NHTSA Complaint #10660548 — 2007 TOYOTA RAV4

FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM ON 11/10/2014 WHEN APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT. THE RAV4 TOOK LONGER THAN NORMAL TO COME TO A STOP WITH GREATER FORCE REQUIRED TO STOP. ONCE FULLY STOPPED, THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING WITH LOW RPM'S (~500) AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON ALONG WITH VSC AND TRAC LIGHTS. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME, BUT EXPERIENCED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AT EVERY STOP LIGHT / STOP SIGN. CONTACTED TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN TUCSON IMMEDIATELY AND SCHEDULED EMERGENCY SERVICE FOR THE NEXT MORNING. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM WITH TWO ERROR CODES (P0171 AND P0174 - LEAN AIR/FUEL MIX). WAS TOLD THEY SUSPECTED A BAD TANK OF GAS. TOYOTA ADDRESSED ONE OPEN RECALL (SERVICE CAMPAIGN BST - REFLASH BRAKE CONTROL COMPUTER) ON MY VEHICLE BUT DID NOT INVESTIGATE THE ERROR CODES, ONLY CLEARED THEM. THE FOLLOWING DAY WHILE DRIVING HOME, THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED. ALMOST NO BRAKE PRESSURE AND BARELY ABLE TO STOP. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSC, AND TRAC LIGHTS ALL ILLUMINATED AGAIN. LOW IDLE SPEED AS WELL. CONTACTED A DIFFERENT LOCAL MECHANIC FOR A SECOND OPINION. WAS INFORMED THE BRAKE BOOSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO DAMAGE IN THE DIAPHRAGM CAUSING LOSS OF VACUUM PRESSURE (WHICH HELPED EXPLAIN THE TWO ERROR CODES RELATED TO LEAN AIR/FUEL MIX). TOTAL REPAIR BILL OVER $1000. JUST LUCKY NOBODY WAS INJURED DUE TO FAILING BRAKE SYSTEM ON TOYOTA'S PART. *TR