Approximately 3 weeks ago the "check vsc system" warning came on in our 2007 camry hybrid. We noticed no affect to the driving of the car, and since the owners manual said almost nothing about this warning (simply said to take it to dealer), we drove the car as usual. We then had an incident where, approaching a stop sign, the brakes failed to work at first: I had to pump the brakes 3+ times in order to make them engage. We then took it to a toyota dealership to have a diagnosis. After spending $116 on a diagnostic (only way they would tell us the root cause) we learned that there is an actuator failure which has a repair cost of over $3000. Upon receiving this information we investigated the vsc issue online and discovered that this is a very common problem for camry hybrids. Our camry is a little over 5 years old and only has 57,950 miles. It is absolutely unacceptable that we should have to replace this very expensive part on a car with this few miles. Given the high frequency of complaints regarding the vsc failure it is our opinion toyota should take the blame for their faulty part and cover the cost of the repair.
2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid acceleration complaints
Page 5 of 6: complaints 101 to 130 of 160, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The vehicle's warning lights came on and the warning "check vsc system" came on. The brakes discontinued working properly and had to be pressed very hard to make the vehicle stop. Now, the lights stay on and two different toyota dealerships have written that the brake actuator system is faulty and needs to be replaced at cost of $3,000. In checking further, I found that other toyota camry hybrid owners of the same vehicle and year (2007) have had the same problem and that the federal safety agency is investigating according to an los angeles times article published january 27, 2014. I would like to add my name to the list of complainants. I have contacted toyota and they are not taking responsibility for repairing this part when it is obviously a vehicle defect affecting possibly 30,000 camry hybrids.
While I was driving my check vsc light came on as well as many other brake lights on the instrument panel. I felt as though I had less control of the car at the time and my brakes would not work until I pressed them with severe force. After the first incident the lights would come on and off sporadically, each time we would lose the effectiveness of the brakes. In november the light came on as we were driving at speeds of about 65mph and has stayed on since. We have replaced the computer as well as the brake reservoir with no results. Our car has been in and out of the toyota dealership and they cannot seem to fix the problem.
The posted date and miles of first incident is just a approximate figure but the dealership should have recorded the exact date and miles. A noise from under my hood was getting louder so I took it to the dealer and was told the noise was normal. A year or two later after taking it to different dealers for same issue my check vsc light came on while driving and my brakes failed. After the second failure during the week I took it to another toyota dealer and they said it was normal and safe. It was not. To date I haven't had the vsc error message occur but my brakes when reversing from park or when starting from a hill will initially lose braking power and roll a few inches before the brakes start working. Is this really normal or safe? I don't want to believe what the dealership tells me anymore. Please help.
While driving at a low rate of speed the brake light on my dashboard came on and a warning 'check vsc' along with other lights on my dashboard all came on and the brakes no longer worked as usual. I had to apply considerable pressure to the brake pedal and was able to coast on to a side street. The lights on my dashboard all went off and the car then functioned as normal. I drove to the store I was going to went in for about 15 minutes then returned to my vehicle. As I was backing out of my parking spot the same issue as stated above happened again. I drove the car straight to price leblanc toyota, my dealership. Without turning the ignition off I handed the car over to the service department. They were unable to find a code from the car that would tell them what the issue was. They kept the car for 3 days and were unable to recreate the problem.
The check vsc light came on in december. The dealer could not find anything wrong. The warning light came on again on 1/21/14. The dealer said that the brake accumulator was defective and could result in a failure of the ABS. It was replaced at a cost of more than $3000. I am a careful driver and have never had the ABS engage on this car, so something is not right when such a key (and expensive) part fails. This should be recalled.
My 2007 toyota camry hybrid began to consistently make noises as I depressed the brake pedal (with the vehicle in the stopped position) for a few months before the vsc system failed. Luckily, the failure occurred as I was backing out of the driveway and was able to stop. I had the vehicle towed to the dealer and proceeded to pay $2200 to have the ABS actuator replaced. I have another 2007 toyota camry hybrid with just over 60,000 miles and it is beginning to make the same brake noise as the other vehicle. The dealer has said it is not a problem. I can only hope that when the brakes go out again I will not be traveling at a high rate of speed, or negotiating the mountain roads I use to commute daily. I heard yesterday on the news that this problem is being investigated. I hope they recall this vehicle soon and have this repaired before anyone is killed or injured.
Brakes fail... The pedal brake is put so hard to push when coming a light to vsc check system...im so angry to toyota ... But I still love my car ... I no use my car because is not secure for my family.
Was driving about 40 MPH when all of a sudden the "check vsc system" lit up as well as the brake, and multiple others lights came on. My first instinct was to hit the brakes, which went all the way to the floor. I had to cross over 3 lanes of traffic in order to try to get to a side road. This has happened several times since then. The first incident, I called performance toyota in memphis, tenn. I slowly drove it there. They drove it for 20 miles, charged me $126.00, and told me nothing was wrong, and that I must have hit a bump causing the 3 of the tires to spin. I don't recall hitting any bumps.they checked my brakes, which were replaced less than a year ago, and said they were in great shape and I was safe taking it on the road. Told them I was suppose to go out of town the next day. The second time it happened, @ 1 week later, my husband was driving it. I called performance toyota to report it and was told to bring it in when all the lights are lit up. I am too scared to drive this car!
While driving to work on 1/27/14 my brake, ABS, check vsc and red warning lights turned on. It was almost impossible to brake. I had to pull off and turn the vehicle off and hope the issue would resolve it. After a few times it finally did. I have taken it to the dealer in the past and it was diagnosed as my ABS actuator having a leak and it was replaced. There still appears to be an issue. Additionally when braking at any point in time, there is a stutter when under 5 MPH, which I was told was due to this same issue which still hasn't been resolved.
Driving about 25 MPH and I was going to slow down to park on the curb and car had trouble stopping, the vsc system warning light went on and then the engine just died. Had car checked out in december at toyota of redlands and said it was the brake actuator and cost to fix was going to be around $2800.00, I declined and they understood it was expensive.
While driving to work on 1/10 the brake, ABS, check vsc system and red warning light came on. When taken to the dealer it was diagnosed as my ABS actuator pump leaking and bleeding and needing to be replaced. Not only is this an expensive repair but my power braking was gone. This is dangerous when you drive on a major highway everyday and night at speeds of 60+. This is disappointing for toyota and disappointing that it has not been recalled yet. Apparently someone needs to be injured badly in order for it to be a problem.
While driving to work on friday 1/10/14 my brake, ABS, check vsc and red warning lights turned on. I took it to the dealer and it was diagnosed as my ABS actuator having a leak and needing to be replaced for almost $3500. This is ridiculous if this many people are having the same issue regarding the same part on the same exact vehicle. This is not what I expected when I purchased a toyota and this may be my last.
While driving during rush hour traffic, the car's brake light came on and then 5-10 seconds later a "check vsc" messaged displayed on the message screen along with several warning lights (ABS, traction control, and main warning). The brakes became very soft (like a car with no power brakes) but would slow the vehicle down. I slowed down and gave myself plenty of braking distance to get it home. After 10 minutes, the warning message and lights disappeared and the brakes returned to normal operations. This appeared to be a temporary glitch. Since this first appeared, the problem has occurred 3 times while driving. The local toyota dealership determined that the ABS actuator was failing and quoted me $3,100 to repair it. Another symptom of this failure is a constant on/off buzzing noise coming from the ABS actuator and a "chirping" noise when your foot is on the brake petal during a stop. The situation also appears to get worse when the temperature drops. I don't drive the vehicle anymore. There is no recall or service bulletin documenting this problem. The replacement part is the original design costing $2,750 and will fail again. I also contacted toyota about this problem and told them it was a major safety hazard. They offered some financial assistance but the repair is still going to be expensive. On this website and other internet forums, this problem is a common complaint for this vehicle. I believe the federal safety agency needs to investigate this problem before a major accident or fatality occurs. I find this problem to be unacceptable for a toyota especially with only 70,500 miles on it.
Driving car through town when ABS, red triangle. Vsc lights lite up dashboard. Lost steering and braking ability. Coasted to stop in local shopping center parking lot. Thank god I was there and not on interstate or highway. Took to dealer and they told me braking actuator failed and repair would be $3200. Not covered by 10 year/100k hybrid warranty although braking system specific for hybrids. Choices are: trade in car to dealer and let them fix it, drive it around until I kill someone or myself(not happening) or play the lottery tonight and maybe I can fix car tomorrow (also not happening) or swipe the plastic and end up paying over 4k for the repair......very disappointing for a toyota to cost this much in repairs with so little mileage. Will never buy another toyota.
I was driving care and warning light came on to check the vsc system. Per toyota service error code c1391 represented core vsc ABS brake control module failure. Full unit includes ABS accentuator pump assembly and computer control. This case was reported to: toyota motor sales, USA, inc. Your case is filed at our headquarters office under [xxx] and file #[xxx] searching the internet, multiple incidents of this were found. Toyota has reportedly reconfigured this assembly since it has been failing, so the part to replace the current one is different than the one originally placed. Here are a couple of links: http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/105-camry-hybrid/401450-2007-tch-check-vsc-system-code-c1391.html http://www.faqs.org/car/toyota-camry-hybrid/service-brakes/ the customer service representative at the local toyota dealership said that they are keeping the part in stock since it is needing to be replaced. Cost of the part is $2800 (approx.) plus labor to replace/bleed lines/reprogram etc. This seems to be a safety issue, since the brakes are harder to compress, the vehicle stability is compromised, multiple indicator lights are lit on the dashboard, etc. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
I have a 2007 toyota camry hybrid that started showing "check vsc system" on the multifunction display in early october of 2013. By the end of that moth it became a permanent item on the display. The computer indicates a c1391 error. After testing the actuator assembly was deemed defective. I have discontinued driving this vehicle after an incident in rainy weather while the "check vsc system" was displayed on the multifunction display. I was on the interstate traveling approximately 60 MPH in light rain. Traffic started slowing ahead so I tried to apply the brakes, but they did not respond immediately. After an approximately 2 second delay they did respond, but it was abruptly and caused the car to start skidding. Without immediate and substantial driver input the vehicle would have been in an out-of-control situation. The car has remained parked since that incident for fear it is too dangerous to drive without functioning brakes. The operation of the brakes on this vehicle in an ABS failure mode is dangerous and potentially deadly. I have driven plenty of vehicles that were not equipped with ABS, and none of those vehicle ever exhibited the dangerous behaviors this vehicle exhibits with a failed component. Since the brakes on a vehicle are relied upon in emergency situations all components in that system should be designed to fail in a safe manner leaving a vehicle that is still safe to drive. Further toyota is aware that select years of this vehicle have a manufacturing defect or faulty design since the actuator was redesigned a couple years after this vehicle was first introduced into the market. I ask that the federal safety agency investigate the safety of this vehicle model and year to determine the safety of these vehicles during an ABS/vsc component failure.
The check vsc system display came on with all the brake lights. Basically the dash board lights up and with every warning light. A message on your display says "check vsc system". When you look it up in your manual it says - call toyota dealer right away. I was quoted an ABS accumulator replacement at the cost of $3k. The car was under 6 year 75,000 extended warranty so every service and check was performed. When I reported flaky brake behavior (pulsing at a standstill and with the pulsating noises - it's like you are braking when you are idling) @ 78k toyota said nothing was wrong with my brakes. If a diagnostic code isn't appearing they can't really tell you have an issue. The car was just out of extended warranty. First thing I did was call the dealer service department. I was told it might just be the sensors and I could still drive it. I didn't listen to them and I'm glad - something just seemed very wrong with that advice - after all the brakes just seemed to be pulsing all the time and the car didn't brake the same way. Pressing on the brake was very difficult - the brakes were basically operating manually with no power assist. There was no way I could ever stop quickly with brakes in this condition. I was also leaking brake fluid. We spoke to toyota in california and reported the problem. Toyota said they wouldn't cover the part. The dealer said others had come in with the same problem so they knew it existed. We had a long discussion with the dealer manager. The real problem is at that time - the replacement part was the same part we had - so we had no choice but to take the same part with the same known problem.
While driving and stopping, all the engine lights and "check vsc" came on and it appeared that my brakes failed. It was as if my car shut completely off; however, it was still on and I had manual brakes that I had to push very hard to use. This is intermittent and has occurred about 6 times in total. It has been serviced 3 times regarding this incident, one of which they just let me go and said they couldn't figure it out. The last time they determined they "think" it is the brake actuator. After doing my own research on line, it appears there are many others who have had this same issue. It appears the part has been faulty for some time and I was unaware of it. It has been making noises for several years that I thought were normal; but I guess they were not. I believe mine has taken so long to finally fail because most of the life of the car has been driven on the freeway with little breaking. While my car is out of warranty, I do not feel I should have to pay for a part that 1) shouldn't be failing at this juncture and 2) has apparently been in the process of failing while my car was in warranty. It's like a heart attack...you don't know you have a problem until the failure occurs. I've almost crashed into people and I've read other accounts where they have. I believe toyota should recall these parts! Note I've also received service faithfully during the life of the car.
While driving on a busy highway at 70mph, the vsc check system, ABS, hazards, and warning lights came on. I had to pull over to the median to avoid hitting the car in front of me. The car gradually came to a stop, and I had it towed to a dealer. It was diagnosed as the ABS actuator, and their estimate to replace it was $3400. This is a serious safety concern. I called toyota corporate and they would not help pay for the repair.
While driving home, four lights lit up on my dashboard and the check vsc system warning appeared as well. There was nothing noticeable that happened so I drove on to the house. Only thing I noticed the next morning was that the brake pedal kicked back towards me when I started the car. Brakes appeared to work fine. Took the car into my toyota dealer (where I purchased it new in november of 2006). They checked it and found out that the ABS actuator needed to be replaced. Price for the part was $2500. Labor was $118. Car was fixed in two days. Fortunately I had an extended warranty that covered all but $100 so I felt very lucky. My main intention on submitting this is to find out why toyota hasn't issued a recall on this part. I've read (in the toyotanation forum online) about many drivers who have had this problem at less than 65,000 miles; mine occurred at 82,600 miles. And the price of the part is astonishing. So my personal experience was fine. I didn't notice any braking issues but would like to submit this as another owner who experienced this same issue. Expensive for many, but I was lucky to have the warranty. ...updated 08/16/13 *bf
As I was approaching a pedestrian crossing, the ABS light and check vsc light and brake light went on in my camry hybrid. When I tried to apply brakes to stop, I realized that the brakes completely failed. I did a sharp evasive turn and hit the curb hard in attempt not to run over pedestrians in the crossing! The lights subsequently disappeared and brakes resumed their normal function after a few minutes. The issue of brakes failing is intermittent and happened subsequently several times at various speeds. When taken to the dealer at first I was told there were no codes registered in the computer and the brakes operate standard. When I insisted after approximately 7 hours of testing the dealer told me the problem is with the brake control unit (computer). After researching online I discovered its a widespread problem!!! And yet toyota is behaving immoral not recalling the faulty parts that in many cases can not even be diagnosed. Moreover they do not even admit that there's an issue! *tr updated 8/22/13
After hearing lots of noises from the brake accumulator for months, the brakes failed while driving. Check vsc warning, brake lights, ABS warning, and other brake related warning lights came on. During braking the brakes released, and quite excessive pressure was required to stop the car and avoid a crash. Testing the system showed fault code c1391 (abnormal leak of accumulator pressure). I cleared the fault, but the next day the problem reappeared. We had the system bled, but once again the problem reappeared. Braking action intermittent with brakes releasing at times, and at other times locking up. A very unsafe proposition. The entire system had to be replaced at a cost in excess of $3,000. This is 10% of the cost of the car for a problem that is obviously a widespread safety issue for this vehicle based on the number of complaints filed. I cannot imagine that this has not or will not lead to fatal accidents.
While driving, the vsc light, check engine light , brake light, and another light all came on. No apparent problems at operating speed, but at lower speeds I can feel pulsating in the brakes and on low speed turns the steering wheel pulsates a little. I am concerned that the brakes will fail. Repair estimate from the dealer is far more than we can afford. My research indicates that this is a common problem with the camry hybrid. I believe this deserves a recall.
While driving my wife's 2007 toyota camry hybrid the "check vsc system" warning came on. Power brake system turned off and the car became difficult to stop. I pulled over and tried to reset the error by turning the car off then on again a few times. Still no luck. I felt I could get it to the dealer a couple miles away since the streets I used weren't highly trafficked. Was told by the dealer that the vsc computer had failed and that it was a $2200 repair. I did a quick search: http://bit.ly/vj77m5 and found this thread of this issue being a somewhat common issue and seems to be a safety concern but now recall: http://bit.ly/xamkaa. *tr updated 7/31/13 *cn the brake pedal had to be depressed almost to the floor, to stop the vehicle. However it would stop completely without slowing down. When traveling above 25 MPH, it would take longer to stop.
All of the warning lights came on, then up came check vsc system. Looked it up in the auto manual. Sunday, holiday weekend. On the way home, stopped into auto zone, plugged in a computer diagnostic, code c1391 comes up. Went home investigated online, found that this is common with many camry hybrids,. Not being recalled. Big money and big safety issue here. Costing consumers thousands of dollars, my first day out with this as this just happened with me at 9 am today. Http://www.checkvscsystem.com http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/105-camry-hybrid/401450-2007-tch-check-vsc-system-code-c1391.html. *tr...updated 07-29-13 *bf.... Updated 08/01/13
I was driving at approximately 20 miles per hour and coming to a stop when the vsc warning light , brake warning light, and tire pressure warning lights came on. The light remained on after restarting the engine and the brake pedal became more resistant to braking. The problem in my car actually began months before the warning lights came on and was not correctly diagnosed at the dealership. Early signs were excessive clicking sounds coming from the brake actuator assembly on the right front area of the engine compartment, and an intermittent hydraulic sound when the brake pedal was kept depressed. After the repair I found that this problem is common on the 2007 camry hybrid. The repair involved replacement of the brake actuator assembly and was extremely expensive. *tr ....updated 08/01/13 *bf there seemed to be a delay in stopping the vehicle after the warning lights came on. Prior to that, the consumer heard clicking sounds. However, before the warning lights came on, the stopping seemed normal.
