Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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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 2016 Toyota Tundra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 35 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.
The 25 most recent of 35, in the owner's own words
The trailer brake controller went out. It does not supply electronic braking and the truck no longer recognizes the controller on the dashboard. Multiple on line chats and forums, along with my trailer provider, show awareness of this defect. Online individuals learned of the issue during emergency stopping. This appears to be known and wide spread.
1)Over 60 MPH with new tires the vehicle pulses & shakes on front end, checked alignment everything OK per Mechanic. Just started to occur 2)Bluetooth when on iPhone will at any time cut out guaranteed to occur when using at any time been occurring for 2 + years. 3)Trailer brake warning light (Idiot light) comes on dashboard does not recommend trailering due to electrical issue. occurring for 2+ years Bought vehicle used in 2017 with 13k on Truck now 2024 has 91K on truck love the truck but zero recalls for any of the above?
The integrated brake controller does not apply enough power to the trailer brakes.
Bought a used 2016 Tundra, unaware of the massive problem they have with their intergrated brake controller, i feel they need to do something about this or reimburse the buyer for buying a aftermarket one to replace the factory unit. Its a very unsafe problem when pulling a trailer, I love the truck otherwise but this issue needs fixed.
BRAKE CONTROLLER DOESN'T WORK AS IT DESIGNED.
INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER INTERMITENT FAILURE. TRAILER BRAKES WORK FOR A FEW BRAKING CYCLES THEN FAIL COMPLETELY WITH AN ERROR MESSAGE ON THE TRUCK OF "TRAILER WIRING TYPE, OR CONNECTION FAULT". TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND ON RESETS THE CONTROLLER AND "FIXES" THE PROBLEM UNTIL ANOTHER FEW BRAKING CYCLES, THEN REPEATS.
REAL SAMPLE THE BRAKE CONTROLLER DOESN'T WORK NO MATTER IF YOU SET IT UP TO 9.5 OR 10 DOESN'T DO ANY BRAKE APPLIED.
THE FACTORY SUPPLIED OEM BRAKE CONTROLLER DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, AND IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. THE CURRENT DESIGN OR SOFTWARE IS TOO CONSERVATIVE, AND DOES NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT POWER TO TRAILERS WITH ELECTRIC BRAKES. I HAVE TOWED MY NEW TRAILER WITH NEW BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE RESULT IS CONSISTENT. WITH THE BRAKE CONTROLLER SET AT FULL POWER, THE ACTUAL TRAILER BRAKING IS MINIMAL, THEREFORE FORCING THE VEHICLE TO PROVIDE SOME OF THE BRAKING FORCE. THIS WORKS IN CONTROLLED SITUATIONS ON LEVEL GROUND. BUT, IN THE MOUNTAINS OR EMERGENCY STOPPING, THIS REPRESENTS A SAFETY ISSUE WHERE I DO NOT FEEL THAT THE VEHICLE AND TRAILER WILL BE SAFELY STOPPED WITHOUT INCIDENT. A FRIEND OF MINE HAS THE EXACT SAME VEHICLE WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH WILL REVEAL HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. THIS ISSUE STARTED WITH THE 2015 MODEL YEAR. I'M CONCERNED THAT TOYOTA IS CONTINUING TO IGNORE THIS ISSUE DUE TO LEGAL LIABILITY REGARDING ACCIDENTS THAT ALREADY OCCURRED DUE TO THIS ENGINEERING FLAW. IT IS GOING ON 3 YEARS NOW WITHOUT A FIX. TOYOTA DID ISSUE A SOFTWARE UPGRADE LAST YEAR WHICH SHOULD HAVE FIXED THIS ISSUE. I HAD THE UPGRADE DONE, AND IT WAS ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLE AS TO THE DIFFERENCE. IT WAS TOO CONSERVATIVE AND STILL DOES NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH POWER, AS COMPARED TO ANY BRAKE CONTROLLER ON THE MARKET. MOST OWNERS HAVE GIVEN UP AND INSTALLED AFTERMARKET BRAKE CONTROLLERS LIKE THE TEKONSHA PRODIGY P3 MODEL. I BELIEVE THAT THE PROGRAMMING SHOULD BE FIXED SO THAT THE FACTORY CONTROLLER CAN BE USED SAFELY.
