2018 Toyota Camry brakes problems

Filed Oct 26, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · TX

Vehicle Safety Complaint – 2018 Toyota Camry On October 26, 2026, the driver was operating a 2018 Toyota Camry on a public roadway at approximately 45 mph when the vehicle unexpectedly activated its automatic emergency braking system. The dashboard displayed a “BRAKE!” warning, immediately followed by extremely forceful braking, comparable to someone suddenly slamming their foot on the brake pedal. The vehicle rapidly decelerated from approximately 45 mph to a complete stop, despite there being no vehicles, pedestrians, or visible obstacles in front of or near the vehicle. The sudden braking caused the driver’s body to lurch forward. According to the driver, the seat belt did not noticeably tighten during the incident. After the vehicle came to a complete stop, the brakes released, and the car slowly began rolling forward without the driver pressing the accelerator. The driver did not intentionally initiate the emergency braking. This unexpected activation created a serious safety hazard and could have resulted in a rear-end collision, loss of vehicle control, or serious injury. The incident raises concerns about a possible malfunction of the vehicle’s Pre-Collision System (PCS), including its radar sensor, forward-facing camera, calibration, or associated software. A VIN search through the federal safety agency database indicated zero outstanding safety recalls for this vehicle. I am requesting that the federal safety agency document and investigate this incident as a potential safety defect involving unintended automatic emergency braking in the 2018 Toyota Camry.

Filed Sep 21, 2026 · Acceleration, Brakes · AL

The transmission quit moving the car forward in traffic which could have caused a collision. When the transmission started shifting weird and not accelerating normally, the ABS Sensor malfunction light came on. I towed the car to a toyota dealership in [XXX] and they said I needed the transmission replaced for $10000(new), which I could not afford. I was expecting it to be a sensor since that was the light that came on. I had the transmission rebuilt by an independent mechanic and during the first test drive, the car applied brakes and came to a complete stop. We took the car to the toyota dealership for a program update that the information we had said was needed. The dealership stated there was no update available. They also told me I could drive the car home. After going about three miles from the dealership the transmission stopped moving the car again in traffic which again could have caused a collision. There were codes being thrown that would not be there when the transmission was rebuilt and subsequent reevaluations. The car has been unusable since XXX INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 7, 2026 · Brakes, Engine · NY

After taking the car on a short drive: Pre-collision malfunction; parking brake malf; ICS malf; chk eng reduced power; secondary collision brake malf; rough idle and driving; sometimes won't accelerate (revs only); cruise control won't work; battery drained when off (12.5 v to 10.5 in one day; battery just under 3 years old); after replacing battery: OBD 2:P0302

Filed May 22, 2026 · Brakes, Engine · 154,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while drivng at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The vehicle was towed to the dealer ted after several attempts, the vehicle eventually started. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, howver the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The RPM's increased. In addition, the contact stated that the failure occurred while traveling over 800 miles away from home. The vehicle was driven to the contact's cousins's residence. The contact's husband inspected the vehicle, and noticed metal shavings on the dip stick. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was ade aware of the failure and a case was filed. where it was diagnosed with a failed brake vacuum pump assembly. The vehicle was repaired. The contact received a recall notification, the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V890000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated when retrieving the vehicle from the dealer, the contact noticed an unusal sound. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The contact stated that the dealer confirmed that some was wrong. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to O'Riley where a potable diagnostic tester was connted P050. The co

Filed May 11, 2026 · Brakes, Engine · NJ

2018 Camry XSE, Vacuum pump went on my car less then a year ago. I had my car towed to the dealership for the recall to be fixed. Since that incident my car hasn’t been the same. While stopped at a light my dash board lite up with every issue the car could possibly have. Lane departure assist, secondary breaking system failure, engine coolant too hot, emergency brake failure and then the check engine light came on. I was able to get my cat to the side of the road and eventually make it home. I brought my car back to Toyota and a day later I was informed I might need a new engine, 8,000 dollars. I am very diligent about oil changes, tune ups etc. My car has 140,000 highway miles. I travel a lot for work. This car has never had a major issue until the recalled vacuum pump was repaired. All these complaints from other people with primarily the same issue cannot be wrong. It is definitely a manufacturing issue and I shouldn’t have to pay out-of-pocket for an issue that the dealership caused. Now I either have to buy a new car or pay 8000 to repair my current vehicle. I will never buy another Toyota again

Filed May 7, 2026 · Brakes · 60,184 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while parking on two occasions, a "brake pressure low, stop at a safe place" message appeared and an unknown warning light. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where she was informed that there was an unknown recall associated with the failure and it was diagnosed that the brake pump and booster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where the failure was not able to be replicated. The vehicle was then was taken to the same independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the brake pump and booster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,184.

