soft brakes on '03 Camry SE

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soft brakes on '03 Camry SE

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Camry >> Your Ride >> Suspension, Brakes, Tires & Wheels >> soft brakes on '03 Camry SE

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soft brakes on '03 Camry SE - 2/12/2008 2:03:19 PM

hawkaye

Posts: 9
Joined: 2/12/2008
Status: offline

My '03 Camry is a sweet handling car for a family sedan. However, the brake feel is very soft and not at all in keeping with the sporty feel of the SE. From what I understand, the soft brakes on this generation Camry is quite common. I have a hard time believing that someone hasn't been able to fix the problem. Does anyone know if there is there some kind of Toyota service bulletin which might correct this problem? I haven't had the car at a Toyota service center and would like to correct the problem myself, if possible. This car has ABS and the brakes work extremely well once you get them applied, but there is way too much brake pedal movement required to get the brakes applied, especially when making high-energy stops.

Post #: 1

RE: soft brakes on '03 Camry SE - 3/2/2008 10:57:58 PM

toyoboy

Posts: 315
Joined: 3/11/2007
Status: offline

make sure the rear brakes are adjusted properly...if you have rear drums.

(in reply to hawkaye)

Post #: 2

RE: soft brakes on ''''03 Camry SE - 8/29/2008 5:01:15 PM

chief7144

Posts: 2
Joined: 8/29/2008
Status: offline

I wish I had an answer for you. I''''m having the same problem with my wife''''s car. The pedal would eventually go to the floor applying moderate pressure and holding it for about 5 seconds. We took it to the dealer, thinking it needed a master cylinder. They said it needed flushing and bleeding and adjust the rear drum brakes. (Why in God''''s name does a Camry even have drum brakes in the first place?!?)

Anyway, we went to pick it up and the pedal was still going to the floor. Next, they didn''t charge for the flushing or adjusting and put a master cylinder in. The pedal still went to the floor. Then they said it was a defective master cylinder (funny, they said they tested it the previous day) and put another one in. The pedal still went to the floor.

They bled the brakes again today. The pedal still goes almost to the floor but it''s not as bad and the car does stop fine. They told me it''s normal for that car. There was a 2002 on the used car lot and that one did the same thing our 2003 does. I don''''t care what anyone says. This is not "normal." The car didn''t do that for the first 73,000 miles.

< Message edited by chief7144 -- 8/29/2008 5:03:47 PM >

(in reply to hawkaye)

Post #: 3

RE: soft brakes on ''''''''03 Camry SE - 8/30/2008 11:41:51 AM

93camryxle

Posts: 87
Joined: 8/21/2008
Status: offline

I have an 1993 xle and it has discs in the rear (same vintage). If you can find a donor car it is possibe to put disc in a car that originally had drums. Search this forum because I think I have seen this discussed eleswere. Or, ask toyomoho he knows a lot about this sort of thing.

My buddy bought a Prius in 07 and I was disappointed to see that it had drums in the rear. They are still putting them on new cars!!

(in reply to chief7144)

Post #: 4

RE: soft brakes on ''''''''''''''''03 Camry SE - 9/19/2008 11:57:10 AM

PyrMan3

Posts: 27
Joined: 9/17/2007
Status: offline

To 93 xle, you should have rotors, i have rotors on mine, unless yours an i 4, but really drums are better, they have more friction area and stop better,
to hawkaye, you have air in the system, do a positive flush, nd check for leaks, esp. in the brake booseter, i do the same with my clutch pedal, it works the same, i have an stage 3 clutch, and i bleed a little of ai in the lines to soften up the cutch ,

(in reply to 93camryxle)

Post #: 5