Brand New Tacoma with Brake Failure

its not that we are tying to talk shit and OT. its just that we are trying to understand it. being that you know your shit, i would maybe try pulling the ABS fuse and drive around to see if you can reproduce it. at least this will help narrow down WTF is going on. We all know the dealership should be better, but every dealer sucks, from ford, chevy, honda and toyota with issues that they cant reproduce. you have reproduced it 6 times already and you know what to do when it happens next. leave a bit extra room and give it a shot. its not like you need ABS anyways if you know how to drive.

 

It's only doing it at highway speeds. Things like brake assist for example... They engage and take the place of the regular power brakes during panic stops. When you release the brake, your regular power brakes come back as the primary brake. What if, just humor the idea, during sudden braking at high speeds, the trucks sensor for a panic brake is engaged so the power brakes are inactive but the brake assist, although alerted, fails to engage, resulting in no brakes at all for a moment. Then when I release and repress, the regular brakes kick in just as brake assist states they should resulting in the trucks ability to stop the second compression.

 

I said I'm not dumb. I definitely won't jerry rig any wires, meanwhile I'm steps away from a law suit. If I get into an accident I don't need them finding fuses unplugged. Duh

 

Ok wait, is what you are saying is in a panic stop, you step on the break and the panic doesn't engage, but on the 2nd push it does?

 

I was just brainstorming based on what I'm reading on some of the computerized features. With break assist your power brakes come back into play after you release the brake from a panic stop. So it's two different braking systems in a way.

 

Oh I see, no, if it recognizes excessive pressure on the peddle it will apply more pressure in the system to increase brake pressure to the pads and shoes.

 

Hypothetically if the truck senses a panic stop and sends an alert to use "break assist" but the set up is defective so no brakes engage but then I release the pedal as I did each time the failure happens and compress the pedal a second time but this time they work b/c you are running off regular power brakes at that point. Just an idea of how computers and sensors overcomplicate the truck.

 

All brake systems are still mechanical for safety reasons. Servo controlled throttle opening is completely different safety wise. All brake systems are fail safe. If ABS fails you have normal braking.

 

Well that's a possibility, but I don't think that would be the issue. It's still a hydraulic system, not completely computer controlled. So although it has " brake assist" it isn't a fly-by-wire set up.

 

Well all I know is what did indeed happen and that nobody knows why. I just hope it doesn't result in a collision.

 

Wow OP, what a jacked up situation.

I think you are on the right path with the ABS (or some sub-system) overriding the brakes. It really should throw a code, but obviously it shouldn't do this to begin with so something unexpected is happening and maybe the software doesn't trap for that failure.

My only potentially useful thought: If you are going to drive it, get a dash-cam setup (or several) so you have documentation of the issue. They could be cheap units, one looking at the pedals, one looking at you (from the side to show your inputs), and one looking in front.

You may have already tried this, but it might be easier to replicate on a dirt road. It would be something to try. Though, I thoroughly understand if you don't want to mess with it anymore and just want to let the lawyers sort it out.

 

The computer controls valves that can release brake pressure (that's how the system stops a tire from skidding). If a valve is open long enough to bleed off pressure and it's not made up by the pump, the pedal is going to go to the floor. It sure shouldn't happen, but it's not unheard of. The failure could be electrical, software, or mechanical. An intermittent failure is not going to be easy to find and fix.

I think if the OP can document the failure then Toyota will crap their pants and start throwing parts at it or replace the truck. The dealer makes me want to kick them in the nuts. I can't imagine what the OP is thinking about doing to them.

 

The only thing I can think of is that in a high speed situation that you are talking about is you are applying excessive brake pressure on the peddle and the ABS is kicking in and feeling like brake pressure is lost, but in fact it is modulating the brake to try to avoid locking, which in fact is making it seem like you are losing braking but instead trying to stop the truck in the shortest distance, but honestly IDK. Mainly because I have never experienced this.

 

It may be worth installing a dash cam to where you can clearly see the peddles and you. That may give you a lot of leverage if it happens again. Just and idea.

 

Just to be clear, youre saying when you had break issues the pedal itself actually went to the floor all the way? If so, did you have to pump the brake pedal multiple times to regain pressure, or just once?

Or was it that the pedal still had pressure, but when the brake was applied the truck wouldnt stop?

Did the pedal vibrate at all when applying pressure?

Was there any noises associated with the failure? Inside the cab of the truck or in the engine bay?

Did you personally check the brake fluid in the reservoir after this happened?

 

no where did i call you dumb (well other then its brakes, not breaks ) i said you "you know your shit"

also its just pulling a fuse, nothing else. it also sounds like you can VERY EASILY test this. go fast and try to panic stop. if it happens then boom you have answer.

stop acting clueless and law happy, just go figure it out.

 

Me either. By the way, are you single? My FICO score is 873.

 

Are you being serious? Clueless? You sound very immature. I'm not law happy. The facts remain that if I get into an accident, which is a very good possibility, I don't need any self modifications or fixes under that hood. That is not clueless. It's called thinking ahead. If I have to unplug stuff, the truck is not right.

By the way it's called auto correct. Case and point, computers attempt to outsmart the user. But what would I know.

 

On the first brake application, the pedal continues to go all the way to the floor and produces no stopping power. Then I released it and reapplied and it works the second time. No noises. No dash lights.

 

I was driving normal in these situations. Not slamming on brakes. In the last incident on Saturday evening I was doing approximately 40 mph and was coming up behind another car that was stopped at a light. I didn't even have the radio on. Windows up. AC on. No distractions. I was coming home from work which is a few miles from my house.