5th gen brake issues? Please chime in

T

TOY2G

New member
I'm sitting here in a diner in OH on my phone with 1G. So sorry if this has been covered, I could not search.

We have driven this new 2013 from TX-CO a couple weeks ago. Now we drove from TX-OH. And tomorrow we are headed to NY.

About 5 or 6 times we have been driving and had to hit the brakes (fast but not hard). A couple times the cruise was on and a few it was not. Every time we were doing about 60-70mph and when we hit the brakes it about shit us through the windshield. It was like they locked up for .5-1 second.

First time it happened I thought I must have just hit the brake harder than I thought. But now it has happened a few more times and it is scary. It throws the front if the vehicle down and makes the back feel very loose for a second or so.

I took it to a local dealer and they said "sorry dude, it almost 5 and you don't have an appointment".

Has anyone had this happen?

I cannot make it so it if I'm trying. So I know it's something intermittent.


Please respond if you have any idea. I have to drive 10 hours tomorrow in the rain and it has me shaken.
 
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eddiebx said:
I think what you are describing might be the brake assist feature engaging, which is normal from what I understand. I think depending on how fast you press the pedal it basically decides that hey you need to stop RIGHT NOW, and slams the brakes for you.

Check out this thread: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/137653-sudden-slow-down-braking-system-behavior.html
Click to expand...

Thank you. That is it exactly. I don't care for it. And I cannot shut it off. With the lift, soft coil overs, bigger tires, no sway bar and added weight, I think it may kill me. It makes the front dive and the back lift like a cat in heat.
 
Surprised me the first time too. In my limited experience with it engaging, it seems it activates not only due to hard brake pressure but how fast you hit the brakes I.e reacting quickly due to not paying attention.Happened to me in DC. Took my eyes off the road for a split second and as I looked back and saw traffic stopped I slammed the brakes quickly and probably applied 3/4 pressure. The system kicked in and applied more slowing us quicker and giving me that extra fraction of a second to determine how much more brake pressure was needed. The tires chirped a bit when the brake assist activated and then once it disengaged I slowed to a halt in a more smooth, mind you quick, manner. I'm not confident I wouldn't have rear ended the car in front of me without it.
 
That "Brake Assist" is my biggest complaint about the 4Runner.

It throws my equipment that I have so neatly stacked in the cargo area all over the place and some items end up in the front with me.

I also worry that the vehicle directly behind me may not have brake assist and plow into me. Or more likely under my rear end.

But you have to admit, it really stops the Runner in plenty of time.

I have just had to learn to try and stop overreacting when the light turns yellow or someone pulls out into my lane or anything else that would frighten me into hitting the brakes too fast.
 
TOY2G said:
Thank you. That is it exactly. I don't care for it. And I cannot shut it off. With the lift, soft coil overs, bigger tires, no sway bar and added weight, I think it may kill me. It makes the front dive and the back lift like a cat in heat.
Click to expand...

While I don't think it affects braking directly, have you done the Zero Point Calibration since you completed the mods to your T4R?

:cool:
 
Same thing happened to me two times in a row while behind some moron who didn't know what the hell she was doing. Doesn't happen that often though.
 
It is scary when it kicks in, and recovery symptoms/issues are even weirder...yes, they only last a split second, but totally what your not expecting.

I have 78.5K on the brakes, and they say there's still plenty left, but I'm going to get them dome before October trips.
 
It's not the force of the actuation it's the speed of the actuation that activates the brake assist. It took me awhile to slow down on the depression a bit. You can still get your foot over there quickly, just slow down the pressing action.
 
I believe its part of the STAR system and that legislation isn't far behind to make that stuff mandatory (would genuinely surprised if they weren't pushing for it.)

The 4th gens tended to have a similar, but not as drastic brake response as well. While not something I enjoy and wouldn't mind getting rid of, I find it useful on occasion and found myself more or less training myself to brake better... I find that in my 4th gen I've learned to be more relaxed in panic situations, sort of like driving an old non-ABS vehicle; you learn to handle the brakes differently because they CAN lock up.
 
