2005 Avensis Brake Failure

[g60luke]

Hi,

Father in law has a 2005 1.8 Petrol Avensis.
Has owned the car 4 years and 60k miles and never really had any issues.

He was driving it the other day, and the brakes totally failed to work. Pedal went to floor and did nothing... Luckily swerved into free road and stopped on gears/handbrake. Got out to apologise to pedestrian who thought he was driving like an idiot! But when he got back in the car and restarted the brakes were fine.
Is now in Toyota and they say there is nothing wrong with them!?

Road conditions were perfect etc...
Car has been fastidiously maintained/cared for etc..

2 questions:
1. Has anyone heard/experienced this?
2. What to do next?

[g60luke]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Yeah nice one, thanks for that!
Can someone genuinely answer please, it really shook him and his wife up

[NorthDownsScooby]

Just guessing here....if the brake fluid had heated up for whatever reason this could cause this, but returning to normal so quickly would be confusing.

[NorthDownsScooby]

ps he should also be checking his oil levels VERY regularly as the 1.8 petrol of that age has a known-to-Toyota issue with the "5th injector"...leading to oil disappearing every 500 miles with no smoke. Toyota replaced the short-block engine on mine last year FREE, even though it was 3 years OUT of warranty. It had been serviced regualrly at a main dealer though.