NHTSA complaint: 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
DELAYED BRAKING IN 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID - I HAVE EXPERIENCED WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE A SLOW BRAKING RESPONSE IN MY CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN MAY 2008. I HAVE ALWAYS FELT AS THOUGH THE BRAKES IN MY 2008 CAMRY HYBRID DO NOT ENGAGE QUICKLY ENOUGH IN ALL BRAKING SITUATIONS. THE SENSATION I GET IS, "THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS PULLING FORWARD IN RESISTANCE TO THE BRAKING ACTION CREATING WHAT FEELS LIKE A SLOW BRAKING RESPONSE". I HAVE ALWAYS ASSUMED THE SLOW BRAKING RESPONSE IS DUE TO THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE GAS ENGINE, ELECTRIC MOTOR AND THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM. I HAVE DISCUSSED THE CONCERNS I HAVE WITH MY DEALER AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THE BRAKES ARE WORKING AS DESIGNED. NOW THAT I AM READING ABOUT TWO (OR THREE) TOYOTA RECALLS, I THINK THERE IS AT LEAST A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SLOW BRAKE RESPONSE MAY BE A DESIGN FLAW. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT 5/13/2009 WHERE I REARENDED ANOTHER CAR ON ROUTE 84 IN FARMINGTON CT. WHEN THE TRAFFIC SLOWED, I THOUGHT I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP. THE BRAKING REACTION IN MY VEHICLE STARTLED ME WHEN THE CAR TOOK LONGER THAN EXPECTED TO SLOW DOWN AND RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS WAS MY FIRST AT FAULT ACCIDENT IN 38 YEARS OF DRIVING. I CONTINUE TO BE STARTLED BY THE BRAKING ACTION IN THIS CAR AND DEFINITELY WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER CAMRY HYBRID. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED BY TOYOTA AND IS IN GOOD CONDITION. THE BRAKES CONTINUE TO PRODUCE WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE A SLOW RESPONSE. MY ONLY OTHER THOUGHT REGARDING THE SLOW BRAKING IS
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation