2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser Brakes Problems

I am the owner of a Toyota FJ Cruiser (Year:2007), VIN: [XXX] ]) equipped with the TRD High-Performance Brake Kit, which is under recall campaign C0R / NHTSA 12E046. I recently experienced a serious safety issue involving the front TRD brake crossover tube. While driving, I suddenly noticed a soft brake pedal and significant loss of braking power. I was unable to stop the vehicle properly and nearly crashed into another car at an intersection. I had to swerve at the last moment, which could have caused a more serious accident. Upon inspection, I found that brake fluid was leaking from the crossover tube—exactly the defect described in the TRD brake recall. This failure happened without warning, and my safety and the safety of others was clearly at risk. This is unacceptable for a safety recall. I am requesting immediate investigation, assistance, and a permanent solution. Toyota must ensure this part is properly redesigned and replaced, and that no vehicle is left on the road with this faulty setup. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

VEHICLE WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND MULTIPLE HAZARD LIGHTS CAME ON, ALARM CAME ON, AND AS DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND DOWNSHIFTING WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE USED TO STOP IN MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION.VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED NO BRAKE FLUID IN MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR AND LEAKING BRAKE FLUID ON DRIVERS REAR BRAKE CYLINDER.PICS ATTACHED.PRIOR REPORTS APPEAR OF THIS FJCRUISER ISSUE BUT ONLY TACOMA VEHICLES RECALLED.I AM CONTACTING MY LEWISVILLE TOYOTA WHERE I PURCHASED VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 62 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO RIDGEWAY SUNOCO SERVICE CENTER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT UNKNOWN PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED (T J TOYOTA INC, 6698 NY-56, POTSDAM, NY 13676, (315) 265-3350). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT MY ANTI-LOCK BREAKS ARE ENGAGING WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T BE. WHEN I TRY TO STOP, IT JERKS SO HARD THAT IT SEEMS AS THOUGH I'VE BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. IT WILL TRY TO STOP WHILE I'M DRIVING AND STARTS JERKING. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN I'M DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. MY SON IS 20 YEARS OLD AND HAS THIS VEHICLE NOW AND I AM LETTING YOU KNOW, THAT I WILL HOLD TOYOTA AND NHTSA PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE SHOULD ANYTHING HAPPEN TO HIM. I HAVE READ SO ABOUT SO MANY ISSUES REGARDING THE 2007 TOYOTA FJ BREAKING SYSTEM THAT IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THAT A RECALL HASN'T BEEN ISSUED. YOU ARE PLAYING WITH PEOPLES LIVES.

RECENTLY, MY FJ CRUISER LOSES BRAKES AND IT HAS ALMOST MADE ME GET INTO A COUPLE ACCIDENTS. THE BRAKE PEDDLE WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND I HAVE HAD TO USE MY E-BRAKE TO STOP. PUMPING THE BRAKE USE TO WORK BUT NOW THE BRAKES WONT COME BACK FOR A WHILE. THIS HAPPENS AT ANY MPH AND THE BRAKE HAVE EVEN GONE OUT WHEN I'M STATIONARY.

BAD VIBRATION WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. END RESULT WAS THE ROTORS,BRAKE PADS, AND BOTH CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED!! AN $800.00 BILL! DEALER STATED IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO ROAD SALT ERROSION!! THESE VEHICLES ARE PROMOTED AS OFF-ROAD/4WD GO ANYWHERE VEHICLES! I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE CALIPERS ON ANY VEHICLE I'VE EVER OWNED. I FEEL IT HAS TO DO WITH THE QUALITY OF STEEL THEY USE IN THESE VEHICLES AS I'VE HAD TO ALSO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION COOLERS LINES DUE TO RUST ERROSION/LEAKING OF THE METAL LINES! THE FRAME,SKID PLATES AND UNDER FRAME METAL ARE ALL FLAKING WITH RUST ERROSION. *TR

WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE SUV STARTS TO SHAKE. I HAD MY ROTORS RESURFACED AND IT WENT AWAY. NOW IT'S BACK. I SPOKE WITH A CERTIFIEDTOYOTA MECHANIC. HE TOLD ME THAT THE TRUCKS ARE KNOWN FOR HAVING UNDER SIZED ROTOR AND BRAKE PADS AND THAT IS WHY THAT HAPPENS. I COULD BUY A NEW ROTORS AND IT WOULD STILL HAPPEN. IS WHAT HE TOLD ME. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RECALL ON ALL TOYOTA TRUCKS AND SUVS. THANK YOU *TR

VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO SHOP WITH VERY HARD TO APPLY BRAKES. VEHICLE HAD BLOWN FUSE FOR A.B.S. AND REPEATEDLY KEPT BLOWING FUSE WHEN INSTALLED. THIS DESIGN OF BRAKE SYSTEM USES AN ELECTRIC MOTOR AND ACCUMULATOR FOR POWER ASSIST AND WITHOUT THIS WORKING IT HAS NO POWER ASSIST. THERE IS NO WAY ANYONE COULD STOP THIS VEHICLE QUICKLY IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I AM AN A.S.E. MASTER CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN. *TR

THE DRIVER'S LEFT FOOT REST CAME LOOSE AND WENT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS ABLE TO CLEAR THE PEDAL BEFORE BRAKING. I THINK THIS COULD BE A WIDE-SPREAD ISSUE AFTER LOOKING AT SEVERAL INTERNET POSTS. *TR

AT 55 MPH, I APPLIED MY BRAKES AND RATHER THAN STOPPING THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE PAD WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. BY PUMPING THE BRAKES REPEATEDLY AND SLOWING TO A POINT I COULD APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HAD I NEEDED TO STOP QUICKLY, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO. THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED CAUSING THE BRAKING ISSUE. I HAD THE COMPONENT REPLACED AND HAVE HAD NO BRAKING ISSUES SINCE. THE MASTER CYLINDER HAS BEEN RECALLED ON 740,000 TOYOTA VEHICLES, BUT NOT THE FJ CRUISER. ISSUES WITH BRAKING/MASTER CYLINDER HAVE BEEN REPORTING ON WWW.NHTSA.GOV FOR THE 2007 FJ CRUISER, SO THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. I HAVE REQUESTED THAT TOYOTA OPEN AN INVESTIGATION FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT THEY HAVE NOT. *TR

WHILE SLOWING FOR A RED LIGHT, I SLID ON A SMALL PATCH OF ICE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE ABS SYSTEM RELEASED MY BRAKES. I LIFTED MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ABS DISENGAGED. I REAPPLIED THE BRAKES AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. *TR

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN MY 2007 FJ CRUISER STARTS TO SHAKE. ALSO SINCE I FIRST BOUGHT MY VEHICLE, AS I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES WHILE BEING AT A STOP LIGHT, IT WOULD JERK AND FEEL AS IF SOMEONE HAD SLIGHTLY BUMPED INTO ME FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THERE WAS CLEARLY NO ONE BEHIND MY VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENS QUITE A BIT. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT AS I WAS DRIVING RECENTLY I COMPRESSED THE BRAKES BEFORE ATTEMPTING A TURN AND ABSOLUTELY NO BRAKING ACTION HAPPENED. I WASN'T GOING FAST ENOUGH TO OVERTURN THE VEHICLE, BUT NONE THE LESS IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS THING FOR A VEHICLE SUCH AS THE FJ CRUISER TO MAKE TURNS AT CERTAIN SPEEDS, SO FOR THE BRAKES NOT TO WORK AT AN IMPORTANT TIME CAN CAUSE A SEVERE, IF NOT FATAL ACCIDENT. AS I MADE THE TURN EFFICIENTLY(BY MAKING A WIDER TURN), I TRIED ONCE AGAIN TO USE MY BRAKES IN WHICH THEY FELT LIKE THEY WERE TRYING TO CATCH AGAIN. AT THIS TIME I FELT UNSAFE AND FELT COMPELLED TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO GET LOOKED AT AND THEY HAVE STATED AN ISSUE WITH THE MASTER CYLINDER. I HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO LOOK AT VARIOUS SITES AND FORUMS IN WHICH MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUES. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE FOR A VEHICLE THAT ALREADY HAS A CAUTION FOR TURNOVERS. MY VEHICLE IS A 2007 WITH UNDER 39,000 MILES ON IT. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A VEHICLE WITH MILEAGE SUCH AS THIS. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE FOR THE CONCERN OF ALL FJ CRUISER OWNERS AND THE SAFETY OF ALL OTHER DRIVERS AROUND THIS FAULTY ACTION. THANK YOU. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE CONTACT HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER FAILED TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE AND THAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 83,000.

NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT STOPPED AFTER A WHILE. TWO WEEKS LATER, VEHICLE SHUDDERED WHILE BRAKING TO A STOP AT A VERY LOW SPEED. ALL THE DASH EMERGENCY LIGHTS FOR BRAKES, ABS, VSC, LIT UP AND BRAKING ABILITY CEASED. USED EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE TO STOP. PARKED VEHICLE AND HAD TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALER PER INSTRUCTIONS IN OWNERS MANUAL. COMPUTER ANALYSIS INDICATED FAILED MASTER CYLINDER. 2007 FJ CRUISER W/55,000 MILES. $2258 COST OF NEW MASTER CYLINDER ASSEMBLY + $495 LABOR + $101 TOWING + $10 MISC + $218 TAX = $3082.19 TOTAL COST FOR PART REPLACEMENT. HAVE OLD PART IN POSSESSION. *TR

I OWN A 2007 TOYOTA FJ, IN VARIOUS OCCASIONS WHEN APPLYING MEDIUM HARD PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES, I HAVE TWO DIFFERENT BRAKE REACTIONS: 1. THE TIRES WILL LOCK AND SCREECH FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, MOMENTARILY LOOSING CONTROL, I AUTOMATICALLY LET GO OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, PUSH AGAIN TO REGAIN CONTROL AND THEN THE CAR JUST KEEPS ROLLING LIKE NO BRAKES WERE APPLIED. OR, 2. IF I HAVE TO PRESS ON THE BRAKES AND THE ROAD THE CAR HAPPENS TO BE ON IS A BIT ROUGH, WITH GRAVEL, RIDGES OR POTHOLES OR MAYBE JUST A POORLY PATCHED ASPHALT, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY JUST ROLL, LIKE NO BRAKE HAS BEEN APPLIED, EVEN THOUGH I AM PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, LIKE LOOSING MOST OF OR ALL BRAKING POWER. LAST EVENT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO WHERE A CAR CUT ME OFF BY A TOLL PAY AREA, I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES HARD JUST AS THE CAR WAS GOING OVER A ROUGH SECTION OF THE ROAD AND IT KEPT ROLLING AS WITH NO BRAKES, AND LITERALLY JUST BY FRACTIONS OF AN INCH DID NOT HIT THE OTHER CAR. I HAVE GONE TO THE DEALER WITH THE COMPLAIN, THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR CHECKING THE PROBLEM, BUT I AM GOING TO HAVE A TOUGH TIME REPRODUCING THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH IT IS PRETTY CONSISTENT, ITS REALLY NOT SAFE TO TRY TO REPRODUCE. AS I SAID PREVIOUSLY THE STATED EVENT WAS NOT THE FIRST ONE BUT CERTAINLY THE MOST SCARY, AND HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 4 TO 5 TIMES IN THE YEARS I'VE OWNED THE CAR. *TR

1. I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP, CAUSING ME TO SLAM MY BREAKS WHILE I WAS DOING 40-ISH. 2. THIS CAUSED THE CAR TO BAKE STUMBLE AS THE BREAKS SLOWED THE CAR, THEN CAME LOSE CAUSING THE CAR TO LUNGE FORWARD, THEN MOMENTARILY BRAKE, THEN LOSE BRAKING AGAIN. THIS CAUSED ME TO ALMOST SLAM IN TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. 3. I HAVE NOT TAKEN CORRECTIVE ACTION AS THIS SHOULD ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA AS THERE ARE MANY MANY PEOPLE DESCRIBING THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED THE ANTI LOCK AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS BEGAN ILLUMINATING ON THE DASHBOARD. WHILE EXAMINING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WAS BROKEN. HE ATTEMPTED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BECAUSE THE WHEELS WERE LOCKED. WHILE TOWING THE VEHICLE A LOUD POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD AND ALL OF THE WHEELS EXCEPT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEELS BEGAN TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE SPEED SENSOR WIRE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,000. UPDATED 02/02/11 *CN