'check vsc system' along with brake light warning, ABS warning, and pretty much every other warning light possible came on my 2007 camry hybrid around june of 2012. I hear pulsating under the hood constantly & when I turn on my car while in park with my foot on brake my car will begin to roll backwards by itself, I attempt to pump the breaks but it never works. I have to wait about 5-10 sec like there is a delay with my brake system when I first turn on my car. Once the brakes finally kick in my car will either jolt in very drastic way like I slammed on my brakes even though my foot has been on the brakes the whole time or it will throttle back on its own like I'm pushing on the gas. I will never park on a hill in fear of my car just taking off on its own with no brakes to stop it. I have to literally turn on my car and wait for my breaks to kick in before I can reverse. It is very scary! It has happened to me once as well when I was driving and I coming to a stop, my brakes just went out and kicked back in on its own. I brought my car to a toyota dealership to have them check it out. They brought back a quote of $5,900! Instead of trying one thing at a time they just wanted to replace everything at once. My car was right at the 5 year warranty mark but because I bought my car in guam they couldn't tell if my car was still under warranty and I would have to pay out of pocket. 2007 only 45000 miles with a 6 thousand dollar repair! That is insane let alone it is a hybrid feature & a safety issue! To me this should be covered under warranty no matter what! Look online you can see hundreds of people complaining about this exact issue! People have even made websites for it! I'm very disappointed in toyota. I'm stuck with this car that I cant afford to fix! So I drive every day in what seems to me like a death trap! It's just not right.
The"check vsc system" sensor came on while I was driving. I was doing approximately 45 MPH on the road. The road conditions were good and I keep up with maintenance. The ABS failure light, brake and warning icons. I have it checked out and I'm told by toyota car's ABS accumulator system and water pump must be replaced and that they hadn't have such issues before. After much research, this is a common complaint among toyota camry hybrid owners. This seems to be a design flaw and worse, my break pads and tires are brand new. This shouldn't be an issue but breaks pulsate and makes the vehicle unsafe as you can't control breaks when needed, especially, while parked on a inclined position. I am very concerned for my safety and the safety of others if my breaks were to fail because toyota has failed to recognize this as a vital recall repair. Without brakes you can kill or injure someone and that bad water pump can cause your engine to overheat. Please look into this and have toyota take responsibility for this situation!
My '07 camry hybrid(ch) has started to experience brake failure while driving. The first documented incident: 03/09/12. W/o warning, the ch will shut down and the "check vsc" light appears on the dash. All of the dash lights light up as well. When this happened, there were no brakes, no warning, etc. When I put the car in "park", turned off the vehicle and restarted it, I was able to resume driving. I took it to dealer to have the car diagnosed. The diagnosis: nothing wrong with the car, brakes, etc(inv.#227594). Over the past 9 months, it has occurred a few more times, usually when the vehicle is pulling out of the garage. When it happens,I turn off the vehicle, restart and go on. On 10/30/12 while my wife was driving 35mph, the car shut down, the "check vsc" light came on and the brakes completely failed. She caught a left turn signal and coasted into a parking lot. Obviously this was horrifying for her and our kids. I called aaa and had the car towed to toyota. My service advisor(sa) told me they have begun to see this happening a lot and he predicted the ABS brake actuator (ba) failed. I told him about the incident in march, which he acknowledged knowing of. 2 hours later he called to confirm that it was the ba. We spoke about it being a defective part, he agreed and would call and speak to toyota national(tn)to see if they could help out with the $2200 repair. The next day he told me that tn wouldn't help, and neither would the dealership. My online research discovered many ch have had this problem. I discussed with the sa that if the part is defective and they are seeing more and more of this, what guarantee is there a new ba wouldn't react the same way. He couldn't guarantee that it wouldn't. I declined to have the repair done, aaa towed vehicle to my home. The sa seemed certain that a recall was coming. The car is garaged, I have the repair est/document. *tr updated 07/30/13
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