1996 Toyota Camry SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

I OWN A 1996 CAMRY V6 LE WITH 4-WHEEL DISK BRAKES, AND ITS CURRENT MILEAGE IS CLOSE TO 90,000 MILES. I HAVE NEVER WORN OUT THE FRONT DISK PADS, WHILE I HAVE REPLACED THE REAR PADS A FEW TIMES. TOYOTA SAYS IT'S MY GENTLE DRIVING STYLE THAT CAUSES THE UNUSUAL WEAR. I SAY THAT THE PROPORTIONING VALVE SET AT THE FACTORY IS MIS-SET, BUT IT TAKES SPECIAL TOOLS TO CHANGE AND NO ONE HAS THESE TOOLS, SO I CAN'T PROVE MY POINT. THE BIG QUESTION TO ME: IS MY CAR STOPPING WITH TWO BRAKES OR 4 BRAKES, AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO? *NM

WHEN ABS BRAKES ARE ENGAGED THEY FAIL TO WORK. WAS DRIVING DOWN A ROAD GOING ABOUT 20 MPH ON SNOW COVERD ROAD. BRAKES WAS APPLIED, GRINDING NOISE AND VIBRATION IN THE PEDAL WAS EXPERIENCED-THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE ADEQUATELY, IT TOOK ABOUT 40 FEET TO STOP GOING AT 20MPH. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN WHEN ABS IS NOT ACTIVE.*AK

BRAKES GRAB WHEN STOPPING AND MAKES AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF NOISE. A VISUAL INSPECTION SHOWED NO FAILURE. *JB

WHILE BRAKING AT 20 MPH BRAKE PEDAL LOCKED UP. VEHICLE SWERVED INTO THE NEXT LANE, CAUSING AN ONCOMING VEHICLE TO HIT IT ON FRONT RIGHT HAND SIDE. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED.*AK

BRAKES WILL MAKE SQUEAKING AND GRINDING NOISE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES.*AK

FRONT BRAKES MAKE GRINDING NOISE WHEN BRAKING. *AK

WHENEVER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, ABS SYSTEM WOULD LOCK UP. WHEN THIS HAD HAPPENED, VEHCLE SKIDDED & HIT A POLE. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. NO INJURIES. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TOTALED.*AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND CAUSING A COLLISION. VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC.*AK

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO QUICKLY STOP AT HIGH SPEEDS (50+ MPH), THE FRONT BRAKES GROAN/GRIND AND VIBRATE. THIS INCREASES STOPPING DISTANCE BY A FACTOR OF 2 AND IS UNSAFE. PADS AND ROTORS WHERE REPLACED BY DEALER AT MY COST BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. TSBBR002-96 DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM BUT DID NOT HELP. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH POTENTIAL OF SERIOUS INJURY. *AK

CONSUMER HEARS A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, PLACED IN REVERSE, PLACED IN DRIVE AND WHILE BRAKING. NLM

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

ON THE DATE OF FAILURE, DURING A ROUTINE VISIT TO A TOYOTA SHOP, MY FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE MEASURED TO BE 8MM. SINCE THAT TIME, AND WITH TOYOTA TECHS TAKING THE MEASUREMENTS, THEIR SIZE HAS NOT REDUCED MORE THAN 0.5 MM. SINCE THE REAR PADS SEEM TO BE WEARING AT A QUICKER-THAN-EXPECTED RATE (THEY WERE 10MM NEW, 6MM ON THE ABOVE DATE AND 3.5MM CURRENTLY), I AM CONCLUDING THAT THE FRONT BRAKES ARE NOT BEING EMPLOYED PROPERLY, AND THIS CONDITION IS PUTTING ME AND MY PASSENGERS AT A GREAT SAFETY RISK. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO TWO TOYOTA SHOPS, AND HAVE HAD THEIR DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER INVOLVED, BUT TOYOTA CLAIMS THAT THE BRAKES ARE GOOD BECAUSE THE LINE PRESSURE READINGS ARE WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. I HAVE NOT WITNESSED THESE TESTS NOR HAVE THEY TOLD ME WHAT THE READINGS SHOULD BE, SO I CAN'T BE SURE THAT THE TESTS WERE PERFORMED. THEY HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED A REPAIR, AND WON'T DO SO, BECAUSE "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG" AND IF THERE WAS, IT'S NOT RELATED TO THE WARRANTY. THEY TELL ME THAT I JUST HAVE VERY GOOD BRAKES. THEY WILL NOT ADDRESS HOW THE BRAKES CAN BE WORKING, BUT NOT WEARING. SINCE I HAVE HAD THEM INSPECT THE BRAKES AT LEAST THREE TIMES, I HAVE PAID FOR AT LEAST ONE INSPECTION, THEY HAVE TOLD ME TO TAKE MY COMPLAINT TO ARBITRATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WARRANTY. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE TOYOTA PEOPLE CAN TELL ME THAT THE FRONT BRAKES ARE FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY WITHOUT SHOWING ANY WEAR. THEY WORK BY WEARING. I BELIEVE THAT TOYOTA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPAIR OR REPLACE BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS, UNDER WARRANTY, UNTIL MY BRAKES ARE WORKING PROPERLY, THAT IS, THE FRONT BRAKES ARE DOING MOST OF THE STOPPIN, AS THEY SHOULD. *AK

WHILE DRIVING WHEELS LOCK UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID AND HAVE A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND TRYING TO MAKE A STOPBY APPLYING THE BRAKES, VEHICLE GRINDS/ SQUEAKS, AND THERE IS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES DURING HIGH SPEED , THERE WAS GRINDING NOISE AND THE BRAKES COMPLETELY LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE CRASH. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

FRONT BRAKE PADS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING OUT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIES THEIR BRAKES, IT MAKES NOISE, AND AT TIMES THE BRAKES GO TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE BRAKING A GRINDING NOISE BEGINS EXPERIENCED WITH EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES, REPLACED PADS AND ROTORS HOWEVER CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE SAME DIFFICULTIES.

BRAKE PADS FAILED RESULTING IN NOISE.

BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION DUE TO WORN PADS.

BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN COLLISION.

DRIVING THE VEHICLE OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND WAS GOING DOWN A HILL, APPLIED FOOT TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT A TREE. *AK

FRONT BRAKE NOISE.

BRAKES FAILED.

POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE.