2009 Toyota Rav4 Brakes Problems

Your RAV4's brakes have failed twice in one month — when applying the brake pedal, the car revved and accelerated instead of slowing down. The first incident occurred in a parking lot at low speed and resulted in a collision with a parked vehicle; the second happened while coasting to a stop light when pressing the brake caused the car to accelerate through a red light. This suggests a problem with the brake system or accelerator control that may require diagnostic testing and replacement of brake or throttle components.

Your Toyota dealer performed rear brake service but needed to temporarily remove a previous safety recall modification to access the brakes. You were charged labor costs to remove and then reapply the recall, which you believe should be Toyota's responsibility since the recall was their issue in the first place. The concern is that the recall design makes future brake maintenance more expensive and complicated than it should be.

BRAKE PEDAL GOES VERY LOW TO THE FLOOR BEFORE ENGAGING. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM THAT I HAVE HEARD LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT FOR THIS MODEL. IN OTHER SIMILAR CASES TOYOTA HAS TOLD CUSTOMERS IS NORMAL. SINCE THIS HAS STARTED THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN BLED WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. ALSO (PROBABLY A SEPARATE PROBLEM) BOTH THE BACK BRAKE CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF LEAKING, FIRST THE RIGHT REAR AND LATER THE LEFT REAR. BRAKES WERE AGAIN BLED EACH TIME, LEAK WAS GONE BUT STILL A VERY LOW PEDAL.

BOTH REAR ROTORS CRACKED.65000 MILE

PARKING/EMERGENCY BRAKE BECAME INOPERATIVE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT BOTH BRAKE CABLES HAD CORRODED SUCH THAT THEY NO LONGER HAD FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AT THE CABLE END WHERE THEY ENTERED THE BACKING PLATES. WHEN I PURCHASED REPLACEMENT CABLES TOYOTA SERVICE TECHNICIAN COMMENTED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ON RAV 4, TACOMA, AND OTHER (DON'T REMEMBER) TOYOTA VEHICLES. WHEN I PURCHASED & EXAMINED REPLACEMENT CABLES DURING REPAIR IT WAS APPARENT THAT NEW CABLE DESIGN WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT IN EXACTLY THE PLACE WHERE OLD CABLES HAD FAILED. THIS WAS A SAFETY PROBLEM DURING TIME PERIOD WHEN BRAKES WERE INOPERATIVE AND CLEARLY A SIGNIFICANT DESIGN FLAW. IT WAS ~ $400 IN PARTS + MY LABOR TP REPLACE THE CABLES AS PART OF REPAIRING THE EMERGENCY/PARKING.

THE ALLOY WHEELS OF MY 2009 TOYOTA RAV4 ARE RUSTED AND BUBBLING. MY CAR HAS LESS THAN 10K MILES ON IT. I THINK THE RUSTING ON THE TIRES IS RUSTING THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. DESPITE HAVING LESS THAN 10K ON MY CAR, I'M TOLD THAT MY BRAKES AND ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED. I COULD NOT STOP BY 4 WHEEL DRIVE GOING LESS THAN 5 MPH ON AN INCLINE WITH LIGHT ICE WHEREAS OTHER CARS WERE ABLE TO STOP. THERE'S SOMETHING DEFECTIVE ABOUT TOYOTA'S MANUFACTURING OF THEIR WHEELS. LOTS OF PEOPLE ON VARIOUS FORUMS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THESE RUSTED WHEELS. I THINK ITS MAKING THE CARS LESS SAFE. PROBABLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT LED TO RECALLS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME LODGED TO THE FLOOR BOARD WHEN THE BRAKE WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 11/20/14*LJ UPDATED 8/17/2015 *JS

I HAVE HA THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THIS BRAKE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THIS IS NORMAL ,WHAT THE PROBLEM IS THE BRAKE PEDAL IS SOFT AND WHEN BRAKING YOU FOOT CAN HIT THE GAS PEDAL THIS ALSO THE PEDAL WILL GO DOWN WHEN YOU ARE HOLDING AT A STOP,ALSO ITS NOT LEAKING BRAKE FLUID AS THE CAR WAS SERVICE AT THE DEALER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STARTED THE KEY-LESS IGNITION WITH THE BRAKE ENGAGED AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ACCIDENTALLY APPLIED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RAPIDLY ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL LOCATION WAS DESIGNED EXTREMELY CLOSE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH RESULTED TO UNINTENDED APPLICATION. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000. UPDATED 11/29/11 *CN THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PEDALS WERE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. UPDATED 12/07/11

I WAS DRIVING UP MY DRIVEWAY, APPLIED THE BRAKES AND DID NOT STOP, BUT WAS FORCED FORWARD UNTIL I HIT MY HOUSE. I SEARCHED FOR THE BRAKES BUT COULD NOT FIND THEM, BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE STUCK TO THE FLOOR. THERE WAS NO BRAKE LIGHT ON. BEFORE THAT THE ODOMETER WAS JUMPING BETWEEN NUMBERS (20,17, 54, ECT.). I HAD MY CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TWICE AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. I HAD 5 BOYS IN MY HOUSE AND HIT MY SON'S BEDROOM, SOMEONE COULD OF BEEN INJURED. *TR

I HAVE A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 66,500 MILES ON MY VEHICLE; HOWEVER, WHEN I STOP, THE BRAKES MAKE A WHUSHING SOUND AS IF THEY ARE FULL OF AIR. AS WELL, THE TRANSMISSION/MUFFLER IS MAKING A WHIRRING NOISE AS WELL. I HAVE KEPT UP TO DATE WITH EACH ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE LAST TIME I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR MAINTENANCE, THE BRAKES WERE MAKING THIS NOISE AND NOTHING WAS FOUND. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATING THAT IN THE EVENT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD POSSIBLY ACCELERATE ABNORMALLY, THAT THE BRAKES SHOULD BE APPLIED WITH THE FORCE OF TWO FEET TO PREVENT INCIDENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT BECAUSE THE PEDAL WAS ENTIRELY TOO SMALL AND HE WAS UNABLE TO APPLY BOTH OF HIS FEET TO THE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE IF IT DID ACCELERATE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ALTER THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SUGGESTED THAT THE CONTACT COULD USE AN AFTERMARKET PEDAL TO INSTALL IN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE YET THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000.

2009 TOYOTA RAV 4. CONSUMER STATES THE BRAKES WARE OUT EVERY 7000 TO 9000 MILES *TGW THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE BRAKES WEARING OUT PREMATURELY WAS DUE TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A SECOND OPINION AND WAS INFORMED IT WAS DUE TO POOR DESIGN WORK. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH WHEN HE NOTICED THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP . THE DEALER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,500. UPDATED 06/22/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR NUMEROUS TIMES, BEFORE REACHING THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONSUMER IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE BRAKES TO GO THE FLOOR WHEN STOPPING. THE CONSUMER STATED EVENTUALLY, THE DEALERSHIP FIXED THE VEHICLE AND THERE HAS BEEN NO PROBLEMS SINCE. UPDATED 07/14/10.*JB

ON MY '09 TWO WHEEL DRIVE RAV4 I HAVE A RECURRING CYCLE OCCURRING APPROXIMATE EVERY 700 TO 1000 MILES. I HAVE TOO MUCH BRAKING. THE ABS SYSTEM FEELS AS IF IT GRADUALLY IS APPLIED TO A CERTAIN POINT. AT THAT POINT I HAVE THE WHEELS PULLED AND THE ABS INSPECTED ALONG WITH THE MANUAL EMERGENCY BRAKE. USUALLY, NOTHING IS FOUND. HOWEVER, WHEN THE WHEELS ARE REMOUNTED AND THE VEHICLE IS BACK ON THE GROUND, THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY. THE VEHICLE IS IN ALIGNMENT. WHILE THE PROBLEM EXISTS, ON COMING TRAFFIC PULLS AWAY FROM ME TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THEIR LANE. AND TRAFFIC GOING THE SAME DIRECTION AS I AM PULLS TO THE LEFT OF THEIR LANE. MY FAMILY HAS FOLLOWED ME AND TOLD ME THE VEHICLE TRACKS TO THE LEFT IN THE FRONT OR "DOGLEGS" DOWN THE ROAD. IT TAKES MORE GAS PEDAL TO MAINTAIN THE SAME SPEED WHEN THE CYCLE OCCURS. WHEN YOU LIFT YOUR FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL (WHICH I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM WITH) THE VEHICLE SLOWS QUICKLY. THERE IS A RUBBING IN THE WHEELS WHILE THE CYCLE IS OCCURRING. THE DELIVERING TOYOTA DEALER WILL NOT CHECK OUT THE VEHICLE; THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATING THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE YET THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WARRANTY REPAIRS HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED. I BELIEVE THEY HAVE GIVEN UP AS THE PROBLEM IS SIMPLY OVER THEIR HEADS. IF OTHER DRIVERS CONTINUE TO SEE THE VEHICLE IS NOT TRACKING STRAIGHT WHY CAN REPAIRS BE MADE BY TOYOTA? THE VEHICLE HAS APPX 12,6010 AND THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE 4661 MILES. I NOW TAKE THE VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT TIRE & BRAKE CENTER DURING EACH CYCLE AND PAY MYSELF SINCE THE DEALER IS NO LONGER INTERESTED IN THE REPAIRS AND HAS INDICATED NEITHER IS THE TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE. *TR

