2007 Toyota Sienna brakes problems

Pad material harder than rotors, causing rotors to wear prematurely and fuse to pads at low mileage. Owners experience deeply scratched, damaged rotors requiring resurfacing or replacement while pads remain serviceable. Dealership mechanic and Toyota specialist confirmed this as a design flaw.

When: 20,939 miles on first occurrence; again at 30,128 miles. As early as 10,000–15,000 miles per Toyota dealership manager acknowledgment.

Symptoms owners cite: Deeply scratched rotors; Rotor and pad fusion; Premature rotor damage despite light use; Uneven pad wear (left side wearing faster than right)

Repairs/costs cited: Rotor resurfacing or replacement; aftermarket pads attempted but expected to last only 5,000–6,000 miles. Cost not specified in first complaint; second owner paid for rotor and pad replacement without knowing cause.

Brake master cylinder fails repeatedly, sometimes within days of factory repair. Owners lose brake pedal pressure, pedal goes to floor. One disabled owner's cylinder failed four times in 2.5 years; dealership initially covered first two replacements under warranty, then refused coverage on third failure despite investigation concluding the part was defective.

When: First failure at 5,000 miles; second failure within 25 miles and one day of pickup from dealership; third failure at 24,000 miles after 2.5 years.

Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal loses pressure and sinks to floor; Complete brake failure; Recurring failure after dealership repair

Repairs/costs cited: Master cylinder replacement; dealership investigation confirmed Toyota part was defective but warranty was denied. Owner forced to pay $1,000+ out of pocket.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Warranty denied after third failure despite investigation finding Toyota part defective; no further assistance offered by dealership.

Brake pedal assembly develops a bent bracket that causes sudden hardness of pedal, dragging sensation as if parking brake applied, and eventual loss of brake function. Issue mirrors a known 2011 Sienna recall (part 47110-08080) but was not addressed for 2007 models. Burning smell reported during event.

When: Specific mileage not stated; occurred during normal driving on parkway.

Symptoms owners cite: Pedal feels hard and stuck; Dragging sensation like parking brake engaged; Burning smell from brakes; Multiple warning lights on dashboard upon arrival at dealer

Repairs/costs cited: Bent bracket on brake pedal assembly diagnosed at dealership. Part number 47110-08080 identified as subject of 2011 recall. Brake pads and rotors damaged; exact repair cost not stated.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: 2011 Sienna recall exists for same part (47110-08080); dealership, Toyota, and extended warranty provider all refused responsibility for 2007 model. Dealership claimed excessive driving caused damage, could not define what constitutes excessive use.

After original front brakes replaced in 2010, persistent noise appears during braking. Multiple pad replacements, lubrication, and service visits at two shops (Toyota and independent tire shop) fail to eliminate noise. Noise eventually worsens in rear brakes. Dealership acknowledged that aftermarket brake pads on Siennas and similar large vehicles may cause noise issues but claimed only a few vehicles are affected.

When: Started after original brake replacement in 2010; noise persisted through at least October 2014.

Symptoms owners cite: Loud squealing and rattling noise when brakes applied; Noise from both front and rear brakes over time; Noise present despite multiple service attempts

Repairs/costs cited: Original brakes replaced 2010. Multiple replacement pads, brake lubricant applied. No permanent fix achieved. Dealership confirmed aftermarket pads used and noted this is a known issue on some Siennas.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall identified. Dealership stated aftermarket brake pads are used for cost reasons and acknowledged they cause noise on some larger vehicles like Siennas and Pathfinders, but only in a few cases.

Vehicle brakes function normally on dry surfaces but fail or are severely delayed on wet roads and snow. ABS activation produces loud rattling noise and brakes take several seconds longer to stop the vehicle, creating near-collision hazards. Problem only occurs when transitioning from dry to wet surfaces or during snow driving. Workaround is to pump brakes repeatedly.

When: Occurs on wet surfaces and snowy roads; owner observed no problems at highway speeds (65 mph normal braking).

Symptoms owners cite: Brakes ineffective on wet or snowy surfaces; ABS activates with loud rattling noise; Delayed stopping distance in wet conditions; Near-misses at intersections due to inadequate braking; Extended stopping distance on snow (vehicle entered intersection rather than stopping at yellow light)

Repairs/costs cited: No repair attempted. Owner found workaround of pumping brakes repeatedly, which improved response.

After front and rear brakes bled during service, vehicle exhibits high engine idle when shifted to reverse, rendering brake pedal ineffective. Owner unable to get brake pedal response despite pumping. Accident occurred at dealership when vehicle crossed shop and struck hoist. Issue mirrors conditions in recalled models not on the affected-vehicle list.

When: Occurred immediately after brake service and bleed at dealership.

Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal becomes ineffective; High engine idle when shifted to reverse; Unable to obtain brake response despite pedal pumping; Loss of vehicle control, collision with shop equipment

Repairs/costs cited: Brakes were bled as part of service. Exact repair outcome not stated. Dealership damage: $6,500 to vehicle, $1,700 to hoist. Owner paid $500 deductible.

Multiple instances where owners apply brakes and vehicle does not respond. One owner's wife attempted to brake while pulling into parking spot; brakes did not respond on first or second attempt, vehicle struck tree. Another owner lost all brake control while driving and collided with another vehicle after sudden acceleration. A third owner's vehicle rolled down an incline while parked and struck a house, with abnormal noise heard before rolling.

When: Instances occur at low speeds (parking maneuvers, 40 mph approach to intersection). One roll-away incident at approximately 100,000 miles.

Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal completely unresponsive when applied; Vehicle will not decelerate despite brake application; Sudden acceleration while braking (one report); Complete loss of braking authority

Repairs/costs cited: One vehicle inspected by Toyota, deemed 'fine,' no repairs made; owner sold to dealer. Second vehicle repaired (specifics not stated) but sudden acceleration issue not addressed. Third vehicle towed to independent mechanic but not diagnosed or repaired.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota inspection yielded 'nothing could be done' response; no assistance offered beyond inspection.

Rear brake caliper seizes, causing rear brake assembly to overheat severely (rotors turn blue, cylinder discolored). Owner reports rear wheel too hot to touch. Wheel slides not lubricated at factory. Rear brake pads wear out prematurely while front pads remain at 50% wear. Owner reports brake assembly was so hot it risked fire.

When: Detected at unknown mileage; rear brakes worn at 21,000 miles in another case with similar caliper issue.

Symptoms owners cite: Vibration during driving; Rear wheel extremely hot to touch; Rotor and cylinder discoloration (blue); Premature rear brake pad wear; Excessive heat generation

Repairs/costs cited: Owner opted to replace all four brake assemblies to prevent same issue on other wheels. Cost approximately $1,000.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota acknowledged this is a known issue on many Siennas; they perform regular lubrication of caliper slides during maintenance. Owner's vehicle had not received this lubrication at factory.

Rear calipers malfunction, causing only rear brakes to wear prematurely while front brakes remain serviceable. One owner's rear brakes wore out at 21,000 miles (vehicle only 15 months old, spent winter in Florida with no corrosion on front brakes). Dealer initially blamed corrosion and replaced pads/rotors without fixing issue; replacement calipers resolved problem.

When: 21,000 miles on a 15-month-old vehicle.

Symptoms owners cite: Premature rear brake wear; Front brakes show no wear or corrosion; Uneven braking distribution

Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced pads and rotors (ineffective). Replacement of calipers resolved issue. Cost not specified.

ABS service warning light illuminates and vehicle loses motive power for several seconds before regaining power independently. Failure is intermittent. Dealership mechanic unable to retrieve fault code. No clear correlation to driving conditions noted other than occurring while driving uphill on curvy road at 40 mph.

When: At 160,000 miles.

Symptoms owners cite: ABS service warning light illumination; Intermittent loss of motive power; Power loss lasts several seconds; Power regains without driver intervention

Repairs/costs cited: Unable to diagnose; no fault code retrieved by dealership mechanic.

Brake pedal is too small to place foot on properly, causing vehicle to slip forward and loss of braking authority. Pedal appears undersized compared to normal brake pedals. Brake pedal also travels to floor when vehicle is at stop.

When: Issues noted starting around 75 miles; ongoing at 50,000 miles.

Symptoms owners cite: Pedal too small for proper foot placement; Vehicle slips forward at stops; Brake pedal sinks to floor when stopped; Ineffective braking due to poor pedal geometry

Rear steel brake lines rust in areas with snow and salt exposure. Debris accumulates and causes lines to fail, resulting in complete brake loss.

When: Occurs in vehicles exposed to winter conditions with salt.

Symptoms owners cite: Rust on rear steel brake lines; Debris accumulation; Brake line failure; Complete loss of brakes

Vehicle experiences complete loss of brake control while driving. Owner discovered the shift cable was the source. Failure occurred in parking lot upon arrival at work; no collision resulted, but owner expresses extreme fear about potential highway failure.

When: Approximately 2016 in parking lot scenario.

Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of brake control; Loss of control while driving

Repairs/costs cited: Shift cable identified as cause; repair details not provided.

Vehicle slides on ice/snow while on curve and owner loses complete control. Event occurred twice this winter, with one incident resulting in vehicle sliding onto someone's lawn. Owner was driving slowly with foot off pedal when slide occurred on curve. Feels like ABS activated inappropriately.

When: Winter conditions with snow/ice present.

Symptoms owners cite: Uncontrolled slide on curves in snow/ice; Loss of complete control while turning; Inappropriate ABS activation (apparent)

Owner experiences unspecified brake problems and takes vehicle to dealer where all brake parts are replaced, yet the same problem reoccurs. No resolution provided.

When: Problems began in 2008.

Symptoms owners cite: Brake problems (unspecified); Problems persist after comprehensive brake service

Repairs/costs cited: All brake parts replaced by dealer; problem not resolved.

Brakes make noise both when coming to stop and when transitioning from stop to drive. Brakes are sometimes irresponsive and take longer to fully respond to brake input. Vehicle also accelerates on turns and when backing up. Multiple dealership visits before recalls; dealer unable to identify source of noise despite replacing parts.

When: Issues persisted through multiple service visits prior to recalls.

Symptoms owners cite: Brake noise at stop and transition; Delayed brake response; Acceleration on turns and during reverse; Unexplained noise source

Repairs/costs cited: Dealership replaced multiple parts; noise persisted.