2007 Toyota Corolla service brakes, hydraulic problems

“LETTER FROM SENATOR ISAKSON ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 2007 TOYOTA COROLLA. *SMD THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A SEVERE AND SUDDEN LOCK UP OF THE BRAKES. THE CONSUMER STATED JUST A SMALL TOUCH OF THE BRAKE PEDAL CAUSED THE BRAKES TO LOCK UP. THE CONSUMER NOTICED WHEN HE TOUCHED THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE VEHICLE NOT MOVING, THERE WAS A LOUD HISSING SOUND COMING FROM THE BEHIND THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT WAS NOT NOTICEABLE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING. THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALER. THE PEDAL WOULD GO DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND HE WOULD HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKE, TO GET IT BACK UP, WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, IT FELT AS THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS TRYING TO BRAKE. THE DEALER BELIEVED A ROD IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS NOT ADJUSTED CORRECTLY FROM A PREVIOUS BRAKE JOB. ALSO, THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED. *JB”

“BRAKES FAILED, PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR, ATTEMPT TO PRESS BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN STILL RESULTS IN PEDAL MOVING TO FLOOR WITH NO BRAKING. HIT CAR IN FRONT. 2ND OCCURRENCE. FIRST OCCURRENCE IN JUNE 2011. DEALER SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED ON 2/21/2012. BRAKES THEN WORK AFTER INCIDENT. FAILURE SEEMS INTERMITTENT. DEALER SERVICE MANAGER SAYS HE THINKS THE PROBLEM COULD BE A MASTER CYLINDER. TOYOTA INVESTIGATING. SO FAR HAD INVESTIGATOR INSPECT CAR BUT HAVE NOT YET AUTHORIZED DEALER TO DO ANY REPAIRS. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,000.”

“EVER SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, I WOULD HEAR A SQUEAKING/GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE SOUND ONLY EXISTED WHEN I PUT THE VEHICLE TO REVERSE. HOWEVER, NEAR THE 20,000 MILES POINT, THE SOUND HAS BECOME LOUDER AND EXIST EVEN WHEN DRIVING FORWARD AND BRAKING. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO THREE DIFFERENT TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPAIR IT. THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN I NEED TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND PUSH ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THERE WOULD BE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND SOMETIMES THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD ALSO VIBRATE. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS HAVE CHANGED MY BRAKE PADS AND PERFORMED SEVERAL INSPECTIONS. HOWEVER, IT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. NOW THEY ARE REFUSING TO DO ANYTHING AND CLAIMS THAT THE PROBLEM IS NORMAL (AT NEARLY 60,000 MILES). I FEEL THAT THERE IS SOMETHING REALLY WRONG AND UNSAFE ABOUT THE SITUATION. WHAT IF THE BRAKES FAIL AT ANY MOMENT? WHAT STEPS SHOULD I TAKE? EVEN TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE SERVICE IS TELLING ME THAT THE DEALER DIAGNOSTIC SAYS IT IS A NORMAL CONDITION. *TR”

“SAFETY ISSUE: I HAVE 2007 ( NEW FROM THE DEALER) COROLLA HAS ONLY 46K MILES, I REPLACED THE BRAKES AT 31K. AT THE END OF 2009 WHEN THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED I WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT FOR A TWO YEAR OLD CAR WITH ONLY 31K. I DID REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS TO PROTECT THE CAR. YESTERDAY, THE CAR HAD A GRINDING NOISE, SO I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE LEFT PAD WAS COMPLETELY GONE, I WAS SURPRISED, BECAUSE IT IS ONLY HAS 15K SINCE THE LAST TIME HE REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS, HE TOLD ME THAT THE CALIPER WAS STUCK AND CAUSED THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE MOISTURE ENTERED THE BRAKE DISC AND FROZE THE DISK AND FROZE THE CALIPERS AND CAUSED THIS. THE CAR HAS ONLY 46K AND TO CHANGE THE BRAKES TWICE THERE IS SOME DESIGN AND SAFETY ISSUE WITH MOISTURE GETTING INTO THE CALIPER. IT IS TOYOTA'S DESIGN AND ALL COROLLA 'S IN THE USA NEED TO BE FIXED, TO KEEP MOISTURE FROM GETTING INTO THE CALIPER AND CAUSING IT TO STICK. IT IS PUBLIC SAFETY. I DID NOT FIX THE CAR WITH THE DEALER BECAUSE HE WAS SO IGNORANT AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE TOYOTA SERVICE AT THIS DEALER AND I WILL ELEVATE THAT TO A HIGHER LEVEL WITH A DISTRICT ATTORNEY…”

“DRIVING ON 2 LANE BLACKTOP ROAD, DOG IN MY PATH OF TRAVEL, FIRMLY APPLIED THE BRAKES, CAR WAS PULLED TO THE RIGHT, WENT OFF THE ROAD AND CONTINUED TO TRAVEL PARALLEL UNTIL I STRUCK A GRAVEL ENTRY DRIVEWAY TO A FIELD WITH THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE AND THEN FLIPPED END OVER END 3 TIMES ACCORDING TO WITNESS FINALLY RESTING ON ITS TOP. UPON LOOKING AT THE SCENE, THERE WAS ONE (1)BLACK SKID MARK. THE HIGHWAY WAS DRY, THERE WAS A VERY SLIGHT INCLINE IN THE ROAD AND IT WAS A STRAIGHT STRETCH. THE WEATHER WAS OVERCAST. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD NOT INVESTIGATE MY COMPLAINT AND INSISTED THAT I SWERVED. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY "CHECKED THE BRAKES" ON THE TOTALLED CAR AND THE HEADLIGHT OPERATION. I HAD CALLED THEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAD GONE WRONG. IN THEIR REPORT THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES OR HEADLIGHTS. I HAD REPORTED THAT PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON AT THE SAME LOCATION (AN AREA WHERE MY CELL PHONE COVERAGE WOULD GO OUT). THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED NEAR AN AIRPORT WHICH WAS ANOTHER AREA WHERE MY CELL PHONE COVERAGE WOULD GO OUT. SINCE I HAD FRACTURED MY STERNUM AND HAD THE DISCOLORED IMPRINT OF THE…”