Yeah, I've "over-applied" the brakes twice and both times were...exciting. But by golly the 4R does stop. But this feature concerns me more in offroad situations, especially in rough terrain. Brakes seem a little touchy and with just a little too much pressure, the brake assist comes in quick and hard. I don't have any experience in that scenario yet with my new TE, but it's going to happen. Perhaps those with more offroad experience in the 5th Gen 4R could share their braking techniques with us.

What I notice more is that because of the long travel in the brake pedal before I feel the vehicle slowing, and because the brakes tend to feel "soft" to begin with, I find myself often creeping at stop lights. Anyone else experienced this?
 
I'm guessing it's part of the brake assist.

Because the brake pedal is so soft, it goes from lowest assist, low assist, medium assist, to holy****ingshitletsstoponadimeatallcosts.

Knowing where the latter happens along the brake pedal's travel is hard to figure out, and it seems to change on a daily basis depending on what mood the Toyota is in.
 
2013Trail said:
What I notice more is that because of the long travel in the brake pedal before I feel the vehicle slowing, and because the brakes tend to feel "soft" to begin with, I find myself often creeping at stop lights. Anyone else experienced this?
Click to expand...

Brake creep, especially when the A/C compressor cycles on and the RPM increases, is IMO the worst thing about this truck. I am used to it, but I worry about my wife drifting out into an intersection unknowingly while sitting at a light (say she's scrolling through radio stations, etc.). You have to push and hold much harder than most vehicles to remain stopped. Not a good thing.

I may just install stainless brake lines to try to remedy this. (Less flex under pressure.) After swapping the brake lines on my GTI the difference in braking feel and power was dramatic. We'll see...

I read on one of the 2014 articles that Toyota made the new brake lines stiffer for "better brake feel" so maybe they solved the issue...
 
Antman said:
Brake creep, especially when the A/C compressor cycles on and the RPM increases, is IMO the worst thing about this truck.
Click to expand...

Ditto. I found myself pushing much harder on the brakes at stop lights because when I first got it, if you applied just enough force to keep it stopped, it'd start to creep on you if you didn't pay it enough attention.

I'm overall disappointed with how the brakes work (they stop the truck just fine) but the creep, emergency panic assist, squishy feel all isn't that inspiring and it's a pretty sad day when I prefer the brakes on a Sierra to a Toyota.
 
TOY2G said:
I'm sitting here in a diner in OH on my phone with 1G. So sorry if this has been covered, I could not search.

We have driven this new 2013 from TX-CO a couple weeks ago. Now we drove from TX-OH. And tomorrow we are headed to NY.

About 5 or 6 times we have been driving and had to hit the brakes (fast but not hard). A couple times the cruise was on and a few it was not. Every time we were doing about 60-70mph and when we hit the brakes it about shit us through the windshield. It was like they locked up for .5-1 second.

First time it happened I thought I must have just hit the brake harder than I thought. But now it has happened a few more times and it is scary. It throws the front if the vehicle down and makes the back feel very loose for a second or so.

I took it to a local dealer and they said "sorry dude, it almost 5 and you don't have an appointment".

Has anyone had this happen?

I cannot make it so it if I'm trying. So I know it's something intermittent.


Please respond if you have any idea. I have to drive 10 hours tomorrow in the rain and it has me shaken.
Click to expand...

Off Topic, but if you are passing Northeast Philadelphia, stop by. I'm close to Turnpike and NY is only an hour and half away from me, plus I would like to see you 5th gen.
 
LandCruiser said:
I'm guessing it's part of the brake assist.

Because the brake pedal is so soft, it goes from lowest assist, low assist, medium assist, to holy****ingshitletsstoponadimeatallcosts.

Knowing where the latter happens along the brake pedal's travel is hard to figure out, and it seems to change on a daily basis depending on what mood the Toyota is in.
Click to expand...

All I know is that the first time I experienced it :faint2:I managed to recover well enough to look proudly at the drivers around me as the nose of my 4R returned to its normal height, and I lifted my forehead off the steering wheel, projecting an air like: "By God, I'll never rear-end anybody!" Meanwhile, my real thoughts were :wtf:

At least now I know what to expect. And to prepare for. :naughty:
 
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