Service Brakes Problems of Toyota Sienna - part 2

Car lunges forward when braking. This occurs at low rates of speed and is particularly prone to occur when making right and left turns. This has been going on since I bought it in 2021. Dealer laughs at me.

See all problems of the 2021 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

Brakes intermittently slip while providing constant pressure at lower speeds. The car will lurch forward while brake pedal is depressed and vehicle is slowing down then will go back to stopping.

See all problems of the 2022 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

This has happened multiple times. Driving at various speeds. Sometimes driving straight other times turning. Abs activates with out cause. Esc light illuminates. Happens when in traffic causing the van to try to stop in traffic without warning. Thus far mechanic has not been able to duplicate.

See all problems of the 2017 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

On a regular basis when applying the brakes the brake pressure will release causing the vehicle to lunge forward or momentarily stop decelerating. This release of the brake pressure is only for a second but during that time the van will stop or slow decelerating and if you are slow when this happens you will feel the van lunge forward. It has even happened at a stop with the brake applied and the van would move slightly forward as the pressure released and then reapplied. It almost feels like a computer signal is being reset when this happens causing the momentary release of pressure.

When going down hill while braking, the brakes will release causing the car to lurch forward and then they grab again. It’s intermittent and Toyota has a TSB on it but the dealership with not fix it because they can’t duplicate the problem. It can cause people to take their foot off and of the brake pedal and trying to apply it again. Which can cause someone to rear end another car.

See all problems of the 2024 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

This problem has been happening for a while now, over one year. When I am braking there is a jolt of acceleration. This happens frequently, and I believe this is dangerous.

While braking at around 15 mph there is a sudden loss of braking force that causes the car to surge forward. This happens as the car switches from regenerative braking to pad braking. It has almost caused an accident a few times for me.

For over a year now, I have been experiencing a random issue in my van with the brake system. It feels like a slippage when I hit the brakes to slow down and it will randomly feels like something slips and just give gives out and gets loose and like you are free falling until the brakes grab and actually stop. I have had it in the dealership twice to fix this issue. Last year they reprogrammed the brake actuator assembly control module, and it worked for a while, but then once again after several months, it started again and the second time I took it in they drove it around to try to get it to mimic the problem, but was not able to so couldn’t do anything about it and just said to watch it and see if it became more frequent. They also said that once you have the actuator reset the computer shows updated and can’t redo it. The problem with this issue is that it is random and sometimes it’s less and sometimes more and I can’t give specific dates because of the randomness of the problem. I have never not had it to stop, but I am including my two invoices from Toyota of richardson where I’ve had it seen as well as the research that I have looked up in different forums where other people are describing the very exact same problem with their vehicles. [xxx] . It is scary because you don’t know if it’s going to stop or not but so far it has. [xxx] . There is an issue, but don’t know how to permanently solve it or know for sure what it is. The forum does explain some different things because of the vehicle being hybrid, but who knows whether that’s it. Please look into this and advise because I do not wanna wait until this is a problem and I have a wreck because I am not able to have my brakes work correctly. P. S. The dates entered for the incident below is not accurate due to obviously the issue being random and ongoing not just one time. Thanks. [xxx] . Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Unexpected sudden acceleration when braking at low speed.

In certain conditions, like coasting downhill and lightly braking and then going to harder braking - there is an unintended lurch forward which requires immediate harder braking to stop the vehicle.

When coming to a stop at a red light or a stop sign vehicle keeps surging forward. Something in the vehicle is releasing the brakes. Seems to be happening on a regular basis, but is still randomly happening, every day. If you’re close enough to the vehicle in front of you, you will hit the vehicle.

When applying the brakes, at lower speeds around 20 mph my Sienna lunges forward for a few seconds, increasing speeds. This is happening frequently in school zones due to the slow speeds. Dealer told me it was out of warranty (36k or 3 yrs) and I had to pay $250 for diagnostic plus $300 for a TSB solfware reset because the fed didn't receive enough complaints from users to make Toyota do a recall on this safety issue. This is a major safety issue myself and many other Sienna owners are dealing with.

