2020 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Service Brakes Problems

My 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid has a braking issue identified in Toyota Service Bulletin T-SB-0059-23, Hybrid Regenerative Brake Transition Feeling Improvement. When going downhill and applying the brake, the vehicle lurches forward temporarily as the braking system transitions from regenerative to hydraulic braking. The first time my vehicle did this, it was very alarming and I had to take additional measures to slow my vehicle as I was driving downhill. My vehicle frequently demonstrates this problem, however, I did not report it to my local Toyota dealer because I read in an online chat group that it was a characteristic of this vehicle. Although the TSB recommends a Reprogram of the Brake Actuator Assembly Control Module, the repair is only covered under the Toyota Basic Warranty which is in effect for 36 months or 36k miles, whichever occurs first. My vehicle is past the warranty limit, and because I did not report it to my dealer previously, this repair is not covered under the TSB or the Toyota Basic Warranty. Toyota Highlander Hybrid model years 2020-2022 are affected. The Technical Service Bulletin was issued August 29, 2023, so if a 2020 model Highlander Hybrid has this problem, 2020 models would have already passed the warranty limit by the time the TSB was issued and thus would not be covered. This is a safety risk as drivers can lose control of the vehicle when braking, particularly when going downhill. The Warranty should be extended, or this problem should be elevated to a RECALL so that older affected vehicles, or those with higher mileage can be covered under warranty. Drivers should not have to pay for a recognized problem that affects the safety of this vehicle and has been identified in a Technical Service Bulletin. This problem puts drivers at risk of losing control of the vehicle and the problem can be mediated with a software reprogram. T-SB-0059.23 should be elevated to a RECALL, or extended regardless of age or mileage.

When braking, and decelerating through 25 to 20 MPH, the brakes temporarily stop functioning. There is a noticeable change in deceleration that can be felt by the driver AND passengers. This almost feels like an acceleration, but we believe it's the brakes briefly stop functioning. The same problem occurs with different drivers so we are confident the problem is mechanical and not operator dependent. We believe this is a brake actuator issue and there may have been a similar problem in earlier model Toyotas.

Just went back for secondary break malfunction and was told fuel 🤷🏻‍♀️ i just filled it. Still no remedy for recall since my Last maintenance visit

Sensation of loss of braking, especially at low/crawling speeds, when braking on a downhill, or when braking on bumpy road surfaces. Dealer described it as "INCONSISTENT APPLICATION OF BRAKES WITH CONSISTENT PRESSURE ON PEDAL ON LOW SPEEDS". A very noticeable moment between regenerative braking disengaging and traditional brakes engaging. It was a very unsettling feeling when pulling into a garage or parking space, or making a hard stop at highway speeds. Dealer reprogrammed braking computer per Toyota T-SB-0059-23 ("Hybrid Regenerative Brake Transition Feeling Improvement"). It is improved but not perfect and I still notice this unsettling sensation from time to time.

When coming to a stop the vehicle will often lurch forward. The lurch is powerful and could easily cause a collision. This problem occurs both when stopping in traffic and pulling into parking spaces. We were told by the dealer that the problem is caused by hybrid cars but we've had hybrid cars before that did not exhibit this behavior. It sounds like the dealership is aware of the problem but Toyota is not addressing it. This issue certainly poses a safety issue, especially for vehicles in front of the affected vehicle when attempting to stop.

While steering to the right to exit a parallel parking spot, the ABS sensor cable came into contact with a suspension bolt, snapping the sensor wire. This triggered the Check Engine Light and caused a malfunction in the braking systems.

During the first 20K miles of driving our 2020 Highlander Hybrid; we noticed that while braking; the car would sometimes lung forward as though we had accelerated quickly. It startles you and it causes you to "hit the brakes" quickly. It doesn't happen all the time. It seems to occur more so when we're braking at low speeds in parking lots; while slowing down on a slight decline or simply making a turn left or right while braking. I mentioned this to my Toyota Dealer a few times as to whether or not they had a recall notice for this. I was told "no". I had my oil changed on June 15, 2022 MIL/35,379 and I asked them to check this problem. They checked and advised no problem was duplicated and the invoice stated in part "will wait on any diagnostics at this time". I was never contacted with a "fix". Today (August 16, 2023) I located a Technical Service Bulletin that appeared to address my issue. It is "T-SB-0059-23". This issue is a safety concern to both me and my wife; I'd like to see this problem addressed. This was all mentioned during the warranty period but no notifications were made by Toyota. My current mileage is 89,202. Thank you

This vehicle was purchased new. Early in our ownership we ( my wife and I ) occasionally notice that the brakes momentarily release when they are applied for just a second causing us to increase braking which results in the brakes working again. This usually happens when slowing to make a turn at slow speeds. It doesn’t happen all the time but has persisted throughout the four years we have owned the car. We have continued to document this issue with the dealers service department in hopes a service bulletin would be issued with a fix. They have driven the car and done computer diagnostic checks to no avail. Just wonder if anyone else has had this issue and whether anything can be done to fix it ?

