2001 Toyota Camry Brakes Problems

Your brake pedal started making loud, crunchy noises and sank almost to the floor while driving. You discovered the brake fluid was low, refilled it with DOT 3 fluid, and a mechanic diagnosed that your brake booster needs replacement. The brake booster helps reduce the effort needed to stop your car, and when it fails, braking becomes harder and noisier.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, AN ABNORMAL REVVING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE STOPPED BY TURNING INTO A PARKING GARAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO PARK IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,557.

I HAD AN ACCIDENT RECENTLY WITH MY 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY. MY HUSBAND ALSO HAD AN ACCIDENT IN THE SAME CAR A FEW YEARS BACK. BUT BOTH ARE KIND OF SAME SCENARIO. THE BRAKES DON'T WORK PROPERLY IN RAIN.TRIED TO STOP BUT NOTHING HAPPENED AND WE REAR ENDED CARS BEFORE US. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOST BRAKE PRESSURE AND CONTINUED MOVING THROUGH A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 30 MILES PER HOUR WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES DID RESPOND. AFTER PUMPING THE BRAKES FIVE TIMES THEY BEGAN TO RESPOND. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 147,000.

BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE ON A 2001 CAMRY, ABS COMPLETELY FAILS WHEN TRAVELING OVER SHARP BUMPS IN THE ROAD. SPECIFICALLY WHEN ABS ACTIVATES. *TR

I JUST KEEP HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE BRAKES ON MY CAR. *TR

WE PURCHASED A USED (ABOUT 43,000 MILES) 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY LE ) AT THE END OF JUNE 2006. EVERY THING WORKS FINE SINCE WE PURCHASED IT. THE PREVIOUS OWNER IS A FRIEND OF MINE, WHO ALWAYS DID REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES IN TOYOTA DEALER AND LEFT ALL MAINTENANCE RECORDS TO ME. AFTER WE GOT THE CAR, WE HAD CHANGED BRAND NEW TIRES, NEW BRAKES, REPLACED DRIVER SIDE AUTO WINDOW MOTOR, AND ALSO DONE OIL CHANGES REGULARLY. ON JUNE 11, 2007, I TOOK MY CAMRY TO MECHANIC TO DO OIL AND BRAKE CHANGES. NO PROBLEM WAS REPORTED. THE TOTAL MILEAGE ON THAT CAR WAS LESS THAN 49,600 MILES AT THAT TIME. ON FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2007, AT 11:00 AM, MY WIFE DROVE KIDS FROM HOME TO LOCAL LIBRARY FOR ABOUT 7 MINUTES. AFTER PARKING IN THE LIBRARY PARKING LOT, WALKING INTO LIBRARY, A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE LIBRARIAN ANNOUNCED AND ASKED THE OWNER OF CAMRY WITH THE SPECIFIC PLATE NUMBER TO GO TO FRONT LOBBY. HOWEVER, THE LIBRARIAN DID NOT STATE THE REASON. MY WIFE THOUGHT SHE PARKED WELL WITHOUT ANY VIOLATION, SO SHE DID NOT PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO THE FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT. AFTER LIBRARIAN'S SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT, MY WIFE FELT THAT THE PLATE NUMBER SOUNDED FAMILIAR, SO SHE WENT TO FRONT LOBBY TO CHECK OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING. WHEN MY WIFE GOT OUT TO THE PARKING LOT, SHE SAW POLICE CAR AND FIRE TRUCK, AND HER CAR WAS BURNED OUT. ALL OF THE PARTS INSIDE THE ENGINE COVER WERE ALL MELTED. THE FIRE ALSO DAMAGED THE RIGHT FRONT PANEL OF THE CAR PARKED NEXT TO MY CAMRY. I ASKED MY MECHANIC TO TOW MY CAR TO HIS REPAIR SHOP AND CHECKED MY CAR. HE TOLD ME THAT THIS CAR IS NOT REPAIRABLE AND IS TOTALED. I HAD CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATE OFFICE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER REGARDING MY CAMRY ENGINE FIRE SINCE JULY 23, 2007. THE CASE MANAGER - SANDRA TOLD ME THAT SHE WOULD SEND MY CASE TO TOYOTA'S CLAIM DEPARTMENT AND SOMEONE WILL CONTACT ME TO INVESTIGATE MY CAR. HOWEVER, IT HAD BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE MY FIRST CONTACT WITH TOYOTA, I HAD NOT RECEIVED PHONE CALL FROM TOYOTA CLAIM DEPARTMENT. *TR

SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, MY 2001 TOYOTA SOLARA BEGAN TO SHUDDER, SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 60+ MPH. WHILE PULLING OVER TO THE OFF RAMP, AND APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, THE BRAKE PEDAL ITSELF WOULD FIGHT BACK, PUSHING AGAINST THE PRESSURE. AN INSPECTION BY THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP REVEALED NO FRONT END ALIGNMENT PROBLEM (THE FRONT END HAD BEEN ALIGNED LESS THAN 10,000 MILES EARLIER), AND A CHECK BY THE TIRE COMPANY DID NOT REVEAL ANY UNEVEN WEAR ON THE TIRES. THE PROBLEM WOULD MANIFEST ITSELF INTERMITTENTLY, AND ONLY AFTER TRAVELING MORE THAN 5 MILES ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP LAST MONTH AND, AFTER A TEST DRIVE WITH THE MECHANIC, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGING WHEN THEY HEATED UP AFTER DRIVING MORE THAN 5 MILES. THE SOLUTION SUGGESTED WAS TO REPLACE THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER AT A COST OF $1400! I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT CONTINUING TO DRIVE THE CAR UNDER THESE CONDITIONS WOULD RESULT IN THE BRAKES LOCKING UP - A VERY SCARY SITUATION. THE DEALERSHIP ASSURED ME THERE HAD BEEN NO BULLETINS OR RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS MODEL AND PROBLEM, BUT I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT MY SOLARA IS THE ONLY CAMRY MODEL TO EXPERIENCE THIS SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I HAVE DRIVEN AMERICAN CARS IN THE PAST - ONE, A BUICK LESABRE, FOR MORE THAN 13 YEARS AND MORE THAN 180,000 MILES WITHOUT A PROBLEM OF THIS MAGNITUDE. I FEEL THAT DRIVERS ARE DISCOURAGED FROM REPORTING THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM, KEEPING IT OFF THE BULLETIN LIST AND AVOIDING ANY RECALL. *JB

I OWN A 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY LE. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR APPROX 11 MONTHS. IN AUGUST MY SON WHILE LEAVING THE BEACH CLAIMED THE ABS BREAKS LOCKED UP CAUSING HIM TO SLIDE INTO A POLE IN THE PARKING LOT. NEITHER AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED BUT THERE WAS OVER 6000 DAMAGE. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A LOW IMPACT HIT ... THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AND BREAKS CHECKED AND SAID TO BE WORKING. NOW JUST 7 MONTHS FROM THAT ACCIDENT I WAS DRIVING IN A SNOW STORM AND DESPITE MY BEST DRIVING I TOO EXPERIENCED THE ABS BREAKS ACTUALLY LOCKING ... ON A HILL IN THE SNOW CAUSING MY CAR TO FISH TAIL AND ALL THE WHILE GAINING SPEED LEAVING ME WITH NO WAY TO SLOW DOWN MY PASSENGER WATCH THE SPEEDOMETER GO FROM 15... TO 30... TO 35 WHICH IS WHEN HE CLOSED HIS EYES AS I MADE ONE LAST ATTEMPT TO STEER THE CAR STRAIGHT WE WENT OFF THE ROAD WIPING OUT 2 OR 3 SMALL TREES, A METAL POLE LUCKILY THERE WAS A RATHER LARGE ROCK UNDER THE SNOW THAT GOT STUCK UNDER THE TAIL END OF THE CAR LEAVING THE CAR "NOSE" END INTO THE GROUND. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED ONCE AGAIN. THE DRIVERS SIDE LIGHT WAS COMPLETELY TORN OUT, THE TIRES CAME PARTIALLY OFF THE RIM AND THE FRAME IS NOW TWISTED THE IMPACT WAS DEFIANTLY OVER 30 MPH WITH NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE ANTI- LOCK BAKES ... LOCKED AND HAD THEY NOT I WOULD NOT HAVE FISHTAILED ... THIS IS THE SECOND ACCIDENT MY CAR HAS HAD DUE TO THE BREAK SYSTEM. THIS ONE TOTALED MY CAR. WHICH I OWE 11,000 ON ... *JB

