2008 Toyota Fj Cruiser Brakes Problems

the brakes are constantly binding up due to rust and need replaced, recently ABS brake lines rusted off causing me to miss a stop sign, very dangerous, Upper rear control arm mount rusted and cracked completely off causing steering and braking problems and had to be replaced to even use this vehicle, , The front rack has been replaced due to excessive rust of lines and fittings, same with transmission cooler lines-rotted off...brake backing plates rotted off.. Even though I have had this undercoated and rust treated, the frame is rusting inside-out...frame braces, everything on the frame is rusted much more than one would expect, even in a salt state like Ohio....my safety was put at risk by faulty brakes, the frame is not safe under hard braking and may cause an accident, the dealer has seen this vehicle, a local independent says "get rid of it"...no warning lamps, just wild things happen with brakes, pulls left, pulls right, front, then back and this past time ...NONE!...only 111,000 miles.

NHTSA ID

11503872

Incident

Dec 5, 2022

On the home my wife went to apply the brakes and she had no brake pressure. The pedal went all the way to the floor. Then several lights and a buzzer sound started, and she could not stop the car. She was able to pull up on the e-brake just before she drove completely into the intersection, where several cars were driving in both directions. The front end of car ended partially in the north bound lane of US MD-5. There was also a home at the end of the road that she could have also driven into. I researched on several forums where other owners have had the same issue and the dealership has been unable to diagnose the issue. No TSB or recall has been made, but the number of people that have had this issue, something should have been done. My 4-year-old daughter was in the car, and I could have lost both of them. People need to aware of this. I had no idea that a total brake failure was possible with these vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11502784

Incident

Jan 19, 2023

UPON HARD BRAKING, IF VEHICLE HITS A BUMP, POTHOLE, UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE, ETC, THE ABS KICKS IN MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP UNLESS I COMPLETELY RELEASE THE BRAKES THUS REQUIRING ME TO SLAM ON IT HARD TO PREVENT REAR ENDING ANOTHER OBJECT.

NHTSA ID

11415809

Incident

May 8, 2021

FRAME, SUSPENSION, AND BRAKES HAVE EXTREME DAMAGE FROM RUST. REAR BRAKES ARE NON-FUNCTIONAL BECAUSE OF RUST.

NHTSA ID

11395507

Incident

Jan 1, 2020

Mileage

130,000 mi

2008 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER FRAME ROTTING FROM INSIDE AND OUT. ALL SUSPENSION COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED DUE PARTS FAILING BECAUSE OF CORROSION THAT BLED OVER FROM THE FRAME TO INCLUDE BOTH FRONT STEERING KNUCKLES, TWO PARTS THAT ONLY EVER GET REPLACED IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. SEVERAL FRAME SUPPORTS HAVE CORRODED FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND ARE FLAKING OFF. BRAKE COMPONENTS THAT RUN ALONG THE FRAME HAVE CORRODED FROM THE FRAME TO THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THEM TO THE LINES THEMSELVES. CAUSE A SLOW BRAKE LEAK OVER TIME THAT EVENTUALLY RESULTED IN A DANGEROUS NEAR ACCIDENT SITUATION THAT WAS CAUSED BY COMPLETE IMMEDIATE LACK OF BRAKE PRESSURE. EVASIVE DRIVING AND A SOUND MIND AVOIDED A LEGITIMATE ACCIDENT, HAD TO TOW THE TRUCK TO A SHOP. UNSAFE TO DRIVE. FRAME WILL NOT HOLD UP IN AN ACCIDENT. 12 YEAR OLD FRAME SHOULD NOT BE ANYWHERE NEAR THIS CONDITION. DUE TO OVERSIGHTS AT THE MANUFACTURER THIS FRAME IS NOW CORRODING FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

NHTSA ID

11341612

Incident

Jul 4, 2020

Mileage

143,000 mi

SEVER RUSTING OF FRAME, BREAK AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS AND BRACKETS. THIS 2008 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER IS QUICKLY BECOMING A SAFETY HAZARD ON THE ROADS. I HAVE A 92 SABB AND A 93 VW THAT DON'T HAVE HAVE THE RUST ISSUES THIS TOYOTA HAS. TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THE FJ CRUISERS FOR FAULTY FRAMES AND UNDERCARRIAGE LONG AGO.