TO BEGIN, MY CAR HAS ALREADY HAD THE TOYOTA RECALL "FIX" AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN FINE. I WAS DRIVING MY TOYOTA RAV4 (2009) AND APPROACHING A FOUR WAY STOP. WHEN I WENT TO HIT THE BRAKES, THERE WAS A SLIGHT GRINDING NOISE. THE CAR SLOWED A BIT BUT DID NOT STOP AND KEPT ON MOVING THROUGH THE STOP SIGN. I ENDED UP GOING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION (LUCKILY NO ONE WAS COMING) AND COMING TO A STOP ALMOST 50 FEET PAST. MY HUSBAND DROVE THE CAR HOME AND WE LATER TOOK IT TO THE DEALER (NO OTHER INCIDENTS THEN). THE DEALER INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND ACCELERATION BUT COULD NOT FIND A CAUSE. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS BUT ENDED UP RETURNING IT TO US AND SAYING IT IS FINE, AS THEY COULD NOT FIND A SPECIFIC CAUSE TO THIS INCIDENT. I AM 8 MONTHS PREGNANT, AND CURRENTLY WILL NOT DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL I CAN BE REASSURED THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR

MY 2009 RAV4 HAS AN INEFFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS BRAKING SYSTEM. WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES, THE ENGINE, AT TIMES, RUNS AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL SPEED WHEN APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. OFTEN I FEEL THAT I MUST MOVE THE TRANSMISSION LEVER INTO NEUTRAL TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THE ENGINE REVS AT ABOUT 1500 OR 2000RPM WHEN SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. KEEPING THE SHIFT LEVER IN 'D' SOMETIMES CAN CAUSE EXCESSIVELY LONG STOPS. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS SPORADICALLY AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. THIS PROBLEM STARTED SOON AFTER, WITHIN A WEEK, OF DELIVERY OF THE RAV4. THE VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW WITH 8 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL ADJUSTMENT TO CORRECT THE IDLE SPEED. I HOPED THAT THE IDLE ISSUE WOULD RESOLVE ITSELF IN TIME. IT HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE FROM THE FREQUENCY PROSPECTIVE. I AM A REALTOR AND NEED TO TAKE MY CLIENTS TO SEE HOMES. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT ANYONE WHO MAY IN THE VICINITY OF THIS DANGEROUS VEHICLE AND HAVE STOPPED USING IT FOR MY REAL ESTATE ACTIVITIES. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THE ACCELERATOR "SHIM" REPAIR ON 2/26/10 WITHIN 15 MILES OF THE SERVICE "FIX" THE EXCESSIVE IDLE SPEED PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE. *TR

I BOUGHT A 2009 RAV 4 WITH 12 MILES ON IT. I TOOK IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP WITH 1500 MILES BECAUSE OF GRINDING IN ROTORS, THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS RUST ON IT. I ASKED FOR PAPERWORK STATING THIS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY DID NOT DO ANY. I THEN TOOK IT BACK WITH 3200 MILES ON IT AND THE SAME ANSWER TO RUST AND NO PAPERWORK AGAIN BECAUSE THEY GROUNDED IT OFF. IT NOW HAS 8000 MILES ON IT AND THE ROTORS ARE GRINDING SO BAD THAT METAL SHAVINGS ARE COMING OUT AND I AM AFRAID TO LET ME WIFE DRIVE IT. I CALLED PRESTON MOTORS THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT IT AT AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD PUT ME ON THE WAITING LIST BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY RECALLS THEY ARE HANDLING NOW. WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE A SEVERE WRECK TO GET THIS FIXED? *TR

