Car violently shimmies when braking on an incline at 60-70mph.
2016 Toyota Camry brakes problems
severe 10 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $450 · see brakes across all vehicles →
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
3crashes
4injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 10 brakes complaints filed for the 2016 Toyota Camry, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA brakes complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: Multiple 2016 Camry owners report brake system failures at low mileage, including pedal loss of pressure, unintended acceleration with failed brakes, and ABS actuator defects—some resulting in crashes. Dealers have been slow to diagnose or repair, and warranty coverage disputes are common.
Ten complaints describe brake failures on 2016 Camrys, with the most serious involving complete brake loss and unintended acceleration. Several owners experienced brake pedal going all the way to the floor with no stopping power, sometimes after warning lights for over a year. One owner's pedal crept to the floor on steady pressure at traffic lights; another's brakes failed entirely in stop-and-go traffic, resulting in a rear-end collision and airbag deployment. Two owners report sudden acceleration with foot on brake—one at a traffic light that jumped a curb, another on a highway that hit a pole at 80 mph with fractured sternum injury.
An ABS actuator failure caused grinding at every brake application starting around 29k miles on a one-year-old car; the dealer initially dismissed it as normal before corporate authorization for replacement came only after complaint escalation.
Dealers have struggled to reproduce or diagnose the brake issues. One Toyota consultant blamed the driver for using two feet. Another dealer verified the pedal problem but said a rep would have to confirm; the rep stated the car was "in perfect shape" and refused repair despite the owner's manual listing the exact issue as needing immediate attention.
Separate complaints describe uneven rear brake pad wear and violent shuddering when braking on inclines. Mileage at failure varies from 10 miles to 29k miles.
Same Toyota Camry brakes reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2015 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
ABS Actuator Failure
ABS actuator required replacement at low mileage, causing grinding noise during braking. Complaint #1 describes grinding at every brake application starting at 29k miles on a one-year-old vehicle still under warranty.
When: 29k miles, 1 year old (August 2018)
Symptoms owners cite: grinding noise every time brake pedal depressed
Repairs/costs cited: ABS actuator replacement performed by dealer
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer initially dismissed as normal; corporate eventually authorized repair but limited warranty to remaining 6k miles on original warranty term
Brake Pedal Loss of Pressure / Goes to Floor
Brake pedal sinks to the floor or becomes unresponsive, with check-brake warning lights illuminating. Multiple complaints report the pedal going all the way down without stopping the vehicle, sometimes requiring repeated pump-braking to restore pressure temporarily.
When: Various: ~1 year of ownership (complaint #2, November 2016); 3 months (complaint #5, June 2016); 6,700 miles (complaint #6)
Symptoms owners cite: brake pedal goes to floor; check brake warning lights illuminate; vehicle fails to decelerate on brake application; pedal creeps to floor on steady pressure; loss of braking response
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership diagnostics inconclusive; Toyota rep stated 'car is in perfect shape' despite verified problem; no repairs completed per complaints #2 and #5
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer and Toyota refused to repair per complaint #5; Toyota consultant blamed driver error (two-foot driving) in complaint #2; complaint #3 involved corporate possession and 31-day investigation
Unintended Acceleration with Brake Failure
Vehicle accelerates suddenly while brake pedal depressed or foot on brake, with brakes failing to respond. Includes stuck accelerator pedal and sudden forward motion in stationary traffic.
When: 6,700 miles (complaint #6); parking lot incidents (complaints #3, #7); low mileage early ownership (complaint #8 at 10 miles)
Symptoms owners cite: accelerator stuck in depressed position; sudden acceleration to 80 mph; brake pedal failed to respond; vehicle accelerates with foot on brake; loud thump noise then sudden acceleration; vehicle cannot be stopped
Repairs/costs cited: Complaint #6: vehicle crashed into pole, airbags deployed, vehicle totaled; complaint #7: vehicle hit 2 cars before stopping; complaint #3: vehicle jumped center divider, hit curb
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Complaint #3: corporate took possession, issued report 31 days after incident; complaints #6 and #7: manufacturer not notified per narratives
Uneven Rear Brake Pad Wear
Passenger-side rear brake pad wore unevenly, with outer pad only showing significant wear. Discovered during owner's manual inspection with grinding noise present.
When: Timing unknown; discovered during routine inspection
Symptoms owners cite: grinding noise; uneven brake pad wear (outer pad only on passenger rear)
Repairs/costs cited: No repair mentioned; identified as potential safety issue by owner
Brake Shudder / Shimmy on Incline Braking
Vehicle shimmies or shudders violently when braking on an incline at highway speed.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: violent shimmying when braking on incline at 60-70 mph
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
I was in bumper to bumper traffic on the beltway going between 5 -10 miles per hour on a dry road. When I applied the brakes multiple times, the car would not stop and it continued forward until I rear ended the other car. When I applied the brakes, I noticed the brake pedal began to pump. Not sure if this was the ABS in action but the car would not stop until it rear ended the other car.…
Had brakes trouble with your 2016 Toyota Camry?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the brakes problem on the 2016 Toyota Camry?
It's a meaningful issue. 10 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $450.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Based on the 10 complaints filed, brakes issues most often appear around 20,535 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/Toyota/Camry.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.