Bubbling brakes

I have a 2005 Toyota Corolla. It’s in great shape, except that everytime I slowly press the brakes, I hear what I would describe as a gurgling/ bubbling sound coming from under the hood. It doesn’t happen when I quickly step on the brakes or come to a more sudden stop, only when I’m gently easing into a stop. I took it to the dealership and they just said that I might need new brake shoes, but couldn’t explain the gurgling sound (which I’m assuming is caused by some type of fluid). Any ideas?

If it is coming from under the hood, I’d guess the brake booster has sprung a leak. If your car even has brake shoes, they’d be on the rear wheels, not in the front. I can’t see this problem being caused by brake shoes from your description.

This is a safety issue and needs to be addressed. Nothing should be making a gurgling noise when you press on the brakes. This isn’t a good problem for using a dealership. Suggest you ask friends, relatives, neighbors, co-workers etc for a recommendation for an independent mechanic who specializes in Japanese or Import cars. The Corolla is probably the most popular car in America, so it should be easy to find a good shop. Best of luck.