2022 Toyota Highlander

Unexpected brake failure; While driving at a slow 20 to 30 mph speed lightly braking anticipating a stop at a stop sign my car will unexpectedly surge and jolt the car forward while I'm applying maximum brake force to the peddle. I took it to the local Toyota dealer they checked it out and couldn't find or replicate the problem. I was told that possibly my driving habits or I may have my foot on the brake while still on the accelerator?? When this happens there are NO warning indicators or audible sounds either lit on the instrument panel prior to or after the event. This event on this day propelled my car approximately 6 ft past the crosswalk into the intersection of a four way stop.

A few months after the winter of 2022/2023 the car started making noise and shaking while breaking, the car was taken for regular maintenance at the dealer and I was told everything was fine on April/2023, it just got worse over time and the breaks are now failing and not stopping properly due to huge clusters of rust in the rotors. Car was taken again to the Toyota dealership and they said the warranty does not cover the rotors as they are considered wear and tear parts, rotor isn't worn but has increased in thickness in the areas were the clusters of rust are. After speaking to another mechanic I was told it happened because of the low quality steel of the rotors used by Toyota, which do not perform well in a climate where salt and other chemicals are used to treat the roads. The breaking quality has reduced so much the vehicle is taking twice as long to stop putting myself and others at risk.

The brake system on the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid malfunctioned momentarily this weekend (7/8/23 was date of incident) in North Kington, RI. While coming to a gradual stop at a stop light, the brakes momentarily stopped working and felt like the car lunged forward before the auto braking system activated since there was a stopped vehicle in front of us. My foot was on the brake pedal but the brakes just stopped working for a moment. I've read in other toyota forums that this has happened to others with 2022 hybrid highlander models. The same issue happens when applying the brakes going down hill and going over a bump. I'm bringing the vehicle to the toyota dealer this week. No warning lights ahead of the problem.

While driving on the highway at an average speed of 40-60 mph and applying the brakes, I experience a noticeable shaking in the whole car and can also feel the tires shaking. I took my car to the Toyota dealer, and they confirmed that the rotors and brake pads are in good condition. However, I still do not feel safe driving my car at this point.

When I am slowing down to a stop usually when im going down hill the brakes will fail and the car lunges forward. It will fell like I am stepping on air. I have taken ot to the dealership but they have been unable to duplicate the issue so I dont know what else to do. At the begining it was pretty rare but now it is happening more often

While driving in town and coming to a stop sign at a four way intersection I applied the brakes at under 15 to 20mph to stop and my vehicle lurched forward and my brakes were unresponsive. The brake peddle got very spongy for a split second and immediately returned to normal. When I finally stopped my Highlander was half way out into the intersection. This is about the third time it has happened since I got the car in April 14, 2022. Each time it has happened I remember the roadway surface being very rough and full of small potholes or a uneven braking surface.

On multiple occasions the breaks appear to momentarily slip, resulting in the car lunging forward. This tends to happen when slowly decelerating, especially when going down hill. It happens at random, regardless of weather or road conditions. I reported the issue to Toyota two services ago and they stated they were unable to replicate the issue despite driving my car 20 miles. Their best guess was that the ABS system is engaging briefly (Ok. That's an issue. They say there's nothing they can do). Both my husband and I have experienced this issue. It's incredibly unnerving and I'm worried it has potential to cause an accident. I have noticed an increase in occurrence over the past few months. I try to document the date and time of each incident. Additionally, the few times I've needed to brake suddenly (rare because I stay pretty far behind the car in front of me at all times, especially given my concerns) the breaks take a moment to register. When you need to break immediately and press on the breaks firmly to do so, they should respond instantly. That does not happen here. There's a few moments of no response before they finally engage. All in all, the breaks/breaking system on this car really worry me.

According to Toyota, the wire harness needs to be replaced due to damages caused by animals (rodents). My main concern is, this vehicle is not safe to drive. Because if a midsize animal could find its way inside the engine compartment and caused so much damages to a car I drive every day, what would happen if a snake or a rat shows up inside the cabin while driving at 65 or 70 mph. Secondly, what types of materials are used to make these wires and other components in the vehicle? Why are these animals attracted to them in the first place? As much as the news was chocking to me because it was the first time that I have heard of that kind of stuff, when I went online in some Toyota owners forums, that issue is prevalent in Toyotas. Even the rep. from Toyota whom I spoke to earlier stated that her cousin who owns a Toyota had to deal with the same issue. Why nothing has been done to fix the problem?

I only have 8500 miles on my car and when driving in when I hit the brakes it vibrates. I went to the dealership to get the brakes checked and they wanted charge an inspection fee when the car is under 36000 miles which should be bumper to bumper warranty. I decided to my car to my mechanic and he told me it was the rotors. The mechanic told me this has to be a faulty rotors because that is not enough miles for normal wear and tear. I have scheduled an appointment tomorrow 1/17/23 at the Toyota dealership in Ontario, CA for inspection. I have extended warranty with -0- deductible and they wanted to charge me $195 inspection fee. I got really mad and they are supposedly doing an exception.