Brake Pad Problems

I'd greatly appreciate your help and input.

Just swapped SR v6 2022 tacoma front brake pads. Super simple and easy so I thought. I was expecting a higher brake pedal and the same feel as before.

Now the brake pedal is very squishy, you can pump it and get a very firm pedal when the vehicle is off. When on, pumping it 3-4 times quickly it throws the "low braking power" dash alarm. I chalked it up to seating the new pads, I never opened the brake system to let air in so I'm surprised how this turned out.

Any pointers before I bleed them this week?

 

Adjust the rear shoes first, but definitely bleed front and rear and get some fresh fluid through it.

 

Squishy normally indicates air in the brake lines.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAgXYLiIApU

 

Low braking power warning suggests the brake fluid level has fallen below the reservoir level switch. When was the last time you checked the rear brake shoe thickness?

 

Reservoir is right at the Max line with the new front pads. I didnt check the reservoir before I did the front pads. They had 3-4mm left. Never opened any line so I'm confused how air would get it since they felt good before the new pads? I've not adjusted the rear brakes before, but the truck braked great before the new pads so how would new front pads affect the rear drums?

Thanks for your replies and teaching me, I dont fully understand what's up, but I'll start by bleeding them. Much thanks,

 

I mention rear shoe thickness because I've had rear shoes wear down to the metal, which then caused one of the two wheel cylinders to overtravel and dump out all the brake fluid. This also recently happened to another guy with a 2017 in my off-road club.

 

since you didn't check the reservoir before you did the front pads the reservoir had to have been low. When you put new pads on you have to compress the part of the caliper that pushes against the pads because the new pads are thicker, this pushes fluid back into the master. If the reservoir started full fluid would have over flown. The rear is different because the springs pull the shoes closed and pushes fluid back to the master thru the wheel cylinder.