2000 Toyota Tacoma

REPORT PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM OF MY TOYOTA TACOMA (2000). THE INITIAL PROBLEM AS DEFINED: AS I BEGIN A TRIP, THE BRAKES OPERATE CORRECTLY. THE ABS SYSTEM LIGHT IS NOT ILLUMINATED. FREQUENTLY, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AT ANY GIVEN TIME DURING A SINGLE TRIP (USUALLY AT SPEEDS OF 5 TO 25 MILES PER HOUR), THE BRAKE PEDAL FEELS AS IF IT IS SKIPPING, THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT SLOW DOWN AS EXPECTED, UNTIL I PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES. AT THAT POINT, THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND THERE ARE NO MORE PROBLEMS BRAKING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THAT SINGLE TRIP. AT THE TIME OF SERVICE, I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE ABS AND THAT THERE WERE TWO PARTS WHICH NEED TO BE REPLACED: LEFT SIDE FRONT SPEED SENSOR AT A COST OF $255.43 ABS ACTUATOR AT A COST OF $1207 LABOR $240 SINCE THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 66K MILES AND THERE WAS NO CHANCE THAT DRIVER ERROR COULD HAVE CAUSED THESE PARTS TO BE FAULTY, I REQUESTED THE DEALER ELEVATE THIS PROBLEM THE TOYOTA AREA REPRESENTATIVE FOR COST COVERAGE OF REPAIRS. THIS REQUEST WAS DECLINED WITHOUT EXPLANATION. THE DEALER'S STAND WAS THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. MY STAND IS THAT EACH TIME THIS HAPPENS, I CAN'T BE CERTAIN OF MY STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAKES MY VEHICLE VULNERABLE TO STRIKE A ANOTHER CAR IN THE REAR. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, IT WAS EXTREMELY SCARY TO SAY THE LEAST. I WAS FORTUNATE TO NOT HAVE ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. TO RESPOND TO THE DEALERS POINT, EVEN IF MY VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, HAD THERE BEEN A CAR IN FRONT OF ME, PERSONAL INJURY TO MYSELF OR PASSENGERS IN THE OTHER VEHICLE COULD HAVE BEEN EMINENT. *NM

PARKED ON AN INCLINE AND VEHICLE CUT OUT DURING THREE ATTEMPTS TO PULL OFF IN FIRST GEAR AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE IS DRIFTING BACKWARD WITH NO BRAKING AT ALL, AND PEDAL LOCKED IN THE UP POSTION. CAN DUPLICATE! WITH KEY IN IGNITION AND ENGINE OFF, BRAKE PEDAL LOCKS IN UP POSITION AND BRAKING SYSTEM WILL NOT STOP VEHILCE. WITHOUT KEY IN IGNITION MANUAL BRAKING WORKS! WITH KEY IN THE ACC POSTION, AND VEHICLE NOT RUNNING, POWER BRAKES LOCKED IN UP POSITION AND NO BRAKING POSSIBLE!!! TURN KEY OFF, TAKE KEY OUT OF IGNITION, AND MANUAL BRAKING STOPS VEHICLE!! POWER BRAKING APPEARS TO DISABLE MANUAL BRAKING, EVEN WITH POWER BRAKE INOPERABLE DUE TO ENGINE BEING OFF, EITHER TURNED OFF OR CONKED OUT!!

THIS VEHICAL AND I THINK MANY OTHER TOYOTA VEHICALS FALSLY SHOW A DASH LIGHT TO INDICATE A BRAKE SYSTEM PROBLEM WHEN THERE IS NO PROBLEM. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LOW BUT IT WAS BETWEEN THE MIN/MAX LEVELS INDICATED. I PRESSED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ADMITTED THAT THE FLUID LEVEL HAD TO BE AT THE MAX MARK OR THE DASH LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE COME TO THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO THIS FALSE INDICATION. IN MY OPINION THE VEHICAL SHOULD NOT GIVE A FALSE INDICATION OF TROUBLE WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM WHEN THE FLUID LEVEL IS CORRECT. I THINK MANY PEOPLE ARE WASTING TIME GOING TO THE DEALER DUE TO THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *AK