The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on Tuesday (February 11) that Toyota Motor Corporation is recalling over 100,000 vehicles in the United States due to brake fluid leakage issues that could reduce their braking ability and increase the risk of crashes.
The recall involves 106,061 vehicles sold in the United States, including some 2024-2025 model year Tacoma four-wheel drive vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In the recall notice submitted to the NHTSA, the automaker stated that due to a configuration issue with the recalled vehicles, there is a significant gap between the brake hose and the rear wheels, which allows mud and dirt to accumulate on the inner side of the wheels and come into contact with the brake lines (especially during off-road driving), leading to damage and wear of the brake lines over time. The resulting brake fluid leakage can diminish braking performance and significantly increase stopping distance, posing a crash risk.
Toyota mentioned that this issue is only present in certain configurations of the new Tacoma, particularly in four-wheel drive models with 16-inch rear brakes and 17-inch wheels.
The company stated that it first became aware of this problem in July 2024 when dealers raised concerns.
Dealers will replace the two affected rear brake hoses free of charge, as indicated by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Toyota will notify affected owners by mail between March 24 and April 7, informing them about the safety risks associated with the damaged brake hoses.
As of February 6, the automaker has already communicated this issue to all dealerships.