2003 Toyota Camry SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, CAUSING HIM TO BE INVOLVED IN THREE VEHICLE CRASHES CRASHING INTO THE REAR OF TWO VEHICLES AND THE DRIVER SIDE OF ANOTHER. THERE WAS ONE REPORTED INJURY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE DEALER DID NOT PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURING ENGINEER EXAMINED THE EVENT DATA RECORDER BUT THERE WAS NO RECORDED BRAKE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 191,600.

I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN GETTING READY TO STOP WHEN I REALIZED I WAS UNABLE TO STOP. FINALLY AFTER REALLY PUSHING HARD I GOT STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND I HEARD THE GAS ACCELERATING. I ALMOST HIT A BACK END SIDE OF A CAR WITHOUT THE PEOPLE EVEN KNOWING WHAT HAPPEN. *TR

I WATCHED THE CNN EVENING NEWS COVERAGE YESTERDAY, FEBRUARY 9 ON THE PRIUS RECALL DUE TO A BRAKE PROBLEM. THE CNN NEWS REPORTER ACTUALLY OWNS A PRIUS AND WAS RELAYING HER EXPERIENCE. HER STORY RESONANT WITH ME BECAUSE I HAVE CONTINUALLY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 2003 CAMRY. THOUGH I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALER A NUMBER OF TIMES AND THE TECHNICIAN HAS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING ROAD TESTS, NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM IS FOUND. *TR

I HAVE A 96 AND 03 TOYOTA CAMRY AND MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND SHE HIT THE BRAKES AND COULD NOT STOP. SHE CONTINUED HITTING THE BRAKES AND LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND HIT A BEAM UNDER A BRIDGE. I AM GLAD SHE DIDN'T GET HURT BUT THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS BADLY DAMAGED. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE. I HAVE HAD DIFFERENT CAR MECHANICS TELL ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS AN ANSWER ON WHAT I CAN DO. *TR

I AM FINDING THAT THE BRAKES ON MY 2003 CAMRY LE DO NOT SLOW THE CAR WHEN I HIT A POT HOLE OR DEFECT IN THE ROAD. THIS HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN 5 TIMES IN LAST YEAR WHEN I BRAKE WHILE GOING OVER A POT HOLE *TW

FOR OVER FOUR YEARS I HAVE BEEN ASKING TOYOTA DEALER TO LOOK AT THE BRAKES ON MY 2003 CAMRY. THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSES OVER HALF WAY BEFORE IT GRABS. I HAD TO STOP FAST TWO MONTHS AGO AND THE PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR AND I SKIDDED TO THE SIDE BEFORE THE BRAKES GRABBED. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND THEY WERE FINE, THEY SAID THAT THE PEDAL WAS WORKING JUST FINE AND THEY COULD NOT ADJUST THE PEDAL FREE PLAY. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THEY WON'T DO ANY THING ABOUT IT. THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL REGARDING THE BRAKES OR PEDAL ON A 2003 CAMRY. *TR

WHEN I APPLY MY BRAKES ON ICE, MY ABS SYSTEM IMMEDIATELY ACTIVATES AND SLOWS MY 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY DOWN. WHEN I APPLY MY BRAKES ON DRY ROADS, (COMING UP ON A RED LIGHT FOR INSTANCE), AND HIT A BUMP OR POTHOLE IN THE ROAD, THE BRAKES IMMEDIATELY RELEASE. AFTER A 1-2 SECOND DELAY, THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES. THOSE TWO SECONDS HAVE NEARLY CAUSED NUMEROUS CRASHES OVER THE LIFE OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR

