NHTSA Complaint #10317068 — 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID

COPY OF A NOTE SENT TO TOYOTA VIA THEIR WEBSITE REGARDING SUDDEN, SHORT-LIVED DECREASE IN BRAKING POWER IN A HIGHLANDER HYBRID: "ON MONDAY FEB. 8, I STOPPED BY LIA TOYOTA OF NORTHAMPTON, MA TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT -- 25,000 MILE SERVICE AND REQUESTED THEY CHECK THE BRAKES, AS I HAD EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN, SHORT-LIVED (A SECOND OR SO) DECREASE IN BRAKING POWER ON RANDOM OCCASIONS. I KNOW ZIP ABOUT CARS, BUT I SAID IT FELT LIKE AN AIR BUBBLE OR SOME SUCH IN THE BRAKE LINES. IT APPEARED ENTIRELY RANDOM, HAPPENING AT IN-TOWN AS WELL AS HIGHWAY SPEEDS (ONCE). A DAY OR TWO LATER TOYOTA ANNOUNCED THE RECALL FOR 2010 PRIUS'S. WHEN I HEARD ABOUT IT AND THE REASON I THOUGHT, "AH, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE HIGHLANDER DOES, AND IT'S A HYBRID." SO, TODAY I WENT IN FOR SERVICE, DISCUSSED THE BRAKES, AND WAS TOLD THAT UNLESS FELLAS IN THE SHOP CAN DRIVE THE CAR AND EXPERIENCE THE BRAKING ISSUE, THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO -- THEY CANNOT EVEN FILE A REPORT WITH TOYOTA, IE. THEY CANNOT GET INFORMATION UP THE CHAIN TO FOLKS WHO ACTUALLY MAKE THE CARS. THAT IS A LUDICROUS POLICY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT) A KNOWN PROBLEM EXISTS IN A HYBRID BRAKING SYSTEM AND B) (AND I ASSUME A BIT HERE) THE HIGHLANDER BRAKING SYSTEM IS PROBABLY A NEAR COUSIN OF THE PRIUS'S. IN ANY EVENT, HERE'S A REPORT FROM A CONSUMER -- A HIGHLANDER HYBRID OWNER HAS EXPERIENCED ON MULTIPLE, RANDOM OCCASIONS A SUDDEN, SHORT LOSS OF BRAKING POWER WHEN APPLY THE BRAKES. IT'S NOT LED TO ANY ACCIDENTS; IT IS SIMPLY DISQUIETING (THOUGH THE HIGHWAY SPEED INCIDENT WAS A BIT THRILLING). AS A MATTER OF COURSE, I'D CHECK YOUR OTHER HYBRIDS GANG. *TR