REAR-END ACCIDENT RESULTING FROM INSUFFICIENT BRAKING ABILITY OF 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA LE, PURCHASED IN APRIL 2002. DURING A NORMAL MORNING COMMUTE TO WORK, I WAS INVOLVED IN A SLOW-SPEED ACCIDENT, IN WHICH I "REAR-ENDED" THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, WHEN TRAFFIC ABRUPTLY STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME. PRIOR TO BRAKING, TRAFFIC IN MY LANE, WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH AND I HAD ~2-2.5 "CAR LENGTHS SPACING BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE FRONT VEHICLE. WHEN THE TRAFFIC IN FRONT SUDDENLY STOPPED, I ALSO IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FULL PRESSURE ON MY BRAKE PEDAL. HOWEVER, THE BRAKING SYSTEM OF MY 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA LE WAS INSUFFICIENT TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND PREVENT COLLISION WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, RESULTING IN $2700 IN DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE AND SUBSEQUENTLY HIGHER INSURANCE RATES FOR MYSELF, FOR FAILING TO AVOID THE ACCIDENT. SINCE I HAD TOYOTA REPAIR THE COROLLA, I ALSO REQUESTED THEY CHECK THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THEY STATED THAT ALL THE DAMAGE WAS STRICTLY COSMETIC AND THAT THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES (AS I EXPECTED THEY WOULD). HOWEVER, EVEN AT LOWER SPEED OF 10-20 MPH, I FIND THAT MY 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA TAKES CONSIDERABLE LONGER TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP (UNDER NORMAL BRAKING FORCE) THAN I'VE COME TO EXPECT FROM ANY PREVIOUSLY DRIVEN VEHICLE (DURING 24 YEARS AS A LICENSED DRIVER). NOTE: THE EXACT DATE OF THE ACCIDENT IS APPROXIMATE. *NLM