There are 33 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2016 Toyota RAV4in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The braking system malfunctioned during Winter and snowy road conditions. Several instances happened during the month of December 2023 and 2024. Latest were December 10 and 13, 2024. The brake pad was soft when depressed that the car accelerated instead of stopping.
The contact owned a 2016 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle in front of the contact's vehicle was rear-ended. The Police and ambulance arrived on the scene. A Police report was filed. No injuries were sustained, however, the contact was later informed that a passenger who was riding in the vehicle that was rear-ended later received medical attention. The contact's vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The contact's vehicle was condemned as a total loss. The contact stated that no damage to the other vehicle had been reported. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced at the dealer for full maintenance six weeks before the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undetermined speed, she noticed traffic had slowed down and the driver applied the brake pedal but the brakes failed to respond and crashed into the rear of an unknown vehicle. The TPMS warning indicator light was illuminated. The contact sustained injuries to her neck, but medical attention was not provided. A police report was filed. There was no fire due to the crash. All the frontal air bags deployed. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated the failure was similar to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V198000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Electronic Stability Control). The approximate failure mileage was 89,500.
I was traveling at a speed of 40 mph on a wet road. As I approached an intersection with stop sign I applied brakes about 100 feet before the stop sign. The ABS engaged shortly after I applied the brakes. I continued to keep foot on brake but was continuing to get closer to the intersection and the ABS was not disengaging. I attempted once to let off the ABS and apply the brakes but the ABS was still on disengaging. At this point I was entering the intersection and turned my wheel toward the left at an embankment and pulled up on my emergency parking brake to stop the vehicle. The incident did not result in a collision, as it was a 3 way stop and the other vehicles at the intersection was able to avoid hitting me. I called Rohrich Toyota immediately to see if there was a recall in the brakes or a known problem. I was told there wasn't any known problem. I tested out the brakes at slow speed and the problem didn't repeat itself under slow conditions so I drove home. I believe there is a problem with the ABS not disengaging.
SOMETIMES MY BRAKES WORK NORMALLY. OTHER TIMES, THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL BE HARD TO PUSH, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL NOT COME BACK UP WHEN I RELEASE IT. IF I DON'T PULL THE PEDAL BACK UP WITH MY FOOT, BRAKES WILL CONTINUE TO BE APPLIED EVEN WHEN I'M ACCELERATING. I CAN'T TELL WHY THEY WORK SOMETIMES AND NOT OTHERS. I COULD SPEND 4 HOURS DRIVING AROUND WITH STICKY BRAKES, AND THEN SUDDENLY, THEY'RE FINE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS DRIVING 65 MPH AND APPROACHING AN EXIT OFF THE FREEWAY RAMP, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH FAILED TO ENGAGE PROPERLY AS THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACTS HUSBAND PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT FAILED TO RESPOND CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CROSSOVER A 4 LANE HIGHWAY, ONTO A UPHILL ONRAMP WHERE IT CAME TO A STOP AFTER CRASHING INTO A CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE, AND THE RIM WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER (BALISE TOYOTA 1399 RIVERDALE ST, WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA 01089 (413) 306-3037) HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR SEEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT A TECHNICIAN WOULD GO OUT TO THE DEALER AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE RECORDERS WHICH DETERMINED NO FAULTY CODES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,132.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE DRIVER DROVE AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE IN FRONT MADE A SUDDEN STOP AND WHEN THE DRIVER ENGAGED THE BRAKE PEDAL IT WENT TO THE FLOOR BOARD AND CAUSED THE DRIVER TO CRASH INTO THE TRUCK'S REAR END. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, THE DEALER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO WANTED TO ADVISE THAT THE BRAKE PADS WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED BY AN UNKNOWN DEALER BECAUSE THE CONTACT HAD NOTICED THAT TOOK A LONGER TIME FOR THE BRAKE TO ENGAGE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN OVER 60 MPH. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE VEHICLE DROVE INTO A BRICK PILLAR. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. POLICE WERE CALLED AND A REPORT WAS FILED; NO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE WAS GIVEN AT THE SCENE. THE CONTACT'S WIFE SUFFERED BRUISING ACROSS HER CHEST DUE TO THE SEAT BELT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE TO THE CONTACT'S HOME AND WAS REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT AUTO BODY SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE MATTER AND WAS INFORMED THAT AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION WOULD BE LAUNCHED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,623.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND TAPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT-END VIBRATED ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE KOONS FORD OF BALTIMORE DEALER LOCATED AT 6970 SECURITY BLVD, WOODLAWN, MD 21244, WHERE THE BRAKE PADS AND BRAKE ROTORS WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE VIBRATED MUCH HARDER AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER WHO THEN REPLACED A PIECE OF RUBBER AROUND THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT PROVIDED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A SECOND VEHICLE. IN TURN, THE SECOND VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A THIRD VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER AND THE TWO OCCUPANTS IN THE SECOND VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR NECK INJURIES. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. POLICE REPORT NUMBER: 197537 WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND AN UNKNOWN DEALER WERE NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
ABS SYSTEM LIGHT IS ON AND THERE IS NO COVERAGE PLUS I DID NOT GET THE RECALL OF 2016. I AM ON LONG-TERM DISABILITY AND THIS IS EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR.
