NHTSA Complaint #724014 — 1997 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER

TRIED TO MAKE A U TURN FROM A PAVED ROADWAY INTO SOMEONE'S PACKED GRAVEL DRIVEWAY. SLOWED TO 25 MPH AND STARTED THE TURN AT LESS THAN 20 MPH. APPLIED BRAKES LIGHTLY TO CONTINUE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN TO LESS THAN 12MPH. SUDDENLY THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO NO FURTHER (FELT A HARD STOP), BUT THE VEHICLE KEPT MOVING. COULDN'T TURN PROPERLY ANYMORE AND VEHICLE KEPT ROLLING. THERE NO SKIDDING SOUNDS OR SLIDING SOUNDS. VEHICLE MOVED AS IF BRAKES WERE NOT ENGAGED. FINALLY AT ABOUT 10MPH HIT A POST THAT ULTIMATELY STOPPED THE VEHICLE. FELT A HARD BANG ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SOME VIBRATING JUST AS THE VEHICLE CRASHED AND ALSO AFTER IT STOPPED. ONCE IT STOPPED THERE WAS A LOUD KLANG AND A SPRING RECOIL NOISE (VERY LOUD). FRONT PLASTIC SKIRT BROKEN, BUMPER CRUSHED AND BUMPER RE-INFORCEMENT BAR BENT. DEALER CONTACTED. NO PROBLEM FOUND WITH ABS AND THEY CLAIM THAT IS HOW IT SHOULD FUNCTION (ALL THE NOISE). HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH PRIOR VEHICLES (WITHOUT ABS) IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS. THIS VEHICLE HAS OFF AND ON DISPLAYED SOME PECULIAR ABS BEHAVIOUR. BROUGHT TO THE DEALER ONCE BEFORE AND WAS TOLD THE KLANGING CAME FROM THE SKID PLATES RATTLING. THIS TIME THE NOISE WAS THE ABS ITSELF ... WHAT NEXT? *AK