Brake Disc Pads problems of the 2007 Toyota Sienna

While attempting to drive to work while on a parkway (with no shoulder to pull over on) suddenly there was a dragging feeling as if the parking brake was applied. I immediately pulled off at the nearest exit and pulled over, my brake pedal felt extremely hard like it was stuck down. I put the car in park and pulled the brake pedal up with my foot, then pushed down on it several times again, at this time it seemed fine but I decided not to go to work but drive directly to the Toyota dealer which was not far from where I was. The problem continued and I again pulled over and repeated the "pulling up of the brake pedal at which time I smelled something burning, I then continued about a block and a half to the dealership service department. Upon arrival that is when my dashboard lit up with several warning lights. After the service department diagnosed the problem of a bent bracket on my brake pedal assembly I did some research of my own and discovered that there was a factory recall of the 2011 Toyota Sienna's for the exact same problem (the part number 47110-08080). Neither the dealership, Toyota motor company or Toyota extra care (the very expensive extended warranty that I purchased) wanted to take responsibility for the problem. I was told that the brake pads and rotors would not have been damaged if I did not excessively drive the vehicle, when I asked them what they considered excessive they could not answer. I explained to them that there was no shoulder on the parkway that I was traveling on, but I did exit at the first possible one and drove approximately 1 mile to the dealership/service department. I am extremely unhappy and quite honestly not comfortable with the vehicle and the Toyota motor company itself. I hope that Toyota will accept responsibility for this faulty part and take the proper measures to correct this very unsafe issue!.

The original brakes (front) were replaced in 2010. After that I started getting noise when the brakes were applied. Several visits I requested they replace the brake pads again. After a little time the noise returned. Performance Toyota in fairfield, ohio could not repair the brakes to stop the noise. I then went to tire discounters in hamilton, ohio. Again after several visits the noise in the front brakes remained. I paid for service to the brakes. I paid for a lubricant to be placed on the brakes. Again noise returned. Again noise in rear brakes getting really bad now can’t hear the noise in the front anymore due to drown out by the rear. Picked up daughters/friends from school, explained sorry for the noise I have it checked out they say nothing wrong with them. Daughter says mom you think the sound is bad inside the van you should be outside when you drive up it is really bad. 10/18/2014 returned to performance Toyota in fairfield. I explained the above about my brakes and the noise still present on my van. I asked service writer if there was a recall on a the brakes issue. She said no there was no recall. And I see you have had brake issues since 2010. Finally she stated you know we have had issues when the original factory brakes are replaced with “after market brakes” there have been problems with noise on Sienna’s/pathfinders you know larger vehicles, but not all of them just a few like yours. She stated due to cost they used after market brakes and only few have issues.

I have a 2007 Toyota Sienna with about 37,000 miles on it. We are the original owners of this van. I had the front brakes replaced last January 2009 at Toyota and when I took it in for routine service in January 2010 I was told that I needed front brakes by Toyota again. I talked to the Toyota manager and he stated that it is typical for Toyota Siennas to need front brakes every 10-15 thousand miles. I've owned four different sized cars and trucks all different sizes and never had to change brakes this often. I took the van to another dealer to see if I needed new brakes and they showed me the pads and the left brake pad (driver side) is worn to needing a new pad while the right brake pad (passenger) still has about 10,000 miles on it. I'm having a hard time understanding why I need to replace front brakes every 10-15,000 miles when I bought this vehicle new. Had I known that I was going to have to replace front brakes every year I wouldn't have purchased this van. I'm concerned that this is a safety issue and also don't understand why the left side brake would wear so much more than the right side. If this is normal and acceptable Toyota owes it to Sienna buyers to let them know prior to purchasing.

On January 19, 2009 my 2007 Toyota Sienna front rotors & brake pads failed round- trip from san francisco to orange county. Mileage read: 20,939; & again on 01-12-2010 when mileage was 30,128. There were no warning lights, or notification by mechanic or service providers at regular maintenance checkups about wear or compromised rotors & pads. In advance of each incident. Maintenance had been regularly scheduled. On January 19, 2009 , brake rotors failed showing deeply scratches and were fused with the pads. On January 12, 2010 rotors required resurfacing but pads were ok. I contacted power Toyota dealership in irvine,CA. About these concerns; their response indicated a design flaw as the pads are of made pf harder material than rotors thus wearing rotors before pads and fusing the two metals together. I had several return calls from their specialist ,a mechanical engineer formerly with gm. No solutions were offered and no followup received after I inquired if the dealer would replace the manufacturer's pads with softer ones(aftermarket) as a test. It was made clear even if after-market pads were installed, they might not last more than 5-6 thousand miles. I have concerns that the brakes will fail again and cause potential injury and damage to me or passengers or to others; certainly damage also means replacement of the rotors even if the pads do not show wear. I am reporting this as a flaw in mechanical/product design and manufacture of the 2007 Sienna; intentional oversight or not,it is a lack of mitigation for the brake system that poses a potentially hazard. I believe the Sienna van, intended for family and light loads, poses a brake risk while driving and additional expense and worry about rotor/brake failure . It is contrary to the experience I had with my earlier 300k Toyota van (1985); my satisfaction with it led me to purchase the 2007 Sienna which I now regret. I am asking Toyota to replace the brake system or provide a new model van.