Manufacturer: TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING, KENTUCKY, INC.
Manufacturer Id: 1088
Model: Camry
Model Year: 2013
Plant Company Name: Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc
Plant Country: United States (USA)
Plant State: Kentucky
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: ASV50L/GSV50L/AVV50L
TPMS: Direct
Trim: Hybrid
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2007
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
MY '07 CAMRY HYBRID(CH) HAS STARTED TO EXPERIENCE BRAKE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. THE FIRST DOCUMENTED INCIDENT: 03/09/12. W/O WARNING, THE CH WILL SHUT DOWN AND THE "CHECK VSC" LIGHT APPEARS ON THE DASH. ALL OF THE DASH LIGHTS LIGHT UP AS WELL. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THERE WERE NO BRAKES, NO WARNING, ETC. WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN "PARK", TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED IT, I WAS ABLE TO RESUME DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO DEALER TO HAVE THE CAR DIAGNOSED. THE DIAGNOSIS: NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, BRAKES, ETC(INV.#227594). OVER THE PAST 9 MONTHS, IT HAS OCCURRED A FEW MORE TIMES, USUALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PULLING OUT OF THE GARAGE. WHEN IT HAPPENS,I TURN OFF THE VEHICLE, RESTART AND GO ON. ON 10/30/12 WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING 35MPH, THE CAR SHUT DOWN, THE "CHECK VSC" LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. SHE CAUGHT A LEFT TURN SIGNAL AND COASTED INTO A PARKING LOT. OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS HORRIFYING FOR HER AND OUR KIDS. I CALLED AAA AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO TOYOTA. MY SERVICE ADVISOR(SA) TOLD ME THEY HAVE BEGUN TO SEE THIS HAPPENING A LOT AND HE PREDICTED THE ABS BRAKE ACTUATOR (BA) FAILED. I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE INCIDENT IN MARCH, WHICH HE ACKNOWLEDGED KNOWING OF. 2 HOURS LATER HE CALLED TO CONFIRM THAT IT WAS THE BA. WE SPOKE ABOUT IT BEING A DEFECTIVE PART, HE AGREED AND WOULD CALL AND SPEAK TO TOYOTA NATIONAL(TN)TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP OUT WITH THE $2200 REPAIR. THE NEXT DAY HE TOLD ME THAT TN WOULDN'T HELP, AND NEITHER WOULD THE DEALERSHIP. MY ONLINE RESEARCH DISCOVERED MANY CH HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. I DISCUSSED WITH THE SA THAT IF THE PART IS DEFECTIVE AND THEY ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF THIS, WHAT GUARANTEE IS THERE A NEW BA WOULDN'T REACT THE SAME WAY. HE COULDN'T GUARANTEE THAT IT WOULDN'T. I DECLINED TO HAVE THE REPAIR DONE, AAA TOWED VEHICLE TO MY HOME. THE SA SEEMED CERTAIN THAT A RECALL WAS COMING. THE CAR IS GARAGED, I HAVE THE REPAIR EST/DOCUMENT. *TR UPDATED 07/30/13*LJ
THE STANDARD NAVIGATION SYSTEM HAS A DESIGN FLAW. THE TIP OF THE ARROW SHOWS YOU AT ABOUT 150 TO 200 FEET FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD THEN YOU ACTUALLY ARE. THIS RESULTS IN A TURN ALERT SOUND THAT TYPICALLY GOES OFF WHEN YOU ARE IN THE INTERSECTION, RESULTING IN A SHARP TURN. DO TO THE LATE SOUND/ALERT I, OVER THE PAST YEAR, HAVE HAD BEEN ALMOST REAR ENDED 3 TIMES. NORMAL DESIGNS SHOW YOU WHERE YOU ACTUALLY ARE AND THE ALARM SOUND TO MAKE A TURN USUALLY IS ABOUT 100 FEET BEFORE THE TURN. *TR
