10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
13 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
90,308 miles

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #115

Jun 052014

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 53,800 miles
While traveling on the highway at speeds of over 60 mph, several warning lights became illuminated simultaneously on the vehicle's dashboard. The lights that were illuminated included the ABS indicator, parking brake indicator, and warning light, among others. The text "check vsc system" is also constantly displayed on the vehicle's dashboard. Since these warning lights have illuminated, breaking has become more difficult and the vehicle shakes while breaking at low speeds.

- Boca Raton, FL, USA

problem #114

Sep 012012

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 72,100 miles
While driving on the freeway, the brake failure light came up and the brakes became ineffective. As I was driving, the brakes went soft to the floor, and then all of a sudden engaged. It brake so hard, it felt like a hit something. A few days later, the brake light, traction/stability control (vsc) and ABS lights turned on, and check vsc system displayed. I took it to Toyota dealer and they diagnosed the problem as ABS actuator failure and malfunctioning of the rear brakes. I contacted Toyota about the failure and they claimed that my situation was one of a kind and there was not pattern of similar failures for this model. After prolonged arguments with Toyota and the dealership, I could not get them to address the problem under the 100,000 miles warranty for the hybrid components of the car. I had to pay over $3,000 to get the car repaired. Today, I found out (through consumer reports forums) that there are other owners of this car that have faced exactly the same problem, indicating that this is not an isolated problem and needs to be investigated by NHTSA before someone is seriously injured or loses life.

- Sugar Land, TX, USA

problem #113

Jun 172014

Camry Hybrid

  • 201,000 miles
Was slowing down to make a turn vsc error on display loud tone from dash car would not stop until I downshifted and used parking brake if there had been a car in front of me I would have slammed into it full force.someone will get injured from this defect dealer says around $2500 to fix and they stated if I wait probably will be recalled soon...when?

- Weston, FL, USA

problem #112

Jun 172014

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 101,000 miles
First: I got check vsc system when I made a U-turn. I read the failure code is C1391. So, it means ABS accumulator is leaking. I also noticed ABS accumulator was pretty noise about two month before. I though it may be a problem, but I did not pay attention on it because I was suffering the engine oil consumption. Now, it really died. I got many cases online about this issues and they reported that Toyota has redesigned this accumulator, so it means Toyota already knew this problem. This is a very important issue. It may cause deadly accident if the brake doesn't work suddenly. In addition, fix this problem needs over two thousands dollars. It should not be paid by owner since this is a design defect. I hope Toyota will recall this problem. Second, this car's engine piston ring has defect. This causes engine oil consumption. In fact, my car is burning engine oil now. It's about 1500 miles/0.6quart. It will get worse and this also may cause engine failure in the future.

- Seattle, WA, USA

problem #111

Jun 112014

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 71,800 miles
As I was backing up, the brakes went soft to the floor, and then all of a sudden the brakes engaged. It brake so hard, it felt like a hit something. A few days later, the brake light, traction control and ABS lights turned on, and check vsc system displayed. I took it to Toyota and they said it was code-1391, abnormal leak in accumulator. The cost was going to be $2694. I declined the repair, because I don't have money to repair.

- Tampa, FL, USA

problem #110

Sep 202013

Camry Hybrid

  • 130,000 miles
I was only driving my vehicle about a mile when it first happened. I was approaching a stop light and attempted to apply the brakes. Nothing happened. The steering went out and the brakes felt like they weren't catching. Thankfully, I was only going about 25-30 mph, and had enough space to stop before hitting another car that was stopped at the light. I looked at the dashboard display and noticed something that read, "check vsc system". there was also a warning triangle. The Camry manual instructed us to bring it to the dealership - but I can't afford that. The next day, it worked fine. A few weeks later, the incident happened again while I was exiting the highway and coming to a red light. I was decelerating from about 65 mph to a full stop and felt the brakes give again and the steering was difficult. I was able to pull over, turn off the car, and restart and it was fine again. I had the brake pads changed, but don't understand what is happening. We didn't have the problem for several months. But now it feels like the brakes want to give when I am idling in traffic. While my foot is on the brake, the car will squeak and subtly jerk forward like the brakes are about to give up the ghost. It's really scary, but I can't afford another car at this time. I've looked into the vsc system and don't understand why that would intermittently affect my braking and steering ability.

- Tomball, TX, USA

problem #109

May 042011

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 40,000 miles
Parked the auto, was in a meeting for 45 min. Started the auto and "check vsc system" warning came on. Tried driving and brakes were erratic, took to dealer, they said that they had to reprogram the computer because I had done something to the battery. Not true. But it seemed that the problem was corrected as it performed ok. On May 29, 2014 I backed the car out of our garage and parked it on the street, about one hour later I started it to return it to the garage and the "check vsc system" came on and the brakes were very erratic. I then took the vehicle to the closest dealer and they checked it and informed me that the brake control computer needed to be replaced at accost of nearly $2000. As this appears to be a safety issue I feel that Toyota should have recalled the vehicle and replaced the defective parts under a recall program. I feel very fortunate that the brake control computer did not fail while the car was moving.

