You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, at no cost, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!
I notice that when I am braking gently, the brakes suddenly grab just before the car stops and it stops with a jolt. I think this is more noticeable becaause I attempt to brake slowly, but it's becoming annoying. Does anyone else experience this?
I notice that when I am braking gently, the brakes suddenly grab just before the car stops and it stops with a jolt. I think this is more noticeable becaause I attempt to brake slowly, but it's becoming annoying. Does anyone else experience this?
Happens to me all the time, i would love to get it fixed, if indeed there is a fix for it.
You may not be using your brakes enough. The TCH really does a great job of using regen to slow the car. Try doing a few stops from 30 or 40mph with the car in neutral. Regen is disabled in neutral, and the brakes alone will slow the TCH. Further stops in drive should be smooth now.
That should dry out your brakes and remove any surface rust/moisture that can cause grabby brakes. Unless you brake hard, the regen does almost all the "braking" until the TCH slows under ~7mph, at that point the disk brakes take over to finish stopping the car. My opinion is surface rust and/or moisture causes the brakes to grab slightly the first few stops as the TCH slows under 7mph.
Also, just be mindful of when the brakes might have gotten damp (car sat in rain, etc.). Sometimes they are grabby until they they've been used a couple of times that day. In a normal car that happens right away usually at higher speeds where it's a lot harder to feel the extra friction (grabbiness?) so by the time the car slows down everything is back to normal. However with TCH regen braking it might not happen until the normal brake pads get applied at the last minute when the car has already slowed and you feel the grab at lot more. I've notice this once in a while on the odd morning and goes away after the first one or two "grabby" stops. I guess it's a price to pay for what should be super-long brake life.
Two climate control systems, one inside and the other at the tailpipe.
2007 Camry Hybrid (in service June 2006)
2004 Sienna (in service May 2003)
grabbing brakes
Two climate control systems, one inside and the other at the tailpipe. 
