2001 brake problem

Hello all- for a while I thought my 2001 might have a failing brake booster, but now the brakes are really soft and my brake light is on (the light letting you know the E brake is on).

Are the Tacoma's a dual circuit brake? Thinking its not a coincidence that the brake light is on the same time the brakes feel so soft/weak-- if dual circuit I take it a valve, seal or such might be messed up, some imbalance that is making a sensor light up my brake light? Either way, looks like I'm replacing the master cylinder?

 

Have you checked the condition of the brakes? The light will also come on if the brake fluid is low. The brake fluid level will decrease as the brakes wear. Also if the rear brakes are good clean & adjust them. Properly adjusted rear brakes will give you a higher & firmer brake pedal.

 

Rear drum shoes and front pads recently replaced, goodridge SS brake lines and ATE blue fluid was recently done- recently being a relative term, maybe about a year ago if not a little more.

Fluid was low though, really low-- so something is leaking or getting sucked somewhere. Now I'm afraid my master had slowly been going out, and leaked into the booster, and started to mess up the booster (suspected booster problems about a month ago because of a whistling noise that goes away when I brake).

The booster still feels pretty strong (brake, then start the engine and the pedal comes down pretty good). No obvious leaks so far, guess I need to get in there more with a light and run along all the lines. I don't know much at all on brakes so its really frustrating.

 

First step is to diagnose where the fluid is going. Obviously you must have a leak somewhere.