NHTSA Complaint #10693813 — 2012 TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID

I FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUE LITERALLY DRIVING THE NEW CAR OFF THE DEALER LOT. I WAS TRAVELING BEHIND MY WIFE IN MY TRUCK WITH HER BEHIND THE WHEEL IN THE NEW CAR. I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT AT TIMES THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON WHEN BRAKING OR NOT, VERY INTERMITTENTLY. I FIGURED THAT SINCE IT WAS A NEW CAR IT WOULD TAKE TIME FOR ANY NEW DRIVER TO GET FAMILIAR TO THAT NEW VEHICLE. IT IS VERY RARE THAT I WOULD BE FOLLOWING HER IN A SEPARATE VEHICLE WATCHING HER BRAKE. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, PREFERABLY AT NIGHT I WOULD DRIVE IT MYSELF AND TEST TO SEE IF I CAN COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES BUT ONLY APPLYING A CERTAIN OF PRESSURE TO NOT SIGNAL THE BRAKE LIGHTS, AND I WAS ABLE TO DO SO. WHILE DRIVING I WOULD LOOK IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR AND WATCH THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT. AT CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS I FOUND A WAY WHERE EVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC I CAN ACHIEVE SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHOUT SIGNALING MY BRAKE LIGHTS, AND I WOULD BE APPLYING PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I ASSUMED THIS ISSUE WAS CAUSED EITHER BY THE HYBRID REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM TRIGGERING ON, AND/OR THE LITTLE SWITCH UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH SIGNALS THE BRAKE LIGHTS. AROUND NOVEMBER OF 2014, I GOT FED UP WITH THE ISSUE AND THOUGHT ABOUT THE SAFETY FACTOR AND HAD CLAREMONT TOYOTA, FIX THE SENSITIVITY OF THE BRAKING SWITCH. WITH THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY UNATTACHED AND TURNED 180 DEGREES AROUND FACING FORWARD THE TECHNICIAN TESTED AND SIMULATED WHAT I HAD CLAIMED. I EVEN RODE WITH THE TECHNICIAN IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHILE HE DROVE AND WAS ABLE TO DO THE SAME THING, COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHOUT SIGNALING THE BRAKE LIGHTS. HE ADJUSTED THE SWITCH TO THE MOST SENSITIVE SETTING SO THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD ALWAYS SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING. IN MY OPINION IF ANY AMOUNT OF PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE LIGHTS SHOULD SIGNAL. *TR