TWICE LAST YEAR THE CAR JUST TOOK OFF ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AND WHEN I TRIED TO USE THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR IT JUST KEPT GOING. THE FIRST TIME I COULD NOT CONTROL THE CAR BY USING THE BRAKES AND IT FINALLY STOPPED AFTER IT WENT DOWN THE STREET A WAYS AND OVER A CURB. THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED AND I HAD JUST STARTED UP THE CAR PUTTING MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL WHEN THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL. THE SECOND TIME I HAD ENTERED A PARKING GARAGE, STOPPED TO TAKE A TICKET FROM A MACHINE AND WHEN I APPLIED THE GAS IT TOOK OFF. I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND TRIED TO STEER THE CAR OUT OF DANGER. IT FINALLY HIT A CEMENT BLOCK, BOUNCING BACK GOING FORWARD AGAIN BEFORE IT STOPPED. BOTH TIMES I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY CHECKED IT OUT AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE SECOND TIME IN DECEMBER 2009 THEY TOLD ME OF THE PROBLEM REGARDING THE GAS PEDAL AND THE CARPET, WHICH THEY SAID WAS OK ON MY CAR AND TOLD ME IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE WHEELS WOULD STOP TURNING. THEY ALSO SAID THEY WERE WORKING ON A RECALL BUT THAT MY CAR WOULD NOT BE A PART OF IT AS THE PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST UNTIL 2005 ON CAMRYS. *TR

IN JULY OF 2007 OR 2008 WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK MY 2003 TOYOTA SOLARA IN A KOHL'S LOT THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHILE I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE ACCELERATION WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO CAUSE MY HEAD TO BE THROWN BACK BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO CHECK THE ODOMETER FOR THE REGISTERED SPEED. I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING STALL WITH ONE CAR DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME AND A CAR ON EITHER SIDE OF ME. I STOMPED ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS I COULD AND WAS ABLE TO STOP WITHIN AN INCH OR TWO FROM THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THIS WAS PROBABLY THE SCARIEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME IN AN AUTOMOBILE. I CHECKED THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND FOUND THAT OTHER OWNERS OF SOLARAS HAD EXPERIENCED SIMILAR OCCURRENCES WITH THEIR AUTOS AND HAD BEEN TOLD THAT IT WAS POSSIBLY A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE. I FILED A REPORT AND SPOKE WITH A WOMAN FROM NHTSA WHO CALLED ME BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED AGAIN. I BROUGHT MY SOLARA TO THE DEALER WHERE I HAD PURCHASED IT AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG OTHER THAN THE FLOOR MAT WAS PUSHED FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON AND OFF WHEN I'VE BEEN BRAKING TO TURN LEFT OR AM SLOWLY COMING TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR STOP SIGN AND ALWAYS WHEN I HAVE THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED. IT FEELS AS IF I'VE HIT AN OIL SLICK IN THE ROAD AND THE ONLY THING I CAN DO IS PRESS VERY HARD ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR FROM GOING FORWARD. NONE OF THESE INCIDENTS HAS EVER BEEN AS SCARY AS WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED WHEN I WAS PARKING BUT THEY'VE ALL OCCURRED WHEN I WAS STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. *TR

AFTER READING THE RECENT DESCRIPTION OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES ON THE 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS I REALIZED THAT THE DESCRIPTION IS IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEM I HAVE ON MY 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND AT THE SAME TIME I HAPPEN TO HIT A POTHOLE OR A ROUGH OR UNEVEN SURFACE THE CAR WILL LOSE BRAKING ABILITY AND IT IS OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY THE CHATTERING SOUND LIKE YOU HEAR WHEN ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ARE ENGAGING, EXCEPT IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE THE BRAKES DO NOT SEEM TO HAVE ANY EFFECT. ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT IT IS VERY MUCH A SENSE OF LOST OF CONTROL WHEN IT HAPPENS, AND MOST RECENTLY WHEN THIS HAPPENED I HAD TO SHIFT LANES SUDDENLY TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. AS STATED THIS PHENOMENA HAS OCCURRED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. *TR

I READ ABOUT YOUR INVESTIGATION INTO THE 2010 PRIUS BRAKING DIFFICULTIES WHEN GOING OVER POTHOLES OR UNEVEN ROAD SURFACES. I HAVE A 2003 CAMRY AND HAVE BEEN HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM FOR YEARS. I ACTUALLY TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE SENSORS ON THE ABS, BUT THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO. ANYWAY I JUST THOUGHT YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT LIMITED TO THE PRIUS IN 2010. *TR

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THAT I HAVE A TOYOTA 2003 CAMRY MODEL XLE AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR BRAKE PROBLEM AS RECENTLY REPORTED IN THE TOYOTA PRIUS. WHEN I AM BRAKING ON AN UNEVEN OR SLIPPERY SURFACE, I HEAR A STRANGE GRINDING NOISE, THE BRAKES LOCK UP, AND THE CAR SKIDS. I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER FOR REPAIR AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A FEW YEARS. I DO NOT REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM. *JB

MY WIFE'S WAS DRIVING OUR 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY XLE TO STORE WHEN COMING TO CASUAL STOP HIT BRAKE PEDAL AND HAD LOST ALL BRAKING POWER WHILE MERGING ONTO EXIT. MY WIFE KEPT PUMPING THE BRAKES UNTIL AFTER 8-10 PUMPS OF BRAKE PEDAL CAR FINALLY REGAINED BRAKING POWER. SHE WAS TELLING ME SHE WAS ALMOST PREPARED TO RUN THE CAR OFF THE ROAD INTO DITCH TO AVOID REAR-ENDING CARS IN FRONT OF HER. MY WIFE WAS SCARED AND UPSET AND SAID SHE WON'T PUT OUR 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER OR 7 YEARS OLD SON IN THIS CAR EVER AGAIN. I HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT LOSS OF BRAKES PROBLEM SINCE NEW. WHEN WE TAKE IT TO THE DEALER THE TELL US THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN FIND WRONG. THIS HAS HAPPENED 10 TIMES SINCE NEW,BUT THIS EVENT BEING THE WORST. I AM CALLING DEALER TOMORROW MORNING TO GET THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED. MY WIFE DOES NOT WANT THE CAR AND STRONGLY BELIEVES THE PROBLEM WON'T BE FIXED BECAUSE IT IS A ENGINEERING PROBLEM NOT A MAINTENANCE PROBLEM. I AM SURE OF ALL THE TIMES WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR THIS ISSUE THAT THEY CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. I AM SURE THAT WHEN I TAKE IT THERE TOMORROW NOT UNDER WARRANTY THEY WILL TURN THIS ENGINEERING PROBLEM INTO A PROFIT MAKER. THE CAR IS A GARAGE KEPT CAR WITH 44,000 MILE AND NEW FRONT AND REAR BRAKES PADS AT 40,000. MY WIFE AND I READ MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS ON BRAKING PROBLEMS AND ARE EXACTLY WHAT WE EXPERIENCE ON OUR TOYOTA CAMRY XLE. I WAS NOT IN THE CAR SO I'M NOT SURE IT WAS BRAKES OR ACCELERATOR. MY OPINION IS IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. WHEN CAR WAS NEW I HAD A PANIC STOP ON HIGHWAY ON A HOT SUMMER DAY. I HIT THE BRAKES HARD AND REAR TIRES LOCKED UP AND SKIDDED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 30 MPH FROM 65MPH. IF THIS CAR HAS ABS HOW CAN YOU SKID THE REAR TIRES AT ANYTIME. DEALER CLAIMED TO FIND NOTHING WRONG EVERY TIME . TOMORROW AT THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD BE INTERESTING, MY WIFE WANTS ME TO TRADE IT IN AND SWEARS SHE WON'T DRIVE IT EVER AGAIN. *TR

2003 CAMRY LE WITH A FAILING BRAKING SYSTEM. THE BRAKE PEDAL MUST BE PUSHED ALMOST TO THE FLOOR FOR THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. THEY CLAIM THE BRAKES MEET MANUFACTURER'S SPECS, AND HAVE FAILED TO DIAGNOSE ANY PROBLEM, AND NO FIX WAS EVER OFFERED. THE PADS AND ROTORS ARE OK, AND THEY AGREE THAT IS NOT THE PROBLEM. I OWNED THE CAR SINCE IT WAS NEW, AND THERE IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL NEEDING EXCESSIVE DEPRESSION, WHICH TOYOTA DENIES. THEY HAVE OPENED A CASE FILE ON THE CAR, BUT HAVE DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT, FOR FEAR THE BRAKES WILL NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. PURCHASED AT SUNNYSIDE TOYOTA IN NORTH OLMSTED, OHIO (440)777-9911. I BELIEVE THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON THIS MODEL IS FAULTY, AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED. EVERY TIME I TAKE THIS CAR OUT FOR A TEST RIDE, IT SEEMS TO BE WORSE. I HAVE STOPPED DRIVING IT, AND TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING, EXCEPT HAVE YET ANOTHER OF THEIR DEALERS "LOOK AT IT". I AM TIRED OF TAKING THIS INTO THE SHOP TO BE DIAGNOSED, ONLY TO BE TURNED AWAY SAYING IT'S "COMPLETELY UP TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECS." FOUR TIMES IS ENOUGH !!! THERE IS SOMETHING VERY WRONG. *TR

I BOUGHT A TOYOTA CAMRY 2003 LE IN JUNE 2006 AND I FOUND THAT IT TAKES TIME FOR THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR.. I WENT BACK TO DEALER 3 TIMES THE CHECK THE CAR AND I WAS TOLD THAT'S HOW THE CAR IS DESIGNED THEY CANNOT HELP ME, AND THEY SAID THAT I WILL GET USE TO IT. BUT I NEVER GET USE TO IT . IT VERY SCARY WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AT ANY SPEED HE HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING NORMALLY. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FAILURE SINCE THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90000.

2003 TOYOTA CAMRY LE WE HAVE A 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY AND A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. MY WIFE GENERALLY DRIVES THE 2003 CAMRY. I HAVE ALWAYS FELT THAT THE BRAKES WERE UNRESPONSIVE OR PRESSING THE BRAKES WOULD GENERALLY CAUSE THE CAR TO SKID IRRESPECTIVE OF ROAD CONDITIONS - WET /DRY. I HAVE TAKEN THE CARE TO THE SHOP TO CHECK IF THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM, ENSURED THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE NEW ETC. 3 WEEKS AGO I WAS IN A REAR END COLLISION - I HAD PLENTY OF ROOM TO STOP AND HIT THE BRAKES AND THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN AND CONTINUED TO SKID. I USED THE CAR IN FRONT TO EFFECTIVELY HALT OUR CAR. WITH ALL THE DISCUSSION OF THE TOYOTA RECALLS, I BELIEVE THERE ARE MORE CARS THAT TOYOTA IS NOT REVEALING. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, I DROVE THE 1999 CAMRY AND THERE IS DEFINITELY A DIFFERENCE I THE RESPONSIVENESS AND PERFORMANCE OF THE BRAKES/BRAKING SYSTEM. *TR

I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY 2003 CAMRY SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. THE ANTILOCK BRAKES KICK IN FOR NO OBVIOUS REASONS, EVEN FOR SMALL BUMPS/POTHOLES AND I LOOSE CONTROL OF STOPPING THE CAR. LUCKILY I HAVE NOT GONE INTO ANY ACCIDENT, BUT IT IS SCARY. NOW MY 17 YEAR DAUGHTER IS GETTING HER LICENSE AND I AM SCARED THAT SHE MIGHT NOT KNOW HOW TO CONTROL THE SITUATION. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH 2003 CAMRY BRAKING SYSTEM. READING ALL THESE POSTS, I THINK THAT TOYOTA IS NOT HONEST WITH US SEE OTHER COMPLAINS AT HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/FORUM/TOYOTA/CAMRY/CONSUMER+COMPLAINT/760-760. *TR

