NHTSA Complaint #11697407 — 2018 TOYOTA CAMRY

While driving out of my neighborhood at a low speed, the vehicle’s brakes suddenly stopped responding. I pressed the brake pedal multiple times, but it felt soft and failed to slow or stop the car as expected. I had to rely on the parking brake to bring the vehicle to a stop safely. Fortunately, there were no injuries or collisions, but this created a serious safety risk for myself and others. There were no prior warning lights or error messages before the incident. After researching, I discovered that my vehicle model and year have been associated with a known braking issue, as described in a recall for certain 2018–2019 Toyota Camry vehicles related to a vacuum pump or braking system malfunction. I took the vehicle to an authorized Toyota dealer immediately after the incident. The dealer confirmed the brake vacuum pump had failed, matching the symptoms described in the existing recall for other vehicles of the same model and year. However, they stated that my specific VIN was not included in the recall and refused to cover the repair under warranty or recall service. As a result, I was forced to pay over $1,200 out of pocket to fix a problem that is clearly related to the same known defect.