-multiple instances recently of feeling like the car was accelerating or lurching forward lightly while I was braking - thought I was going crazy. Today however, the car very clearly lurched forward while I was braking coming into an intersection with my kids in the car. Checked my foot on the pedal, mats, etc. Will be taken to dealer on earliest appointment they have in 7 days. -if there was a car coming through that intersection, my family and I could have been t-boned due to the unexpected acceleration. -there are no warning lamps or messages active in the vehicle. -symptoms likely started a few months ago, but the most severe instance was today, 9/16/2024. I finished driving my kids to soccer and while there I googled this and called my dealer. Apparently this is a known issue? -how can Toyota not notify owners of this serious issue? there needs to be a recall immediately. This is my family vehicle that we bought new just a few years ago, this is dangerous and absolutely unacceptable.

Car accelerating when braking especially at slow speed. This has happend many times and dealership not aware of a solution for this issue. This acceleration do not happen all the time but happens radmonly. Concerned about safety and hence reporting.

When the vehicle hits a bump or you are turning while using the brakes, it feels like the brakes cut out for a moment and the vehicle surges further forward faster than you expect it to.

See all problems of the 2023 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

During braking, when almost stopped, the vehicle lunges forward so I have to press harder on the brake so I don’t hit the car in front of me. No potholes or irregularities in the pavement. It’s just a loss of brakes. It’s happened several times now.

I have a 2022 Toyota Sienna and have noticed that when I am braking (especially at low speeds while stopping at a stop sign or a red light),the car "lurches" forward as if the car is accelerating a little bit. I have to slam the brakes to stop the vehicle. It feels really dangerous - it might hit a car in front or a kid in a neighborhood! I will reading through Toyota Sienna forums and found scores of similar incidents reported! hope Toyota takes notice and fixes this.

Intermittently and randomly the vehicle will lunge forward with the brake applied. I engage the brake, the vehicle slows and then lunges/lurches forward as if I were not braking. Not only is this terrifying but it is also extremely dangerous. This has happened many times since purchase in February 2021 and continues to now.

This hybrid le model brake system is very poor. If we press the break pedal it stops 5-10 meter far. Urgently need for recall and rectify this major issue to avoid more accidents and property damage to others on the road .

While braking, the brakes will momentarily stop working. This has happened multiple times. Today, it caused the van to not be able to stop in time and the van finally came to a stop in the middle of a four way intersection. I did a google search. There are many many people in online forums who have reported this same issue.

Experienced it a number of times intermittently. When making a stop from about 25-30 mph, just before making a full stop (~10mph) while foot on the break, the vehicle lunge for a split second. The feeling of loss of braking power. At number of times, I thought I was going to rear end the veh in front of me. The last time I experienced it was last Aug 7.

The car accelerates during breaking.

Brakes release sporadically and then re-engage causing a brief lurch when stopping. This has created near collision or entrance further toward an intersection than ideal.

See attached document for complaint.

I bought this van new in March 2022. Since I have owned it I have had countless instances where I will have my brakes applied and the van will suddenly accelerate with the brake still applied. This has happened multiple times when I am braking on hills & I have nearly ran stop signs because of it, there are some dangerous intersections I travel frequently and this is a major safety concern. This needs to be addressed by Toyota or someone is going to end up killed or seriously injured in an accident from this malfunction. I am truly concerned for mine and my children’s safety when I am traveling in my van. I can’t trade it in because I still owe more than trade in value and can’t afford to be upside down. Nhtsa please help me.

The brakes in my 2022 Sienna hybrid xle randomly slip when stopping. It happens rarely, but is completely unexpected when it does and I can't reproduce it on demand. It feels like I've hit a small patch of black ice or released my foot from the brake for a split second (when I didn't!). My husband rarely drives the van, and it happened to him yesterday. Last week it 'released' for the longest it's ever done, maybe a full second or more. It is summer here and I was driving on normal pavement, so there is no reason that I shouldn't have been in full control of the stop! thankfully there wasn't anything in front of me, but if it were a different situation it could have been very bad.

