This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
While coming to a stop, if my 2008 Toyota Fj cruiser hits a bump the ABS brake system activates kicking back on the brake pedal. Then, the brakes grab as if they are going to lock up and skid. The only way to stop the brake system from continuing to do this is to release the pedal completely then, reapply the brakes. Obviously this isn't what you want to do in order to stop. There are numerous cases like this documented on this website. How much more documentation does Toyota need before they take this seriously?
The brakes just failed and was suddenly unresponsive at low speed when I was driving over slightly bumpy road on I-10 los angeles, the road was not icy neither had any dirt or sand, it felt like that I had no brakes, and almost hit the car infront of me, luckily it came to a stop when I stepped the brakes so hard that it feels like useless. I took my car to my mechanics, they inspected it and told me that it was fine. The brake pads were very new. I replaced new brake fluids, but this incident happened again ! I went to Fj cruiser forum, and lots of people has encounter this same situation when driving over pot holes to cause the failure in the ABS computer. And Toyota can do nothing about it!!
Firmly applying brakes to slow for traffic, ABS stopped vehicle very quickly, then acted as if ABS was working but with minimal braking power. Incident happened on smooth, dry pavement. Vehicle moving in a straight line.
I have had an issue more than once where when applying my brakes if I hit a bump the ABS will take over, the brake pedal pulses and I will lose the ability to stop on my original mark. When this happens it feels as though the vehicle is barely attempting to make a stop at all. I have tried to apply more pressure to the brake pedal with no success. I have also tried removing pressure from the pedal and reapplying pressure but that does not seem to stop the vehicle any faster. I have had the problem when cruising between 35 and 45 mph.
On more than one occasion I have had the brakes go to 100% force when applying minimal force to the pedal. This behavior has occurred at street speeds of 35-40 and when coming off of a freeway. The force is strong enough that everyone in the car is launched forward to the point that the seatbelt lock engages. I have tried removing my foot from the pedal and reapplying pressure but the brakes immediately engage at 100%. only after the vehicle has come to a complete stop do the brakes begin to work normally again.
- Los Angeles, CA, USA
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While driving on dry pavement I made a lane change while approaching a stop light when it turned yellow. I applied the brakes slightly harder than normal at which point the car took over and applied 100% braking force. The car slammed to a stop and both the passenger and I were whipped forward and were luck to have not been rear ended. I am very concerned with all the similar problems with the ABS controllers.
2008 Toyota Fj cruiser. When coming to stop going down a hill, went over a pot hole while applying the brakes the vehicle did not stop and started to jerk forward. The brake pedal hit the floor had to release foot so that the pedal will come up vehicle almost went through intersection. No brakes power for several seconds. Dealer states that nothing is wrong, typical behavior for this vehicle.
2008 Toyota Fj cruiser, build date:10/07. Have had unnerving experiences with the brake system on my fj.(1) when braking over a non smooth road the brake pedal pulsates for a long period and does not stop the vehicle. (2) had to panic stop and hit the brakes hard, they locked up, there was no braking just the ABS took over and locked up the brakes hard to the point that I was glad I was wearing my seat belt, because I would've been lying in the street.(3) the pedal will be hard one time and mushy the next when applying the brakes. When the pedal is mushy the brakes do not work appropriately, nearly rear ending people or locking up the brakes to stop. (4) when at a stop the pedal was mushy and I tried to "pump"up the pedal by pumping the brake pedal, all the warning lights came on (related to the braking system) the dash and an annoying alarm sounded, has happened 3 times now. (5) when the pedal is mushy I can push it down all the way to the stopping point/floor with no resistance. Called the dealer they said they have never had any "issues".
The brake system on my 2008 Toyota Fj cruiser is faulty. When going over any bumps and braking the pedal feels like a master cyl, failure. The pedal goes to the floor and breaking becomes non existent. It's been to the dealer but they can't find the problem and even though it's under warranty they keep charging me labor. I'm a mechanical person and I know when there's a problem. In light of Toyota's recent problems and propensity to evade, I want my concerns on record. I would be happy to let a 3rd party examine the vehicle. Hopefully something will be done before more people die at the hands of a faulty car. I'm looking at the date box below, this is a recurring problem that I first noticed in the winter of 2008-2009.
