2002 Toyota Tacoma

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE FRONT BRAKES DETACHED FROM THE PADS AND BECAME JAMMED BETWEEN THE ROTOR AND THE CALIPER. A PORTION OF THE BRAKES STRUCK THE FRONT FENDER LIKE A BULLET. THE CONTACT CALLED TOYOTA, BUT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST. HE REPAIRED THE VEHICLE HIMSELF AND STATED THAT HE WAS TAKING HIS VEHICLE OUT OF SERVICE FOR SAFETY REASONS. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

THE PARKING BRAKE INTERMEDIATE LEVER RUSTED ,RESULTING IN THE PARKING BRAKE NOT DISENGAGING. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE TRUCK WAS VIBRATING SO BADLY THAT IT FELT LIKE A WHEEL WAS FALLING OFF. AFTER RETURNING HOME AT 35 MPH THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY HOT WHICH RESULTED IN WARPING THE DRUMS. IT WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE OVER 40 MPH. THE PARTS NEED TO BE ORDERED AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED AS OF THIS TIME. THE LEVER IN QUESTION IS THE ONE THAT LINKED THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE INTO THE REAR BRAKE DRUM ASSEMBLY. ITWAS COVERED BY A RUBBER BOOT THAT OBVIOUSLY DID NOT KEEP OUT MOISTURE, THUS RUSTING. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS JACKED UP THE LEFT REAR TIRE WOULD NOT EVEN TURN DUE TO THE BRAKES NOT BEING ABLE TO DISENGAGE.*AK

I HAVE A TACOMA 2002 AND THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. ALTHOUGH I HAVE CALLED AND EXPLAINED THE SOMETIMES THEY SLIP, TOYOTA REFUSES TO REALLY LOOK AT THEM. I WANTED TO FILE THIS IN CASE THEY DO GIVE WHILE I AM DRIVING, THERE WILL BE A RECORD OF THIS PROBLEM, SINCE I HAVE MENTIONED IT SEVERAL TIMES TO TOYOTA BUT THEY NEVER WRITE IT DOWN, ACCORDING TO THE NEWEST CUSTOMER SERVICE? PERSON I SPOKE TO. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE CLUNKING NOISES, THE 5 MONTH BRAKE CHANGES AND THE SLIPPING OF THE BRAKES IS NATURAL. THIS CANNOT BE RIGHT. *JB

THE BRAKES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY TOYOTA TACOMA PICKUP ARE DRAGGING MAKING IS DIFFICULT TO STEER. WHEN TOYOTA DEALERSHIP PULLED THE WHEELS OFF THE TRUCK AND CHECKED THE BRAKES THERE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE WEAR ON THE FRONT RIGHT BREAK PADS THEN THE LEFT SIDE. I HAD THE BREAKS REPLACED AND KEPT THE WORN OUT BRAKES FOR YOUR INSPECTION. IT APPEARS THE RIGHT-SIDE CALIPER FAILED MAKING IT HARD TO STEER AND CAUSING THE BRAKES ON THE RIGHT SIDE TO WEAR OUT IN LESS THAN 15,000 MILES. TOYOTA SAYS THIS IS NORMAL EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. *NLM

THE BRAKES VIBRATE UPON DECREASING SPEED FROM 60 MPH OR MORE. THE LONGER DRIVEN, THE NECESSARY SPEED FOR VIBRATION DECREASES TO LOWER SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM INTENSIFIES THE HIGHER THE GRADE IS ON ANY DOWNHILL. I HAVE REPLACED PADS TWICE AND ROTORS ONCE. AS I BEGIN TO REPLACE THE CALIPERS, I FIND THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THOSE ON THE TUNDRA AND A LIST OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT TACOMA'S BRAKES. *NLM

2002 TOYOTA DOUBLE CAB 4X4 DURING MOUNTAIN DRIVING, MY FRONT BRAKES WILL MAKE THE TRUCK SHAKE. I WOULD DESCRIBE THE FEELING LIKE BAD ABS, HOWEVER, I DO NOT HAVE ABS. THIS PROBLEM ONLY SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN I AM GOING DOWNHILL (LIKE LOVELAND PASS). THE SHUTTERING DOES NOT DEPEND ON THE SPEED OF DECELERATION. ONCE IT STARTS IT SEEM TO BE THERE UNTIL THE BRAKES HAVE PLENTY OF COOLING TIME. I HAD IT INTO THE DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT OR GET IT TO DO IT. HOWEVER LAST TIME I WAS IN FOR OTHER REPAIRS, THE SERVICE MANAGER MENTIONED THAT 2000-2003 TUNDRA'S HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM BUT THERE WAS NOT ONE FOR THE TACOMA. I TRIED TO LOOK UP INFORMATION TO SEE IF THE BRAKING SYSTEMS CONSISTED OF THE SAME COMPONENTS, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. *JB