING NOISE WHEN MAKING A SLOW RIGHT TURN OR PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, DEALER FOUND CONTAMINATED BRAKE PADS AND REPLACED THEM, HOEWVER NOISE CONTINUED, CONSUMER ALSO NOTICED NOW THAT VEHICLE WOULD NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, DEALER FOUND THAT ABS SENSOR WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY AND MADE REPAIRS. *SLC

WHILE DESCENDING A MODERATELY STEEP DIRT ROAD WE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE HYDRAULIC AND EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEMS. VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO A STOP ON A FLAT AREA OF ROAD. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES BRAKE SYSTEM SLOWLY RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. LOCAL DEALER INSPECTION REVEALED NO APPARENT CAUSE FOR THE MALFUNCTION AND NO SUGGESTION AS TO WHAT POSSIBLY COULD HAVE CAUSED BOTH BRAKE SYSTEMS TO FAIL. NO EVIDENCE OF BRAKE OVERHEATING OR FATIGUE, NO FLUID LEAKS OR STORED COMPUTER FAULT CODES. DEALER SUGGESTION, "DRIVE IT TILL IT FAILS AGAIN AND BRING IT BACK".*AK