MY BRAKES SEEM TO SCRAPE ABOUT THE FIRST 5 TIMES I USE THEM THEN THE SOUND GOES AWAY
MY CAR HAS ONLY 22,700 MILES. FRONTS END BRAKES AND ROTOR ARE TOTALLY WORN OUT. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN NORMALLY.
WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND LUNGED FORWARD. BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE FROM GOING FORWARD. HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF.
BRAKES ARE SQUEAKY AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED (20 MPH AND LESS) AT APPROXIMATELY 20K MILES.
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR IN THE RAIN, AND A WARNING CAME ON THAT THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WAS MALFUNCTIONING. I KEPT DRIVING, AND ALL THER DASHBOARD LIGHTS FLASHED OFF THEN BACK ON TWICE. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND IT STOPPED. THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS NOT WORKING RIGHT IN THE RAIN. I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, TWO DEER SUDDENLY EMERGED FROM THE WOODS. WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AND STRUCK ONE OF THE DEER. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED (NUMBER: 18-05410) AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CEDAR RAPIDS TOYOTA (1190 BOYSON ROAD, HIAWATHA, IOWA 52233), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,900.
I BOUGHT THE CAR ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF BACK FROM TOYOTA DEAER IN ROCKVILLE, MD. WHEN I APPLIED BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP THE CAR AT THE HIGHWAY INTERSECTIONS, IT ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. I HAVE REPORTED THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE AND SUDDEN ACCELERATION EVENTS TO TOYOTA COMPANY IN TEXAS. THE ASSIGNED CASE MANAGER, CAREY CARTER IN TOYOTA COMPANY FURNISHED THE CASE # 1708302943 ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2017. COREY'S CONTACT TELEPHONE # : 1-800-333-4331, OPTION 3, EXTENSION 73834. THE CAR IS NOW PARKED IN MY GARAGE, AND I DARE NOT DRIVE IT, AS IT IS VERY UNSAFE. I REQUEST THAT NHTSA INITIATE PROMPTLY INVESTIGATION OF POSSIBLE DEFECTS IN THE DESIGN AND /OR MANUFACTURE OF THE TOYOTA RAV4 CARS TO AVERT JEOPARDY TO TRAFFIC SAFETY. ALSO, I REQUEST NHTSA 'S ADVICE TO RESOLVE MY CASE FAVORABLY.
THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO REPORT 10995701. AFTER TOYOTA REFUSED TO DO ANY REPAIRS TO THE CAR, I REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER MYSELF. I TOOK THE MASTER CYLINDER APART AND FOUND AN UNUSUAL MACHINING PATTERN WITHIN THE MASTER CYLINDER THAT COULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT THE SEALS. THERE ARE THREE "GOUGE" PATTERNS MACHINED 120 DEGREES APART EXTENDING ABOUT 1" DOWN. THESE PATTERNS SLIGHTLY INTRUDE INTO THE GROOVE FOR THE SEAL AND MAY EFFECT THE SEALING INTEGRITY.
WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN IN A ROUTINELY DRIVEN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD AT LOW SPEED WITH THE CAR IN DRIVE GEAR AND CLEAR WEATHER, SOMETIMES THE BRAKE PEDAL SLIPS PART WAY OR ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR ALLOWING THE CAR TO ROLL INTO THE INTERSECTION BEFORE STOPPING. THE PEDAL HAS SLIPPED REPEATEDLY WITHIN 2 HOURS WHEN DRIVING IN URBAN, RUSH HOUR, STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. IT HAS ALSO SLIPPED TO THE FLOOR AT 70 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DECELERATING ON A DRY SURFACE. PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL A FEW TIMES ENGAGES THE BRAKES. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO CORRECT THE ISSUE 4 TIMES AND TO ANOTHER DEALER 1 TIME FOR A 2ND OPINION WITH THE SAME RESULT ON EACH VISIT, 'COULD NOT DUPLICATE.' THE 4TH REPAIR VISIT INVOICE SHOWS 'LOSES VACUUM WHEN BRAKES CONTINUOUSLY APPLIED AT IDLE.' ON THE 5TH VISIT I ASKED FOR THE VACUUM TO BE RESTORED TO PROPER FUNCTION. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO VACUUM LEAK OR RECORD OF A CODE THAT WOULD INDICATE LOSS OF VACUUM, AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE. I CANNOT DUPLICATE IT EITHER OR PREDICT WHEN THE PEDAL WILL SLIP. IT HAPPENS SPORADICALLY. AS SUGGESTED BY A SERVICE ADVISOR, I CALLED THE TOYOTA 800 NUMBER. I SPOKE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE ON 12-15-16. I TOLD HER MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE BRAKE ISSUE AND MY REQUESTS FOR REPAIR WITH UNSATISFACTORY RESULTS. SHE SAID SHE WOULD CALL THE DEALERSHIP AND GET BACK TO ME. ON 12-16-16, SHE REPORTED THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE, SO NOTHING COULD BE DONE. SHE ASKED ME WHAT I WANTED. I REPLIED THAT I WANTED THE BRAKES TO WORK PROPERLY. SAFETY IS AT RISK FOR ME AND PASSENGERS AT ANY SPEED. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
Showing 1–20 of 33 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026