674 of the
12,161 complaints filed about the Toyota RAV4
are about the braking system —
6% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2011.
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving through a trench at 5 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed to avoid scraping the bottom of the vehicle however, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and failed to stop. Additionally, the steering wheel failed to turn as needed, and the vehicle crashed into a picnic table and ran over the chairs. The vehicle came to a stop after crashing into a rock. The contact stated that the bumper and doors were damaged and had scratches from the crash. There was no injury sustained. A Police report was not filed. The dealer was contacted and performed an investigation and determined that the accelerator pedal was depressed during the crash and the vehicle was driving 25 MPH; however, the contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed during the crash. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
NHTSA complaint #11755323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While making a left turn in my 2026 Toyota RAV4, the vehicle's Automatic Emergency Braking / Pre-Collision System suddenly activated without cause. The system sounded an audible warning beep and forced the vehicle to brake and come to a hard stop mid-turn. There was nothing in front of me that should have triggered the system. This put my safety and the safety of other drivers at risk. The forced stop occurred suddenly and unexpectedly while turning, which nearly caused an accident, as vehicles behind me had no warning that I would suddenly brake mid-turn. There were no warning lamps or dashboard messages prior to the incident — the false activation occurred suddenly with no prior symptoms. I have dashcam footage of the incident attached below.
NHTSA complaint #11754058 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while pulling into a vertical spot and making a right turn, the vehicle suddenly accelerated, jumped the curb, the sidewalk, and continued driving down the sidewalk and crashed into a building. The brake pedal was depressed but was stuck. The vehicle failed to turn off, and the parking brake failed to engage. There were no warning lights illuminated. The air bags deployed as needed. A Police report was filed. The EMS workers were unable to depress the brake pedal. The undercarriage of the dashboard ripped the skin off both shins. The contact was transported to the trauma hospital, where medical attention was provided for four weeks to close the wounds. A skin graft was performed on both legs. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The black box data was retrieved, which showed the acceleration, but no information if the brake pedal was depressed. The approximate failure mileage was 25,000.
NHTSA complaint #11750253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle was traveling straight approximately 70–80 mph in very light drizzle. No warning lights or messages before the event. Vehicle suddenly entered an uncontrolled spin multiple times. During the spin, I heard a grinding noise. After stopping, brake/parking brake system warnings appeared on the dash, video after the event recorded.
NHTSA complaint #11748288 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The front brakes wear out too quickly. In the past 3 years, the front brakes and rotors have had to be replaced 5 times while the rear brakes only once. this is not normal. i have complained to the dealership but they have no answers.
NHTSA complaint #11745179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The brakes have been overly sensitive... but then, without warning, braking power is completely lost. This has happened on 2 separate occasions... the pedal goes all the way to the floor and provides ZERO braking power. We can no longer trust this car on the road. Toyota sent someone to inspect the vehicle and they claim that they have found no problems or issues and that they have not been able to reproduce the problem. There were no warning lamps or message; there were no prior symptoms, other than the brakes were overly sensitive. These symptoms occurred immediately after purchasing the car. Toyota refuses to purchased the car back from us, and now we are stuck with a very dangerous vehicle. Interestingly, I have found others talking about EXACTLY the same symptoms on other Toyota Rav4 vehicles.
NHTSA complaint #11742361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The inspection sticker mechanic inspected the car and found the rear brake hoses rubbing against the sway bar indicating that there should be a clip somewhere to prevent rubbing. See picture attached. See if a possible safety recall can be done on all Toyota RAV4 vehicles.
NHTSA complaint #11742160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My daughter reported an incident that occurred on XXX while driving this vehicle. As she drove, it slammed on the brakes (without any input from her) causing her to skid. The vehicle brought itself to a stop and the engine turned off. She reported that there were no vehicles or other object close to the front of her vehicle. The incident did not cause a crash or cause anyone to be injured. It was, however, a very scary situation that almost caused her to be rear-ended by the vehicles that were following her. The car was taken to Cobb County Toyota in Kennesaw, Georgia for an inspection the morning of May 28, 2026. As of this submission, the vehicle is still at the dealership service department for inspection.
NHTSA complaint #11740541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal became inoperable and nearly traveled to the floorboard while attempting to stop the vehicle. A “Pull Over” warning message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with diagnostic trouble code C1391. The contact was informed that the brake booster and master cylinder had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer, where the same diagnosis was confirmed. The contact was again informed that the brake booster and master cylinder had failed and required replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
NHTSA complaint #11735908 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On April 29, 2026 around 10:00 PM, my 2025 Toyota RAV4 experienced sudden brake failure. The pedal became hard and I lost stopping and steering power. At the same time, Check Engine, battery warning, steering warning, and ‘Not Ready to Drive’ all appeared simultaneously with no prior warning. I brought it to a Toyota dealer the next morning and they found no fault. The vehicle is available for inspection.
NHTSA complaint #11734963 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Braking while pulling into a parking space. Instead of slowing down the car accelerated and went over the curb. Maintained pressure on the break but it did not slow the car. Instead the car kept accelerating down an embankment, across an empty street and towards a telephone pole. Turning the steering wheel to the left to avoid the telephone pole the car further descended into a ditch. The car had to be towed and is now deemed to be totaled. The brake- pads had been inspected during a routine maintenance check the day before this accident occurred and they were good. No other vehicle was involved. My personal injury was an abrasion and bruise where my seat belt did it's job. My muscles are sore. The side airbags did deploy after the car stopped. The floor mats were locked in place.
