What 183 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Tacoma

I purchased the truck December 6th 2025 within a thousand Miles within the end of the year I experienced brake failure on the highway I laid under the truck to patch the brake failure and found a cracked leaf spring suspension component which there's already a recall for that exact make and model just not my VIN number for that cracked leaf spring there was a recall for frame rust and just rust in general and my brake lines rusted out but a certified technician from the used car dealership said it was safe and road Worthy I experienced a brake fire on the front calipers shortly after this brake failure the fire caused 7800 worth of damage I got quoted from Toyota to fix it and that doesn't cover the $2,000 worth of leaf springs which there was already an exact recall for this exact model of truck for the exact damage depicted but somehow my VIN is not applicable for this repair.

NHTSA ODI 11713113

THE VEHICLE TAKES LONG TO STOP EVEN AFTER CHANGING THE BRAKE PADS , ROTORS, BRAKE SHOES, WITH NEW COMPONENTS. THE REAR MAKES A THUD SOUND WHEN ACCELERATING OR COMING TO A STOP. THE LEAF SPRINGS ALSO SQUEAK AND I NOTICED AFTER THEY CHANGED MY FRAME THE LEAF SPRINGS WERE NOT CHANGE EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A RECALL ON THE LEAF SPRINGS AND IT WAS RUSTING? THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT STARTED TO MAKE THIS LOUD THUD SOUND WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS AROUND 5-10 MPH. THERE IS ALSO A RECALL ON THIS, BUT MY LOCAL DEALER SAYS THERE ISN'T ONE? WHY DOESN'T THE MAIN BRANCH TALK TO OR UPDATE THE SYSTEM FOR ALL TOYOTA BRANCHES FOR RECALLS? *TR

NHTSA ODI 11330429

ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO I NOTICED MY BRAKE PEDAL FELT SPONGY. CHECKED FLUID LEVEL, PADS AND SHOES, OK. NO SIGN OF A FLUID LEAK. 1 WEEK LATER I WAS DOING 65MPH AND HAD TO COME TO AN EMERGENCY STOP. MY BRAKE PEDAL FADED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND I HAD NO BRAKING AT ALL, COULDN'T PUMP THEM UP AND STEERED FOR THE OPEN SHOULDER. I LIMPED HOME, CHANGED MY SHORTS AND LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM ON SEVERAL TACOMA FORUMS ON THE WEB. IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND NOBODY HAS AN ANSWER, PEOPLE HAVE REPLACED EVERY COMPONENT INCLUDING THE FLUID WITH NO LUCK. I HOOKED UP MY OBD2 READER THAT HAS ABS FUNCTIONALITY AND IT SHOWED NO FAULT CODES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND EVERYBODY IS JUST GUESSING WHAT CAUSES THE FAILURE. IT IS THE BRAKES!, THE MOST IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE ON ANY CAR. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN PARKED AND WILL STAY THAT WAY UNTIL SOMEONE (HOPEFULLY TOYOTA) FIGURES OUT WHAT IS WRONG AND WHY.

NHTSA ODI 11302847

2011 TOYOTA TACOMA EXCESSIVE CORROSION OF THE BRAKE LINES CAUSED A LOSS OF FLUID AND LOSS OF BRAKES . THIS HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT . I BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY AN OPENING IN THE FRONT WHEEL WELL LINERS, EXPOSING THE PIGTAIL TUBING TO THE ELEMENTS . THIS TRUCK HAS ONLY 65,000 ON IT AND SHOULD NOT HAVE THE BRAKE LINES FAIL THIS SOON . THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS REFUSED TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE .

NHTSA ODI 11093318

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD UNKNOWN NOISE COMING FRONT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT DID NOT NOTICE ANY FAILURES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED EACH TIME THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE MORE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE LOUDER THE NOISE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE LEAF SPRING WAS DETACHED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE RT 22 TOYOTA DEALER (LOCATED ON 109 US 22 HILLSIDE, NJ), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC FEES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

NHTSA ODI 10995624

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT FAILED TO COMPLETELY STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LEAF SPRING FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS AFFECTED DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V604000(SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 10846497