I HAVE A CAR TOYOTA CAMRY 2003 AND HAD TWO CAR ACCIDENTS (CRASH) IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE FAILURE. *TR

2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE NEW. I ALWAYS THOUGHT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES-THE PEDAL NEARS THE FLOOR BEFORE BRAKING ACTION BEGINS. REPORTED TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES. THEY MAINTAIN THE BRAKES ARE FINE AND UP TO SPECS. I HAD THE FRONT ROTORS AND PADS CHANGED ALONG WITH NEW SHOES ON THE REAR-EVEN THOUGH THE ORIGINAL PARTS WERE NOT WORN OUT-AND STOPPING IMPROVED ALTHOUGH THERE IS STILL AN AWFUL LOT OF PEDAL TRAVEL BEFORE BRAKING TAKES PLACE. I FEEL THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE MASTER CYLINDER THAT SHOULD BE RECTIFIED BY TOYOTA MOTOR CO. I THINK THE RECENT EVENTS WITH THEIR VEHICLE RECALLS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. *TR

I HAVE EXPERIENCED BRAKING PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO THOSE PROMPTING THE PRIUS RECALL SINCE APPROXIMATELY OCTOBER, 2009. IF THE BRAKE IS ENGAGED ON ROUGH PAVEMENT (BUMPY, POTHOLES,ETC), IT SHUDDERS AND DOES NOT ENGAGE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS EVEN WHEN THE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. I HAVE HAD THE ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS AND HAVE HAD THE ABS SENSORS CLEANED AND LINES INSPECTED WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. THE PROBLEM OCCURS ON BOTH WET AND DRY PAVEMENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE DRIVER STATED THAT WHEN SHE DROVE ON UNEVEN PAVEMENT, OVER A BUMP OR DOWN A HILL SHE TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE DRIVER STATED THAT IT FELT AS IF HER WHEELS WERE BOUNCING. THE DRIVER ALSO STATED THAT IT SOUNDED AS IF IT WERE COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

I WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR-END COLLISION IN MY 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY WHEN MY ABS BRAKES FAILED. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY TO HAVE THE BRAKES INSPECTED. THE INSPECTION WAS VISUAL ONLY. THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT WAS NOT ON AND NO DEFECT WAS OBSERVED. THE SERVICE ADVISOR RECOMMENDED THAT WE HAVE OUR TIRES REPLACED, IN CASE THE TIRES CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE. WE REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. ONE WEEK LATER, WE EXPERIENCED ANOTHER INCIDENT IN WHICH THE BRAKES FAILED TO DEPLOY CORRECTLY, CAUSING US TO FEEL UNSAFE AT A STOP LIGHT IN TIGHT TRAFFIC. WE TOOK THE CAR IN FOR A SECOND INSPECTION. A TOYOTA TECHNICIAN TOOK ME FOR A TEST RIDE AND SAID THEY HAD RECEIVED COMPLAINTS OF "SOFT, CUSHY" BRAKES, BUT THAT WHENEVER TESTED, THESE BRAKES MET THE TOYOTA SPECIFICATIONS. AGAIN, WE WERE DISSATISFIED AND FELT THAT OUR SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED IN THIS CAR. WE CONTACTED TOYOTA'S CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS AND REGISTERED A COMPLAINT. AN ACCIDENT REPORT WAS TAKEN OVER THE TELEPHONE. WE WERE GIVEN NO FURTHER HELP. WE RECONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND REQUESTED THAT THE DISTRICT TECHNICIAN TAKE OUR CAR FOR A TEST RIDE. ON 4/4/08, THE TECHNICIAN AND THE SERVICE MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP TOOK THE CAR OUT ON A TEST RIDE. THEY INFORMED US THAT THE ABS BRAKES MET TOYOTA'S SPECIFICATIONS. DESPITE THE DEALERSHIPS ASSURANCES, MY HUSBAND HAD A THIRD INCIDENT RECENTLY IN TRAFFIC WHERE THE BRAKES FAILED ONCE AGAIN. WE FEAR FOR OUR SAFETY IN THIS CAR AND DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE IT IN TRAFFIC OR OTHERWISE. *TR

BRAKE-ABS-VSC-TRAC OFF LIGHTS IN MY DASH HAVE BEEN COMING ON FOR THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY. FIRST JUST ONCE, THEN A WEEK LATER EVERY COUPLE DAYS, FINALLY 3 TIMES IN ONE MORNING. WHEN I TOOK IT TO MY PERSONAL MECHANIC, THEY SAID THERE WERE NO CODES. THEN I CALLED THE DEALER WHERE PURCHASED AND SOMEONE SUGGESTED VENTING THE GAS CAP. IT STILL CAME ON AGAIN LATER THAT DAY, AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WITH THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD MY BRAKE, ABS/VSC AND TRAC OFF LIGHTS HAVE BEEN COMING ON IN MY 2003 CAMRY LEV6 BECAUSE THE VSC COMPUTER NEEDS REPLACING FOR ALMOST $1,800. ON A CAR WITH ONLY 25K MILES THAT IS ABSURD AND I REFUSED!! THE DEALER CONSULTANT EVEN SAID THAT WAS ODD. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT FOR THIS TO GO BAD. I HAVE READ ON-LINE FORUMS WHERE MANY TRUCK AND SUV OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND A PROBLEM TOYOTA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. I AM NOT ABOUT TO SPEND THIS MUCH MONEY ON A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE FIRST PLACE. SOME OWNERS SAY THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT VARIOUS SENSORS COULD BE AT FAULT AND NOT THE WHOLE COMPUTER. ONE OWNER SAID HE FOUND IT WAS A BAD BRAKE PAD! I THINK THE SENSORS SHOULD BE CHECKED FOR REPLACEMENT. WHETHER IT IS THE SENSORS OR THE COMPUTER, IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT, AND TOYOTA SHOULD PAY FOR IT. *TR

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I AM WRITING WITH REGARD TO A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY, VIN [XXX], PURCHASED IN THE SUMMER OF 2003. ON DECEMBER 14, 2005, I TOOK THE CAR INTO JON LANCASTER TOYOTA/SCION DEALERSHIP. PRIOR TO BRINGING THE CAR IN, ON 3 OCCASIONS, THE BRAKES FAILED. UPON ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, THE BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN VIBRATING AND THERE WAS A THUDDING SOUND. THE CAR DID NOT BRAKE AND I HAD TO PUSH THE PEDAL 5 TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN. HOWEVER THE CAR DID NOT STOP COMPLETELY. ACCORDING TO THE DOCUMENTS, A TECHNICIAN CHECKED OVER THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND STATED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. AN EMPLOYEE STATED THAT THE THUDDING NOISE AND THE INABILITY TO STOP WAS NORMAL WHICH THIS TYPE OF BRAKE SYSTEM AND THAT HE HAS HAD SEVERAL CUSTOMERS IN THE PAST COMPLAIN OF THIS PROBLEM. SINCE THE INSPECTION, THE CAR HAS FAILED TO BRAKE ON TWO OCCASIONS. I CONTACTED ROSEMURGY TOYOTA, THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR, AND THEY INFORMED ME TO BRING THE CAR BACK TO JON LANCASTER. HOWEVER, JON LANCASTER DEALERSHIP IS INSISTING THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. THIS CAR IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE NOT ONLY TO IT OCCUPANTS BUT ALSO TO OTHERS ON THE ROAD. THIS CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY AND I AM WRITING TO INSIST THAT THIS MATTER BE LOOKED INTO AND RESULTING IN REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED AN ATTORNEY REGARDING THIS MATTER. ALSO, I WILL BE FORWARDING A COPY OF THIS LETTER TO THE WISCONSIN CONSUMER PROTECTION AGENCY AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. *JB UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)