NHTSA ID

11306740

Incident

Feb 3, 2020

Mileage

39,000 mi

HELLO, TOYOTA CALIPERS AND CALIPER PISTONS HAVE A PROBLEM. THE PISTONS OR CALIPERS ARE CORRODING AND CAUSING DELAYED EMPLOYMENT OF BRAKING ON THAT CALIPER. UNDERSTAND THAT THE CALIPERS THAT ARE WORKING CORRECTLY WILL "PULL" TO THE SIDE THEY ARE ON AND THE CALIPER THAT HAS A PROBLEM WILL HAVE A DELAYED ENGAGEMENT. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE "GOOD" CALIPER CAUSES THE CAR TO PULL TO THAT SIDE, THEN THE "BAD" CALIPER ENGAGES PULLING THE CAR BACK THE OTHER WAY. WHEN THE BRAKES ARE RELEASED, THE "GOOD" CALIPER LETS GO AND THE "BAD" CALIPER RELEASES A FEW SECONDS LATER. UNDERSTAND THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN ON ANY OF THE FOUR CALIPERS FRONT OR REAR. THE COMBINATIONS OF GOOD AND BAD CALIPERS CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO ZIG ZAG LEFT OR RIGHT UNPREDICTABLY, PULLING LEFT OR RIGHT, AND IF THE DRIVER IS NOT READY FOR IT, CAN CAUSE A BIG PROBLEM CONTROLLING THE CAR. HARD TO EXPLAIN THE COMPLEXITY OF THE VARIOUS BRAKING RESPONSES YOU CAN GET WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUT CHECK THE COMMENTS ON THE INTERNET AND KNOW THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH ISSUES WITH FJ CRUISERS, FOUR RUNNERS ETC. I HAVE HAD THREE CALIPERS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE PROBLEM IS RETURNING. TOYOTA KNOWS THEY HAVE A PROBLEM, BUT AS USUAL, NO PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. YOU CAN CONTACT ME ANYTIME, [XXX]. THIS IS A PROBLEM AND PLEASE LOOK INTO IT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11030578

Incident

Sep 28, 2017

Mileage

88,000 mi

BRAKE CALIPER AND BRAKE CALIPER PISTONS BIND IN CALIPER BORE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER DEPENDING ON WHICH SIDE THE PROBLEM IS. WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE "GOOD" CALIPERS DO THEIR JOB, BUT THE BAD CALIPER PISTONS ARE MOMENTARILY STUCK AND THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO PULL TO THE GOOD SIDE AS THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THEN A MOMENT LATER THE "BAD" BRAKE PISTONS LET LOOSE AND THE CAR PULLS BACK THE OTHER WAY. ALSO THEN AS THE PISTONS ARE BOUND, WHEN THE BRAKES ARE RELEASED, THE GOOD SIDE PISTONS RETRACT, BUT THE BAD SIDE BIND ON RETURN, SO PULLING TO THE BAD SIDE. THIS IS MOST NOTICED ON THE FRONT BRAKES BUT ALSO OCCUR ON THE BACK. NOTE THAT THE "BAD" SIDE ON THE BACK MAY NOT BE THE SAME SIDE AS "BAD" ON THE FRONT, CAUSING A ZIG-ZAG TYPE PULLING , FRONT ONE WAY, BACK THE OTHER AND CAN BE VERY UNPTEDICTABLE, PARTICULARLY WHEN SUDDEN OR "PANIC" BRAKING OCCURS. I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH THE CAR AND TOYOTA AUTHORIZED AND THE DEALER DID REPLACE THREE COMPLETE CALIPERS NO CHARGE UNDER MY EXTENDED TOYOTA WARRANTY. HOWEVER SUBSEQUENT COMPLAINTS BROUGHT THE REGIONAL SERVICE REP TO A MEETING AT MY REQUEST WHERE WE WENT TO AN EMPTY PARKING LOT AND CONDUCTED "PANIC" STOPS SEVERAL TIMES AT 35 MPH AND ONE AT 40 MPH WITH NOT DUPLICATION OF MY COMPLAINTS. I AM SUSPICIOUS THAT THE PANIC STOPPING IS A WAY TO GET WHAT WOULD BE CALLED A "PROPORTIONING CONTROL VALVE" TO UN-STICK. THIS VALVE AS I CALL IT IS A DEVICE THAT BALANCES BRAKE FLUID PRESSURE TO ALL FOUR CALIPERS IN AN EQUAL CRISS-CROSS PRESSURE SO ALL CALIPERS ARE GETTING THE SAME PRESSURE UNLIKE OLD FASSIONED SINGLE OR DOUBLE SYSTEMS FROM BACK IN THE DAY. I CAN'T VERIFY THIS IS A "SECRET" SERVICE FIX FOR UNBALANCED BRAKING, BUT NOW SOME MONTHS AFTER MY CALIPER REPLACEMENTS, THE CALIPERS ARE BEGINNING TO EXHIBIT THE SAME PROBLEM AND I'M OUT OF WARRANTY. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN

NHTSA ID

11022266

Incident

Jul 13, 2015

Mileage

70,496 mi

THE DEALER DID REPLACE MY MASTER CYLINDER AND THE PRESSURE PUMP AFTER THE EXPERIENCE WITH THE ABS ISSUES AS OTHERS HAVE STATED, THIS WAS WHEN THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. IT SEEMED TO FIX THE ABS PROBLEM WITH THE LONG PULSING AND BASICALLY THE COMPUTER TAKING OVER THE BRAKING. I AM STILL EXPERIENCING A MUSHY PEDAL AND LACK OF BRAKING WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVEN OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME OR DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. HOWEVER AFTER A LOT OF RESEARCH AND PAYING ATTENTION TO THE SYMPTOMS, I AM CONVINCED THIS IS A PRESSURE AND HEAT PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW WHY ON A 5700 LB VEHICLE THAT THEY ARE USING CERAMIC PADS, DOT 3 FLUID AND THIS PRESSURE SYSTEM, IT JUST CAN'T HANDLE IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10572632

Incident

Mar 1, 2014

LOSS OF BRAKES, TRIED TO STOP. BOTH FEET APPLIED TO BRAKES AND NOTHING. THIS WAS A T STOP WITH A 20' DROP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD . THIS WAS ON A ROAD DRIVEN CONSTANTLY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. TURNED THE CAR TO THE RIGHT WENT OVER THE CURB THROUGH A YARD HIT A FIRE HYDRANT TOOK IT ACROSS THE STREET JUMPED THE OTHER CURB AND STOPPED IN BRUSH. THERE WERE NO SKID MARKS IN THE GRASS OR ROAD WHERE THE BREAKS HAD BEEN APPLIED. DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG RIPPED OR SHREDDED AT BOTTOM DID NOT INFLATE FULLY, PASSENGERS DID INFLATE CORRECTLY. NO ONE WAS HURT SERIOUSLY OR TAKEN BY EMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10485831

Incident

Nov 21, 2012

Mileage

40,000 mi

BRAKES IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS BECOME UNRESPONSIVE. HAPPENED TWICE WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING. ONCE WHEN THE STREETS WERE WET, SHE PUT ON THE BRAKES AND WENT SLIDING ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. ABS DID NOT WORK. THE NEXT TIME COMING OUT OF THE PARKING GARAGE, SHE WENT OVER SOME LOOSE GRAVEL AND APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. SHE REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF HER. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO DAMAGE AND THE OTHER DRIVER WAS NOT A JERK. SHE SAID BOTH TIMES THE BRAKES WERE UNRESPONSIVE. SEE THIS THREAD FOR MORE INFORMATION OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHERS: HTTP://WWW.FJCRUISERFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/PROBLEMS-DEALER-SERVICE/102642-BRAKE-ISSUES-REPORT-YOUR-DATE-MANUFACTURE-VIN.HTML SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GET HURT IF IT HAS NOT HAPPENED ALREADY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10479203

