Brake complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1 | 50% | 69,000 miles |
| 2013 | 1 | 17% | 53,000 miles |
| 2010 | 1 | 33% | — |
| 2006 | 4 | 44% | 135,000 miles |
| 2005 | 3 | 33% | 67,000 miles |
| 2004 | 3 | 60% | 156,000 miles |
| 2003 | 3 | 30% | 223,000 miles |
| 2002 | 1 | 8% | 239,000 miles |
| 2001 | 3 | 33% | 127,000 miles |
| 2000 | 5 | 20% | 120,000 miles |
| 1999 | 9 | 39% | 157,000 miles |
| 1998 | 7 | 44% | 220,000 miles |
| 1997 | 4 | 24% | — |
| 1996 | 5 | 42% | — |
| 1995 | 4 | 50% | 120,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Brake line, part number 47326-60340 burst without warning when driving. The particular brake line part is above frame rail near firewall. The particular brake line part goes from brake master cylinder to brake fluid fitting on the vehice frame. It is buried under hood, not easy to inspect. Part of reason it is difficult to visually inspect is that there are "loops" in line to allow for flexibility between vehicle body and chassis. The vehicle is equiped with electrically boosted braking system. Under this leak condition, the electric boost functionality will be lost, the brake system operates in mechanical back-up mode. Brake pressure is generated solely from driver foot. Due to leak in one circuit, there is no brake pressure in one circuit of brake system. The combination of non boost-assisted braking and one circuit deactivate result in extremely demolished braking ability from driver.
While driving in the mountains of west virginia. Alarm sound, flashing lights and brake pedal unresponsive. Had to use emergency brake to stop vehicle. This happened on sept 19, 2016 with 65,596 miles on the odometer. The truck had recently been inspected sept 2, 2016 and also had the rear brake pads replaced at charles barker Toyota in virginia beach virginia. The odometer reading was 65,121. The service manager did state it was not common practice to bleed the brake lines although I did find several sites on line that said this should be done. I am retired and drive very little. After a 400 miles road trip to west virginia this happened. I feel lucky to be alive and fortunate that this occurred in a flat stretch of road. $3229.92 later after replacing the ABS system we were able to return home. Paper work available on request.
HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY failed. Lost all braking ability while driving. Had to use emergency brake for stopping. Dealer found the following codes: C1223, C1251, C1252 AND C1256. ABS CONTROL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, PUMP MOTOR IS LOCKED/OPEN CIRCUIT IN PUMP MOTOR GROUND. Hydraulic brake booster assembly was replaced with a new OEM unit and brakes now work as they should.
Parking brake is frozen. My private mechanic explained this model year uses a white metal that corrodes very easily. I was not able to engage the parking break while parked on a hill on a city street. I've attached a picture of the parts that show the corrosion. I believe that Toyota should recall these vehicles and replace this part for safety reasons, and reimburse customers who had the part replaced. (300+ dollars)
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser. The contact stated that the brake system failed without warning. The lights on the instrument panel illuminated and the brake pedal extended to the floor. The contact was able to use the emergency brake and shift the vehicle into neutral to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and the brake system needed to be replaced. The brake module failed and the dealer had to replace the entire unit that consisted of the vsc trac (traction control), ABS pump, ABS accumulator, and the brake master. The failure mileage was 156,000.
While driving at approximately 30 MPH, the "brake" warning light illuminated along with the high pitch audible brake failure alarm. Approximately 1,000 - 2,000 feet later all brake function ceased entirely, only by applying parking brake and placing the vehicle in neutral was stopping possible. There were no injuries or property damage. Popping hood to look for signs of fluid leak, etc, we noticed that the brake fluid in the reservoir was over filled significantly - it had not been earlier and the brakes had recently been serviced. A cursory search of "Land Cruiser brake failure" online yielded numerous reports on Toyota message boards of identical situations: brake light and alarm, total loss of braking power within moments, owners finding that the failure resulted in fluid returning to the reservoir overfilling it. There appear to be no fluid leaks or brake line failures. …
Braking system failed. Unable to stop operating vehicle traveling 30 MPH without downshifting and allowing vehicle's momentum to dissipate. Vehicle towed to repair facility. Repair has been completed. Repair facility, Love Field Auto, in Dallas, TX diagnosed concern (master cylinder +'ABS system failure) and replaced components. Vehicle had approximately 155K miles.
As I was driving, the vehicle's ABS, vsc trac, vsc off, and brake light all came on at the same time, with an audible buzzer. Once I approached the intersection, I realized that the vehicles brakes were not working and had to push the pedal hard all the way to the floor and prayed that the vehicle stopped. I had just dropped my son and my neighbor's child off at school. Luckily, there was no one in front of me at the light and I was able to avoid an accident.
Frequently asked questions
Which Toyota Land Cruiser years have brake problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1999 (9), 1998 (7), 1996 (5) and 2000 (5) model years. Brake complaints make up 39% of all complaints for the 1999.
Is there a recall for Toyota Land Cruiser brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for any Toyota Land Cruiser model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Toyota Land Cruiser brake problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 148,000 miles; 3% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (7 mentions), followed by the foundation components (6).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.