My Toyota Fj cruiser has an issue involving the anti-lock braking system. If I hit a bump while decelerating, the ABS pulses in such a way that it is impossible to stop safely at my original planned stopping point. If, for example, I am decelerating and plan on stopping within 100 yards at a stop sign, and I hit a pot hole, the ABS will pulse (engage brakes briefly, disengage them, then engage again repeatedly) in such a fashion that I will stop several yards beyond the stop sign. The pulse pattern of the ABS on the Fj cruiser is dangerously long, and has caused several near misses on my part in a variety of situations (missing stop signs / lights, almost rear-ending someone due to hitting a bump/engaging ABS while stopping, etc.)
I purchased new a 2008 Toyota Fj cruiser 2 wheel drive with automatic transmission. Since ownership from March 2009 to date, I have been experiencing a lurching forward of the vehicle while the brakes are applied and at a full stop. This lurching forward occurs when the air conditioner is on and at the time that the air conditioner clutch engages. Most of the time, when the air conditioner clutch engages, the engine RPM only increases about 100 RPM, but frequently, when the A/C clutch engages the engine RPM increases 300 to 400 RPM with normal brake pressure while stopped, 100 RPM engine increases cause no problem, but with 300 to 400 RPM engine increases, normal brake pressures while stopped are not adequate and the vehicle lurches forward. I took the vehicle to the bill penny Toyota service department (huntsville, Alabama) on 02/23/2010 and the service report stated that they could not duplicate the problem. The problem has been ongoing since my ownership began.
Momentary loss of braking capability while traveling over an uneven road surface, pothole or bump. This has been going on for the past 2 years. Complained to dealer last September. They looked at vehicle and said there was nothing wrong. I can duplicate the issue on our road which is uneven and has bumps. Happened this morning as I came to work. SUV speeds up while pressing brake over bumps then brakes catch and it if were not for a seat belt I would go through the windshield!
When approaching a stop sign on a residential street at approximately 30mph, went to apply brakes, ABS kicked in and lost most if not all braking ability resulting in rolling the stop and ending up in the middle of a busy 4 lane divided road. The section of the street approaching the stop sign has quite a few filled pot holes and is bumpy. This is probably the 4th or 5th time this has occurred at the same intersection or in similar road/driving conditions.
2008 Toyota fj have experience momentary loss of braking capability while traveling over an uneven road surface, pothole or bump similar as to what has been reported with prius. Vehicle continues forward without slowing down even though brakes are depressed after hitting a pothole. Release and reapplication of brakes often results in emergency hard braking. No accident occured but vehicle traveled well into interchange.
Antilock brakes activated after hitting ripple in exit ramp surface. Vehicle would not stop despite pressing down harder on the brake pedal. Required releasing brake pedal completely and then reapplying brakes to cause vehicle to stop. Came very close to shooting out into four-way intersection. Has happened on several occasions under similar circumstances (very minor bump on road causes antilocks to active upon breaking though this doesn't actually stop the vehicle).
This is a sporadic occurrence and cannot be reproduced deliberately: When braking suddenly at 40 mph and below, the vehicle does not slow down noticeably. It appears only minimal braking force is exerted at these occurrences, despite maximum brake force on the pedal. This happens also on dry pavement, ruling out skidding as cause of failed deceleration. The massively prolonged braking distance caused two near-misses. The vehicle was purchased new, with the brake defect first noticed during the first year of operation (first 15,000 miles). The dealership was notified, details explained, and an inspection of the braking system was requested. The dealership was unable to duplicate the concern because of the only sporadic occurrence of brake failure. No action was taken.
Brakes do not work properly when the car hits any kind of rough patch in the road while brakes are being applied. Extremely dangerous condition because it is very difficult to stop the car when this occurs. Occurs repeatedly and not limited to an isolated incident. Took car to dealer and dealer will not acknowledge issue instead claiming that I do not understand how anti-lock brakes work. This is an absurd excuse.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Thornton, CO, USA