Owners of 2005 Highlanders consistently report brake failures and component defects spread across the entire system. The most common complaint is severe rear rotor corrosion appearing as early as 55,000 miles, with some rotors 70% rust-covered while the vehicle sat garaged. Front calipers lock, rear calipers stick and rust, and brake pads wear unevenly—all occurring well before typical wear intervals.
Master cylinder failures recur even after Toyota replaced them under recall campaign 10V499000. Owners report the pedal sinking to the floor mid-drive, sometimes recovering on the next pump, sometimes not. One owner refills brake fluid every 500 miles due to a leak. Others describe brakes that feel spongy, won't respond at highway speeds, or seize completely on wet roads.
The metallic brake pads generate extreme grinding noise early on; Toyota's fix—an additive—doesn't hold. Some vehicles exhibit a "creep" where they lurch forward at the end of normal braking stops, and others feel like the ABS system is stuck engaged on the first morning stop.
Dealer inspections have missed obvious corrosion, and manufacturer responses range from dismissal to silence. Some owners went through the recall repair only to experience brake seizure immediately after.
Failure modes owners describe
Brake pad noise (metallic content)
Extremely loud, grinding noise when braking, reported as metal-on-metal sound from pads with metallic content. Noise intermittent, worsens in damp conditions, temporarily resolves after driving and brake application.
When: Early November 2006 at low mileage; recurred multiple times through March 2007
Symptoms owners cite: Extremely loud grinding/construction-equipment noise when braking; Noise repeats with each brake application; Intermittent occurrence, not daily; Noise resolves temporarily after half-mile of driving and repeated braking
Repairs/costs cited: Crystal Toyota Service applied additive; suggested moisture from weather caused noise due to metallic pad content. No permanent repair performed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota Customer Service representative Joe Lacefield inspected vehicle, heard no noise, dismissed complaint as normal brake noise.
Master cylinder leakage and brake pedal loss
Master cylinder leaks near brake booster, causing brake pedal to go completely to floor. Issue involves intermittent brake loss requiring replacement of entire master cylinder assembly.
When: Vehicle had prior master cylinder replaced under NHTSA Campaign 10V499000, failure recurred after replacement
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal goes to floor on application; Intermittent failure (occurred 2 out of 3 consecutive brake applications); Brake fluid level checked at normal range despite loss of pedal feel
Repairs/costs cited: Local mechanic diagnosed small internal leak inside brake booster. Requires full master cylinder replacement at cost of $550 for part and labor.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 10V499000 (master cylinder recall) performed previously; failure recurred in replacement part.
Rear rotor corrosion and premature wear
Rear brake rotors severely corroded with rust caking and flaking covering approximately 70% of rotor surface, leaving only 30% functional. Driver-side rear caliper slider pin stuck, forcing front brakes to perform majority of braking work.
When: Discovered at approximately 60,000 miles; vehicle inspected every 6 months by Toyota dealer with no problems reported until failure detected
Symptoms owners cite: Metal/metal grinding noise from brakes; Severely corroded rear rotors with thick rust buildup and flaking; Rear caliper slider pin stuck; Premature wear of front brake pads due to overload
Repairs/costs cited: Rear rotors and calipers required replacement. Owner notes this is first brake work needed in decades of driving at significantly lower mileage than typical (before 80,000 miles).
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner references Toyota recall of 130,000 vehicles in China for defective rear wheel disk brake rust, suggesting potential source of defective castings.
Caliper sticking and heat-related damage
Right caliper sticks, causing excessive heat generation that warps wheel hub system and damages ABS sensor. Heat buildup from stuck caliper cascades into additional component failures.
When: Discovered at 94,000 miles; exact onset not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Right caliper sticking; Excessive heat generation; Warping of wheel hub system; ABS sensor damage
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement of right caliper, rotor, hub system, and ABS sensor required at cost over $1,000.
Brake failure during control loss incidents
Two unrelated incidents where vehicle lost control during normal driving; both vehicles subsequently found to have brake-related issues per recall campaigns after the incidents occurred.
When: Incident 1: approximately 80,000 miles; Incident 2: 2,000 miles, subsequent incidents through 20,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle lost control and crashed while attempting braking at highway speeds; Abnormal acceleration in reverse (2-3 mph resulted in crash into garage); Brake pedal ineffective during loss-of-control events
Repairs/costs cited: Incident 1: Vehicle towed to independent mechanic and repaired. Incident 2: Floor mat and brake covers replaced; later recall repair performed (NHTSA Campaign 11V112000 for accelerator pedal).
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 10V499000 (master cylinder) and 11V112000 (accelerator pedal) applied to vehicles after crash incidents.
Locked calipers and rust accumulation
Front calipers lock abnormally; rear calipers rust prematurely. Premature brake wear pattern with locking causing uneven pressure distribution across brake system.
When: Front caliper locking detected April 2011 at 56,800 miles; rear caliper rust detected August 2011 at 60,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Front brakes locked; Rear calipers heavily rusted; Premature wear of brake components; Repeated failure pattern
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced front calipers April 2011 and rear calipers August 2011.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer acknowledged awareness of the failure.
Brake non-response and undiagnosed failure
Complete brake failure during highway driving where brakes would not respond to pedal application. Vehicle required independent brake replacement; issue recurred after initial repair.
When: Failure mileage approximately 60,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Brakes do not respond when applied at 45 mph; Unknown warning light illuminated; Failure recurred after independent mechanic brake replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanic replaced brakes; failure recurred. Dealer inspection requested but vehicle not diagnosed.
Brake creep and loss of pedal position control
Vehicle lurches forward at the end of normal braking stops before coming to complete halt, even with steady brake pedal pressure. Problem occurs at normal speeds with normal pedal pressure, worsens with increased braking force.
When: Occasional initially, became constant by 80,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle launches forward just before stopping despite constant brake pedal pressure; Problem worsens with harder braking (emergency braking worse than normal); Owner compensates by coasting before braking
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented; owner developed compensatory driving technique.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner emailed Toyota twice with no response received.
Brake seizure after recall repair
Brakes seized abnormally shortly after vehicle completed master cylinder replacement service under NHTSA Campaign 10V499000 recall. Owner reports never observing technician work on vehicle.
When: Shortly after dealer completion of recall repair at 70,333 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Brakes seized abnormally after leaving dealer
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle taken to owner's personal mechanic but was not repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 10V499000 (master cylinder) performed at dealer.
Brake unresponsiveness in snow conditions
During snowy weather braking, wheels seized completely and vehicle would not stop. Vehicle could not be stopped and control was lost temporarily.
When: Failure at 59,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Wheels seized when braking in snowy weather; Vehicle would not stop; Loss of vehicle control temporarily before safely reaching shoulder
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not repaired; failure could not be diagnosed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer and manufacturer notified and attempted diagnosis but unable to determine cause.
Abnormal brake pad wear
Rear brake pads exhibited 90% abnormal wear when vehicle brought to dealer for unrelated recall repair. Wear pattern suggests underlying brake system imbalance.
When: Detected at 55,000 miles during recall service visit
Symptoms owners cite: Rear brake pads worn 90% abnormally
Repairs/costs cited: Technician recommended replacement; pads not replaced. Front pads never replaced.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Vehicle in for NHTSA Campaign 10V499000 (master cylinder) recall repair.
Soft, sluggish initial brake response with ABS engagement feel
First brake application after vehicle startup in morning feels like ABS system is engaged, taking longer to stop than subsequent brake applications. V6 model specifically noted. Possibly related to ABS system behavior on cold start.
When: Ongoing condition; initial occasional, becoming more frequent over time
Symptoms owners cite: First brake application after morning startup takes longer to stop; Feels like ABS is engaged on initial braking; Subsequent braking applications respond normally; Dangerous during initial stop after startup
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented.
Spongy brake pedal and control difficulty
Brake pedal feels very spongy, making it difficult to control vehicle speed and trajectory, especially during low-speed maneuvers. Resulted in difficulty parking and minor collision.
When: Mileage not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Spongy brake pedal feel; Difficult to control vehicle speed at low speeds; Difficult to control vehicle trajectory during parking
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented.
Brake fluid leak requiring frequent refilling
Brake fluid depletes rapidly, requiring refill every 500 miles. Leak suspected in master cylinder assembly. Brake failure nearly occurred due to insufficient fluid level.
When: Mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Rapid brake fluid depletion (refill needed every 500 miles); Brakes nearly failed due to low fluid; Almost collided with another vehicle due to brake failure
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented; issue ongoing.
Slow brake response
Brakes respond very slowly when applied, creating safety concern. Vague description without specific circumstances.
When: Mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Brakes slow to respond when applied
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented.
Brake pedal sinking to floor with recovery
Brake pedal goes completely to floor on brake application but then recovers on subsequent applications. Intermittent loss of braking pressure.
When: Occurred once for each of two different drivers in same vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal goes to floor on application; Vehicle does not stop when pedal is on floor; Pedal recovers normal operation on second application; Intermittent failure pattern
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented.
Synthesized from 18 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.