Grabby brakes?

[RavTesla]

I find that the RAV4 EV's brakes are extremely sensitive under a few specific scenarios:

1. If I slam on the brakes hard.
2. If I brake (medium to hard) while driving over a bumpy/uneven surface, like railroad tracks.

To me, it feels like the RAV is flipping from regen to braking, with the brakes being way more aggressive than the regen. Or, perhaps more likely, it is when the antilock brakes determine slight wheel slip, and the brakes kick in way more aggressively.

This has surprised me a few times over the past 5 months. I have never experienced this with any other vehicle. I think it's repeatable every time. I don't feel unsafe (the vehicle seems to stop quickly enough), but I was wondering if anyone else had experienced a similar phenomenon?

 

[Kohler Controller]

This happens in the standard Prius as well. When the traction control system engages (tire slips or bumpy conditions), the regen cuts out. In the Prius, it almost feels like you are accelerating (because of lack of deceleration from the regen) and you have to press harder for more friction brake pedal. Quite scary first couple of times.

 

[rickrides]

Twice my brakes have over reacted when applied quickly. This startled my passenger and could cause a rearender from a following car. I've never had this with any other car.

 

[yblaser]

Twice my brakes have over reacted when applied quickly. This startled my passenger and could cause a rearender from a following car. I've never had this with any other car.

This is part of Toyota's brake assist. If the car interprets your quick braking as emergency braking, it will apply more force to the brakes to help you stop more quickly.

 

[miimura]

This is part of Toyota's brake assist. If the car interprets your quick braking as emergency braking, it will apply more force to the brakes to help you stop more quickly.

I wish my 2001 Passat Wagon had this. I've had to push with both feet during emergency braking to get enough force to activate the ABS. During normal pedal application speed, the brake booster does its job normally. It is human nature for people to not apply enough brake force during emergency stops, so Brake Assist is a very good feature. When you let up on the brake pedal, it will go back to normal. As to causing a rear-ender, that's not my concern. If the person behind me can't avoid hitting me in any circumstance, they were following too close or not paying attention.