On numerous occasions when applying the brakes on my vehicle there is a very noticeable "surge" when the vehicle slows to a near stop. It feels like there is a momentary loss of braking before the brakes re-engage. I have had the vehicle since new and it seems like the problem has become more noticeable over time. I have lost some confidence in the safety performance of the vehicle due to this dangerous issue.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling or parked, the engine would suddenly seize. The failure occurred intermittently. The check engine warning light illuminated with a message that the brakes were enabled. The contact restarted the vehicle several times before the vehicle operated as needed. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer 3 times however, the dealer was unable to diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 45,600.

Mileage: 45,600

On more than 50 occasions while coming to a stop or slowing down I have experienced a surge forward while applying the brakes. It has happened at stop signs, stop lights, going downhill. I cannot duplicate on demand. Several times it has surged me past a stop sign/stop light while I still had my foot on the brake. Also, when the surge happens, I have to push harder on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. I took it to the dealership on 9/2023 and was told it was not a problem that could be replicated and it has happened several times since then.

Was following a truck that was pulling a utility trailer. We had just stopped and started moving again when when he suddenly stopped. I had just sped up maybe going 10 to 15 mph when I applied my brake, the brakes did not engage until after I hit the trailer in front of me and jammed it into truck it was being pulled by.I had front end damage and radiator damage and the car was not drivable. I had noticed previous to this that at times at low speeds the brakes would not engage and would need to be double tapped to get them to engage. Could go weeks without it happening or could happen multiple times in a day. No consistency to the issue.

On several occasions while coming to a stop or slowing down I have experienced a surge forward while applying the brakes. It has happened at stop signs, stop lights, going downhill. I cannot duplicate on demand. Several times it has surged me past a stop sign while I still had my foot on the brake. Also, when the surge happens, I have to push harder on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. I have had the hub replaced as well as the wheel censer and I still have the problem. I took it to the dealership on 8/15/22 and it has happened several times since then.

Random loss of braking feeling and jolting forward when stopping due to regenerative braking letting off. Happened randomly since purchase. Happens around 20mph mark

it does occasionally when coming to a complete stop sign to seems to jolt forward . I have taken it to the local Toyota dealer as a safety concern and was told after they analyized the computer data couldn’t find any problem . Yet it seems to keep happening

UNKNOWN. Brakes have temporary failure midway through braking. The pedal feels like it drops and the car ceases to brake. You press down hard quickly, and it takes a second for the car to then brake again. Naturally the car jerks, at time throwing people forward and locking seatbelts. This happens most frequently going downhill, and happens at a variety of different speeds. Dealership says there is no issue. It happens multiple times a week, if not multiple times a day. While I typically drive with adequate space for this failure, I cannot control other drivers. I almost rear ended a person who cut in front of me from the right lane when the braking failure occurred.

My car frequently accelerates suddenly when I am actively braking. I will begin braking, start to slow down, then the car will accelerate, jolt forward, then start braking again. This puts me at risk for having an accident at stop lights and any time I should be braking. I have an appointment to take it to the dealer. It does not happen every time I am braking and it is not easily reproducible, however it has started happening more often. I have no warnings. An independent auto shop has looked at it and they believe there is a problem when my car is switching from regenerative to hydraulic braking.

When I am using the brakes an a medium rate the vehicle will loose its brakes for a second causing a loss of control on the vehicle. This happens randomly and caused us to almost go off a culvert of a driveway once. It has scared us many times to thinking we were going to hit the car in front of us. It makes my wife sick every time it happens. Smart motors and regional techs from Toyota have looked into this issue and determined this to be a “feeling” and not a safety hazard. This is not the case and needs to be fixed before someone gets hurt. Lane Keeping assist is unusable. When it is turned on it fights with the driver. It will swerve back in forth in its lane and sometimes so bad it feels like the car would roll if it was not turned off and got worse. Every once in a while it will try to take an exit on the highway by itself. Date of incident in questionnaire is approx to the last time it happened. It has happened too many times to count. Vehicle mileage is when we first started really having issues with the brakes. Lane assist is an always thing.

We purchased the highlander a few days ago from a Toyota dealership. There are currently no recalls that have not been addressed and the car seemed to be in great condition. Driving the last few days there have been times that the brakes just don't function properly. I went online to see if this was an issue that had been reported. I found this description below and it is exactly my experience as well. This site has the other complaints that match my experience. Feeling like you don't have brakes for a few seconds is going to lead to accidents. I have a 2005 Highlander and I am sad I spent so much money and would feel safer driving my old car. It has not been confirmed by a dealer, or inspected, and there are no lights on the vehicle. I don't know where to go for an honest assessment. https://m.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/Highlander/2020/brakes/service_brakes.shtml I have experienced brake issues, on any slight decline where the braking system will let up as if the braking is not working for a moment, and also, a jerk forward once stopped. This will lead to an accident and potentially, a pedestrian getting hurt if not addressed. I took it to the dealer and they stated they could not replicate the issue, therefore, did not run diagnostics on the vehicle and will do nothing else for me. I have great concern this will lead to an accident and after 30 years of driving, I'm having to constantly think of leaving enough room between myself and other cars to avoid an accident, and adequate room for a brake malfunction. I have another 2020 hybrid Toyota that does not have this issue. So, it is not an issue with all hybrids. - Berkley, MI, USA

On several occasions the brakes will get very weak and you have to apply normal than normal pressure. There’s a second where it feels like the brakes have failed. All occasions have been on dry flat roads. This last occasion I was turning into a grocery store driveway and in the turn the brakes failed and I had to press hard and turn harder or I would have ran into the car leaving the driveway. It’s not the hybrid system. I’ve owned prior Toyota hybrid and the brakes don’t give out like this. Sometimes it’s less that 5MPh but it’s also done it at 10-15mph. Both times the batteries are not fully charged so there isn’t any reason why the regenerative breaking should be suddenly shutting off causing the breaks to feel soft.

ECU system failure. Dealer ship is stating ECU system was damage from soda or coffee which is not accurate found a recall on this vehicles with the same issue our vehicle is having.

I have experienced brake issues, on any slight decline where the braking system will let up as if the braking is not working for a moment, and also, a jerk forward once stopped. This will lead to an accident and potentially, a pedestrian getting hurt if not addressed. I took it to the dealer and they stated they could not replicate the issue, therefore, did not run diagnostics on the vehicle and will do nothing else for me. I have great concern this will lead to an accident and after 30 years of driving, I'm having to constantly think of leaving enough room between myself and other cars to avoid an accident, and adequate room for a brake malfunction. I have another 2020 hybrid Toyota that does not have this issue. So, it is not an issue with all hybrids.

Several times while applying the brake, particularly when braking slowly and often either downhill or turning a corner, there seems to be a gap in the braking. It feels like I have let my foot of the brake, but I have not. It is very brief. I have taken this to the dealer and they indicated they were able to replicate it and tried to fix it, but the problem has continued. For the approximate date asked about below, it has probably happened at least 50 times and it's happened with our two household drivers.

When going downhill and applying the brakes slightly. You keep your foot constant on the brake pedal. Braking some. The car would suddenly release the brakes for a second or two at speed about 35-40 mph. Then it catches up the brakes again. This looks really dangerous when you drive. I don't like this at all. It happens regularly to me. Maybe once a week or so. I started noticing it a while ago.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that upon the depression of the brake pedal, the vehicle would intermittently surge forward without warning. The contact stated that he would shift the vehicle into neutral to stop the vehicle from surging. The contact also stated that the blind spot monitor's unavailable warning message would intermittently appear on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to Bayside Toyota and Waldorf Toyota and each dealer was unable to duplicate or diagnose the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.

