2007 Toyota Highlander Brakes Problems

While driving, your brakes suddenly felt soft and unresponsive when you pressed hard on the pedal. Your dashboard lit up with ABS, brake, and VSC warning lights, and you heard a high-pitched noise from the brake system. You had to use the emergency brake and shift to B mode to slow down safely. The dealer identified a failed brake actuator, which costs around $3,000 to replace and isn't covered by warranty. You're concerned this is a safety defect that should have been recalled since the brake actuator can fail without warning. Fixing this issue requires replacing the entire brake actuator assembly.

You discovered that only one brake was working when you purchased this car, even though the dealer performed a safety inspection and charged you for it without disclosing the issue. You drove the vehicle for a month with a single working brake before mechanics at another shop identified the problem. Additionally, the tire pressure sensors were removed from the car, causing the tire pressure warning light to stay on despite adequate tire pressure.

While driving downhill on a freeway, your dashboard lights went off and the VSC (vehicle stability control) system activated. When you applied the brakes, they felt hard to engage and your car was slow to stop, which was especially concerning while going downhill with your family in the vehicle. Toyota has addressed this issue through a brake actuator warranty extension rather than an official recall.

Your 2007 Highlander Hybrid's ABS brake actuator may fail without warning lights, causing sudden loss of braking responsiveness and power. On January 30, 2022, multiple warning lights (VSC, ABS, Brake) illuminated while driving, and the vehicle experienced erratic behavior and poor braking. The repair will likely require replacement of the ABS actuator and possibly related brake system components.

Your brake system is pulsing and squeaking, which a Toyota dealer identified as a brake actuator failure. This is a known issue in Toyota vehicles that can potentially lead to complete brake failure while driving. The repair involves replacing the brake actuator, which may cost $2,500–$2,800 and is not covered under warranty.

Your brake system is leaking pressure from the accumulator while you're driving, which could affect your brakes' ability to stop properly. This is indicated by a C1391 diagnostic code. You should have a mechanic inspect and repair the brake accumulator and associated seals or lines.

While driving at about 50 mph, your VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) and ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) warning lights turned on with a chime, and "Check VSC" appeared on your dashboard instead of the odometer. Toyota has acknowledged ABS actuator problems on this model but limited warranty coverage to 150,000 miles or 10 years, and only informed dealers about a warranty extension program — not owners who used independent shops. This could affect your braking system's safety performance. The fix would likely involve inspecting or replacing the ABS actuator module.

Your brake pedal has become hard to press, and multiple warning lights are on at the same time: the VCS (Vehicle Stability Control), ABS, brake, and traction control lights. You're also hearing a constant buzzing noise. These issues all started while you were driving. The problem likely involves the brake system, ABS module, or related sensors, and may require diagnostic scanning and brake system inspection.

Your brake warning lights came on, and you've noticed a loud clunking noise from under the hood during startup or shutdown — signs that your ABS actuator may be failing. Your brakes are also grabbing and pulsating unexpectedly. Toyota quoted around $3,000 to replace the ABS actuator, though the owner believes the part itself shouldn't cost that much. The fix involves replacing the ABS actuator unit, which requires disconnecting brake lines, removing bolts, and bleeding the brake system.

ABS ACTUATOR FAILED CAUSING ERRATIC VEHICLE BEHAVIOR AND UNCONTROLLABLE BRAKING. ABS ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED BY TOYOTA IN 2017 AS PART OF AN EXTENDED WARRANTY PROGRAM ON A PART THAT THEY REALIZED WAS DEFECTIVE. IN 2019 WE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUES CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION ON THE FREEWAY AND AGAIN TOOK TO TOYOTA WERE THEY FOUND THAT THE ABS ACTUATOR FAILED AGAIN. THIS PART IS TYPICALLY ONE THAT DOESN'T FAIL OVER THE LIFETIME OF A VEHICLE. THIS PART IS NOW NEEDING TO BE REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME. I PRESUME THAT THE ORIGINAL ABS ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED WITH OLD INVENTORY OF THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART WHICH IS WHY IT QUICKLY FAILED AGAIN. TOYOTA WANTS TO CHARGE $3K TO HAVE REPAIRED. THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF ONLINE COMPLAINTS AND REVIEWS OF CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME DANGEROUS SITUATION IN THE SAME YEAR MAKE/MODEL VEHICLE. I'VE CONTACTED CORPORATE AND THE BEST THEY ARE WILLING TO DO IS PROVIDE A CREDIT FOR $1K OF THE REPAIR. FOR A PART THAT TYPICALLY NEVER FAILS ON A VEHICLE, NO ONE SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO SPEND $3K EVERY COUPLE YEARS CONTINUALLY REPLACING A KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART THAT IS A CRUCIAL SAFETY CONCERN. TOYOTA ADMITTED THERE WAS A SAFETY ISSUE BY INITIALLY DECLARING AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE PART, NOW THAT THE REPLACEMENTS ARE FAILING IN THE EXACT SAME WAY TOYOTA WANTS TO BRUSH THE ISSUE UNDER THE RUG. THIS IS AN URGENT SAFETY CONCERN.

WHILE DRIVING I GOT ERROR CODES CHECK VSC SYSTEM, BRAKES LIGHT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE CAR NEEDED BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY REPLACED, THE COST IS 2900$ . THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS THE CAR BECAME UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THIS IS MY SECOND HYBRID TOYOTA CAR WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HUGE COST OF REPAIR FOR A DEFECTIVE PART INSTALLED BY THE COMPANY

TOYOTA HAD PREVIOUSLY RECALLED THE ABS BRAKE MODULE ON SEVERAL TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS. THE SAME PART THAT THEY RECALLED IN OTHER MODULES HAS NOW FAILED IN MY VEHICLE WHICH HAS LESS THAN 130K MILES ON IT. PER MY MECHANICS INSTRUCTION I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE IN MONTHS BECAUSE IT'S NOT SAFE. THE BRAKES AREN'T FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT COMPLETELY STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS FULLY ENGAGED. IT KIND OF GRABS, AND SLIPS ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL FORWARD OR BACK DEPENDING ON THE GEAR THE TRANSMISSION IS IN. THE ABS MODULE REFURBISHED IS $2500, NOT INCLUDING INSTALLATION.

I HAD A WHEEL BEARING REPLACED IN MY 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER AND AS SOON AS IT WAS FIXED ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE CAR, INCLUDING THE VSC LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT, AND SEVERAL OTHERS. IT WAS NOT SHOWING ANY CODES WHEN CHECKED SO THEY TURNED THEM OFF. OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT A YEAR THE LIGHTS CAME ON AND OFF BUT WITH NO AFFECT TO MY BRAKING SYSTEM. I HAD BROUGHT THE CAR INTO TOYOTA (TALLAHASSEE, FL) FOR A RECALL ON THE HYBRID SYSTEM THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS READING A CODE FOR THE RECALL AND THAT WAS WHY THE LIGHTS WERE ON AND ONCE THEY FIXED THE RECALL THEY WERE OFF UNTIL THE NEXT DAY FOLLOWING PICKING THE CAR UP AND THEY ALL CAME BACK ON AND NOW THEY ARE SAYING THE ABS CONTROL MODULE WHICH WOULD COST $3000+ TO FIX. THE BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY AT ALL AND SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL. THIS IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE A RECALL! I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME TOYOTA HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE.

THE BRAKE ACTUATORS MAKE WEIRD SOUND ONLY WHEN YOU HIT THE BRAKES. THE CAR MAY BE IN A TURNED ON OR OFF POSITION. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PRESS THE BRAKES AND THERE IS A WEIRD SUCKING AND CHIRPING SOUND COMING FROM THE BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY. TALKED TO DEALER AND THEY DID A BRAKE FLUID FLUSH BUT THAT DID NOT HELP. TOYOTA REIMBURSED THE SERVICE CHARGES BUT I THINK THEY DID THAT TO SHUT ME UP. THE BRAKE ACTUATORS CAN FAIL ANYTIME AND I AM WORRIED THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN THIS PROBLEM FOR A WHILE NOW AND IS NOT FIXING THEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND THE FAULTY BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BY TOYOTA.

MY 2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID LOST IT'S POWER BRAKES LAST WEEK AND I HAD TO LIMP HOME, THEN HAVE IT TOWED TO A DEALER. THEY SAID MY ABS ACTUATOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND IT WILL COST ME $2600! MY CAR HAS 127,000 MILES ON IT, AND IS IN GOOD SHAPE, I HAVE IT SERVICED REGULARLY. WHY ISN'T MY CAR PART OF THE ACTUATOR RECALL?