I PURCHASED A NEW TRAILER TO PICK UP MY NEW TRACTOR. I TESTED THE TRAILER BRAKES KNOWING I WAS PULLING A LARGE LOAD AND DIDN'T WANT AN ACCIDENT. THE BRAKES APPEARED TO APPLY BUT DUE TO IT NOT BEING LOADED WHEN TESTING I HAD IT SET TO 5(OUT OF 10). WHILE PULLING IT BACK HOME ON THE INTERSTATE TOWING MY TRACTOR BEHIND ME THERE WAS TRAFFIC STOPPING AHEAD. I ALWAYS DRIVE IN THE RIGHT LANE TO NOT SLOW OTHERS...THANK GOD I DID. I HAD TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD ONTO THE SHOULDER TO MISS HITTING OR DRIVING OVER CARS AHEAD OF ME! THE BRAKES TURNED UP TO 10 DID NOTHING TO EVEN SLOW ME DOWN. I WAS TOWING 4 TONS AND 3 TONS FOR THE TRUCK TOTALING 7 TONS, SOMEONE WOULD'VE BEEN KILLED! TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIX THESE TRAILER BRAKES! I CAN'T TOW MY TRACTOR ANYWHERE FOR WORK DUE TO THE BRAKES BEING UNSAFE!
FRONT ROTORS WARPED IN UNDER 15,000 MILES VIN#[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
HAVE HAD BRAKING ISSUES WITH INTEGRATED BRAKE CONTROLLER, NO MATTER WHAT POWER LEVEL I USE THERE SEEMS TO BE VERY LITTLE IF NO EFFECT ON THE TRAILER BRAKING. I CAN SWITCH THE INTEGRATED BRAKE CONTROLLER TO ELECTRIC OVER HYDRAULIC AND THEY APPLY THE BRAKES AND THEY GRAB IMMEDIATELY, IT SEEMS THAT THE INTEGRATED BRAKE CONTROLLER IN ELECTRIC BRAKE MODE DOES NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH ELECTRICAL POWER TO ACTIVATE THE TRAILER BRAKES.
CPSC:I PURCHASED A 2016 TOYOTA TUNDRA PICKUP TRUCK. THE TRUCK COMES WITH AN INTEGRATED BRAKE CONTROLLER FOR TOWING TRAILERS, BOATS, ETC. THE IBC HAS TWO MODES OF BRAKING, FOR TRAILERS WITH ELECTRIC BRAKES OR FOR TRAILERS WITH HYDRAULIC BRAKES. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING DID NOT WORK FOR THE ELECTRICS BRAKES MODE. UPDATED 04/21/2017 *JS
INTEGRATED BRAKE CONTROLLER DOES NOT OPERATE TRAILER BRAKES, AT ANY TIME. MOVING OR STANDING STILL.
THE IBC FAILS TO WORK ON A ALUMA TANDEM TRAIL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE CONTROLLER ON THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACTIVATE THE BRAKE ON THE TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN ERROR MESSAGE ILLUMINATED, REFERRING THE DRIVER TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SENT TWO ENGINEERS TO INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE. THE ENGINEERS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PART WAS WORKING AS DESIGNED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000.
THE INTEGRATED BREAK CONTROLLER DOES NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. DEALER STATED IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND TOYOTA DOES NOT HAVE A REPAIR FOR THE FACTORY DEFECT.
INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. IN ELECTRIC MODE, NO POWER SETTING (1-10) IS ABLE TO GET THE TRAILER BRAKES TO LOCK UP WHEN THE TRUCK BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THIS IS A CRUCIAL TEST TO CALIBRATE THE TRAILER BRAKES BEFORE GOING ON THE ROAD, AND DEMONSTRATES THAT THE OUTPUT SIGNAL FROM THE BRAKE CONTROLLER ISN'T SUFFICIENT TO STOP THE TRUCK/TRAILER COMBO IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. THE TRAILER BRAKES ARE ABLE TO LOCK UP WITH CERTAIN SETTINGS IF YOU MANUALLY ACTIVATE THE TRIGGER, DEMONSTRATING THAT THE CONTROLLER NOT ONLY HAS THE ABILITY TO LOCK UP THE BRAKES, BUT THAT THE TRAILER ITSELF ISNT THE PROBLEM. THE PROGRAMMING OF THE CONTROLLER IS SUSPECT.
THE INTEGRATED ELECRIC BRAKE CONTROLLER INCLUDED IN MY PLATINUM EDITION OPTIONS FOR TOWING A TRAILER DOES NOT WORK. ACCORDING TO DEALER, THERE IS NO FIX FROM TOYOTA ALTHOUGH THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE.
INTEGRATED BRAKE CONTROLLER (IBC) ON A 2016 TOYOTA TUNDRA FAILS TO ADEQUATELY STOP A TRAILER FITTED WITH ELECTRONIC DRUM BRAKES. WHEN THE BRAKE CONTROLLER IS IN THE ELECTRIC BRAKE MODE, I GET VERY LITTLE BRAKING WITH THE IBC MAXED AT LEVEL 10 ON THE GAIN CONTROL. I CAN MANUALLY STOP THE TRAILER USING THE MANUAL SQUEEZE LEVERS AND THE BRAKES STOP THE TRAILER AND TRUCK, BUT PROVIDES VERY LITTLE BRAKING WHEN USING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE TRAILER PUSHES THE TRUCK CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IF I PUT THE BRAKE CONTROLLER IN THE ELECTRIC OVER HYDRAULIC BRAKE MODE, THE BRAKES WORK BY THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT GRAB INSTANTLY AT ONLY A GAIN LEVEL OF (1.5). THE TRAILER BRAKES HAVE BEEN TESTED AND WORK AS EXPECTED WITH AN AFTERMARKET BRAKE CONTROLLER. TOYOTA'S IBC, AS NOTED BY SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS, ON MANY WEBSITES ARE NOT PERFORMING AS EXPECTED WHEN TOWING A TRAILER. IF ROAD SURFACES ARE WET OR ICY THE TRUCK BREAKS WOULD HAVE LITTLE CHANCE TO STOP A LOADED TRAILER AT MAX CAPACITY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA TUNDRA. WHILE TOWING A TRAILER, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED; HOWEVER, THE TRAILER BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTEGRATED BRAKE CONTROLLER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2016 TUNDRA TO PULL MY SMALL TRAVEL TRAILER. ON A RECENT TRIP I HAD TO STOP QUICKLY AND REALIZED THAT THE TRAILER BRAKES WERE NOT ACTIVATING. I THEN DID SOME TESTS TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET IT TO ACTIVATE AND WAS SURPRISED TO DISCOVER THAT IT WAS NOT BRAKING THE TRAILER AT ALL. I BROUGHT IT TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A TON OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE BUT THEY HAVE NO FIX FOR IT.