- Granger , IN, USA

problem #108

May 022014

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 49,950 miles
While driving up a slight incline the indicating lights on the dashboard suddenly illuminated - red brake system warning icon, red ABS light, red brake light, red master warning light. In addition, the screen displayed "check vsc system" and an audible warning tone sounded. From about 6 months prior to this incident, the brake actuator motor would cycle on/off frequently after a trip. Over time, the duration of the on and off cycling after a trip gradually increased from about 30 seconds to approximately 90 seconds. The actuator motor also cycled when opening the door before a trip. Other symptoms that surfaced prior to this incident included frequent on/off cycling of the brake actuator motor at traffic light stops and an audible "barking" sound from under the hood. Research on the world-wide-web revealed many owners with same symptoms. Because the engine in the hybrid cars turn off during normal operation, engine vacuum is not readily available for the power brake assistance as found in conventional automobiles. Consequently, the failure of the power assist is due to the inadequate design of the hybrid system. Furthermore, I understand that the replacement brake actuator part that Toyota provides for the 2007 and 2008 Camry hybrids has a different part no. Than the original one provided. This strongly suggests that Toyota recognizes its original brake actuator has a faulty design. I have not driven the car since this incident for fear of losing the power assist on the brakes. The local Toyota dealer has not replied to my inquiry on this matter. I also have a 2009 Camry hybrid and although the brake actuator cycles on and off after opening the door before a trip and after the system is shutdown following the trip, the cycle is very short and the duration is no longer than 30 seconds. I do not have any brake problems with the 2009 model.

- Aiea, HI, USA

problem #107

Apr 092014

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • miles
First incident of brake failure happened on the drive way of my home. Starting the car for the morning commute, had the "check vsc" sign and other warning lights lit on the dash. I tried pressing the brake pedal and shutting and restarting the car. After a few tries, the warnings were gone and break paddle felt normal. Second incident happened while I was on a freeway traveling at 65 miles an hour. All of a sudden the dash board lit up with warning lights ad I lost the braking power. Luckily, I was able pullover without an incident. If the investigation on this subject has stated as of Jan 2014, when should we expect to hear from the Agency on the outcome?

- Frisco, TX, USA

problem #106

Jan 162013

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 102,000 miles
The vsc light appeared & the car lost brakes. Like others, I have experienced failure of the brake actuator / boost accumulator. Although the brakes work to a degree, there is no boost. Despite application of my maximum effort to depress the brake pedal, stopping distances are very long and stopping speeds are very slow. I consider the car dangerous to drive & has been shelved pending NHTSA review. Reports are that Toyota has known of this problem & has refused to address it NHTSA should require that Toyota replace this part at no cost to the consumer in view of Toyota unconscionable behavior.

- Merion, PA, USA

problem #105

May 102014

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 49,000 miles
Driving along a city road in my 2007 Camry hybrid (mileage approx. 49K) at about 25-30 mph when I saw the "check vsc system" and "check hybrid system" warnings on mil and simultaneously got no response from pressing either the brake or ignition pedal. Car would not go and would not stop. I coasted to the shoulder and the car slowed to a stop (fortunately in a legal parking spot!). I am having it towed to the dealer tomorrow. I will provide an update when I know more.

- New Orleans, LA, USA

problem #104

May 112014

Camry Hybrid

  • 79,000 miles
I have been having off and on occurrences of the "check vsc system" warning with brake, ABS, etc. The cost to repair is over $3,000. For the brake actuator / accumulator. Brakes still sort of work but it is difficult to stop in a hurry and I'm not sure if I'll totally lose the ability to stop the car in the near future. This is a pretty nasty problem that seems to be common among all of the Camry hybrids of this vintage. I hope a recall is issued soon and that Toyota can work with customers on this given that the problem costs 10% of what the car was worth brand new to fix.

- Cedar Park, TX, USA

problem #103

May 072014

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 101,901 miles
I wasn't driving my car when all the lights came on. But every brake light on the dash came on and a message read check vsc system. I had noticed that there was a sound the car makes when the car is not on. But I thought it was the car identifying the key was close because I always had the key with me when I would hear this sound. The mechanic who told me what the problem was told me that sound is related to this problem. The only place to get the part is through Toyota and estimated cost for the part is $2500. If this is a recurring problem that Toyota is aware of why are they not made to recall this item. This is a safety issue. Who has that kind of money to make a repair ?

- Alexandria, AL, USA

problem #102

Feb 012014

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 112,000 miles
While traveling on the interstate, about 80% of my brakes gave out and I lost stability. My ABS indicator and the message "check vsc system" came on. As I came to a stop, my brakes jerked a bit and I came to a sudden and aggressive stop. I turned the car off and restarted it, and everything drove fine. This same thing happened sporadically about 20 times over the next couple of months, but now my ABS light and check vsc indicator are on at all times. My brakes are diminished most of the time down to 50%, and every now and again, my car will come to a really hard stop as I brake. I had a Toyota dealer look at it, and I was told my actuator was out and would need to be replaced at a cost of $3,000. That is just for the part, not including labor. I only paid $15,000 for the car. On top of that, they aren't even using the 2007 model actuators, they are using a later model, which tells me they know something is wrong with the 2007.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #101

Sep 202010

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 79,119 miles
Check vsc system warning, ABS, multi lights on. When buzz sound continually arms, it is so hard to apply brake pedal to stop completely. The brakes are out of control. It is a defect from manufacture, not a using consumer. The brake system is so important when moving. Please recall to fix before causing deathly accident.