TOYOTA SOLARA 2001 HAD TO HAVE BRAKE VACUUM ASSIST PART REPLACED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. WAS TOLD THAT THIS WOULD CAUSE HARM TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND EVENTUALLY MAY STOP ON HIGHWAY. CAR ONLY HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS EXCELLENT CARE. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT TOYOTA HAD RECALL OF THIS PART FOR THEIR COROLLAS FOR THAT YEAR, BUT NOT THE SOLARA. THIS COST ME $800 AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER. TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR ALL THE VACUUM ASSIST DRUMS FOR THAT YEAR SINCE THE PART IS THE SAME FOR ANY MODEL. *JB

WHILE SETTING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, THE PLASTIC BUTTON WHICH HOLDS THE BRAKE IN PLACE DETACHED FROM THE HANDLE, AND NOW THE BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD, AND THE PARKING BRAKE NOW DOES NOT STAY SET. I FEEL THAT THIS IS AN UNSAFE SITUATION, BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANYBODY WITH THE REPLACEMENT PART. PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY WITH A PLAN OF ACTION. THANK YOU, DAVID WISDOM. *JB

2001 TOYOTA CAMRY WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*MR WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. *NM

WHILE PARKING ON AN INCLINE AND WHILE SETTING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BY PULLING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ARM THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AT ALL LIKE THE NORMAL CLICKING. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A LICENSED MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE CABLE SNAPPED IN HALF. *AK

THE BRAKES HAD TO BE PRESSED TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO GO THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. *AK ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO STOP, BUT ENDED UP REAR ENDING ANOTHER MOTORIST AND CONSEQUENTLY THERE WAS 2,500 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE CONSUMES VEHICLE. *JB

2001 SOLARA-WHEN ENGAGE EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY RELEASE IT TO DRIVE,THE FRONT WHEELS VIBRATE AND IT FEELS THAT YOU ARE DRIVING ON A WASHBOARD TYPE ROAD WITH ALL SPEED BUMPS, AND THE CAR CANNOT GET UP TO SPEED AS YOU PRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND IT ALSO FEELS LIKE ONE OF THE FRONT TIRES ARE FLAT. WHEN YOU COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND RESTART AND DRIVE THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND EVERYTHING IS NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED THE FOUR TIMES WE HAVE ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. OBVIOUSLY WE NO LONGER ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE. THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER SAYS HE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS RECEIVED NO NOTICES FROM THE TOYOTA CO. I THINK FOR SOME STRANGE REASON WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS ENGAGED AND THEN DISENGAGED THE BRAKE CALIPERS DO NOT FULLY RELEASE AND RUB THE ROTORS. THE MYSTERY IS HOW THE ROTORS WOULD OPEN FULLY JUST BY STOPPING THE AUTO AND TURNING OFF THE IGNITION WITH NO FURTHER TOUCHING OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LEVER. ARE THE CALIPERS EFFECTED BY THE ENGINE BEING SHUT DOWN? WHY DOES EVERYTHING RETURN TO NORMAL AFTER STOPPING AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE? *JB

BRAKE FAILURE: AT 14,000 MILES THE REAR BRAKES WORE DOWN TO THE ROTORS CAUSING THE ROTORS TO FAIL. AT 19,000 MILES THE FRONT BRAKES FAILED PUTTING GOUGES INTO THE ROTORS. *CB

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND BRAKES FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

