Here's a New One

[claydoctor]

This was a bit scarey. I'm driving along the other day in my 2006 Sport with 16K miles and as I am approaching an intersection, I applied the brakes. Suddenly, I had only about 50% braking power and there was this loud ratcheting sound from the front end like gears stripping. I got it stopped before going through the intersection but I thought I had broken a caliper or something. I sat there for a few minutes and then pulled off carefully as I didn't know if I had any brakes. I applied them several times at low speed and everything was fine. I have now gone several hundred miles without any repetition. Any ideas?

 

[JB.]

This was a bit scarey. I'm driving along the other day in my 2006 Sport with 16K miles and as I am approaching an intersection, I applied the brakes. Suddenly, I had only about 50% braking power and there was this loud ratcheting sound from the front end like gears stripping. I got it stopped before going through the intersection but I thought I had broken a caliper or something. I sat there for a few minutes and then pulled off carefully as I didn't know if I had any brakes. I applied them several times at low speed and everything was fine. I have now gone several hundred miles without any repetition. Any ideas?

Sounds like you found a slippery spot in the road which prompted the ABS to engage.

 

[toto]

Yes, I agree. For example, manhole covers are good at this.

 

[xUSNavy]

This was a bit scarey. I'm driving along the other day in my 2006 Sport with 16K miles and as I am approaching an intersection, I applied the brakes. Suddenly, I had only about 50% braking power and there was this loud ratcheting sound from the front end like gears stripping. I got it stopped before going through the intersection but I thought I had broken a caliper or something. I sat there for a few minutes and then pulled off carefully as I didn't know if I had any brakes. I applied them several times at low speed and everything was fine. I have now gone several hundred miles without any repetition. Any ideas?

I agree with the others that your ABS went off. If there was anything wrong with the brake calipers, rotors, pads, or hydraulic system, you would definitely realize it within the first couple of stops.

If you want a little assurance, I suggest you go find a empty parking lot, throw a bucket of soapy water in a nice clear stretch, then drive over the soapy water at 30mph and slam on the brakes. The water will cause the wheels to lock up for a split second. This in turn will cause the ABS to activate. This should replicate what happenned.

 

[sharp4runr]

It could have been a combination of VSC and the ABS kicking in. I went offroading with a few members to Rausch Creek. We got there early in the morning and it was a bit chilly that day. Going down one hill, the ground was very icey and slippery. Going down the hill, I applied the brakes and the 4Runner made a racket and there was a lot of vibration in the brake pedals. This happened twice before I realized what was going on. I locked the center differential and this disabled the VSC. No more racket while braking...

 

[claydoctor]

Yeah, I thought about the ABS but I didn't "slam" on the brakes, I was on what appeared to be dry asphalt and I was going up a slight grade toward the intersection. Would ABS kicking in give you less braking power? Whatever it was, hope it doesn't happen again because it shook me up.

 

[Falls]

Don't mean to be a wiseguy, but I've heard of a stone/pebble getting up in the caliper. KMeep an eye on it . Brake's are never anything to chance.

 

[Bill3508]

I have had this happen with my Chevy Tahoe. The ABS is actually too sensitive and especially when going down hill braking and hitting some small pebbles it kicks in making stopping difficult. It's scared me a couple times because you can barely stop. My 4Runner has not done it yet though.

Bill3508

 

[claydoctor]

Thought ABS was one of those inventions that was supposed to make braking safer not more dangerous.

 

[Bill3508]

It does under normal conditions. I remember locking up my old K5 Blazer several times, one which led to it being totalled. Definately could have been avoided if it had ABS. I haven't had a chance to try it out on snow/ice as never snows in S. GA, so I don't know if it help there or not. It reduces braking to prevent lockup but when its tricked by some gravel and you need to stop now instead of later, it becomes a real problem.

Bill3508