- Garden Grove, CA, USA

problem #100

Nov 082013

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 88,000 miles
Please investigate the ABS system on the hybrid 2007 Camry. I almost killed myself about 2 months ago. I was going about 60mph when I hit on the brakes to slow down on a curve the brakes would not respond, it was like the brakes were really hard to step on, and to control the steering wheel. The lights to check the vsc system came on, check ABS, the emergency brake light. After a few seconds everything would go back to normal. I have done extensive research and there are so many complaints with the same problems on the 2007 Camry hybrid. Please do something about it so Toyota can recall and fix the problem before someone gets killed. After taking it to Toyota for the last 5 months without finding a problem, because the computer would not register anything and they couldn't duplicate the problem, now they are saying its the ABS system and it cost $4,000 to fix it. They are not doing anything to investigate the problem because they claim that not enough people have registered complaints. So I ask how many people have to die before we get any attention.

- Arlington, TX, USA

problem #99

Apr 182014

Camry Hybrid

  • miles
ABS actuators is failures on 2007 Toyota Camry hybrid 71K miles: ABS light is on, the E-brake light is on even when the E-brake is disengaged, and the car is saying to check the vsc system. The brakes are also noticeably weaker to the extent that I am afraid to drive my kids!!!!!

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #98

Jan 252014

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 45,230 miles
I was driving on street that had several potholes in both lanes. Lanes were blocked by barrels because of the roadwork being done. There were too many potholes to Dodge and none seemed significantly bigger than the rest. Since I was unable to swerve, because of traffic going the other way in the lane beside me, I hit a series of potholes. After the last one, which seemed a little bigger than the others, I heard a beep and the display read, "check vsc, " which I know from the last time this happened means "vehicle stability control." The parking brake light seemed to come on at that time. I could not get the car to roll any but instead had to hit the accelerator to move at all. The brake was not as powerful, so I had to be sure to brake in plenty of time. The steering seemed more restricted also, and there was a high-pitched buzzing that continued all the time unless the car was off with all doors shut. I live close by, so I was able to get my car back home but did not think it was safe to drive it to the dealership. I had aaa tow it a few days later. They told me at the dealership that a part of the anti-lock brake system would have to be replaced. They later found that one of the lines involved in keeping the engine cool was leaking and the water pump had to be replaced.

- Jackson, MS, USA

problem #97

Apr 192014

Camry Hybrid

  • 103,000 miles
A week before the incident, heard a humming noise coming from the brake distributor area of the engine when the car was started. It continued at about 1-minute intervals while the car was in motion and also when parked and turned off. It would end within about 5 minutes of being turned off. It seemed as though the brakes were trying to engage or there was insufficient pressure to them. A day before the incident, when the brakes were engaged while driving, there would be a chirping noise as well. Then while driving on the highway, every brake-related warning light on the dashboard lit up and a message appeared saying, "maintenance required. Check vsc system." The brakes didn't fail, though, so I was able to make it home. This is not the first time I have had vsc system issues in this car. 3 years ago the very same thing happened, again on the highway, where the brake warning lights lit up on the dashboard and the vsc warning message came on as well. For about 3 weeks before that, the brakes were chirping when engaged and also when the car was shut off and parked, they would chirp for a long time as if they were trying to engage then too. It cost me $2100 to replace the module. Now it's happening again. I am not prepared to risk brake failure nor pay an exorbitant amount of money on the braking system for this car, again. Toyota needs to take responsibility for poor, shoddy design and fix this issue immediately!

- Boynton Beach, FL, USA

problem #96

Apr 132014

Camry Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 105,348 miles
On April 12, 2014, as the car was being driven at around 30-35 miles per hour, I was approaching a stop sign and began pressing down on the brakes to come to a stop. As I pressed on the brakes, they seemed not to work. I had to keep pushing down on the brakes with force to finally get try to get the car to stop, at which point the brake lights sensor, the ABS sensor, and the vsc sensors all lit up on the dashboard. As I was trying to get the car to stop, the car began swerving and I couldn't get immediate control of the car. The car felt as though it was sliding, the stability of the car was compromised. I honestly thought I was going to crash. On April 17th, 2014, in a separate incident, as I was pulling into a parking lot, I began to slow down, only to apply my brakes and they appeared to not work. Once again I had to really push down on the brakes for them to finally work. Again, all of the lights lit up on the dashboard (brakes, ABS, vsc). It was also difficult to control the car and again, I felt as though I was going to crash.

- San Dimas, CA, USA

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