Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Toyota Tacoma owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
2011- check engine light was illuminated. Toyota dealership attempted repairs 11 times but could not find a cause. They replaced 7 different sensors, replaced gas cap, charcoal filter.. still could not get light to go off. refused to continue servicing same issue with no fault. Since 2011, I have had to run diagnostics on a regular basis to ensure there are no other mechanical issues. 2022- gas tank fell off of truck while driving. The straps snapped off due to rust and tank fell to the ground. This issue could have caused GREAT bodily injury or DEATH. 2023-lost brakes while driving. TOTAL brake failure. local mechanic stated it was a proportioning valve failure. The housing for it was rusted through and cannot be removed safely. After multiple days of research, a replacement could not be located. Even contacting Toyota, part is unavailable so vehicle CANNOT be fixed. …
Takata recall, I am writing this complaint because I own a 2004 Toyota Tacoma . On November 2nd I was driving home , was at a 4way stop, once it was my turn to go I accelerated as usual and had my tire on the drivers side detach completely from the ball joint causing me to nearly wreck my truck, if I had been going faster I would have, this was one of the most scariest experiences I have ever had driving! It cost me nearly 1000.00 dollars to fix and now I am having to have the other passenger side fixed because the mechanic says it's hammered...I noticed that over 150,000 Tacoma's were recalled due to this exact problem, when I entered my VIN it says I have no I repaired recalls on my vehicle! …
Going 35 miles an hour the vehicle will start to pull to the side and the ball joint will come out also the ABS sensor cable will brake and you will have to replace it a $2500 dollar spence for a Toyota malfunction in the suspension I have a friend in california that has one a year early model than mine a 2003 Toyota Tacoma and he told me about this problem had happen to him in the freeway about 60 MPH to him a had to learn the hard way if you have a Toyota Tacoma please I am warning you to have the ball joint replace before its to late the new ball joints are warranty for life but I will check in to that if I still have the pick up in four years
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tacoma. While idling at a stop, the vehicle suddenly accelerated independently. The vehicle did not respond when the brake pedal was depressed. As a result, the contact crashed the vehicle into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. No injuries were reported and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure recurred three times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 131,200. Updated 12/30/14 updated 05/26/2015
December 16, 2006 - clear sunny day, great road conditions. I was 40 feet behind a vehicle going 35 MPH when a SUV slammed on brakes. My 2004 Toyota prerunner brakes went to the floor and my truck would not stop. After hitting the SUV and coming to a stop, I released my foot from the brake and the pedal went back to it's normal position.
Both rear axel seals leak gear oil onto and into the rear brake drums which substantially reduce the effectiveness of the rear brakes. This condition began around the 60,000 mile mark and will continue indefinitely until the gear lube is all drained off, which then will most certainly cause severe power train damage.
Purchased 2004 Tacoma in 2016. Dealership of purchase said vehicle was not affected by frame recall and did not inform me that it was under warranty for frame related issues. Since purchasing vehicle I've encountered countless frame related issues and have put thousands into frame related repairs. I contacted Toyota in 2018 on several occasions to ask about frame warranty. Toyota said vehicle was not covered. Did not look up VIN or any other information related to vehicle. I contacted Toyota again this year to see if there's anything that can be done as frame issues were becoming significant and beyond my financial means to keep fixing. Toyota notified me at this time that the vehicle had in fact been under warranty but that now the warranty had expired 6 months prior (which was within the timeframe that I had initially contacted Toyota). …
My 2004 Toyota Tacoma double cab prerunner v6 sr5 has 18,000miles and has had the following problem for a while. I did not notice it until about 2 months after I had purchased the vehicle. Which tells me that the problem could be a progressive issue. The truck continues to show an increase in the problem. Problem description: when driving the Tacoma down the road the Tacoma drives fine. But when approaching an intersection where the vehicle is brought to a complete stop is when the following occurs. The vehicle will shift to the rear and a jerk sound is heard and felt. When releasing the brake on the vehicle you will feel and hear another more intense jerk. When you press on the throttle pedal to move forward from an intersection the vehicle displays yet another jerk. All of these feels as if it is coming from the rear. …
Tl contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tacoma. While driving 45 MPH, the contact depressed the brake pedal. The steering wheel began shaking and the accelerator pedal felt rough and was vibrating. The contact heard metal rubbing against metal. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and a brake inspection was performed. The mechanic stated that the rotors were warped and the rear brakes failed because they were improperly adjusted. The contact later took the vehicle to Toyota and they could not make any repairs because the warranty expired. The contact informed Toyota that the repair was previously performed while the vehicle was still under warranty; however, the failure has recurred. The current mileage was 45,500 and failure mileage was 44,500. Updated 01-11-08. Updated 12/12/07
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated he was driving 20 MPH and completing a right turn when he applied the brakes, but the brake pedal abnormally went down to the floorboard. The vehicle did not respond. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who advised the contact that two brakes lines were fractured and would need replacing. The mechanic then advised the contact that there was a manufacturer's recall for frame corrosion, and referred the contact to an authorized dealer. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer however, the technician was unable to confirm frame corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 80,000. Updated 12/4/13
Brake complaints in other Tacoma years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2004 Toyota Tacoma?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the brakes of the 2004 Toyota Tacoma, 6% of the model year's 414 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Toyota Tacoma brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2004 Toyota Tacoma, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Toyota Tacoma brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 22% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.