SERVICE BRAKES. THE CONSUMER STATED TOYOTA DID NOT FIX THE BRAKES TO HIS SATISFACTION. *JB

THE BRAKES ON TOYOTA CAMRY LE MODELS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. IN EACH OF THREE DIFFERENT CAMRY CARS THAT I HAVE OWNED (1996,2000, AND 2001) THE BRAKES MAKE A RUMBLING SOUND WHEN SLOWING DOWN FROM A SPEED OVER 50 MILES AN HOUR. FURTHERMORE, ON MY 2001 CAMRY THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON DURING USE ON ICY ROADS, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THAT THIS HAPPENS AND THAT HE HAD FIVE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE VERY SAME THING THAT DAY. HE ATTRIBUTED THIS TO ONE OF THE SENSORS "STICKING", AND THAT ALL I HAD TO DO IS TURN THE CAR OFF AND LET IT "COOL " DOWN AND THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF. THIS IS TRUE, THIS DID HAPPEN, BUT WHAT GOOD ARE ABS BRAKES IF THEY MALFUNCTION ON THE VERY ICY ROADS THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT YOU FROM? IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF A SENSOR IS "STICKING" THE SENSOR SHOULD BE REPLACED AND THAT THE CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE ALLOWED TO "COOL DOWN" ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF A PARKWAY ON ICY ROAD CONDITIONS. ALSO, DURING THE TIME THE ABS LIGHT WAS ON ONE OF THE WHEELS BRAKES LOCKED PREVENTING THE WHEEL FROM SPINNING FURTHER CAUSING A MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION.

BRAKE FLUID FAILED CAUSING MASTER CYLINDER SEALS TO SWELL. IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN CONTAMINATED SINCE NO ONE EVER TOUCHED THE BRAKING SYSTEM SINCE CAR WAS NEW. MR

THE RESPONSE TIME FOR THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS SEVERLY LACKING. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES, INCLUDING ONCE ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. I HAVE NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR INSPECTION NUMEROUS TIMES AND EACH TIME HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. HOWEVER I CONTIINUE TO EXPERIENCE DEFICIENCIES IN BRAKING RESPONSE TIME. MR

ON THURSDAY, MAY 9TH, 2002 I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE JEWEL STORE AT 40TH STREET AND HARLEM AVE. IN STICKNEY, IL. MY SPEED AT THAT TIME WAS 1 OR 2 MPH. ABOUT 3 OR 4 FEET FROM WHERE I WAS TO MAKE A COMPLETE STOP - THE CAR SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD "REVVING" NOISE AND LURCHED FORWARD - UP OVER A CURB, UP A GRASSY EMBANKMENT, KNOCKED DOWN TWO PINE TREES AND SIDESWIPED A 6' WOODEN FENCE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AS ALL THIS WAS HAPPENING, BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T STOP UNTIL STOPPED BY THE FENCE.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED IN A SUDDEN STOP, PEDAL IS NORMAL; HOWEVER, THERE IS AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK CONSUMER FEELS THE PROBLEM MAY BE DUE TO AN IMPROPER FRICTION MATERIAL, ALSO STATES THAT POSSIBLY THE MASTER CYLINDER PISTON DISPLACEMENT HAS BEEN MISCALCULATED. *SLC

UPON STOPPING THE VEHICLE THE BRAKES DOES NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE MAKES A GRINDING NOISE AND IT DRAGS. DEALER STATES THAT A PART IS MISSING OFF THE BRAKES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM

CONSUMER HAD PARKED VEHICLE ON AN UP HILL WITH EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE APPLIED. *AK THE EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE WAS FULLY EXTENDED AND WAS IN LOCK POSITION. AFTER THE DRIVER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE, THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL DOWN THE HILL HITTING A MAILBOX. VEHICLE DOOR DAMAGED. DEALERSHIP ADJUSTED CABLE TO CORRECT CONCERN, BUT CONSUMER IS LOOKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR DAMAGE TO DRIVER'S DOOR. *TT

WHILE PULLING INSIDE OF DRIVEWAY APPLIED BRAKES, AND BRAKES FAILED, RAN INTO A TREE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

PURCHASED A NEW 2001 CAMRY LE (VIN [XXX]) ON NOVEMBER 11, 2000. NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR