SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Miles at failure
70,000
Speed
28 mph
Severity
Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No
Narrative
I WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR-END COLLISION IN MY 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY WHEN MY ABS BRAKES FAILED. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY TO HAVE THE BRAKES INSPECTED. THE INSPECTION WAS VISUAL ONLY. THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT WAS NOT ON AND NO DEFECT WAS OBSERVED. THE SERVICE ADVISOR RECOMMENDED THAT WE HAVE OUR TIRES REPLACED, IN CASE THE TIRES CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE. WE REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. ONE WEEK LATER, WE EXPERIENCED ANOTHER INCIDENT IN WHICH THE BRAKES FAILED TO DEPLOY CORRECTLY, CAUSING US TO FEEL UNSAFE AT A STOP LIGHT IN TIGHT TRAFFIC. WE TOOK THE CAR IN FOR A SECOND INSPECTION. A TOYOTA TECHNICIAN TOOK ME FOR A TEST RIDE AND SAID THEY HAD RECEIVED COMPLAINTS OF "SOFT, CUSHY" BRAKES, BUT THAT WHENEVER TESTED, THESE BRAKES MET THE TOYOTA SPECIFICATIONS. AGAIN, WE WERE DISSATISFIED AND FELT THAT OUR SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED IN THIS CAR. WE CONTACTED TOYOTA'S CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS AND REGISTERED A COMPLAINT. AN ACCIDENT REPORT WAS TAKEN OVER THE TELEPHONE. WE WERE GIVEN NO FURTHER HELP. WE RECONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND REQUESTED THAT THE DISTRICT TECHNICIAN TAKE OUR CAR FOR A TEST RIDE. ON 4/4/08, THE TECHNICIAN AND THE SERVICE MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP TOOK THE CAR OUT ON A TEST RIDE. THEY INFORMED US THAT THE ABS BRAKES MET TOYOTA'S SPECIFICATIONS. DESPITE THE DEALERSHIPS ASSURANCES, MY HUSBAND HAD A THIRD INCIDENT RECENTLY IN TRAFFIC WHERE THE BRAKES FAILED ONCE AGAIN. WE FEAR FOR OUR SAFETY IN THIS CAR AND DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE IT IN TRAFFIC OR