2011 Toyota Venza

Major brake problem ; we were saved miraculously I have a Toyota Venza 2011 and I am the only owner ; the car drives smooth , however with major brakes issue My brakes and rotors are still in good condition, however; twice in the highway I wanted to slow down and the brakes don’t work , I freak out and my steering wheel looses control and almost hit cars but after a couple minutes it works The worst one was a couple days ago ; was driving at 30 miles an hour trying yo drop off my daughter for her game , hit the curb , brakes completely Lost Control and the car won’t stop We panicked the car luckily kept going in the direction of the parking lot and I chose to go through bushes to stop the car and put the emergency brake ; the car after a few horror minutes stopped If the car merged a little bit outside the parking lot there is fast traffic and a lake right after I had the car towed right away , I will not touch that car again At the dealership they tried to dismiss the problem saying that brakes are fine I read multiple complaints on forums about the same issue This BRAKE Disaster NEEDS to be recalled People’s lives are in play If this doesn’t get resolved there will be lawyers involved

CAR WAS SLOWLY PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT REVVED ITS ENGINE AND ACCELARATED. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND IT WOULD NOT STOP. THE REVVING NOISE WAS LOUD. I HIT A LARGE TREE THAT WAS LUCKILY AT THE END OF THE PARKING SPOT. THE TREE IS WHAT STOPPED THE CAR. WHEN THE CAR STOPPED, I LOOKED AND SAW WAS IN DRIVE. I WAS ABLE TO PUT IN REVERSE AND BACK UP AND PARK SAFELY. I SHUT THE CAR OFF IMMEDIATELY.

TWO FAILURES OF COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. FIRST TIME, MAYBE A MONTH AGO TRAVELLING 5-10 MPH, APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. SAME TIME AS TRYING TO BRAKE SAW A FLASHING YELLOW LIGHT ON DASHBOARD. SLOWED VEHICLE WITH PARKING BRAKE, STOPPED AND STARTED VEHICLE MOVING AGAIN AND HAD NORMAL BRAKES, TRIED TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM AND NO LUCK. TUESDAY, JUNE 6, DRIVING 45 MPH AND APPROACHING CONSTRUCTION ZONE WITH MAYBE 40-50 CARS BACKED UP HAD NO BRAKES WITH THREE PASSENGERS IN CAR. WHEN I HOLLERED I HAD NO BRAKES, WIFE HEARD A BELL GO OFF AND SAW A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD BUT I SAW NOTHING. I SWERVED RIGHT ONTO THE DIRT SHOULDER, PRESSED DOWN ON PARKING BRAKE WITH LEFT FOOT, PASSED MAYBE 30 CARS AND AT LESS THAN 5 MPH HAD NORMAL BRAKING AGAIN, AND NO LIGHTS OR BELLS RINGING. TOYOTA DEALER FLUSHED BRAKE SYSTEM, FOUND NO DEBRIS, CANNOT DUPLICATE OR SOLVE PROBLEM. WE WILL TRADE VEHICLE IN WITHIN A FEW WEEKS AND TELL THE DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM ? APPRECIATE A REPLY.

ON FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2015, A CLEAR, SUN SHINY DAY, I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN, VIOLENT DECELERATION WITH LOUD NOISES WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 40 MPH ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT ABOUT THREE MILES FROM MY HOME. THE SLIP INDICATOR ICON LIGHT WAS FLASHING ON MY DASHBOARD INDICATING THE VSC/TRAC HAD BEEN ENGAGED, CUTTING DOWN THE THROTTLE AND ENGAGING THE ABS,INTERMITTENTLY, AS I LIMPED HOME. ON MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2015, I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO TOYOTA OF NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS OPEN CIRCUIT FAILURE OF THE STOP LAMP SWITCH. I FIND THIS DISCONCERTING AS THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED UNDER RECALL THREE YEARS AGO. THIS INCIDENT WAS FAR MORE THAN JUST A NUISANCE AND AN INCONVENIENCE. THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE! IF THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED AT 70MPH ON AN INTERSTATE, I MIGHT NOT BE ALIVE TO TALK ABOUT IT. I CONTACTED THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER AT (800)331-4331 [INCIDENT 150507-000193] TO SEE IF THE SWITCH DESIGN HAD BEEN IMPROVED OR A PROGRAMMING CHANGE HAD BEEN MADE TO CHANGE THE FAILURE MODE, BUT GOT NO INDICATION ANYTHING HAD BEEN CHANGED. I WAS TOLD THAT MY CASE HAD BEEN FILED AT THEIR NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS UNDER FILE #1505080785. APPARENTLY MY PROBLEM WAS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, BECAUSE WHEN I EXPRESSED SURPRISE THAT A STOP LAMP SWITCH FAILURE COULD BE SO CATASTROPHIC, THE SERVICE WRITER AT TOYOTA OF NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SAID THAT THIS HAPPENS OFTEN, THAT "THIS WAS NOT OUR FIRST RODEO". I BELIEVE TOYOTA NEEDS TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO AVOID PEOPLE BEING INJURED BY STOP LAMP SWITCH FAILURES ON THE TOYOTA VENZA.

THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE A SAFETY ISSUE. HOWEVER, WHEN I MAKE A STOP AND RELEASE THE BRAKE PEDAL A LOUD NOISE (THUMP) OCCURS. THIS HAPPENS AT EVERY STOP I MAKE. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO TWO LOCAL DEALERS. ONE MADE AN INSPECTION THE OTHER DID NOT BUT BOTH RESPONDED WITH THE SAME COMMENT "WE DON'T KNOW". ONE MECHANIC TOLD ME HE THOUGHT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED ON THE "BRAKE PEDAL SUPPORT ASSEMBLY". I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO LOCATE THE RECALL IF IT EXIST. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN SUPPLY AS THIS CONTINUOUS "THUMP" IS MOST IRRITATING AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT ANY UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE IN CONNECTION WITH A BRAKING SYSTEM. *TR

THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE A SAFETY ISSUE. HOWEVER, WHEN I MAKE A STOP AND RELEASE THE BRAKE PEDAL A LOUD NOISE (THUMP) OCCURS. THIS HAPPENS AT EVERY STOP I MAKE. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO TWO LOCAL DEALERS. ONE MADE AN INSPECTION THE OTHER DID NOT AND BOTH RESPONDED WITH THE SAME COMMENT "WE DON'T KNOW". ONE MECHANIC TOLD ME HE THOUGHT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED ON THE "BREAK PEDAL SUPPORT ASSEMBLY". I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO LOCATE THE RECALL IF IT EXIST. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN SUPPLY AS THIS CONTINUOUS "THUMP" IS MOST IRRITATING AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT ANY UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE IN CONNECTION WITH A BRAKING SYSTEM. *TR