When applying light brake force to slow to stop for traffic light/sign the vehicle will feel like the brakes have released and stop slowing (feels like vehicle surges forward) requiring to either really apply much greater force to pedal or to release and reapply force to brake pedal to continue to slow the vehicle. Safety concern as without warning and not consistently happening additional 20 to 50 foot braking distance added to vehicle stop. Occurrence is random and happens approximately one in ten stops. The main consistency is a lower speed and gentle type stop: start braking speed generally in the 25-35mph range, brake release feel at 10-15mph range with light to medium braking force being applied. Seems to happen most often with a light downhill gradient. Occurs rendomly and cannot be reproduced on demand for service tech. Has happened since vehicle was bought new and still occurs randomly 26000 odo.

I was pulling my 2011 Toyota siena into a parking space. My foot was on the brake and the car was going about 5 mph. The car made a slight sound, along with a perceptible yet small physical shift, and (while my foot was on the brake) independently accelerated with tremendous force. It was like it was ignited. The car hit a concrete pole and was totaled. The acceleration over-rode the brake. No one was hurt. The concrete pole averted what could have been a catastrophic accident, had we hit pedestrians, or had we rear ended a car or truck on the freeway. The brakes failed as the car jumped into independent acceleration. My safety and the safety of my passenger were both at risk. As I said, in a different situation, we might have hit pedestrians, or gone through the wall of the grocery store and hit customers. The concrete pole saved us and others. The mechanic at the service center where the car was towed said it was impossible to discern if there had been a failure in the system of the car - though clearly both my passenger and myself experienced that failure in the car's ability to override an independent, forceful acceleration not caused by the driver. There was no warning of any kind. On the edmunds site, there are many, many testimonials by other drivers of the Toyota siena of similar, frightening experiences of independent acceleration. It is terribly dangerous and should be investigated. If there is not a recall on this vehicle, there should be. This is a potentially catastrophic defect.

See all problems of the 2011 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

When approaching a red light (or any attempt to slow down) and I press on the brakes, some times the car starts to DE-accelerate normally, and then a second or two later, DE-acceleration stops for a brief moment. Eventually, the breaking system makes the car stop, but the distance it runs until total stop has definitely been compromised. . . . Plus, the scare factor is concerning. This happens randomly.

While braking car will lunge forward regardless of speed. It happens several times a week since purchase of vehicle. I had a few near miss accidents where I almost collided with a vehicle in front of me. There is no warning lamp indicator for this event. Investigating on the internet gave me insight that this is a common problem not being addressed by Toyota.

Acceleration or surge seemingly while transitioning from regenerative braking to friction braking. Observed numerous instances where at slower speeds, after removing my foot from the accelerator and beginning brake application, a surge or acceleration occurs. In these instances I ensured that my foot was not contacting the brake and accelerator simultaneously. There is a distinguishable surge in driveline when this occurs. The surge may also be caused or exacerbated by a change in driveline power (engine/battery) occurring simultaneously with the transition from regenerative to friction braking. One of the most concerning instances of the anomaly occurred while turning. When making accelerating, coordinated turn and expecting the vehicle to respond appropriately by decreasing speed, it instead momentarily accelerated. This caused great concern and a moment of panic as I had to immediately react to avoid striking other vehicles or obstacles because my intended path of travel changed as a result of this surge. Since this report of surging of the Sienna hybrid is also reported by other owners on various forums, I’m willing to have additional sensors installed to enable ample recording of these events. This should be considered a safety event.

Brakes release upon slowing to a stop, causing vehicle to surge forward. Software update will fix it, but dealership/Toyota will not cover the cost to do so.

While slowing down to about 10mph to turn, brakes suddenly disengage and the car lurches forward. This happens every day, sometimes multiple times a day.

When braking while turning on a freeway exit ramp, the car sometimes briefly "surges. " it feels like the brake briefly stops working before being applied more firmly than before. This happens at least a couple of times per week.

When breaking, mostly during downhill, the brakes feel like they simply “let go” for an instant. Most times this is very short and it feels like a typical downshift during breaking in an ice car. However, last time it really gave me a lurch and I almost ended up falling off a cliff face. Many reports all over the internet but nothing from Toyota.