1999 Toyota Camry

WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE AS A TOYOTA CERTIFIED USER CAR. SINCE PURCHASE WE HAVE REPLACED THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM TWICE AND AND ROTORS/PADS THREE TIMES, DUE TO GRINDING NOISES, PEDAL VIBRATION AND PREMATURE WEAR. IN SPEAKING THE WITH SERVICE MANAGER HE INDICATES THAT THERE ARE NO REPORTED PROBLEMS, BUT AFTER VISITING YOUR SITE -- I'M CONVINCED THERE IS A REAL PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP. *AK

ABS BRAKING SYSTEM ENGAGE IMMEDIATELY UPON BRAKING WITH NO IMPENDING SKID RESULTING IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE AND DOG BEING STRUCK. PAVEMENT WAS DRY AND I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE ACCIDENT IF THE CAR DID NOT HAVE OVERLY SENSITIVE ABS BRAKES. I COMPAINED TO THE SELLING DEALER ABOUT THIS WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW AND WAS TOLD THIS IS NORMAL AND NOT A PROBLEM. THE ABS HAS ACTIVATED ON SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS WHEN IT SHOULDN'T HAVE CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL BUT NO ACCIDENT. ABS SHOULD BE REPROGRAMMED TO ONLY ACTIVATE WHEN THERE IS AN IMPENDING WHEEL LOCKUP. *AK

THE BRAKES SEEM TO LOOSE ITS POWER ASSIST AT LOW SPEEDS, THEY FEEL MUCH THE WAY IF THE ENGINE WAS SHUTT OFF AND GREATLY INCREASE THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF THE VEHICLE, OFTEN THE LOSS OF BRAKING WILL PUT THE VEHICLE INTO AN INTERSECTION OR OTHER DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP OR WHEN STOPPING SUDDENLY, ALSO WHEN STOPPING NORMALLY THEN TRY TO PRESS HARDER ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THERE IS AN EXTENDED STOPPING PROBLEM, CONSUMER DOES NOT BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE ABS, HOWEVER DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND STATES ITS JUST LIKE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE HAS ABS.*JB

ON 2 SEPARATE DAYS, THE BRAKES HAVE SEMI-FAILED, IE., WHEN DEPRESSED, THEY DID NOT STOP THE CAR IN THE NORMAL DISTANCE, BUT DID EVENTUALLY BRING THE CAR TO A STOP ABOUT 2-3 CARLENGTHS BEYOND EXPECTED STOPPING POINT. NO OTHER FACTORS CONTRIBUTED, IE., PAVEMENT WAS DRY, CIRCUMSTANCES ORDINARY. VERY FRIGHTENING, LUCKY TO HAVE AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT, PARTICULARLY THE SECOND OCCURENCE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC! BETWEEN INCIDENTS, ALL WORKED NORMALLY. HAVE HAD CAR IN TO A DEALER (AFTER SECOND INCIDENT), BRAKES WORKED ON, CERTIFIED AS SAFE. CONCERNED BECAUSE FOUND SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA WEBSITE THAT WERE NOT RESOLVED BY DEALER REPAIR! *AK

BROUGHT CAMRY NEW 1999 REPLACED REAR BRAKES AT 9776 MILES AS WELL AS REAR DRUM TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL, 17472 COMPLETE FRONT BRAKE JOB, AT 17472 MILES REPLACED COMPLETE DISC BRAKES, MOUNTED TWO TIRES AND HAD 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT, BROUGHT TWO MORE TIRES AT 13724 MILES, THEN 2 MORE TIRES AT 29054 MILES, ONCE AGAIN WEAR AND TEAR NORMAL MUST BE DRIVER, ANOTHER FRONT BRAKE JOB AT 29981 MILES AND CLEANED AND ADJUSTED REAR BRAKES, THEN AT 37738 MILES REAR TIRE WORN AND FRONT TIRES CHOPPED, AT 38685 MILES WARRENTED BRAKE PAD FRONT BRAKES AND MACHINED ROTORS AT 40230 4 TIRES BROUGHT AND INSTALLED, ADJUSTED STRUT MOUNTS, AT 44016 MILES ADJUSTED AND TIGHTENED FRONT CALIPERS AND WARRANTY FOR BEARING SET, CONN. THIS CAR IS A LEMON AND FEEL THAT YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REPLACE TIRES TIMES 2 AND BRAKES TIMES 4 WITH ONLY 44016 MILES ON CAR TO DATE CLB. *AK