My car began giving warning lights to check the brake system and the brake pedal started feeling “squishy” and would go straight to the floor at times. It also made a strange squeaking sound when the brakes were applied. I took it to a dealership and paid $130 to have it diagnosed. There was an extended warranty for up to ten years/150k miles and, of course, my car began having this problem 6 months/5,000 miles AFTER the warranty expiration. Upon further research, I found out MULTIPLE other Toyota vehicles were recalled for this EXACT SAME PROBLEM. Toyota is refusing to fix it on their dime, even though it is a KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE. They want to charge me $2700 to replace just ONE of the affected parts (the brake booster) even though the problem is Toyota’s fault. The other affected part is the actuator assembly. I just submitted my info to an active class action lawsuit in the hopes that Toyota will rectify this. I cannot afford to fix it and am having to borrow a vehicle as mine is unsafe to drive. TOYOTA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!!

I was recently driving my current Toyota Highlander 2010 Hybrid VIN: JTEJW3EH1A2047784, when the brake alert turned on on my dashboard. I immediately took the car to the local Toyota Dealer (Kendall Toyota, Miami), where I purchased the vehicle in 2010. The Toyota mechanic representative ran a diagnostic and noticed that the: Brake Booster Actuator and the Brake Pump need to be replaced. The Toyota service provider, quoted me $4,147 between parts and labor to replace.

I did research online and have spoken with friends regarding this issue, and it seems to be a recurring thematic issue with Toyota Cars. There seems to be defective actuators and brake systems for many Toyota models from 2007 onward.

Many of these systems have failed especially for cars with $100,000+ miles. My vehicle has not reached the 70,000 mile mark and the system has already failed. This is further indication that the defect is not a normal defect caused by the usual wear and tear a vehicle experiences with years or mileage.

I called the Toyota Motor Sale line at 800-331-433. Toyota informed me that since my car is not under the 3-year warranty nor does it have less than 36,000 miles, Toyota is not willing to give me any type of assistance with the repair.

It seems obvious to customers that Toyota is avoiding providing service or assistance for this defect. This manufacturing defect, is a very dangerous one that could cause brake failure and potentially lead to a horrible accident or even death.

Alfredo Vargas 3054958259