When the noise happens, my reflex reaction was to take my foot off the brake. Not good. For me, the noise happened on roads with and w/o bumps. However, it hasn’t happened since August so it seems OK now. My car has about 3300 miles on it now. I’m still on the lookout though. This will be in the back of my mind for a while.
Any updates on this?
However the problem is not reproducible currently by dealer or poster to the dealer. Also it does not effect the usability of the vehicle which is typically criteria of lemon laws beyond attempts to fix.
It sounds like overactive ABS. My Subaru WRX does this if roads are bumpy enough and brakes applied hard. Yes braking power is diminished a bit.
I’m usually not applying the brakes hard but this sounds like a good possibility. Thanks!
None yet. The problem occurs even less frequently. When it does happen it cannot be reproduced even when going back down the same stretch of road.
This sounds to me like a possible ABS malfunction. Perhaps one of the wheel speed sensors or toner rings is defective.
Do as suggested already. Keep detailed records, including your copies of the shop orders, and keep pushing them to fix it.
I agree with andrew that this is likely to be an “overactive” ABS system.
On my car, an '02 Outback, there is one particular bump on one of our country roads, exactly where I have to brake for a turn to my road, and this one bump, coupled with braking at just the right time, will produce a momentary activation of the ABS.
It only happens on that one bump if I am braking, so it is not something that concerns me. On my car, it appears that this one specific situation is the “perfect storm” for inadvertant ABS activation. However, if it happened all of the time, as the OP alleges, then I would be concerned.
Thanks everyone! The ABS suggestion gives me something else to tell them to look for. I am keeping records. I appreciate all your ideas.
I finally have an answer to what is going on from the dealer. It is a sensitive ABS as with VDCdriver’s Outback. The mechanic said that when the car goes over a bump the ABS detects that one wheel is spinning faster so the system thinks that the other wheel has locked up and the ABS kicks in. He said that he has the same situation and noise from his Tacoma when it goes over rough roads. The last time I heard the noise was a few weeks ago when I had to slam on the brakes. Mystery solved!
My 2010 corolla has been doing the same thing since i bought the car, but as you said it is hard to explain to the dealership. i see that you finally found the problem, but is this sensitive ABS something you need to have fixed or is this a situation that you just have to deal with? thanks!
This is “normal” behavior for Toyota’s. I can now predict when its going to happen. You just have to deal with it.