AFTER A "PANIC STOP" IN MY 2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER, THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. WHEN AT A STOP LIGHT, THE BRAKES WILL SLOWLY FADE UNTIL THE PEDAL IS ON THE FLOOR AND THE TRUCK WILL ROLL FORWARD. THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND I WILL HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE IT. THIS IS HAS OCCURRED WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND IS DOCUMENTED ON FJCRUISERFORUMS.COM. *TR

SUMMARY: THE PRIMARY SAFETY SYSTEM (BRAKES) IN MY 2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER FAILED TWICE. THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP UTILIZING TOYOTA NATIONAL RESOURCES WERE UNABLE TO ISOLATE THE PROBLEM. THE SOLUTION WAS TO COMPLETELY REPLACE BRAKE SYSTEM AND CHARGE IT TO ME. THE LACK OF AVAILABILITY OF PARTS NATIONALLY (BACKORDER) RESULTED IN A COMPLETELY UNREASONABLE REPAIR TIMEFRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 49 DAYS AND COST $2503.99 TO REPAIR. OCTOBER 1, 2010 DRIVING IN TRAFFIC DEPRESS BRAKE. THE PEDAL GOES COMPLETELY TO FLOOR BOARD. NO INDICATION OF PROBLEMS VIA INTERIOR WARNING LIGHTS. OCTOBER 6, 2010 PROBLEM DETERMINED TO BE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. PART ORDERED (47025-35111 CYLINDER SUB-ASSEMBLY) THROUGH INTERNET SITE OF LAKELAND TOYOTA IN FLORIDA. THE COST OF THE PART IS $981.37 AND THE PART IS ON BACKORDER. ESTIMATED DELIVER IS 10/26/10. OCTOBER 26, 2010 PART ARRIVES AND IS INSTALLED. MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS ARE INDICATED ON INTERIOR DISPLAY. NOVEMBER 1, 2010 TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DETERMINES THE NEW MASTER CYLINDER ASSEMBLIES COMPUTER IS DEFECTIVE. NOVEMBER 4, 2010 TOYOTA DEALERSHIP REPLACES NEW MASTER CYLINDER COMPUTER WITH MY OLD COMPUTER. THE RESULT IS THE WARNING LIGHTS TURNING OFF AND INDICATES THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED. THE MECHANIC TAKE THE VEHICLE ON A TEST DRIVE ACTIVATES THE ANTILOCK BRAKES WHICH RESULTS IN AN UNEXPECTED LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THE SERVICE MANAGER REFUSES TO RETURN THE VEHICLE CLAIMING IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. NO WARNING LIGHTS ARE INDICATED ON THE VEHICLE. NOVEMBER 10, 2010 TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WITHIN THE NEW MASTER CYLINDER ASSEMBLIES IS FAULTY. BRAKE SOLENOID COMPONENTS ARE ALSO DETERMINED TO BE FAULTY AND A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. TOYOTA RECOMMENDS THAT COMPLETE BRAKE ASSEMBLY (47050-35072 $1823.87) BE REPLACED. THIS IS VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM OF THE VEHICLE. THIS ASSEMBLY IS ON BACKORDER AS WELL. NOVEMBER 18, 2010 VEHICLE REPAIRED AND RETURNED. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING IN THE FAR RIGHT HAND LANE, IN A WORK ZONE AT DESIGNATED SPEEDS AS CONTROLLED BY ROAD WORKERS. THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME APPLIED BRAKES CAUSING ME TO DUE THE SAME. MY BRAKES INITIALLY GRABBED MOMENTARILY AND THEN RELEASED UNEXPECTEDLY, WHILE I WAS STILL APPLYING THE BRAKES. I JAMMED ON THE BRAKES THE TIRES LOCKED UP AND NOSE DIVED VIOLENTLY.....BARELY AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT. OBVIOUS SIGNIFICANT BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. *TR