I PURCHASED A USED 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID LESS THAN 2 YEARS AGO AND BECAUSE I WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, I DID NOT RECEIVE AND RECALL NOTICES OR EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE NOTICES. NOW MY BRAKES ARE FAILING AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY THAT TOYOTA OFFERED TO REPAIR FREE UNDER THEIR "ENHANCEMENT" PROGRAM. I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS BECAUSE I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND NOW THE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM HAS EXPIRED. AVERAGE COST OF THIS REPAIR IS $2,500-$3,000 AND I DO NOT HAVE THAT TYPE OF MONEY AND YET I NEED MY CAR DAILY TO WORK. AT SOME POINT THE BRAKES, AS CURRENTLY INDICATED ON THE DASHBOARD AND FROM THE SOUND THEY ARE MAKING, ARE GOING TO FAIL, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. THEIR ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM WAS GOOD FOR 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES, WHICHEVER CAME FIRST SO I AM PAST THE 10 YEAR PERIOD. WHY DO THEY PUT LIMITS ON LIFE AND DEATH SAFETY ISSUES WITH THEIR CARS ? I NEED THE NHTSA'S HELP. THANK YOU.

IN 2015 I WAS TOLD BY THE TOYOTA DEALER THAT MY ABS PUMP AND ACCUMULATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THAT WAS DONE AND I IMMEDIATELY STARTING HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. TWO THINGS: (1) PER THE SERVICE REP, THIS REPLACEMENT NEEDED TO BE DONE DUE TO A PUMPING SOUND BEING EMITTED FROM THE ABS PUMP AFTER THE SUV WAS TURNED OFF. THE EXACT SAME NOISE STARTED UP WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF THE REPLACEMENT. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND POINTED THE NOISE OUT AND WAS TOLD THAT THAT NOISE WAS "NORMAL" (SIC) (2) IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE NEW ABS SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED, A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE BRAKES APPEARED: AS I PULLED TO A STOP THE CAR WOULD SPEED UP OR SUDDENLY MOVE FORWARD AS IF I HAD STOPPED BRAKING. I WOULD HAVE TO READJUST MY BRAKING INSTANTLY TO KEEP FROM HAVING AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAS BEEN SCARY FOR YEARS. FOR YEARS BECAUSE EACH TIME I HAD THE CAR SERVICED AND BROUGHT THIS UP TO TOYOTA AND TEST DRIVES WERE PERFORMED, I WAS ALWAYS TOLD THAT THEY DIDN'T EXPERIENCE IT OR DIDN'T SEE IT OR SOME SUCH. TWICE THEY DID OTHER BRAKE WORK WHICH DID NOTHING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. LASTLY, I WAS RECENTLY DRIVING ON HIGHWAY US 19 AND ALL THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNINGS CAME ON AND A LOUD SCREECH STARTED AND CONTINUED -- ABSOLUTELY EAR SPLITTING. I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT WAY DOWN AND WITH EFFORT I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CFAR TO SLOW DOWN. THE POWER ASSIST HAD DISAPPEARED ALONG WITH THE ABS. THE MESSAGE IN THE READOUT STATES SOMETHING LIKE "VCS PROBLEM" OR ERROR -- I DON'T REMEMBER SITTING HERE WRITING THIS, BUT IT IS A VCS PROBLEM. I CALLED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT 6 MONTHS AFTER MY ABS SYSTEM WAS OVERHAULED, A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED STATING THAT THE OLDER (MINE) ABS PUMPS HAVE CRACKS OR A CRACK IN THEM. I BELIEVE ANY AUTO WITH AN ABS SYSTEM WITH A CRACK IN THE PUMP BODY SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THOSE ABS SYSTEMS REPLACED AT THE COST OF THE TOYOTA.

