[cb91710]

The braking issue could be normal on a hybrid, and you may not be familiar with it, as the brakes transition from regenerative to the physical calipers.
Also check that your "brake hold" is off, as that can be disconcerting when they release.
But if you are concerned, make use of your warranty and run it to the dealer... brakes are not something to eff around with.
The red ABS light being on when you are stopped is not normal. Report that to the dealer. That light should only come on momentarily during startup self-check.

On the smell, it's winter and I assume your heater and defroster are running. New vehicles offgas all kinds of "things" that are a part of "that new car smell", and they can smell a bit odd under heat.

 

[jewjewbee]

Thanks so much for your help, Rich. I am assuming/hoping it is normal, it's just quite odd, as I have never heard a sound like this before. I drove a 2008 Ford Edge for six years, so it's an extremely different drive that has admittedly been a bit challenging to get comfortable with, especially the braking. I find it a lot harder to brake with the Venza. Also, to clarify, the ABS light isn't on when driving (at least not that I'm aware of, lol--I've only had the car for a week!). Perhaps I phrased that wrong: I was talking about the parking brake (see attached photo). Note, this red light turns OFF when I put the car into drive.

 

[cb91710]

Ahh... That is normal.
The Venza (and most other new Toyota models) has an electric parking brake that automatically engages when you are in "P"
You can hear the motor wind the pads in and out.

 

[jewjewbee]

So that shouldn't have anything to do with the clunking noise when releasing my foot off the brake, correct?

 

[cb91710]

No, that's just the parking brake.
It's not the brake pedal bouncing off of the upper stop, is it? My wife asked "what's that noise?" a couple of times in my Avalon. Both the gas and brake make a "clunk" if released quickly.

 

[jewjewbee]

No, that's just the parking brake.
It's not the brake pedal bouncing off of the upper stop, is it? My wife asked "what's that noise?" a couple of times in my Avalon. Both the gas and brake make a "clunk" if released quickly.

That's a good question... I'm not sure. I'm attaching some YouTube videos so you can hear what I'm talking about. Hopefully these upload. Lol. In these videos, I'm completely stopped, and that noise comes right when I lift my foot off the brake.

 

[My_Venza]

Search under braking and you will find detailed responses to this issue. The clunking sound is a normal part of the anti-lock brake system under certain road surface conditions.

 

[jewjewbee]

Search under braking and you will find detailed responses to this issue. The clunking sound is a normal part of the anti-lock brake system under certain road surface conditions.

Well, yes I would assume that, however, this is happening on normal road surface conditions.

 

[Harrier2021]

The one strange thing I've noticed with braking is that when coasting down a steeper hill I can feel the regenerative braking (and see on the dash the battery being recharged), but sometimes when I go to apply the brake it feels like the car actually speeds up. It's almost like the regenerative braking shuts off and before the calipers can start to grab the car picks up some speed. The first couple of times it happened it kind of freaked me out. Anyone else experience this?

 

[jewjewbee]

The one strange thing I've noticed with braking is that when coasting down a steeper hill I can feel the regenerative braking (and see on the dash the battery being recharged), but sometimes when I go to apply the brake it feels like the car actually speeds up. It's almost like the regenerative braking shuts off and before the calipers can start to grab the car picks up some speed. The first couple of times it happened it kind of freaked me out. Anyone else experience this?

Hmm... that's odd. I haven't experienced that (mostly because I haven't done any downhill driving yet), but I have noticed when I slow down and come to (what feels like) a complete stop, even when the speedometer reads '0' the car still moves and I have to apply more pressure on the break. Hybrids are challenging 😫😆

 

[tripod1404]

The one strange thing I've noticed with braking is that when coasting down a steeper hill I can feel the regenerative braking (and see on the dash the battery being recharged), but sometimes when I go to apply the brake it feels like the car actually speeds up. It's almost like the regenerative braking shuts off and before the calipers can start to grab the car picks up some speed. The first couple of times it happened it kind of freaked me out. Anyone else experience this?

Regenerative breaking should not cutoff when friction breakers active. Friction brake should normally work on top of the regenerative breaks. Only time regen. breaks shutoff is when traction control activates. If the steep downhill also has pot holes or speed bumps, what you described can occur since the bar bouncing triggers traction control.

 

[Harrier2021]

Thanks, that could be it. It was a little bumpy and potholed downhill. Definitely takes a little adjusting to and being a little more proactive and aggressive with braking than what I'm otherwise used to.

 

[cb91710]

Regenerative breaking should not cutoff when friction breakers active. Friction brake should normally work on top of the regenerative breaks. Only time regen. breaks shutoff is when traction control activates. If the steep downhill also has pot holes or speed bumps, what you described can occur since the bar bouncing triggers traction control.

I've noticed that my Avalon can get a little "jumpy" in stopped traffic on a steep downhill.
I've never felt uncomfortable or concern that it's going to "let go"... it's just a transition that doesn't seem to allow the brakes to be smoothly feathered to and from a stop.
It's not all the time, but often enough that I notice it.
It's the kind of thing that someone who doesn't generally feather their stop would not likely notice.

But there have been other posters comment about an unexpected increase in speed under similar conditions.

 

[gpsman]

The one strange thing I've noticed with braking is that when coasting down a steeper hill I can feel the regenerative braking (and see on the dash the battery being recharged), but sometimes when I go to apply the brake it feels like the car actually speeds up. It's almost like the regenerative braking shuts off and before the calipers can start to grab the car picks up some speed. The first couple of times it happened it kind of freaked me out. Anyone else experience this?

Not normal. But were you in exceptionally cold weather? Only time I have experienced this was in my 2005 hybrid. In very cold (battery too cold to charge) or very hot (battery too hot to charge) or battery very VERY full (battery too full to charge) I have felt the regen cut out suddenly. I only felt this in my 2005. Never in my 2021 Venza or 2019 Hybrid Rav4. I figured the software is better by now. But I've never had the Venza in extreme weather.