Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
21
Latest Mar 6, 2021
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 300 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
4
What this page shows
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Toyota Tacoma submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 21 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming brake
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
BrakesEngine
Filed Mar 6, 2021
BOUGHT A VEHICLE FROM A WOMAN OFF OF CRAIGSLIST. MET HER IN AN UNFAMILIAR AREA. WOMAN STATED THE VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION AND RUNS PERFECT. WOMAN WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO TEST DRIVE THE VEHICLE. MY HUSBAND INSISTED ON CHECKING THE VIN ON CARFAX AND SHE QUICKLY PULLED OUT AN OUTDATED TITLE. THE VEHICLE'S ODOMETER READING STATED APPROXIMATELY 166,000 MILES. AFTER THE TRANSACTION OF $5000.00 WAS COMPLETED IN CASH. SHE QUICKLY LEFT WITH A HEAVYSET HISPANIC MALE THAT WAS WITH HER. MY HUSBAND LOOKED AT CARFAX AND THE LAST REPORTED MILEAGE ON CARFAX FOR THE VIN NUMBER WAS APPROXIMATELY 278,000 MILES FOR THAT VEHICLE. THE WOMAN QUICKLY BLOCKED OUT PHONE NUMBERS. ABOUT AN HOUR LATER SHE HAD HER NUMBER UNBLOCKED. WE CALLED HER FROM A DIFFERENT NUMBER AND ACTED AS THOUGH I WAS READY TO PURCHASE A VEHICLE FROM HER AND SHE STATED SHE HAD ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND COULD MEET ME AT THE SAME LOCATION (NOT KNOWING IT WAS ME) NOT ONLY WAS THE ODOMETER READING FALSE, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVEABLE AND COMPLETELY UNSAFE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS BROKEN.
NHTSA ID
11399558
Incident
Mar 6, 2021
BrakesElectricalSeat belts
Filed Dec 20, 2018
THE WIRING HARNESS CABLE FROM THE SENSORS TO THE COMPUTER BURNOUT AND THE SEATBELTS DOESN'T RESPOND RIGHT ESPECIALLY WITH HIS UNRAVELING AND DOESN'T LOCK GOOD OR POOL AND THE MASTER CYLINDER IT'S NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY EITHER IT'S LIKE IT'S NOT STOPPING THE BRAKES ARE NOT STOPPING I KNOW THE VEHICLE IS OLD BUT STILL THIS IS A DEFECT AND VERY HAS FOR THE DRIVERS OF ALL THE VEHICLES MY 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA SR5 2.4 LITER 2 WHEEL DRIVE
NHTSA ID
11162647
Incident
Dec 7, 2016
Mileage
205,000 mi
AirbagsBrakesPowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 12, 2011
MY WIFE STOPPED AT THE EDGE OF OUR DRIVEWAY TO LET A PEDESTRIAN PASS AND THEN PROCEED TO ENTER THE DRIVEWAY BY MAKING A RIGHT TURN. AS SHE ACCELERATED TO ENTERED THE DRIVEWAY, THE TACOMA TOOK OFF WITH THE ENGINE SCREAMING AT A VERY HIGH RPM AND, DESPITE HER EFFORTS TO STOP THE TRUCK BY PRESSING HARD ON THE BRAKE, SHE CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE AND EAST WALL OF THE HOUSE. DESPITE THE ENORMOUS DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, IT IS A TOTAL, I THINK, THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED.OBVIOUSLY THE TACOMA SUFFERED FROM THE SAME ACCELERATOR PROBLEM THAT HAS PLAGUED TOYOTA UNITS. MY WIFE, THE DRIVER, SUFFERED BRUISED RIBS AND A HEADACHE. FIRE AND POLICE RESPONDED TO EMERGENCY CALL. *TR
NHTSA ID
10425071
Incident
Sep 23, 2010
Mileage
133,788 mi
Brakes
Filed Jan 3, 2011
WHEN WEATHER TEMPERATURE DROPS TO 30 OR BELOW THE BRAKES START TO ACT UP. THERE ARE NO BRAKES UNTIL THE TRUCK IS WARMED UP. THE BRAKES SEEM TO GRAB ON FLAT ROADS BUT GOING DOWN EVEN THE SLIGHTEST HILL AND THE BRAKES LOCK. BEING A GIRL, I THOUGH I NEEDED NEW BRAKES. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND HAD A BRAKE JOB DONE. THE NEXT YEAR THE TEMPS DID NOT DROP TO 30 DEGREES . THE WINTER WAS MILD. THIS YEAR IT IS COLD AGAIN AND THE BRAKES ARE ACTING UP AGAIN. WITH ALL THE TOYOTA PROBLEMS, I THOUGH I SHOULD REPORT IT. ESPECIALLY AS BEING A GIRL, THE DEALER DOES NOT TAKE ME SERIOUSLY. I SEE ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS CONTINUED PROBLEM WITH MANY TOYOTA OWNERS. YOUR SYSTEM WILL NOT EXCEPT THE VN NUMBER, SO HERE IT IS [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
NHTSA ID
10374012
Incident
Jan 1, 2011
Mileage
55,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Feb 16, 2010
Crash reported1 injury reported1 death reported
TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK 1998, MY SON DIED IN THE ACCIDENT 2 YEARS AGO, ACCORDING POLICE REPORT SAID HE FELL ASLEEP IN THE WHEEL BUT THE CAR NEVER WAS AN ISSUE BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE RECALL MAYBE IT WAS THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. *TR
NHTSA ID
10311081
Incident
Nov 8, 2007
Brakes
Filed Jul 17, 2002
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE REPLACED 3 TIMES, AND THE BRAKE SHOES REPLACED 6 TIMES. THEY WERE REPLACED EVERY 16,000-18,000 MILES DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR. DURING FAILURE THE VEHICLE WOULD EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, REAREND HOPPED UP IF SUDDEN BRAKING WAS APPLIED. DEALER WAS INFORMED. *AK *NLM
NHTSA ID
8014183
BrakesSuspension
Filed Apr 11, 2001
THE VEHICLE VIBRATES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THE BRAKES VIBRATE WHEN APPLIED AS IF THE DISCS ARE BENT, MECHANIC CAN NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS THAT WOULD CAUSE THESE SYMPTOMS. *MJS
NHTSA ID
785393
Brakes
Filed Sep 7, 2000
WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND VEHICLSLID AWAY AND GOT AWAY , LOST CONTROL. AFTER 11000 MILES HAD NO BRAKES. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT VEHICLE NEEDED BRAKES. 25000 MILES AND NEEDS BRAKES AGAIN.*AK
NHTSA ID
869932
Incident
Aug 4, 1997
AirbagsBrakesSeat belts
Filed Jun 2, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported
WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 30-40 MPH AND UPON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL, PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE , AND RESULTING IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK SHOULDER HARNESS DID NOT TIGHTEN UP. *YH
NHTSA ID
862939
Incident
May 9, 2000
BrakesDriver assistanceSuspension
Filed May 15, 2000
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING HARD ACCELERATION. NLM
NHTSA ID
552257
Incident
Oct 22, 1998
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Feb 12, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported
WHEN PULLING INTO A TURNING LANE WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE GROUND , THEN L TRIED TO PRESS THE BRAKES AGAIN THE BRAKES STILL DID NOT RESPOND. THEN, THIRD TIME THE REAR END BRAKES JUST SIMPLY LOCKED UP, REAR ENDING A MERCEDES 30MPH. THEN, THE TRUCK WENT TO THE SIDE AND LIGHTLY HIT ANOTHER TOYOTA TRUCK, NIETHER SIDES OFF MY AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND MY TRUCK RECEIVED HEAVY FRONT CLIP DAMAGE AND HEAVY SIDE DAMAGE, L WAS LEFT WITH NO WAY TO GET TO WORK , SINCE THEN THE TRUCK HAS BEEN REPOSSED AND LM BEING SUED APPROSS.30,000 DOLLARS. L STILL THANK GOD IM OK AND SO WAS EVERY BODY ELSE *AK
NHTSA ID
718638
Incident
Dec 31, 1999
Brakes
Filed Oct 6, 1999
WHEN THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE IS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE ROLLS AS IF IN NEUTRAL. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ID
850088
Brakes
Filed Oct 6, 1999
WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED AND THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE IS APPLIED THE VEHICLE ROLLS AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ID
850085
Body & structureBrakes
Filed Sep 8, 1999
BRAKES FAILED, BUMPER WAS SMASHED FROM IMPACT AT 5-10 MPH.
NHTSA ID
609502
Incident
Oct 13, 1998
BrakesEngineTransmission+1 more
Filed Mar 21, 1999
ENGINE FAILED. YH
NHTSA ID
702031
Brakes
Filed Feb 1, 1999
MUSHY AND SOFT BRAKE PEDALS CONTRIBUTED TO AN ACCIDENT. YH
NHTSA ID
609055
Brakes
Filed Feb 1, 1999
BRAKE ROTOR AND DISK FAILED. YH
NHTSA ID
608774
Incident
Dec 1, 1998
BrakesHeating & air conditioningExterior lighting
Filed Feb 1, 1999
EVAPORATIVE CANISTER FAILED. YH
NHTSA ID
608699
Incident
Sep 1, 1998
BrakesEngine
Filed Feb 1, 1999
FRONT BRAKES WORN OUT & BRAKE LIGHT REMAINS ON. *YC
NHTSA ID
608608
Incident
Oct 1, 1998
Brakes
Filed Feb 1, 1999
BRAKE PADS AND SHOES FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. NLM
NHTSA ID
606131
BrakesSteering
Filed Oct 7, 1998
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE STEERING AND THE VEHICLE VIBRATE. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE WILL BE VIBRATING. CONTACTED DEALER, CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA ID
828026
Incident
Sep 3, 1998
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own