Rear drum brake locking up after getting wet

faawrenchbndr · Feb 11, 2024

MSR2534[OP] initial post: ↑

I was hoping to get some input from the forum on this situation.

So today is the third time I take my 2018 TRD off road to the dealership for the same issue. For some reason, every time my truck gets wet (after a car wash for example) one or both of the rear tires tend to lock up. Sometimes it's mild, and other times the car is not drivable.

So I first noticed this after buying the car. The morning after a car wash, I would shift into drive and the car would not roll forward. After accelerating a bit it would make a clunk noise and bounce forward like something was seized up and just released. Out of habit, I pull the parking brake every time I park. I noticed if I didn't pull the parking brake it wouldn't seize up as bad but it would still happen.

Eventually one morning I couldn't drive out of my garage. The driver rear tire was completely seized. The opposite rear tire would spin in place basically. If I placed it in 4wd I could inch forward but the seized tire would just skip along and not turn. I disassembled the rear drum and while doing so it was obvious the brake was engaged for some reason (car is in neutral and of course the parking brake is not pulled up into the "on" position). After bumping it with a hammer and using the release bolts I was able to take the drum brake off and everything inside looks completely fine. Nothing broken, rusted or unusual looking. There was really no moisture inside either. I reassembled it and it ran completely fine up until the next time it got wet. Same situation except it was the passenger side wheel that locked up this time. Repeated the same process and again worked fine, up until it got wet again.

I took it to Toyota and explained it was both sides, even showed them video clips of what was going on. They kept it for a few days and eventually said one of the parking brake cables (I think it was the left one) had a crack in it and was letting moisture in which was causing the line to seize up and not release the drum. Before driving away I pulled the parking brake, felt fine, put it in reverse and couldn't even drive out of the parking spot. The opposite rear wheel had locked up. They kept the car for a total of 10 days. They said they replaced the cable on the opposite side as well. Apparently they didn't have the part in stock and thats why the kept it 10 days.

I washed my car a few times afterwards but out of fear this would happen again I didn't touch the parking brake. Today however, I washed it and needed to go out for groceries afterwards. I pulled the parking brake out of habit and when I went to go drive it again it was locked up again! After rocking it back and forth between drive and reverse it free'd up and I took it straight to Toyota.

The shop manager says he hasn't seen this before. I looked online and some posts mentioned similar issues after boat ramps or car wash, but it sounds like no one had it lock up the same way mine has.

Anyone have any idea why this could be happening? It doesn't seem right that I can't use my parking brake after the car gets wet. I don't understand why both sides lock up at different times. It's obviously not the parking brake cables. The car only had 12k miles on it when it locked up the first time so it's weird that both cables would have cracks in them. Also it's now happened with brand new cables. I can't think of why it would be working perfectly fine, and then gets wet and locks up completely.

They said they would call me tomorrow at noon after they have a chance to run diagnostics or whatever. I'll let you guys know what they say.

Anyways any input on this would be appreciated. I feel like there's more knowledge in the forums than in the dealership most times. I'll try to upload a video of what's going on too.
Click to expand...

So lock up as in stuck on and won’t release or lock up as in very touchy?

v-4low · May 16, 2024

I’ve had this happen to me when I first got my truck in 2017 . Right rear drum would lock up after gettting wet. Had to take off the drum a few times and check what’s binding and back off the adjuster while off-roadin, couldn’t figure it out. But then I drove my cousins Tacoma . Same model 3rd gen ,out of habit I pulled the e brake while parked and was surprised how high his handle went up. Went to check mines and mine only needed 1/3 of the way up and it would engage . Took my arm rest out and adjusted for more slack , and the problem went away.

Log in or Sign up

Welcome to Tacoma World!

Rear drum brake locking up after getting wet

#81
faawrenchbndr Til Valhalla

#82
v-4low Member

Products Discussed in

Log in or Sign up

Useful Searches

Welcome to Tacoma World!

Rear drum brake locking up after getting wet

#81 faawrenchbndr Til Valhalla

#82 v-4low Member

Products Discussed in Entire Site Forum: 3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)

#81
faawrenchbndr Til Valhalla

#82
v-4low Member

Products Discussed in