2009 Toyota RAV4 Brakes Problems

My car was being seviced today for rear brakes and the Toyota dealer needed to unseal previous safety recall in order to perform the service. I'm being charged to undo the recall to perform the service and then to reapply the recall. I do not understand how this cost is not the responsibility of the manufacturer, Toyota. If there is a recall issued for an auto, shouldn't the recall correction allow for future auto maintenance where the recall doesn't need to undone and then reapplied?

My mother had the exact same issue reported in Toyota Manufacturer case 1707311582 and NHTSA report 11396355 from Feb 15, 2021. My mother had not reported to me, until it happened while I was driving her around Dec. 24, 2021, that her Rav. rev'd and accelerated when she applied the brake while leaving a parking spot. Here's what I've reported to my Toyota dealership where we bought the vehicle. Until last month (Nov. 21), the vehicle had an immaculate operation and maintenance record. To the repair shop "Twice in the past month, we've had brake failure, accelerator failure issues. The first time, my mother was pulling forward at less than 5 miles per hour in a parking lot. She pushed the brake pedal when pulling forward, but the car did not slow, the brakes did not engage, and instead, the RAV revved and accelerated forward. She crashed into the parked vehicle and incurred damages that already have been fixed by USAA at a service location in Richmond. The airbag did not deploy. Dec. 24, here in Churchland, I was driving with her. While coasting to a stop light at less than 10 miles per hour, I attempted to stop by pressing the brake. The car revved and accelerated to the light, I pressed both feet again, and the car continued to accelerate and I ended up running a red light and luckily we did not have an accident or cause the person behind us to rear end us. It was not until after my driving on Dec. 24 that my Mom told me she had an accident a month earlier and it was because she couldn't get the car to stop. She assumed it was her. The vehicle has almost 90k miles. Looking for recalls, because this is not normal for brakes to malfunction this way, I found a consumer article describing to my Mom's and my description to almost exact detail captured in Manufacturer case number provided above. That vehicle had approximately 77k miles. I will be contacting USAA to report the issue, this is clearly a safety issue."

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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