Filed Apr 21, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · CA

While driving on the interstate 10 in California in rush hour traffic my vehicles’ brakes pedal suddenly became hard to press down and slow the vehicle down.fortunately I was able to safely get to the right shoulder and call a tow truck to get my car towed home.

Filed Apr 16, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · CA

In February of 2025 the brake vacuum pump failed and lost braking power. It was promptly towed to Toyota and the recall was performed. Roughly 3 weeks later an internal engine part that was removed during the recall repair came loose and damaged something internally. Since then the vehicle has yet to be adequately repaired. It produces no power, struggles to accelerate and has constant safety system malfunctions. Toyota had the vehicle from April to October and failed to adequately repair the vehicle after dozens of attempts. The vehicle was forcefully returned and will no longer pass smog from the engine malfunction they introduced during repairs. Currently in litigation and Toyota is ignoring all complaints.

Filed Mar 16, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · VA

I own a 2018 Toyota Camry XSE. The car is equipped with a radar cruise control and automatic braking system that will brake the car if programming believes there is risk of an accident. The problem is this is all front-based monitory and no rear based monitoring. Recently I was traveling the speed limit on a 4-lane highway when a car stopped abruptly in the turn lane in which I was following. There was no need for my car to brake abruptly as I was not traveling so close behind the car in front of me to justify that. Rather, I was more concerned about a car behind me that was tailgating me. I wanted to brake gradually to give the car behind me time to stop. But the auto braking system in my car braked so suddenly against my will causing the car behind me to veer off the road onto the shoulder in order to avoid rear ending me. It also made me worry that the driver of the car behind me might believe I intentionally braked hard to make him back away from my car when this was not the case. The 2018 Camry XSE auto braking system is a hazard because it looks forward with the radar but did not consider the car tailgating me and it nearly caused me to be rear ended were it not for evasive action of the car behind me veering onto the shoulder. I can turn it off when I drive the car but it always comes back on when I start the car. I am undecided about liability as well if I must permit this defective system to run or whether I am protected legally by turning it off. It is such a hassle to constantly turn it off each time I start the car so I just let the car do it's thing most of the time thinking I might be better legally protected with it on than with it off.

Filed Mar 5, 2026 · Brakes · TN

The Vacuum Pump for the Power Assist Brake System failed on my vehicle, the dealership would not provide me with the failed unit as they "have to send it back to Toyota". My brake assist was very inconsistent, sometimes barely had any which lead to very poor braking, accompanied with a KNOWN problematic knocking noise with an active TSB. I complained about this issue when I bought this used vehicle that was barely driven, at the local Toyota Dealership knowing the vehicle was made at the same time that other vehicles built in the same timeframe with the same issue were recalled, they told me it was just "injector noise" and it didn't apply to me. I brought it up again a few months later as it got worse, they told me it was "normal noise, use injector cleaner" and sent me off. I brought it up there last month about the Brake System Error message, they told me it was because the car wasn't on, however it never did this when I bought it nor do other cars on their lot. I brought it up again to the dealership this week as it got a lot more frequent that I would have poor brake assistance, the knocking was loud enough to hear in heavy traffic, and they finally told me the vacuum pump had failed. The dealer told me they couldn't do anything about the recall, would not cover it as goodwill warranty even when it is simmilar/same failure as the recall and previously complained about it, and the full repair would be over 1,800 dollars. I called Toyota Customer Hotline and explained that the failure was the same as the known issue in their recall on the same vehicles and the active TSB, they would not tell me why my VIN was not included in the recall, they would not extend a goodwill coverage on it as being it was the same failure, or take a complaint. Symptoms were present at the time of purchase, starting with inconsistent brake assist and light knocking, ended with excessively loud knocking and significant increase in frequency of the inconsistency and brake error message.