NEW TOYOTA ELECTRONICS PROBLEMS MY RAV4 SOMETIMES DOES HAVE INTERMITTENT ACCELERATOR 'STICKING' PROBLEMS, EVEN THOUGH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAS FULLY RETURNED TO IDLE CONDITIONS. DURING THE WINTER I OFTEN WHERE SORELS. I THOUGHT THAT BECAUSE OF MY BOOTS I WAS HITTING BOTH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR. ONE TIME I EVEN HAD TO PUSH THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL TO MAKE A STOP, CURSING THE TOYOTA DESIGNER WHO PUT THE BRAKE PEDAL SO CLOSE TO THE ACCELERATOR (ANOTHER PEDAL DESIGN FLAW?). FROM THEN ON I WAS VERY CAREFUL TO KEEP MY FOOT ON JUST ONE PEDAL. HOWEVER, I STILL NOTICED PROBLEMS SOMETIMES, AND NOW THIS "PSEUDO RECALL" HAS SOLVED A DILEMMA I HAD. THE PROBLEM IS NOT WITH UNINTENDED ACCELERATION, IT IS WITH IMPAIRED DECELERATION. THE ENGINE IS FIGHTING AGAINST THE BRAKING SYSTEM BECAUSE THE ENGINE DOES NOT RETURN TO IDLE SOON ENOUGH. WITH THE OLD MANUAL ACCELERATOR LINKAGE SYSTEMS, YOU COULD FEEL WHEN YOU LET OFF THE GAS. NOW INSTEAD THE COMPUTER IS DECIDING HOW TO SLOW THE ENGINE. THIS IS WHERE THE PROBLEM LIES. WHAT "BONE HEADED" TOYOTA ENGINEER ALLOWED BOTH THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE TO WORK AT THE SAME TIME ON A "DRIVE BY WIRE" SYSTEM? THERE IS NO MECHANICAL LINKAGE TO UNDO, SO HITTING THE BRAKE SHOULD DEFEAT THE ACCELERATOR (I.E. QUICKLY RETURN THE ENGINE TO IDLE MODE). THAT IS ALL THAT WAS NEEDED TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS AT LEAST ONE PROBLEM WITH THE TOYOTA ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM. IT IS A TOYOTA 'MYTH' TO INSIST THERE IS(ARE) NO ELECTRONIC PROBLEM(S). WHAT OTHER MORE COMPLEX PROBLEMS ARE THERE IN THE ELECTRONICS, IF THIS BASIC PROBLEM WAS NOT ACCOUNTED FOR? *TR

ON 2 OCCASIONS I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES ON MY TOYOTA RAV4 GO AWAY. I PUT ON THE BRAKE AND THERE IS NOTHING THERE. IT GOES DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD. IF YOU REAPPLY THE BRAKES THEY COME BACK WITH THE PEDAL STRONGER THAN BEFORE. I WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY APPEAR TO KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT DISCOURAGED ME FROM PUTTING THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR. FIRST THEY LOST MY "APPOINTMENT" THEN THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO LEAVE THE CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS. NOW I WORRY WHENEVER I HAVE TO STOP. *TR

HI, MY FRIEND HAS A 2009 TOYOTA TUNDRA THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL DRIFTS TO THE FLOOR IN UNDER 3 MINUTES AND UNDER 1 MINUTE IN MOST INSTANCES. IN NOVEMBER OF 2009 I WAS REAR-ENDED BY A 2009 RAV4 IN PHILADELPHIA, PA THAT HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. THE OTHER DRIVER CLAIMED HE WAS BRAKING BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND HE HAD THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. THERE WAS NO SOUND OF SCREECHING TIRES BEFORE BEING REARENDED. *TR

1. PURCHASE OF 2009 TOYOTA RAV4 LIMITED EDITION 2. POOR RESPONSE IN BRAKING. REQUIRES ALMOST TWICE THE DISTANCE TO STOP. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE THAT YOU ALMOST INEVITABLY PANIC AS IF YOU WERE GOING TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. 3. RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO SAID BRAKES WERE WORKING PROPERLY. *TR

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKES AND THE POSITION OF THE BRAKE SWITCH IN RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PEDAL INTERFERED IN BRAKING WHENEVER HE STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. CONTACT STATED HE ALMOST HAD TWO ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKES. CONTACT CALL THE TOYOTA MANUFACTURE BECAUSE HE JUST PURCHASE THE VEHICLE IN SEPTEMBER 4, 2009 THEY INFORM HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER SO THEY CAN CHECK IF THERE WAS ANY ALTERING OF THE BRAKES OR ARE ALL ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. CONTACT STATED HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM OF THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 650....MW