2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CHECKED THE REAR BRAKES AND FOUND THEM TO BE VERY HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BILLION AUTO- TOYOTA (4101 W 12TH ST, SIOUX FALLS, DE 57106, 605-309-0979) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE STUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 210160578. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 24,250. *TT CONSUMER STATED THERE IS FRICTION ON BRAKE PADS. UPDATED 12/18/18*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT SPRAINED HER RIGHT ANKLE FROM THE PRESSURE OF DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUALLY. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO NORTH HOLLYWOOD TOYOTA IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA TO HAVE THE DAMAGES ASSESSED. IT HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED YET WHETHER OR NOT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH CLAIM NUMBER: 180-427-0700. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.

WHEN DRIVING ON LOCAL ROADS, THE ABS, SLIP AND WARNING LIGHTS WOULD COME ON SUDDENLY. I WOULD EXPERIENCE A SEVERE DECREASE IN BRAKE FUNCTION (I WOULD NEED TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO GET THEM TO APPLY PROPERLY). THIS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES BEFORE THE SERVICE CENTER WAS ABLE TO DIAGNOSE A FAILED ABS ACTUATOR. THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE FOR THE CAMRY HYBRIDS, AS TOYOTA ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 2006-2011 CAMRY HYBRIDS FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM. (UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE A 2012 HYBRID AND THE SERVICE CENTER WOULD LIKE TO CHARGE ME OVER $3K (!) TO FIX THIS ISSUE.).

I WAS IN MY GYM'S PARKING LOT AND HAD JUST TURNED LEFT INTO A PARKING SPACE. I PLACED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW THE CAR TO A STOP AS IT MOVED FORWARD INTO THE PARKING SPACE. HOWEVER, THE BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT RESPOND. INSTEAD, THE CAR CONTINUED DRIVING FORWARD ON ITS OWN, AND THEN I HEARD A SOUND OF ACCELERATION, AS IF THE CAR WAS REVVING ITSELF UP TO A HIGHER SPEED. THINKING THAT THE BRAKE HAD NOT ENGAGED, I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE PEDAL AND PLACED IT BACK ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, STEPPING HARDER, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. AT THIS POINT, WITH MY FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR JUMPED UP ONTO THE CURB WHILE STILL ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN, RAN OVER THE SIDEWALK. ROLLED UP AND OVER A TWO-FOOT HEDGE THAT RAN PARALLEL TO THE SIDEWALK, THEN CRASHED INTO THE BRICK ENFORCED CONCRETE COLUMN AT THE CORNER OF THE GYM BUILDING. THE BRICK COLUMN STOPPED THE FORWARD MOMENTUM OF THE CAR, BUT LEFT A LARGE DENT IN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR'S BUMPER THAT WAS EMBEDDED WITH CHUNKS OF CONCRETE. IT ALSO DENTED THE HOOD OF THE CAR, PUSHING IT OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THE AIRBAGS IN THE CAR DID NOT DEPLOY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND HAVE REPORTED MY ACCIDENT TO TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS. I AUTHORIZED THEIR REVIEW OF MY CAR'S EVENT DATA RECORDER AND AM AWAITING THEIR INVESTIGATION REPORT. THIS FRIGHTENING ACCIDENT LEFT ME VERY SHAKEN. IT FELT AS IF I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR AT ALL. IT SEEMED AS IF SOMETHING HAD TAKEN CONTROL OF THE ACCELERATION OF THE CAR AND MY ATTEMPTS TO STOP THE CAR'S FORWARD MOMENTUM BY STEPPING ON THE BRAKE HAD ZERO IMPACT. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS ON THE SIDEWALK OR I WOULD HAVE KILLED THEM. THESE CARS NEED TO BE RECALLED TO FIND OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY MALFUNCTION. THEY ARE LETHAL WEAPONS ON OUR CITY STREETS!

BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING, I SUDDENLY HAD NO POWER BRAKING AND HAD TO STOMP ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID A COLLISION. CAR HAS ONLY 44,000 MILES AND BEEN DRIVEN 29 MONTHS. AT THE DEALER THEY SAID IT WAS A FAILED BRAKE BOOSTER AND WOULD COST OVER $3000 TO REPAIR. THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. I AM LUCKY NOBODY WAS HARMED BUT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY FAILURE ON A CAR THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE VERY SAFE AND RELIABLE, AND A RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE REPAIR IN ADDITION. AFTER I COMPLAINED THEY WROTE OFF 80% BUT STILL COST $600 OUT OF MY POCKET TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE TOYOTA BRAKE SYSTEM. *TR

I FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUE LITERALLY DRIVING THE NEW CAR OFF THE DEALER LOT. I WAS TRAVELING BEHIND MY WIFE IN MY TRUCK WITH HER BEHIND THE WHEEL IN THE NEW CAR. I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT AT TIMES THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON WHEN BRAKING OR NOT, VERY INTERMITTENTLY. I FIGURED THAT SINCE IT WAS A NEW CAR IT WOULD TAKE TIME FOR ANY NEW DRIVER TO GET FAMILIAR TO THAT NEW VEHICLE. IT IS VERY RARE THAT I WOULD BE FOLLOWING HER IN A SEPARATE VEHICLE WATCHING HER BRAKE. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, PREFERABLY AT NIGHT I WOULD DRIVE IT MYSELF AND TEST TO SEE IF I CAN COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES BUT ONLY APPLYING A CERTAIN OF PRESSURE TO NOT SIGNAL THE BRAKE LIGHTS, AND I WAS ABLE TO DO SO. WHILE DRIVING I WOULD LOOK IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR AND WATCH THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT. AT CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS I FOUND A WAY WHERE EVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC I CAN ACHIEVE SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHOUT SIGNALING MY BRAKE LIGHTS, AND I WOULD BE APPLYING PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I ASSUMED THIS ISSUE WAS CAUSED EITHER BY THE HYBRID REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM TRIGGERING ON, AND/OR THE LITTLE SWITCH UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH SIGNALS THE BRAKE LIGHTS. AROUND NOVEMBER OF 2014, I GOT FED UP WITH THE ISSUE AND THOUGHT ABOUT THE SAFETY FACTOR AND HAD CLAREMONT TOYOTA, FIX THE SENSITIVITY OF THE BRAKING SWITCH. WITH THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY UNATTACHED AND TURNED 180 DEGREES AROUND FACING FORWARD THE TECHNICIAN TESTED AND SIMULATED WHAT I HAD CLAIMED. I EVEN RODE WITH THE TECHNICIAN IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHILE HE DROVE AND WAS ABLE TO DO THE SAME THING, COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHOUT SIGNALING THE BRAKE LIGHTS. HE ADJUSTED THE SWITCH TO THE MOST SENSITIVE SETTING SO THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD ALWAYS SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING. IN MY OPINION IF ANY AMOUNT OF PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE LIGHTS SHOULD SIGNAL. *TR

ON FRIDAY THE 20TH OF SEPTEMBER, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO QUEENSBORO TOYOTA IN NY TO CHANGE MY OIL AND CHECK WHY MY BRAKE ABS SIGNAL HAZARD LIGHTS WERE ON. THE OIL WAS CHANGED AND I WAS TOLD "NOTHING IS WRONG WITH YOUR BRAKES" AND THE SIGNAL WAS REMOVED. ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE MY BRAKES FAILED ON ME, SO I RETURNED THE VEHICLE FOR A 2ND DIAGNOSTIC. I WAS THEN TOLD "WHO EVER CHANGED YOUR OIL, THEY PUT THE WRONG BRAKE FLUID AND IT DAMAGED THE BRAKE SYSTEM. MY BRAKE FLUID WAS NEVER CHANGED BECAUSE I HAVE A 2012 NEW CAR AND IT IS UNNECESSARY TO CHANGE IT NOW. I TRIED EXPLAINING MY ISSUE TO THE SUPERVISOR OF THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND I WAS TOLD TO DO MY OWN INVESTIGATION ON THE CONTAMINATION OF MY BRAKE FLUID. THE HISTORY OF THE VEHICLE SHOWS QUEENSBORO TOYOTA PERFORMED MY MAINTENCE, SO I HOLD THEM RESPONSIBLE. PLEASE HELP ME, I AM AN HONEST CONSUMER WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO SPEND UNNECESSARY FUNDS FOR AN ISSUE TOYOTA CAN RESOLVE THAT ALMOST CAUSED ME AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 3 DAUGHTERS ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR

I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT IS NOT TURNED ON WHEN I PLACE MY FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL. IN ORDER TO TURN ON THE LIGHT, I HAD TO PUSH LITTLE MORE THAN I USED TO DO ON THE OTHER NON-HYBRID CAR. BECAUSE THIS VEHICLE HAS REGENERATIVE BRAKE SYSTEM, IT ACTIVATES WHENEVER MY FOOT IS OFF FROM GAS PEDAL, AND STARTS TO SLOW DOWN. ON THE OTHER NON-HYBRID VEHICLE, THE LIGHT IS TURNED ON AS SOON AS I TOUCH THE BRAKE PEDAL, HOWEVER, ON THIS HYBRID VEHICLE, I HAVE TO PUSH MORE TO TURN IT ON. EVEN I CAN STOP THIS CAR WITHOUT TURNING ON THE BRAKE LIGHTS. I ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BUT THEY TOLD ME IT IS WITH IN NORMAL RANGE. BUT I FEEL THIS IS VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. FOR INSTANCE, A FOLLOWING DRIVER BEHIND THIS VEHICLE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO NOTICE THAT IT IS SLOWING DOWN BECAUSE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE NOT ON, BUT ACTUALLY THE CAR IS STOPPING. PLEASE REVIEW THIS ISSUE AND COMPARE TO OTHER HYBRID VEHICLE WITH REGENERATIVE BRAKE SYSTEM. *TR

IDENTICAL PROBLEMS AS RECENT RECALL FOR PRIUS AND LEXUS MODELS, BUT HADN'T HEARD MY MODEL BEING AFFECTED, SO I WANTED IT DOCUMENTED. THE BRAKES WORK ON THIS MODEL, BUT I ALWAYS HAD THE FEELING THAT I HAD TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL MUCH HARDER THAN ANY OTHER CAR I HAD DRIVE TO GET THE SAME EFFECT. AND SO I OFTEN FIND MYSELF HAVING TO PUSH VERY HARD ON THE BRAKES AT THE LAST MINUTE TO AVOID A COLLISION (I HAVEN'T HAD ONE YET) BECAUSE WHAT I THINK IS NORMAL PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES ISN'T CUTTING IT. I THOUGHT THIS MIGHT ALL BE IN MY HEAD UNTIL I SAW THE RECENT RECALL, AND THE DESCRIPTION OF OWNERS' COMPLAINTS WAS EXACTLY HOW I WOULD DESCRIBE IT. *TR