Brake line recall

Also wondering. Went to go test drive a 25 TRD-OR the day after the stop-sale. Put a deposit on it, but can't pick it up till the recall fix is in place.

 

I also would like to see how "the routing of the rear soft brake line is much different from the pictures in this thread" posted by @OldSkoolArcher.

 

Geez, I just put a deposit on a 2025 SR5. It's in transit or somewhere else in limbo. The VIN search says no recall, but I don't think they can sell it due to the "no sale" restriction.

I'm not an expert on brake lines nor auto engineering, but it seems like new lines with one or two 90 degree bends and shorter hose would do the job.

 

Official notification to the NHTSA

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCAK-25V058-3436.pdf

Letters notifying owners aren't expected to be mailed until late March, then a follow-up letter once a remedy is available.

 

Thanks for that. From the letter:
"Under 49 U.S.C. § 30112(a)(3), it is illegal for a manufacturer, to sell, offer for sale, import, or introduce or deliver into interstate commerce, a motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment that contains a safety defect once the manufacturer has notified NHTSA about that safety defect. This prohibition does not apply once the motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment has been remedied according to the manufacturer's instructions."

So in other words, you can't even sign a waiver at the dealer saying I'm aware of the rear brake line issue and I'd like to take delivery now, since I will not be driving in mud and will not drive across state lines until my vehicle has the recall retrofit completed.

Edit: Oh, wait, the part about "illegal...to offer for sale" might even mean they can no longer list any incoming or existing Tacomas on dealer websites. That seems a bit excessive given they can't sell them.

 

My local dealership removed several units from their website, and I know there was at least one post stating the same.

 

If they can't be imported, does that mean they are remaining in Mexico, once built?

 

Could be. There might be a way they can quarantine them on a US parking lot at a distribution center. The DC at the port of Long Beach is over 130 acres according to the website.

 

Is there an official remedy yet? Zip tie the line away from the inner wheel maybe?

 

Don't know, but the potential problem (at the time) was reported back in July.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RMISC-25V058-6013.pdf

 

In this video at 2m04s there's a good view of the full route of the rear brake line on a 2025 TRD Sport:
https://youtu.be/e4Xd-H8fJfg?t=124

 

I don’t think this one can be pinned on Sheldon, unless he was also involved in the design of the 4runners, and LC250s. They all have that same wrap around routing. They also do the same thing with the electrical wire that goes to the parking brake actuator. The first time I noticed this was on the first Tacoma videos where it seemed Toyota was showing off pre-production units. I figured it was a prototype thing that would be finalized before production.

It boggles the mind how nobody bothered to design a proper routing that positively clears other rotating things. Not to mention the snag risks.

These connections are not even acceptable risks for mall crawlers or road cars.

 

I asked about this before but got no answer. So it seems like this is big news you're disclosing here, i.e. there's an incoming same recall on the 4runners (and LC250) too? That would be huge.

Also, when I look at the still image at 2m05 in the above video, I don't know how they're going to fix this. The bracket that joins the soft line to the flange on the end of the hard line is pointing in the wrong direction.

 

I have no idea if Toyota is going to recall LC250s or 4runners. I was just saying that it seems all Landoma Cruise Runners share the same hose routings.

Local dealer had a bunch of LC 1958s and I snapped some pictures a few days ago. This one was on 20s, so it was easy to spot the brake line walking up to it.

I wanna say I looked at the 4runner they had there and it was the same, but I don’t seem to have pictures. Shouldn’t be hard to verify by anybody stopping by a dealer.

 

I’ve got a deposit on a 2024 and they won’t release it to me with no eta on when they can sell it. Sucks because my 2nd gen was just written off.

 

Yeah at my dealership they are listed for sale but they can’t sell them. They’ll still take a deposit on it but won’t release it or let you test drive (in Canada)

 

Can confirm it’s the same on the 4Runner. I made sure to check the Tacoma, 4Runner, and LC when at the Chicago auto show.

 

Commercial Grade!!!!

 

Remedy

 

Are there any actual reported failures? If you were in mud that was deep enough to reach the top of the wheel and spinning your tires you might develop enough friction over a prolonged time to cause wear. Once out of the puddle how long would wet mud stay in contact with both surfaces? If somehow the caked mud dried in contact with both surfaces, even mud that has "cement like properties", it would shrink and create or develop a gap. Even a 1/2 millimeter gap is enough. No contact, no friction. The wheel and brake line aren't between suspension components, the gap will remain constant. Maybe a large piece of aggregate (rock/pebble) could get wedged in there. If that happened I'd call it a one in a million chance. I'm thinking the NHTSA is being overly cautious pushing for a recall.