Mileage: 21,000

I have a 2020 Highlander hybrid. When I brake my stopping pauses a half second to a second then brakes normally. I am afraid that I can get into an accident due to this happening at the wrong time or if I loan my car to another driver that is not aware of the problem. I took it to the dealer and couldn't reproduce the fault with their computer connected. Though this has been happening about every other day or so. there were no warnings prior, it just happens randomly! Please go to the attached Toyotanation.com link to see other people having the same issues with their Highlander Hybrids. https://www.toyotanation.com/threads/2021-highlander-hybrid-platinum-not-braking-properly.1694783/

My Toyota Highlander is a hybrid and there is an ongoing problem with the brakes under certain conditions. When you are slowing the vehicle down, with your foot on the the brakes, there is a point under 10 miles an hour, where the brakes appear to let go and you must quickly exert dramatically more pressure on the brakes to stop the car. Fortunately it has not resulted in an accident because my wife and I are aware of the potential danger. The danger is, this occurs when you are stopping at a stop sign or crosswalk, pulling into a parking space, or around pedestrians, even pulling into our garage. I have own previous Toyota Hybrids and this vehicle behaves very differently. In my opinion the route of the problem may be the regenerative braking. As you step on the brakes the regenerative braking supplies most of the braking power and then at a slower speed the regenerative braking abruptly dis engages. It seem there should be a way to smooth the erratic behavior of the brakes. I have filed my concerns with the Toyota customer experience center in November of 2020 under my name and file number #2011280027. The car is available anytime to demonstrate the problem, there are no open recalls for this VIN#, and I have been told there are no service bulletins for this problem. The problem has occurred the whole time I have owned the vehicle.

I WAS AT A STOP SIGN IN MY 2020 HIGHLANDER WAITING TO TURN LEFT ONTO A BUSY ROAD. UPON TURNING LEFT ONTO PA STATE HIGHWAY 999, THE HIGHLANDER ENGINE TURNED OFF AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS "LOCKED" INTO A LEFT POSITION. THIS CAUSED THE CAR TO CONTINUE TURNING INTO THE OPPOSING LEFT LANE RESULTING IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH AN ON-COMING CAR. WITH THE ENGINE TURNED OFF THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING, NO BRAKES, AND NO WAY TO UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. THE COLLISION CAUSED MY CAR TO BOUNCE BACK AND SLOWLY FREE ROLL BACK TO THE STOP SIGN AS THOUGH I NEVER ENTERED THE ROADWAY.

Mileage: 15,592

WE RECENTLY PURCHASED OUR HIGHLANDER AND IT HAS A LITTLE OVER 4,000 MILES. TODAY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 45 MPH, THE CAR JUST LOST POWER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. 1. CHECK ENGINE - REDUCED ENGINE POWER 2. SECONDARY COLLISION BRAKE SYSTEM MALFUNCTION WE HAD TO PARK AND WAIT FOR THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO COME AND TOW IT TO THE SERVICE CENTER. AT THIS POINT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG OR WHY IT JUST CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING. I AM VERY CONCERNED AND CAN ONLY HOPE TOYOTA CAN ADDRESS THIS OR REPLACE THE CAR.

Mileage: 4,000

I HAVE BEEN HAVING INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES WHEN TURNING ON MY CAR AND GOING IN REVERSE. ON ONE OCCASION, AFTER TURNING ON THE VEHICLE AND PUTTING IT IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE DESPITE BEING ON LEVEL GROUND. I HAD TO APPLY PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR AND HEARD THE CAR STRAIN A LITTLE BEFORE I HEARD A SOUND COME FROM THE BRAKES AND THE CAR SUDDENLY JERKED BACKWARDS. I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES AND I DID NOT HAVE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON. AFTER THIS THE BAKES APPEARS TO FUNCTION AS USUAL. ANOTHER TIME, I TURNED ON THE CAR AND WENT IN REVERSE BUT THE CAR DID NOT MOVE. I APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR AND HEARD THE CAR STRAIN A BIT THEN IT JERKED BACK. I APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE BRAKES WERE IN RESPONSIVE UNLESS I PUSHED ON THEM WITH SIGNIFICANT FORCE. I CAME TO A STOP AND THEM TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE TO RESUME BACKWARD MOTION TO EXIT MY PARKING SPOT. AGAIN I DID NOT MOVE FORWARD AND HAD TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR WHICH CAUSE THE CAR TO INITIALLY STRAIN THEN SUDDENLY JET BACKWARDS. I AGAIN APPLIED PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES WHICH AGAIN WERE INITIALLY UNRESPONSIVE UNTIL I PUT SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE. THIS CYCLE HAPPENED A TOTAL OF 4-5 CONSECUTIVE TIMES PRIOR TO THE BRAKES RESUMING NORMAL FUNCTION. BRAKES FUNCTIONED NORMALLY BETWEEN THIS INCIDENT AND THE ONE MENTIONED EARLIER IN THIS COMPLAINT.

Mileage: 2,000