Incident

Mar 23, 2012

Mileage

15,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35MPH ON SMOOTH ASPHALT THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME STARTED BRAKING. I APPLIED MY BRAKES LIGHTLY AND NOTHING HAPPENED, PUSHED BRAKE PEDAL HARDER STILL NOTHING AND STARTED TO PANIC THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BRAKES ENGAGED HARD ALMOST CAUSING ME TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND THE CAR BEHIND ALMOST HIT ME. I PURCHASE THE FJ CRUISER USED WITH ABOUT 52,000 MILES ON IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 5 TIMES SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. I DO NOT FEEL THE VEHICLE IS SAFE AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO STEP UP AND FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE PEOPLE ARE INJURED OR KILLED. I SEE COMPLAINTS ALL OVER THE INTERNET WITH THE SAME PROBLEM SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10478883

Incident

Oct 5, 2012

Mileage

72,500 mi

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? *TR

NHTSA ID

10453736

Incident

Mar 15, 2012

Mileage

16,000 mi

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!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10447351

Incident

Feb 7, 2012

Mileage

88,500 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10439093

Incident

Dec 8, 2011

Mileage

58,800 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10418037

Incident

Jan 1, 2009

Mileage

25,000 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10418030

Incident

Jan 1, 2010

Mileage

25,000 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10367321

Incident

Nov 23, 2010

Mileage

28,800 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10354834

Incident

Mar 10, 2010

Mileage

23,000 mi

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". *TR

NHTSA ID

10345574

Incident

Jul 26, 2010

Mileage

27,000 mi

WHEN BRAKING SUDDENLY OVER UNEVEN ROAD THE TOYOTA FJ FAILS TO STOP IN A SAFE AND CONSTANT MANNER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10342472

Incident

Jul 10, 2010

Mileage

15,000 mi

I OWN A 2008 FJ CRUISER AND HAVE HAD BRAKE ISSUES. AS I APPROACH A STOP LIGHT AND TRY TO STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES SOFT AND NOTHING HAPPENS. I PUMP THE BRAKES 3-4 TIMES BEFORE THE BRAKES SUDDENLY ENGAGE AND STOP ABRUPTLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES SINCE DECEMBER 2009 AND MY DEALER TELLS ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. THIS SCARES THE [XXX] OUT OF ME AND I ALMOST ENDED UP IN THE BACK SEAT OF A BENZ THIS LAST TIME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10339648

Incident

Jun 17, 2010

Mileage

11,500 mi

I HAVE A 2008 FJ CRUISER MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME SINCE I'VE OWNED THE TRUCK. ON MAY 10TH, I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 70-80 MPH. THE TRUCK TO THE RIGHT OF ME SEEMED LIKE HE WANTED TO CHANGE LANES IN TO MY LANE. I HIT THE BREAKS TO LET HIM IN BUT THE BRAKING POWER BEING APPLIED TO THE ROTORS WAS A LOT HARDER THEN WHAT I NEEDED. IN OTHER WORDS, IT SEEMED LIKE THE COMPUTER THOUGHT MY BRAKE PEDAL WAS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR WHEN IN REALITY, I JUST NEEDED A QUICK BRAKE. ANYWAY, THE WHEELS LOCKED UP TO AND RELEASED. IT SCARED ME HOW HARD THE TRUCK STOPPED-- ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BEHIND ME. THE BRAKES THEN RELEASED AND I KEPT GOING, BUT COULD SMELL THE BURNT RUBBER FOR ANOTHER MILE. THIS WAS A CEMENT HIGHWAY ROAD THAT MAY HAVE HAD SOME CRACKS IN IT BUT I DON'T REMEMBER IF BEING PARTICULARLY UNEVEN. JUST SEEMED LIKE THE COMPUTER MISUNDERSTOOD HOW MUCH ACTUAL PRESSURE I APPLIED TO THE PEDAL AND OVER BRAKED. THE FIRST TIME THIS EVER HAPPENED WAS PROBABLY A YEAR AGO WHEN I WAS GOING AROUND 20MPH. AGAIN, DON'T REMEMBER THE CONDITION OF THE ROAD BEING OVERLY TERRIBLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10330082

Incident

May 10, 2010

Mileage

18,500 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10326530

Incident

Dec 10, 2008

Mileage

10,000 mi

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.) *TR

NHTSA ID

10323879

Incident

Apr 2, 2010

Mileage

10,302 mi