NHTSA complaint #11734121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UPDATE TO PRIOR COMPLAINT — Filed April 2, 2026. VIN: [XXX] . 2014 Toyota RAV4 AWD XLE. Team Toyota Langhorne, 746 E Lincoln Hwy, Langhorne PA 19047. Vehicle remains out of service — 53 days as of April 10, 2026. SECOND REPLACEMENT VEHICLE — April 4-5, 2026: Dealership presented 2014 RAV4 VIN [XXX] as replacement. Upon visual inspection: valve cover leaking; blue silicone sealant on valve cover applied unevenly indicating prior engine disassembly or concealed active oil leak; catalytic converter flanges rotted top to rear requiring full replacement; oil on bottom of motor. Photographs available. Dealership declined to repair at estimated cost of $2,500 — April 6, 2026. DEALER RESOLUTION FAILED — April 7, 2026: Bill Sullivan, Pre-Owned Sales Director, offered buyback or trade. Both rejected as inadequate. No resolution provided. Two defective replacement vehicles presented — neither acceptable. Cases: [XXX] / [XXX] / [XXX] [XXX] — [XXX] — [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11730513 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2014 Toyota RAV4 AWD XLE purchased June 2025. Multiple pre-existing safety defects confirmed by dealership personnel were never disclosed at time of sale. POWER TRAIN: Torque converter failure — vibration documented at pre-sale inspection, never disclosed or diagnosed. Axle bracket corroded so severely it was fused to axle and required cutting off — confirmed by service advisor on recorded call. BRAKES: Aftermarket brake parts installed pre-sale without disclosure. Brake system rated RED by dealership within 9,734 miles of purchase. Severe brake pedal pulsation confirmed on multiple invoices. ODY/STRUCTURE: Severe underbody and structural corrosion — subframe, crossmembers, fuel tank surfaces — never disclosed. Swollen lug nuts documented. Prior welded exhaust repair undisclosed. Exhaust flange separation and catalytic converter failure — repair quote $4,745. SEAT BELT: Rock found lodged in seat belt buckle — safety restraint failure — not noted on pre-sale inspection. RECALL 23V734000 / 23TA13: Aftermarket battery used as recall remedy — OEM replacement required — non-compliant — fire risk not disclosed at sale. All defects confirmed by dealership invoices, MPI video, and recorded calls. Vehicle out of service since February 2026. Complete documentation available.
NHTSA complaint #11728692 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The 2023 Toyota RAV4 8-speed transmission is catastrophically defective and poses an immediate safety hazard. It exhibits severe hesitation, slipping, and lurching when accelerating from a stop or low speed, and when attempting to merge into high-speed traffic (I-15/Las Vegas), creating a high risk of rear-end collisions. During these events, the RPMs spike and fall rapidly but the vehicle fails to accelerate. Furthermore, the vehicle lunges forward while the brakes are applied. The engine actively fights the braking system, requiring extreme physical force to stop the car and prevent front-end collisions. This lunging has repeatedly triggered the Pre-Collision System, causing the seatbelts to lock and tension against the driver’s body. Additionally, the vehicle exhibits steering resistance and feedback during turns, making it difficult to maneuver safely. The local dealership (AutoNation Toyota Las Vegas) inspected the vehicle and claimed these life-threatening behaviors are "normal" for this model.
NHTSA complaint #11725439 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
We were on a funeral procession when suddenly the car accelerated at a very high speed and hit the end of guard rail head on. My wife on the passenger side and two people at the back were all taken to the emergency room. I got pinned on the steering column and taken out via the roof. I had severe abrasions on both legs, wife has 3 broken ribs,the 2 passengers suffered whiplash and complains of chest pains. Car was purchased 11/3/2025 and I took it for a recall fix about a month ago at Burien Toyota dealership where we bought it. Incident # 2026-55959 Seattle police. At present our car insurance is investigating and our claim # is 082 0356939 Allstate.
NHTSA complaint #11721892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On Friday February 27, 2026 as the vehicle was being driven it caught fire. Fire department and sheriffs office was called to the scene. Vehicle fire was put out but the whole front end burned.
NHTSA complaint #11721498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On 12/24/25 I was pulling into a parking space, took foot off accelerator to brake and vehicle suddenly accelerated and engine revved. I kept pushing the brake, but the vehicle kept lurching forward and slammed into car parked in front of me before finally stopping. My vehicle was going so hard forward that it pushed the car I hit 2 to 3 feet out of it's parking space and even punctured the radiator. It was not raining, the floor mat was not in the way, I did not have cruise control engaged. On 12/10/25 I took my car to Toyota dealership because I had a slow leak in one tire, which had to be replaced. At that time, the service department also updated parking assist software (could that be the problem?). In answer to above questions: * brakes and accelerator malfunctioned and it is available for inspection upon request. * no one was in the car I hit. I was not injured. * the problem has not been reproduced to my knowledge or confirmed. * the vehicle has been inspected by a third-party that Toyota engaged and also Erie Insurance. A police report is available. * there was no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure on 12/24/25.
NHTSA complaint #11719013 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
break in the rough road the brake is not working. The car is shaking before break. Looks like break is sleeping. always happen when you drive in the rough road if you need to break, the brake is not working properly. Something is off. It happens always when you drive in the rough road and you need to break
NHTSA complaint #11718969 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle rolled backwards in reverse while brake pedal was pressed all the way down. Claim was filed with Toyota. After two months, they have said it is a non-issue.
NHTSA complaint #11713914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.