2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID LIMITED WAS EXPERIENCING CONCERNING BRAKES BEGINNING TO LURCH FORWARD, BRAKE PEDAL STIFFNESS, AND ASSOCIATED NOISE. IN SHORT, THE ISSUE IS A CRITICAL LOSS OF ASSISTED BRAKING. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN TEXAS AND WAS INSTRUCTED THAT THE ABS ACTUATOR HAD FAILED. MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THIS FAILURE IS FAIRLY COMMON IN TOYOTA HYBIRDS FROM 07 (BOTH HIGHLANDER AND CAMRY). THE HIGHLANDER ABS ACTUATOR COMPONENT IS IDENTICAL TO THE ABS ACTUATOR IN THE 2007 CAMRY HYBRID THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF A NHTSA INVESTIGATION WHICH CULMINATED IN 2014 WITH TOYOTA ISSUING AN ENHANCED WARRANTY PROGRAM COVERING THE 2007 CAMRY HYBRID (NHTSA INVESTIGATION PE 14-001, CONDUCTED BY KAREEM HABIB). WAS INFORMED THAT OTHER OWNERS OF 2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRIDS HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS. A QUICK SEARCH ONLINE SHOWS THAT THESE ISSUES ARE QUITE UBIQUITOUS IN THE 07 HYBRID MODELS. THIS PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. I SUBSEQUENTLY RELOCATED FOR WORK TO THE WASHINGTON, DC AREA AND CALLED TOYOTA TO SEE IF THEY WOULD OFFER A FIX OR COVER THE REPAIR. WAS INSTRUCTED TO BRING THE CAR INTO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED THAT THE ISSUE IS A FAULTY ABS ACTUATOR (DESIGN DEFECT) AND THE COST OF REPAIR/REPLACEMENT WOULD BE $3506.02. DEALERSHIP SENT TOYOTA CORPORATE THE INFORMATION AND REQUESTED THAT THEY REPAIR BE COVERED. TOYOTA CORPORATE DENIED COVERAGE OF THE REPAIR. WAS ALSO INSTRUCTED BY TOYOTA CORPORATE THAT DESPITE THE FACT THEY HAD REQUESTED THAT I TAKE THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP, I OWED $129.95 FOR THE MECHANICAL INSPECTION. THE FAILURE OF ASSISTED BRAKING PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. THIS ISSUE WAS RECOGNIZED BY NHTSA IN IT'S AFOREMENTIONED INVESTIGATION OF IDENTICAL FAILURES IN THE 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT NHTSA INITIATE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE 07 HIGHLANDER HYBRID ABS ACTUATOR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT IT TOOK A LONGER DISTANCE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VSC WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

I WAS DRIVING ON DOUBLE R BOULEVARD IN RENO AT ABOUT 35 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY LOSS BRAKES. I HAD TO PUSH VERY HARD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL STUMPED AND THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NOT IN USE AND THE BRAKE WILL FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN NOT WORK. THIS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY. I MANAGE TO PARK THE CAR AT A NEARBY SMITH'S. MY HUSBAND TOOK THE CAR TO THE RENO TOYOTA (DEALER) , WHERE THEY TOLD US IT WAS THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE NEXT DAY THEY TOLD US THE REPLACEMENT DIDN'T SOLVED THE PROBLEM AND THE BOOSTER HAD TO BE REPLACED, THIS PROBLEM SOUNDS VERY FAMILIAR TO THE RECALL OF TOYOTA ON 2004-2006 MODELS BUT TOYOTA WON'T ASSIST US WITH THE REPAIRS. WE ARE JUST THANKFUL THAT WERE NOT ON THE FREEWAY WITH OUR KIDS. THIS WAS A VERY SCARY SITUATION WHEN YOU REALIZE THERE ARE NO BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR. I WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS OF THE DEFECTIVE PARTS ($1,750). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH SHE ENGAGED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DECELERATE OR STOP. THE CONTACT THEN ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND THE MASTER CYLINDER WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND AGREED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT NORMAL WEAR. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 73,933.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK WITH SLIGHT HESITATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER FOR ONE WEEK TO REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE DEFECT ON THE MODEL YEARS 2004-2006 UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V499000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: FOUNDATION COMPONENTS: MASTER CYLINDER). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. UPDATED 06/16/11*LJ UPDATED 06/27/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED HE WOULD NEED TO BLEED THE BRAKES AND CHANGE THE OIL. THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE MADE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, WHO STATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST, AND THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT HER EXPENSE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

