2007 Toyota Camry: rotors or pads wearing out early

Filed Jul 3, 2012 · Brakes · 30,800 miles · CA

Car purchased new on 5/9/2007. Only 30,800 miles & had the oil changed. The car was squealing. Mech. Determined the left rear inside brake pad was almost gone!! Front pads/rotors fine. This is a case of premature rear brake pad wear that toyota is aware of. They issued a tsb. There should be a recall & all work done should be completely free of charge!! Now I have to pay $250.00 to have the entire rear brake system fixed=2 rotors turned, 4 disc brake pads, & labor. Toyota is completely at fault.

Filed Sep 14, 2010 · Brakes · 30,000 miles · LA

The brakes shakes excessively when braking at speeds around 60 - 70 MPH. Shaking transmits to steering wheel if front rotors warp and sometimes shake body of car if rear brakes warp. Shaving rotors fixes the problem everytime. Occurs approximately every 30,000 miles. These rotors warp very easily. They are too thin or of bi-metallic construction which can cause differential growth of metal, thus warping rotors under high heat loads. Besides keep cutting into your expensive rotors, only solution is to go aftermarket. New toyota rotors will be made the same and will warp the same. High performance rotors will work even better. But holes and slots will be hard to shave locally. It is usually front rotors that warp first, but it can be back rotors at times also. Everytime you shave them, they get thinner and warp easier the next time (less heat dissipation capability). Only permanent fix is aftermarket rotors. I am an ex-mechanic and current mechanical engineer.

Filed Jul 13, 2010 · Brakes · 34,000 miles · CA

I have a camry 2007 xle with 36k miles. I started noticing some brake pulsation when brakes applied at high speeds, over 60 miles per hour, specially on downhills. This sensation started appearing at around 34k miles. The steering did not vibrate at that time. I took the car for service for its 35k miles. Two days after the car was serviced I had a long drive and started noticing steering wheel vibration, some times more vibration than others. All when brakes applied at over 60 MPH when applying brakes moderately to strongly. I called the dealer and I said that the car started vibrating after service. He said, they don't remove brakes or rotors when they do minor service to the car. I asked what the problem might be and he said that the rotors might be warped. They would perform a rotor resurfacing and possibly pads replacement, despite the pads looked over 7mm, quite new for replacement. I have read a lot of camry complaints with warped rotors. The dealer said rotors cannot be replaced under warranty because the 3 year warranty has expired. I am upset because rotors should be not warped at 36k miles and specially when pads look in pretty good shape. Estimated job would be around $260.the car feels unsafe when breaking now. Toyota should look at this quality issues and offer replacement.

Filed Jun 22, 2010 · Brakes · 68,000 miles · TX

Warped rotors on 2007 camry at approx. 13,000, again at around 50,000 miles and again at 68,000 miles. Repaired under warranty first time, I paid the second time, and toyota says I must pay again the third time. Are others having similar problems with the braking system? Toyota ref. Number is [xxx] ref number with toyota is [xxx] on 6/22/10. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Feb 16, 2010 · Electrical, Fuel system · 14,564 miles · TN

On 7/31/2007, I purchased a brand new toyota camry se from knoxville toyota. On april 20, 2008, I was driving my toyota camry se westbound on route 26 just west of columbia, sc, at a speed of 60mph. I then hit my cruise control to increase the speed to pass a vehicle, when my accelerator stuck and my speed went almost immediately to 105 MPH. All efforts to unstick my accelerator failed me.( I am a 54 yr old retired fbi special agent who has often been in high speed pursuit- so I know how to handle vehicles at high speeds) traffic was relatively heavy, with a couple 18 wheelers, and several cars with families in front of me. I recalled there being a flyer of warning by toyota on rubber mats, so I reached down, yanked the rubber mat off the floor and threw it into the back seat, all the while standing on the brake pedal, trying to get the car not to hit vehicles in front of me. Finally I put the car in neutral and coasted the car out of traffic. Smoke was coming out of my front brakes, and once on the right side median, I turned the car off. Let it cool down, then got back on rt 26. Less than five minutes later, while passing a slower vehicle, my accelerator stuck again, and the speed got to 95 MPH before I put the car in neutral again and turned it off. I brought my car into the knoxville toyota dealership 4/21/08 (complaint of 4/21/08 was documented at toyota knoxville, po box 30069, knoxville tn.)and they put it on their machine and said "nothing was wrong." for the next year, I experienced shimming of my front tires when braking. On 5/5/09, I paid over $171 to repair warped rotors. When the re-call occurred, I reminded them of my event, which appears to have been an electronic issue involving my cruise control on the first event. They put my car in to have their "fix" done to my accelerator, however I am not convinced it fixed my issue. I am very concerned that toyota has hidden this problem from its customers, and I am not convinced this vehicle is safe.

Filed Jan 29, 2010 · Brakes · 75,000 miles · CA

Brakes first began to vibrate/shutter when braking at 18,000 miles. Toyota replaced brakes pads and machined the rotors. At approximately 43,000 miles toyota again repaired the brakes for the same problem. At 70,000 miles the rotors exhibit the same symptoms of having warped rotors that will again have to be reworked or replaced. Continuing problem that must be a defect on the vehicle. The vibration and breaking when traveling at higher speeds is increased and feels very dangerous.