I WAS PARKED AT A TRAILHEAD, AT ABOUT 3500' ELEVATION. AFTER THE HIKE, AS I MANEUVERED THE TRUCK AROUND THE PARKING LOT, I REALIZED THAT I HAD LITTLE OR NO BRAKING ABILITY!! I SLOWLY DROVE AROUND TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY FLUID ON THE GROUND WHERE THE TRUCK HAD BEEN, AND THERE WAS NO FLUID ON THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ON THE DASHBOARD, AND ABSOLUTELY NOTHING INDICATED ANY TROUBLE WITH THE BRAKES. HOWEVER, I DISCOVERED, AS I CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME, THAT THE BRAKES HAD FAILED AND I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE TRUCK WITH THEM. THE TRUCK HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR EXAMINATION AND REPAIR. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER. THE REPLACEMENT MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER ALSO FAILED!! (DURING TESTING, NOT WHILE DRIVING.) THE THIRD MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER WAS PUT IN, AND SEEMS TO BE FINE NOW. DESPITE DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE TO THEM, TOYOTA CORPORATE FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, AND REFUSED TO DISCUSS COMPENSATION. THEY ALSO DID NOT COMMUNICATE WITH THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT OUR CORRESPONDENCE. FORTUNATELY, THE DEALERSHIP TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF US.

NHTSA ODI 10726386

VEHICLE BRAKES ACTUATION BECAME ERRATIC. BRAKE PEDAL ENGAGE BRAKES AT DIFFERENT POSITIONS AND WHILE STOPPED THE PEDAL SLOWLY MOVES TOWARD THE FLOOR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10584354

BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN TO NEVER BE FIRM AND PEDAL GIVES WAY UNDER FOOT WHILE STOPPED. THE POSITION OF ENGAGEMENT OF BRAKES IS NOT CONSISTENT EITHER. HAVE BEEN TO DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND CONTACTED TOYOTA CORP AS WELL. I AM TOLD IT IS NORMAL AND NOT TO BE CONCERNED WITH ITS SAFETY. EVEN THOUGH THEY TELL ME THE COMPUTER IS NOT COMMUNICATING CORRECTLY. BRAKES CONTINUALLY SQUEAL AND STAMMER EVEN AFTER RECENTLY REPLACING THE ROTORS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10560871

THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 20 AND 40 MPH ON DRY PAVEMENT, SLIGHT CURVE, A BEEP IN DASH, SHAKING IN RIGHT FRONT WHEEL, AS IT PULLED INTO ONCOMING LANE TO THE LEFT, I HIT BRAKES "CLUNK" IT TOOK BOTH HANDS TO PULL BACK INTO MY LANE. POWER WAS LOWERED, FELT LIKE POWER STEERING WENT OR LOST A WHEEL. AFTER OUT OF CURVE EVERYTHING FINE. WOULD HAVE HIT SOMEONE HEAD ON IF A CAR HAD BEEN IN THE OTHER LANE. CALLED DEALERSHIP, THEY STATED IT WAS NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON AND OFF ABOUT 10 OR 12 TIMES IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 41000 AND STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10494663

ON 10/1/2011 WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON DRY PAVEMENT, SLIGHT CURVE, PU BEEP IN DASH AS IT WENT INTO ONCOMING LANE TO LEFT QUICK, I HIT BRAKES "CLUNK" TOOK BOTH HANDS TO PULL TO RIGHT AND OFF THE ROAD. FELT LIKE POWER STEERING WENT OR LOST A WHEEL. WOULD OF HIT SOMEONE HEAD ON IF WAS MEETING A CAR OR TRUCK. NO CELL SERVICE, SO DECIDED TO SLOWLY TURN AROUND, AND TRY TO GET HOME==1 MI. OR LESS. PARKED. CALLED DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TOWED, BUT IF THEY FIND NOTHING I HAVE TO PAY. I DROVE UP TUES., THEY SAID NOTHING WRONG. PROBABLY LEVELING--BECAUSE I PUT A 3" LIFT ON IT. I NOW AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY NEW PU. 2,600 MI. THEY SAID THEY PUT ON MACHINE, BUT NO PRINT OUT AS IT SHOWED NOTHING WRONG????? *TR

NHTSA ODI 10429247

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE WARPED GLAZED ROTORS AND DRUMS AT A VERY LOW MILEAGE, CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER MADE FOUR ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE FAILURE BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM WITH THE ROTORS AND DRUMS. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE FAILURE TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND A SAFETY HAZARD. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED AN IDENTICAL FAILURE WITH THE TRADED 2010 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,300 AND THE CURRENT WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 10417024

2011 TOYOTA TACOMA - BRAKES ARE VERY INCONSISTENT. ONE TIME THEY WORK JUST AS INTENDED AND THE NEXT TIME YOU DEPRESS THE PEDAL, YOU FEEL PRESSURE TRYING TO PUSH THE PEDAL BACK TO YOU AND THE BRAKING IS ENHANCED TO THE POINT THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE GOING TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. TOYOTA SAYS THAT IS THE NATURE OF THE BRAKES. IF THIS IS THE CASE TOYOTA HAS A REAL PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10395901