Recalls of motor vehicles have become an increasingly frustrating part of owning a vehicle.
Most of the time the recalls are because of serious issues that could cause major damage or even harm drivers and their passengers.
But this bestselling Toyota truck was just recalled for this truly bizarre reason that has truck guys laughing hysterically.
The recently redesigned Toyota Tacoma pickup is still seeing massive sales for the Japanese automaker.
One of the most popular trucks in the U.S.
And it remains one of the most popular trucks in the United States with more than 190,000 sold across the country in 2024.
And so far in 2025 over 18,000 have been sold, putting the auto maker on pace to sell over 216,000 this year.
But now the popular truck is facing a major speed bump due to a recent recall.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it seems Tacoma drivers can play too hard with the popular truck.
The NHTSA is claiming that over 106,000 of the pickups could have excessive mud or dirt build up.
In other words, they are recalling the trucks because they might get too dirty.
While dirty and muddy pickup trucks are not uncommon, in this case the federal agency is claiming the Tacoma can get so dirty and muddy that it could affect the brakes.
A major recall based on just 17 cases of muddy tires
NHTSA documents about the recall show there have been 12 warranty claims and five field reports of issues potentially related to the recall.
According to the NHTSA documents, “Tacomas equipped with 16-inch brake systems positioned inside 17-inch wheels have a tight tolerance, and if mud and dirt build up on the interior of the wheels when off-roading, eventually contact can be made with the components and the intruding mud, which could lead to damage and wear through the brake lines, causing a fluid leak, and eventually a decline in braking performance and stopping distance, which could lead to a crash.”
Toyota says it’s still investigating this issue.
The recall is only on the four-wheel drive Tacomas equipped with 17-inch wheels and the 16-inch braking kit in the rear.
But Toyota says they are also exploring “2-wheel drive and a combination of 16-inch brakes with either 17-inch or 18-inch Toyota wheels, and other 4-wheel drive Tacoma vehicles with 16-inch brakes and 18-inch Toyota wheels to determine whether there is a potential for a brake fluid leak.”
Toyota also said it was first alerted to a potential issue back in July of 2024.
Toyota has said owner notifications will be sent out by April, and that the fix is to reattach the brake lines or move them.
This has been a black mark for the Tacoma and for Toyota.
The Tacoma is marketed as a rugged, go-anywhere personal adventure machine, and most would correctly assume this means getting the tires muddy is just part of the normal use of the vehicle.
Maybe rather than issue a recall truck owners should just clean their trucks.
But of course that common sense approach is not part of the thinking of the federal government.