THE BRAKE CONTROLLER (IBC) NEEDS TO FUNCTION PROPERLY
I RECENTLY BOUGHT A TRAVEL TRAILER AND, AFTER READING THE MANUAL, WAS SETTING UP THE INTEGRATED BRAKE CONTROLLER (HERETOFORE REFERRED TO AS THE IBS). I WAS FOLLOWING THE USER MANUAL SUPPLIED WITH MY TRUCK WHEN I PURCHASED IT NEW STEP-BY-STEP. I EVENTUALLY HAD THE GAIN SET TO "10" AND WAS STILL NOT GETTING PROPER BRAKING PRESSURE FROM THE TRAILER. I GOT OUT, CHECKED ALL CONNECTIONS, RESTARTED THE TRUCK AND TRIED AGAIN; SAME ISSUE. I CONNECTED A FRIENDS TEKONSHA P3 THROUGH MY TRUCKS IBC CABLE (USING HIS CABLE ADAPTER) AND TRIED AGAIN WITHOUT A PROBLEM. THIS CONFIRMS IT'S NOT A TRAILER OR WIRING ISSUE. I RECONNECT THE IBC AND RESTARTED THE TRUCK, TRYING AGAIN; SAME ISSUE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SHRUGGED THEIR SHOULDERS, SAID THEY SAW BEFORE WITH NO RESOLVE, AND SUGGESTED I BUY AN AFTERMARKET BRAKE CONTROLLER, TOO. I THEN LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND SEVERAL HUNDRED OTHERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM, REQUIRING THAT THEY BUY AN AFTERMARKET BRAKE CONTROLLER TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS ONE (TWO LINKS ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS COMPLAINT). THE DEALERS AND TOYOTA ARE UNABLE/UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. HTTPS://WWW.TUNDRAS.COM/THREADS/FACTORY-BRAKE-CONTROLLER-ISSUES.5103/ HTTP://WWW.TUNDRATALK.NET/FORUMS/TUNDRA-PROBLEMS-MAINTENANCE-REPAIR-DEALER-WARRANTY-ISSUES/562250-2016-BRAKE-CONTROLLER-PROBLEMS-9.HTML
BUILT IN BREAK CONTROLLER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WITH FULL GAIN, IT DOES NOT APPLY THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF BRAKES TO MY TRAILER. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT.
TRUCK IS RATED TO TOW 9100LBS, AND INCLUDES AN INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER FOR USE WITH ELECTRIC TRAILER BRAKES (WHICH IS NEW FOR 2016 TUNDRA'S). THE FIRST TIME I HOOKED THE TRUCK UP TO THE TRAILER, I SET UP THE TRAILER BRAKES USING THE OWNERS MANUAL. AFTER PULLING OUT ONTO THE STREET I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKES THE TRAILER BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE. MY TRAILER WEIGHS NEARLY 8000LBS. LUCKILY, THE MANUAL SLIDER WORKS TO ENGAGE THE TRAILER BRAKES, BUT EVEN ON A GAIN SETTING OF 10 (MAX) THE FOOT BRAKE FAILS TO ADEQUATELY ENGAGE THE BRAKES ON MY TRAILER. I HAVE TRIED 2 OTHER TRAILERS, AND TALKED TO MULTIPLE 2016 TUNDRA OWNERS ONLINE AND THIS PROBLEM IS CONSISTENT ACROSS ALL TUNDRA'S TOWING ANY TYPE TRAILER. UNDER HARD BRAKNG AT ANY SPEED MY TRAILER WANTS TO JACKNIFE AND PUSH THE TRUCK OUT OF IT'S WAY, BECAUSE THE BRAKES ON THE TRUCK ARE ENGAGING TO MAX AND THE TRAILER BRAKES ARE HARDLY ENGAGING AT ALL EVEN ON MAX GAIN SETTING. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED AND TOYOTA IS NOT COMING FORWARD WITH A FIX. THEY CLAIM THE CONTROLLER IS "WORKING AS DESIGNED", BUT I TOW 8000LBS BEHIND ME AND WITHOUT ADEQUATE TRAILER BRAKES A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IS JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN. SOMEONE NEEDS TO STEP IN AND FORCE TOYOTA TO ADDRESS THIS SERIOUS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT OR KILLED. LUCKILY THE MANUAL SLIDER STILL WORKS, BUT THAT IS A BANDAID SOLUTION EVERY TUNDRA OWNER CAN'T BE EXPECTED TO DRIVE AROUND MANUALLY APPLYING THE TRAILER BRAKES SEPARATE FROM THE FOOT BRAKE. IF I CAN STOP MY TRAILER FASTER WHEN MANUALLY APPLYING THE TRAILER BRAKES THAN THE TRUCK WILL STOP WITH JUST THE FOOT BRAKE, THAN SOMETHING IS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE! IN WHAT SCENARIO WOULD TOYOTA EVER WANT MY TRUCK TO STOP LESS QUICKLY IN A MAX BRAKING SITUATION? IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, AND THEY NEED TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION!
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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