2015 Toyota Rav4 Brakes Problems

This is regarding potential safety issue related to the brake system. Last week (10/1/23) I changed the rear brake pads for the first time since I got the car from the dealer. The pads are original ones installed at the Toyota plant/line. Shocked was that there was no sign of grease on right/passenger side caliper guide pins, and pins were rusted and seized on the caliper as a result. This explains why the pad thickness is still 4-5 mm. Braking was done mostly by the front bakes. If the front brakes failed, it's like driving the car without brakes. I and my family narrowly escaped collision because it needs extra distance to make complete stop compared to other normal cars. I checked the front brake pads also just for safety reasons. The pins glide freely in the caliper, but not like normal guide pin behavior. This is the manufacturer's fault and could put me and my family in danger of collision.

Road conditions were perfect - sunny, dry, nice weather. I was pulling into a parking spot and when I applied the brakes, they FROZE. I.e. the brake pedal DID NOT GO DOWN. (The mats were not an issue). Then the car suddenly accelerated and went over an embankment. I was able to stop the vehicle using the emergency brake.

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH and attempting to depress the brake pedal, the brake pedal went to the floor. The contact stated that he had to top off the brake fluid constantly. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was illuminated. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V198000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Electronic Stability Control) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.

2015 RAV4 WITH LESS THAN 8,000 MILES. ON I-5 FREEWAY AT ABOUT 70MPH TRAFFIC SLOWED, I APPLIED BRAKES AND A RAPID THUMPING SOUND CAME ON FOLLOWED BY A SHAKING THAT SEEMED TO BE FROM FRONT LEFT OF CAR. WAS ON A THOUSAND MILE FAMILY EMERGENCY TRIP. WHENEVER I APPLIED BRAKES AT FREEWAY SPEED THE SAME THING HAPPENED. MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BY PHONE SAID IT MIGHT BE WARPED DISC.

BRAKES STARTED SQUEAKING. SERVICE PERSON INSPECTED AND SAID PADS AND ROTORS ARE FINE; UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE. I RESEARCHED INTERNET AND FOUND THERE ARE MANY OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. NHSTA NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED FROM FAILING BRAKES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL SEIZED WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED AND THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND ON FOR IT TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KINGS TOYOTA (4700 FIELDS ERTEL RD, CINCINNATI, OH 45249, (513) 683-5440) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT NO FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE DEALER UPDATED THE ECM, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE WOULD NEED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR A SECOND DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 61,372.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA RAV4. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TWO INCHES ABOVE THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JIM COLEMAN TOYOTA (10400 AUTO PARK AVE, BETHESDA, MD 20817), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKES TO STOP CAR ON HIGHWAY PETAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR TOW CAR TO DEALERSHIP .CHECKED OK TO DEALERSHIP" THEY SAID"

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, THE BRAKES STARTED TO GRIND AROUND 27,500 MILES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANT. THE SERVICE AGENT TOLD ME THAT THE 2015 RAV4 HAD A DESIGN ISSUE WHERE THE BRAKES START TO GO BAD AROUND MY CURRENT MILLAGE OF ABOUT 27,900. HE ALSO SAID THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, NOR IS THERE A RECALL. HE TOLD ME THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THE BRAKES AT THE NEXT SERVICE. HE ALSO SAID THAT BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN ISSUE, HE IS OFFERING A DISCOUNT AT $290.00. IT SEAMS TO ME THAT A DESIGN ISSUE THAT CAUSES YOUR BRAKES TO GO BAD AROUND 28,000 MILES SHOULD NOT ONLY BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT ALSO HAVE A RECALL ISSUED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO WORK WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (TOYOTA OF MANHATTAN; 645 11TH AVE, NEW YORK, NY 10036; (866) 386-5003) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL OTHER TIMES AFTER THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER APPROXIMATELY THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500. ..UPDATED 07/24/17 *BF UPDATED 12/1/2017*JS

THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS TOTALLY LOCKED (CAN'T PRESS DOWN AT ALL) WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AT 9:45AM ON 5/6/2017. I CAN'T SLOWDOWN MY CAR. I SWITCHED THE SHIFT FROM DRIVING TO PARKING, TURNED OFF THE CAR, THEN THE CAR STOPPED.

INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE. TWO INSTANCES OF BRAKES FAILING TO ENGAGE WHEN PRESSURE APPLIED. FIRST INSTANCE CAUSED CAR TO CRASH INTO CONCRETE MEDIAN; NO DAMAGE TO VEHICLE OR STRUCTURE AND INCIDENT NOT REPORTED. SECOND BRAKE FAILURE APRIL 14, 2016 AS CAR WAS DESCENDING PARKING LOT DRIVEWAY (DOWNHILL SLOPE) AND DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES. BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE. AS DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE THE CAR CAREENED OVER A COMMENT CURB, THROUGH A CHAIN LINK FENCE AND INTO A GAS MAIN AND APARTMENT BUILDING WALL. DRIVER SUSTAINED SOME INJURY TO NECK AND BACK DUE TO FORCE OF IMPACT. AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CAR WAS TOWED OUT OF ACCIDENT BACK ON TO THE ACCESS ROAD. POLICE OFFICERS IN TAKOMA PARK, MD THEN TESTED CAR. ACCIDENT REPORT DESCRIBES "IMPACT AND DAMAGE" AS "DISABLING", HOWEVER OWNER WAS TOLD TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME. DRIVER IS NOT FLUENT IN ENGLISH AND DUE TO TRANSLATION ERRORS THE POLICE REPORT DOES NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF ACCIDENT. CAR IS NOW AT DARCARS TOYOTA IN ROCKVILLE WITH AT LEAST $12,000 IN REPAIRS PENDING. OWNER HAS AUTO INSURANCE AND CAR WILL BE REPAIRED OR TOTALED OUT. HOWEVER, OWNER IS (UNDERSTANDABLY) TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THE RAV4 AGAIN FOR FEAR THAT THE BRAKES WILL FAIL A THIRD TIME - WITH POSSIBLLY CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES TO DRIVER AND OTHERS. OWNER SPEAKS LIMITED ENGLISH AND IS A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY. I AM CONCERNED FOR NOT ONLY HER SAFELY, BUT THE SAFELY OF OTHERS EITHER FROM AN ACCIDENT THAT COULD BE CAUSED BY THIS CAR OR A SERIOUS MALFUNCTION THAT AFFECTS A GREATER NUMBER OF RAV4'S ON THE ROAD. I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE VERY SERIOUSLY INVESTIGATED BEFORE PLACING THE CAR ON THE ROAD AGAIN.

BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND WHILE DRIVING AND AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND FLICKERED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. THE BRAKES, PADS, AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, BOTH FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED AND THE ENGINE REVVED. THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,010.

I USED TO HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS RAV 4 LIMITED. SOMETIMES WHEN I PARK, I FORGET TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK (I NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN WITH MY HIGHLANDER) AND THEN TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. MY HIGHLANDER DID NOT DO THIS. TODAY MY CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS. I FELL DOWN AND MY ELBOW AND ARM IS REALLY SCRAPPED UP AS I WAS TRYING TO STOP THE CAR WITH MY BODY AND THEN I WAS ALMOST RUN OVER AS I FELL ON THE GROUND. I COULD HAVE HIT A CHILD OR RUN OVER A CHILD. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SOME TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH MY CAR OR IF THERE IS A SETTING I COULD USE TO PREVENT THIS. I DON'T WANT TO BE RUN OVER BY MY CAR OR HAVE ANYONE RUN OVER.