2008 Toyota Tacoma: ABS light or ABS activating

Filed Apr 26, 2017 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 40,000 miles · LA

I have owned a 08 tacoma for about 4 years now, and have noticed a possible problem with the toyota ABS system. If when braking you hit a bump, pot hole, object, etc the ABS system does not know exactly how to react and increases braking distance. I live in louisiana and our roads are not the best. I have noticed several times that I will be braking to avoid hitting something/someone, hit a bump, and my braking action is reduced until the system regains itself. You can hear the ABS system respond each time this occurs and can notice that your vehicle isn't stopping. Like I stated before I've owned this truck for 4 years and have noticed this the entire time. I recently have had a few times to where the truck has not wanted to stop and I have almost hit someone because I started braking, hit a bump, and the system did not know how to react. This is a potentially dangerous situation that I would like fixed. I'm a loyal toyota owner (have 4) and just want this issue addressed so that I don't have to worry about braking and hitting bumps. My vehicle was checked out my toyota and everything was good with them. I contact toyota about this issue and they stated that if the dealership says there's no problem, then there's no problem, but I could have problem fixed and they may reimburse me in the future. I've spoken with other owners and they have the same problems with similar years and models including 4runner. The ABS system doesn't react like I feel it should when the tire's dynamic changes due to either a dump and/or going from hard surface to a soft surface such as dirt, if the brakes are applied before and through the change in dynamic. I have a particular bump in the road right before a turn that every time I hit it while braking to make the turn my ABS pump surges, steering wheel vibrates, and braking is very limited until system regains itself.

Filed Dec 18, 2015 · Brakes · 2,000 miles · PA

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota tacoma. The contact stated that while driving at a 55 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, however, the front passenger side wheel locked. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to multiple independent mechanics where it was diagnosed that that the ABS brakes needed to be replaced and to a dealer who stated that the master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken back to an independent mechanic who replaced the master cylinder. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 2,000.

Filed May 8, 2015 · Brakes · 152,504 miles · WA

I used an inclined drive way, for a bay door, to pull into so I could turn around and park. When I applied the brakes my ABS engaged and started whining. I lost control of braking and my truck wasn't stopping. I thought I was going to hit the closed door. Thankfully the inclined drive way slowed me down before hitting the door!!! This isn't the first issue I have had with my breaks not working properly or with my ABS whining. Last summer I had an issue going down a bumpy hill up in the mountains. I was driving very slowly down the really bumpy hill and my ABS was whining like crazy, I wasn't even applying the brakes. When I needed to apply the breaks it felt as if they weren't working properly and stoping wasn't going to be easy. My ABS whines when I hit a bump, speed bump, pot hole, railroad tracks, and so on. Basically if I hit any type of unflat surface my ABS whines majority of the time and I'm not even using the breaks. I talked to the dealer a while ago and they said my ABS is whining because my truck is lifted. My last truck, different make, was lifted the same distance and I never had any issues with it. I have had the toyota for over 2 years now.

Filed Jan 10, 2011 · Brakes · 32,000 miles · KY

I've had several instances of ABS problems with my 2008 toyota tacoma. It's as if you enter a situation, stopping or slowing obviously, and the ABS system totally releases the truck to keep rolling. The braking action stops, the pedal depresses, and the truck keeps going. You can hear the ABS system whining away. It seems as if the truck accelerates or lunges, but I think actually the truck stops decelerating from your braking action and rolls on at the speed the brake released, giving the sensation your vehicle accelerated. Latest instance, I was backing into a clean garage off snow and ice. I had just started the truck so it was idling just a bit on the high side as it often does when first started cold. Back wheels where in the garage, foot off gas and on brake, and the front tires must have sensed a slide while still in the driveway and on the snow. The ABS whined, the truck seemed to accelerate( in this case it actually did, just as it would as if you took foot off brake at stop sign). I pushed the brake pedal on to the floor, ABS whined, truck headed on into the garage. It would have killed anyone behind me, almost smashed two motorcycles and two very nice bicycles. Only thing that saved them and my truck, and my garage, was I had thought to slam the truck into drive. It stopped. I went in and changed my underwear. Toyota this is not right!

Filed Feb 4, 2010 · Acceleration · 50,000 miles · VA · crash

I was a passenger in my friend's 2008 tacoma truck on 1/31/10. We were travelling from culpepper ,va. To charlottesville when we pulled into a gas station and mcdonalds. As we pulled in the gas station we made a right hand turn and then a left hand turn pulling into the parking spot at normal parking speed(~ 5mph) . As the driver put on the brake to stop it felt like the ABS adjusted to the slick surface and slid a little. This is when the front wheels locked up and the engine revved and the back tires started to spin very fast. At this point the truck climbed the concrete parking barrier, crossed the side walk, revved faster while the driver had his foot on the brake and put the truck in park. It proceeded to climb over a 2ft wall, crossed the bushes and crashed into the mcdonalds store front. This happened so fast and it seemed that the acceleration was stuck and the engine was revving and the back tires were spinning and pushing the truck forward. There were 3 of us in the truck and witnesses in the mcdonalds.

Filed Feb 4, 2010 · Brakes · 35,000 miles · IL

I have a 2008 tacoma 4wd. I have had both front brake calipers replaced because of rattling in the front end. There is a inconsistent braking when braking and going over bumps. Going into parking lots with bumpy entrances, over railroad tracks. It acts like the ABS is activating. But when it does you lose braking control. I thought that replacing the brake calipers would correct this problem but it has not.

Filed Feb 4, 2010 · Brakes, Suspension · 35,000 miles · ME

The ABS braking system on my 2008 toyota tacoma double cab has felt incorrectly calibrated since the truck was new. When I go over a bump, hit a pot hole or am going down a hill with uneven pavement while braking, the ABS will disengage the brakes. I have almost run into the vehicle in front of me more times than I can count. In the winter, it also happens regularly in any snowy conditions. The local dealer has checked it and told me it tests within their specifications. They did replace the suspension, shocks and springs, saying that there have been some complaints that have been corrected by a slightly softer suspension. I disagreed with the assessment but let them make the change in the hope that it might work. It did not. The incident dates are ongoing.