NHTSA Complaint #10700827 — 2008 SCION TC

THERE HAD BEEN A BIG SNOWSTORM THE DAY PRIOR. I WAS DRIVING IN THE MORNING IN VERY COLD TEMPERATURES. THE ROADS HAD BEEN PLOWED BUT THERE WAS STILL SLUSH ON THE HIGHWAYS. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT DRIVING AT AN INCREDIBLY FAST SPEED. I WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAIT AN HOUR FOR THE TEMPERATURES TO WARM UP. SINCE THEN, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES HAVE A REPEATED TENDENCY TO NOT PROPERLY SLOW DOWN THE CAR IN COLD CONDITIONS (BOTH RAIN AND SNOW). THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS INCIDENT VERY CLOSELY MATCH THE TOYOTA RECALL THAT WAS INITIATED FOR OTHER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN 2008 THAT HAD BRAKE FAILURES WHILE DRIVING IN SNOW AND COLD CONDITIONS. I CALLED TOYOTA CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS ON THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT TO REPORT WHAT HAD HAPPENED BUT THEY INSISTED THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE. THEY ADVISED ME TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. ON 21 MARCH, I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO AN AUTO SHOP FOR A BRAKE INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE PADS APPEAR NEW AND THERE ARE NO NOTICEABLE ISSUES WITH MY BRAKES. *TR