I PURCHASED A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, HYBRID IN SEP OF 2009. I HAVE NOTICED AN INTERRUPTION IN ENGAGING THE BRAKES EVERY TIME I PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. TOYOTA SAYS THIS IT A NORMAL DELAY BETWEEN THE MECHANICAL AND ABS ENGAGING. I AM A LONG TIME DRIVER AND THIS IS VERY UNSETTLING. *TR

SUDDEN LOSS OF BRAKES ON A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. CAR REAR ENDED A TRUCK. DRIVER BROKE RIGHT BRAKING ANKLE. NO SKID MARKS. DRIVER'S HEAD HIT STEERING WHEEL EVEN THOUGH AIR BAG DEPLOYED. BELIEVE AIR BAG ONLY PARTIALLY DEPLOYED. *TR

WHEN NEW I HAD NO DIFFICULTY WITH THE BRAKES ON MY VEHICLE. THEY PERFORMED WELL, AND I NEVER FELT ANXIETY THAT MY BRAKES "WOULDN'T BE THERE" WHEN NEEDED. BUT OVER THE PAST YEAR THIS HAS CHANGED. AT FIRST I NOTICED THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SOFT, AND WAS LOWER TO THE FLOOR. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO WESTBURY (NY) TOYOTA. THEY MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS WHICH APPEARED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AT THAT TIME. THEN, ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, THE BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN BEGAN TO FEEL SOFT. IN ADDITION, IT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SINK ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WHILE DEPRESSED. THIS WOULD HAPPEN MAIN;Y WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE (STOP SIGN OR LIGHT), BUT OCCASIONALLY ALSO HAPPENED WHILE USING MODERATE BREAKING TO CONTROL VEHICLE SPEED WHILE DRIVING DOWN AN INCLINE. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO MARIETTA (GA) TOYOTA. THEY MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, WHICH SEEMED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, A FEW WEEKS LATER THE BRAKES BEGAN AGAIN TO EXHIBIT THE SAME SYMPTOMS. THIS BECAME EXTREMELY ALARMING WHEN, WHILE DRIVING DOWN AN INCLINE, I WAS UNABLE TO FULLY STOP BEFORE MY VEHICLE TRAVELED INTO THE NEAR LANE OF CROSS TRAFFIC. I AGAIN BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO MARIETTA TOYOTA. THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG, AND TOLD ME THE MASTER CYLINDER IS DESIGNED TO RELEASE PRESSURE WHILE THE PEDAL IS HELD. I OPENED A TICKET WITH TOYOTA (#1003232005), BUT I AM CONCERNED THEY MAY SAY THE BRAKES ARE WORKING CORRECTLY, EVEN THOUGH THEY CLEARLY SEEM UNSAFE TO ME.

SINCE THE PURCHASE OF OUR 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID WE HAVE HAD BRAKE DECELERATION ISSUES. THE BRAKES SEEM TO OCCASIONALLY SKIP, THEN LURCH FORWARD AS SOON AS THE BRAKING SYSTEM INITIATES. WHILE I HAVE NOT GOTTEN INTO ANY ACCIDENT, I HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO BRAKING EARLY IN PREPARATION FOR STOPPING. IT HAPPENS AT LOW SPEEDS (BETWEEN 5-45MPH) ALTHOUGH THAT IS WHEN I'M MOST LIKELY TO COME TO A FULL STOP. NOT SURE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AT FULL HIGHWAY SPEED. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED TO THEM, THOUGH THEY WOULD TAKE A LOOK. AFTER READING POSTS OF IDENTICAL BRAKING ISSUES, AND WITH THE ACCELERATION ISSUES IN CONSIDERATION I FEEL IT BEST TO FILE A COMPLAINT FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE ROTORS WERE RUSTING AND THE PADS WERE WORN DUE TO THE WINTER WEATHER. THE BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, AND CALIPERS HAD RUST ON THEM AND THEY WERE STUCK TOGETHER DUE TO THE INCLEMENT WEATHER. WHEN ENGAGING THE BRAKE PEDAL THERE WAS A PULSATING AND UNEVEN FEELING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS STATED THAT THEY WERE WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE DEALER TO SEE WHAT THE OUTCOME WOULD BE. THERE WERE RELATED RECALLS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FAILURE FOR OTHER YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL TOYOTA'S. THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED; HOWEVER, HE DOESN'T KNOW WHO WILL ASSUME THE REPAIR COST. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 28000.