Rear wheels locked, all warning lights came on on my dash board

I park the taco at Heavenly ski resort from 1PM to 4PM on Christmas eve, weather was around 35 Fahrenheit. This is not the first time I visit a place that has cold weather. Since I bought my truck in 2019, I visit south Lake Tahoe almost every weekend during the winter for snowboarding. As I was leaving the ski resort, I start the truck and start to drive out of the parking lot and realize the rear right tire is seized and a few moments later, 1. the brake light 2. ABS light 3. pre-collision malfunction light 4. Differential light 5. Check brake message

All of the dashboard warning signs trigger and do not go away even though I turn the car off and on. Unplug the appropriate fuses and unplug the car battery for about fifteen minutes. Also tried to turn right and left but it did not work.


With help from some local people, I was able to pull up 4 ABS codes, 1 brake code, 2 side mirror codes. After resetting the dashboard. The rear tire remains seized with no rotational power. Although all the dashboard messages have disappeared.


I was lucky that a local ski shop offered me to park my truck at their parking lot for few days until I figure out the towing and everything else, apparently due to bad weather all towing services are on hold and all the roads are closed. I’ve been stuck here for 3 days now, it’s Christmas and nothing is open.

 

That sucks. I would guess an ebrake cable is frozen or a rear brake shoe is stuck. This can happen with water exposure and cold weather. Rock it back and forth in forward and reverse until it breaks free.

 

Rear wheel locking up has happened to quite a few 3rd gen Tacomas on here.

Here is a thread below that mentions other threads with the same issue. Some have luck putting in 4lo, locking rear diff, then carefully and gently applying throttle in hopes the rear drum breaks free.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rear-passenger-brake-locking-up-when-cold.527189/

 

That's brutal! Where do you intend to tow it? That issue sounds pretty deep and I have no troubleshoot suggestions. Is all safe where you're at?

 

I had a rear lockup after washing my truck once. I put it in reverse, it unlocked, and I drove away.

 

After seeing the above posts, I'm reminded of an identical issue with my Ranger after it sat in the wet and cold. Didn't have the alarms because the tech isn't there. It was a manual trans and I was astonished how much throttle it took to break it loose! On the Taco, you'll probably need to cancel out traction control by holding the button for a few seconds so the nanny won't kill your throttle output.

 

OP you got it sorted out?

 

Following. Ill be at Heavenly next week. Thought about taking the Taco but now maybe we’ll take the wifes suv

 

I’m not sure if the OP had there emergency brake engaged but if it’s cold out and water gets in there it can freeze.
I’ve had this happen after a wash and then getting very cold at night

 

My rear brakes occasionally lock up after washing. I stick a piece of wood through the wheel and give it a few whacks with hammer around the drum, always frees it up.

 

Stuck at a ski lodge? There are worse scenarios.

 

Yep, seen this before. Make sure to take e-brake off and rock the truck back and forth. As other have suggested, you can also turn off traction control and give it some gas.

My friend didn't know what to do, so he got it towed to the local mechanic. He simply put it in the garage for about 30 minutes, then just started it and it broke free. Don't waste your money towing or on mechanic!

 

Sounds better than my Turd Blazer. On I mean my 2000 Trail Crapper. Coming down the south side of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park at 7 am on a Saturday. I slowed up on a tight turn, the brakes screeked as I came to a stop in the middle of both lanes. Started to press the gas pedal, and nothing. My brakes were frozen. I reversed it and they broke free. Screams of terror rang from my brakes and me. All I have is a 15 mile down hill trip at a 30 degree grade. Thank goodness my transmission didn’t go. I found a local SHityllee dealer. The repair guy takes me into the shop. All my brake pads were paper thin and one was now metal to metal. All were almost through to the hollow on the disks and one was through. Nearly $1400 bucks later at 47,500 miles I sold the POS. Bought a 2012 Taco XP PRO TRD. Had a recall though. Air pressure sticker was off 5 lbs., got a new sticker for it.

 

The rear on my 2017 OR has an issue where the rear diff locks up on trails, a lot. Seems to be a taco issue. Backing up usually unlocks it

 

Hope the OP is doing alright! Last night's snow storm has everything locked down tight throughout the Sierra. I'm guessing she's not going anywhere!

 

all Ur brake issue Did NOT happen on ONE weekend trial adventure

entirely possible U were due brkae job at 47k miles

 

Minute or two with a propane torch on the drum?

Drove the Kenworth to Reno in lots of slush once. Went to bed and got up early to find a couple brakes froze after release. A torch did the trick.

 

That sounds like all your fault

 

@Texoma any suggestions? Possibly, free up the parking brake by loosening the adjustment screw behind the drum?

 

Snow depth in Tahoe is at like 9 feet. I think they just got 34” today. I hope at some point that truck got thrown in reverse and she got someplace.