NHTSA complaint: 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY WHICH HAS FAULTY BRAKES. EARLIER IN THE YEAR I WAS USING THIS CAR FOR LONG DISTANCES DUE TO SCHOOL AND WORK. I THOUGHT THIS CAR WOULD BE SAFER BECAUSE OF ITS LARGER BODY AND SMOOTHER DRIVE. I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES HAD A SLOW RESPONSE TIME AND THAT IF I HAD TO STOP HARD, I COULD END UP HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD TO DEAL WITH THE STOP AND GO OF RUSH HOUR EVERY DAY AND ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING MY FRIEND HOME AND THERE WAS A SUDDEN STOP IN TRAFFIC AND IF I HADN'T STOPPED IN THE EMERGENCY LANE TO STOP, I WOULD HAVE RAN INTO THE CAR IN THE FRONT OF ME. LATER, ON MY GRADUATION DAY FROM COLLEGE, MY FATHER WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME AND THERE WAS A CAR TURNING LEFT IN THE ONCOMING LANE AND DUE TO THE BRAKES SLOW RESPONSE TIME WE ENDING UP HITTING THE CAR AT A SPEED THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CONTROLLED IF THE BRAKES HAD WORKED BETTER. BECAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT I HAVE INJURIES THAT BOTHER ME STILL TO THIS DAY. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL TUNE-UPS AND BRAKE CHECKS TO SEE IF THEY ARE WORKING CORRECTLY AND HAVE NEVER HEARD ONCE THAT THE BRAKES HAVE AN ISSUE. I LOOKED ON A BLOG AND REALIZED THAT A LOT OF OTHER OWNERS OF 2002 CAMRY'S HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY HAVE GOTTEN THEM TIGHTENED AND CHECKED AND FEAR THAT AN ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR, WHICH IN MY CASE HAPPENED AND COULD HAVE BEEN EVEN WORSE IF WE WERE DRIVING AT AN EVER FASTER SPEED. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation