2017 Toyota RAV4 Brakes Problems

The brake system on my 2017 Toyota RAV4 LE has repeatedly failed to provide normal stopping power, even after the replacement of pads and rotors in July 2025. This poses a serious safety hazard and may indicate a defect in the braking system.

I have put 45,000 miles on the vehicle and have had complete brakes and rotors replaced 3 times. The caliper hangs up every time. As it gets closer to replacement time, I have experienced times when I did not think my car was going to stop. Brakes are spongy and I feel like pushing the pedal down is not enough to stop the car. I have experienced this three times, and thankfully it has stopped in time to avoid collision.

My Toyota RAV4 was involved in an accident. My vehicle was rear-ended on [XXX], at the corner of [XXX] and [XXX] in Tucson, AZ. Because it was during rush hour traffic, I moved my vehicle to an adjacent parking lot. It was while I was in this parking lot that I experienced brake failure and I was unable to stop my vehicle. As a result, my car hit a concrete pillar in the parking lot. This automatically stopped my vehicle and resulted in front end damage to my vehicle. 911 was dispatched and a sheriff was called to the accident scene. My car was towed to a tow yard before the Toyota collision center could begin work on estimating the amount of damages to my vehicle for the front-end and rear-end damage. My insurance company totaled my vehicle. I contacted Toyota to notify them of this brake failure. I was notified by a third party to contact you to report this incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Multiple times when coming to a stop the vehicle is stopped and then the brake pedal depresses further on its own while at the same time the engine roars and the vehicle lunges forward about 4 feet. It almost put me in front of oncoming traffic. Also I felt like I had no control over the brakes. It happened 4 times and also did this while I was parallel parking and almost slammed into the parked car ahead of me. It was in the shop last month. The brake calipers were cleaned and the brake lines were bled. This vehicle only has 40000 miles on it. I took it back to Toyota again today to see if they can once again try to figure out what is causing this. When it surges forward it sounds like if your foot was on gas in park, only my foot was on the brake Im afraid to drive it.

Front brakes needed replacement at 40k miles. 24k miles later, I'm being told they need replacement again. At May 2022 ispection the measurements were 11/32 for all four brakes. Less than 6 months & less than 5k miles later, the right front is at 6/32, left front 9/32, rear are 11/32 & 10/32. I'm being told the right front pads & rotors are bad and the discs(?) are extremely rusty. How does this happen so quickly? Forums I've read say this is an issue with many 2017 RAVS. Apparently, Toyota used low-grade rotors on that model and year. I had complained of a slight grinding noise coming from the front wheels on several occasions only to be told they can't find anything. I've had no safety issues yet but this ongoing problem is unacceptable and may eventually result in a collision.

Hi, Im reporting a serious safety issue with my 2017 Toyota rav4 The emergencybrake failed to engage, which caused the car to roll down the hill , I took the car to Toyota dealership while it was under the warranty and back down they told me it was nothing wrong with it. It just needed to be adjusted but it never worked the way it should have I do have a family and friends. They do have the same car and all have Same issues with E brake not not engaging l like this to be documented,

LAST SPRING HAD $700.00 BRAKE JOB ON MY DAUGHTERS CAR AT TOYOTA DEALER WE HAVE DELT WITH FOR YEARS.I HAPPEN TO DRIVE IT ONE DAY AND FOUND BRAKES SPONGY AND WENT WITHIN ONE INCH OF FLOOR TO STOP. JUST DROVE AGAIN AND SAME PROBLEM !. IS THIS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH MASTER CYLINDER !

I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING TO THE DEALER SINCE BUYING THE VEHICLE AND WHILE UNDER WARRANTY ABOUT THE BRAKES. I ALMOST GOT MYSELF KILL ON HIGHWAY I25 BECAUSE THE BRAKES FAILED TOTALLY HAVING TO RESORT TO PULLING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I HAD TO WAIT FOR THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME FOR THE REPAIR WHEN I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING FOR MONTHS. IF I DIE, TOYOTA WILL BE THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY, I LEFT MY CART AT LARRY MILLER TOYOTA AND WILL ACQUIRE A LAWYER. I AM THE WIDOW OF A DECORATED MILITARY MEMBER. IF HE WAS HERE, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING. I LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, HE HAD REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES WITH ALL SEASON TIRES. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON A RAINY DAY, A TRUCK BEGAN TO MERGE INTO HIS LANE. AS THE CONTACT BEGAN TO VEER TO THE RIGHT, THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY WHICH CAUSED HIS VEHICLE TO VEER INTO THE LEFT LANE AND HIT THE REAR OF THE TRUCK. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NEITHER HIMSELF OR THE OTHER DRIVER SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD RECENTLY STARTED TO EXPERIENCE PAIN IN HIS RIGHT CHEST. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT TOW YARD WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAULTY ABS SYSTEM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000.

MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA SITE (123+) OF RAV4 BRAKE PROBLEMS (EARLY REPLACEMENT AT LOW MILEAGE AND BRAKE FAILURES AT VARIOUS SPEEDS). TOYOTA HAS BEEN IGNORING THE ISSUE. WHY HAVE THERE BEEN NO RECALLS? OUR BRAKES ARE GOING SOFT AT 30,00 MILES (4 YEARS) AND THE DEALER SAYS WE NEED FRONT AND BACK REPLACEMENTS. OTHER COMPLAINERS NOTED THE NEED FOR FREQUENT AND REPEATED REPLACEMENTS.

AT JUST OVER 15000 MILES THE FRONT BRAKES ARE WORN NEEDING REPLACED. UNIVERSITY TOYOTA IN MORGANTOWN, WV SAYS THAT IS NORMAL WEAR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE VEHICLE TOOK A LONGER TIME TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION TOYOTA FORT MYERS (2555 COLONIAL BLVD, FORT MYERS, FL 33907, (239) 321-5413) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE FAILURE WAS DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,500.

ABOUT 1 YEAR AFTER I PURCHASED MY CAR BRAND NEW OFF OF THE LOT I STARTED TO NOTICE MY BRAKES STARTING TO RUB AND SQUEAK. IF I WAS GOING DOWN HILL THE FRONT OF MY CAR WOULD SHAKE. IT WAS TERRIFYING. I TOOK IT TO THE MAITA TOYOTA DELARSHIP IN SACRAMENTO. THEY TOLD ME NOTHING IS WRONG MY PADS ARE STILL GOOD. I BEGGED THEM TO FIX THEM THEY REPLACED MY FRONT ROTORS AND BREAK PADS. THIS DEALERSHIP ALSO PERFORMED A ENGINE CLEANING AND MULTIPLE OTHER THINGS THEY SAID MY CAR NEEDED AT THAT TIME RUNNING ME 795$ THIS BEING ON JULY 11TH 2018. THEN TODAY SEPT 6TH 2018. MY STARTER IS OUT MY CAR NO LONGER STARTS. WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY ALL OF THE INSIDE LIGHTS COME ON AND ALL YOU HEAR IS A CLICKING SOUND. MIND YOU I ALSO HAD A CHIP IN MY WINDSHIELD WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR INSPECTION IN JULY AND THEY PLACED GREEN CHECK MARK'S ON EVERYTHING INCLUDING MY WINDSHIELD BEING FREE FROM CHIPS. I NOW QUESTION THE INTEGRITY OF THIS DEALERSHIPS SERVICE DEPARTMENT. DO THEY TRULY INSPECT AND DO THE WORK ON YOUR CAR? BECAUSE FROM WHERE I AM SEEING THIS AT SITTING HERE WITH A YEAR OLD CAR IN MY PARKING LOT CURRENTLY NOT DRIVEABLE I BEGIN TO WONDER IF THEY DO. I SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THESE TYPES OF PROBLEMS WITH A 2017 TOYOTA CAR THAT WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW.

PRE COLLISION SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK PER SPECIFICATION OR MANUAL. DOES NOT SLOW VEHICLE OR STOP IT. IF RELIED ON VERY DANGEROUS. TESTED ON TWO VEHICLES ONE WITH UNDER 2000 MILES AND ONE WITH UNDER 3000 MILES. DOES NOT MEET REPRESENTATIONS. FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE CONDUCTING TEST!

I HEARD SQUEAKING IN MY BRAKES AT 10,000 MILES MY BRAKES WERE GOOD AT 12,000 THEY SAID A HAD 1% LEFT ON FRONT BRAKES. I REPLACED FRONT PADS. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER IN NORTHRIDGE TO COMPLAIN. THEY KEPT ON EYE ON BRAKES I WAS FINE AT 15,000 AND AT 20,000 MILES I HAD 60% ON MY FRONT PADS. I TOOK IN THIS WEEKEND FOR 25,000 SERVICE I WAS THROUGH TO THE ROOTERS ON THE FRONT. TOYOTA CLAIMS IT IS MY DRIVING. THOUGH THEY TESTED IT THEY FAIL TO EXPLAIN HOW I WENT CRITICAL IN $5,000 MILES. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE WITH SUCH PROBLEMS. BRAKES ARE A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS NOT ISOLATED INCIDENT.

FRONT ROTORS CAUSED THE FRONT END AND STEERING WHEEL TO VIBRATE TERRIBLY WHEN DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT OF 70 MPH WHEN YOU JUST TOUCH THE BRAKE PEDDLE. THE RAV 4 2017 ONLY HAS 14,900 MILES. I BROUGHT RAV 4 TO DEALER FOR NORMAL 15,000 MILE MAINTENANCE. I WAS TOLD THE ROTOR NEED TO BE RESURFACED... FOR $180.00....CALLED IT "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" IT APPEARS THAT IN COLORADO OR MOUNTAIN AREAS THAT ROTOR NORMALLY NEED TO BE RESURFACED. THE RAVA 4 FRONT END SHOOK VIOLENTLY ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF STEERING THE RAVA 4 AT 70 MPH. THEN DEALER SAID OH THAT IS NORMAL, WE HAVE TO RESURFACE ROTORS OF RAV 4 (2017) IN THIS AREA ALL THE TIME. ON MAY 16, 2018 I CALLED 800-331-4331 TOYOTA US HEAD QUARTERS AND SPOKE TO CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. CASE # 1805162014 AND HE SAID HE WOULD CALL THE AUTONATION TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER ON ARAPAHOE IN COLORADO AND GET BACK TO ME IN A FEW DAYS. WELL ON MAY 31, 2018 CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM TOYOTA CALLED ME AFTER I SPOKE WITH ON MAY 30, 2018 TO ANDREA, EXPLAINING THE SITUATION. THE OFFICAL RESPONSE WAS OH THAT IS JUST NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR FOR RAV 4 2017 ROTORS...IT IS YOUR COST IF A RECALL IS ISSUED ON THE ROTORS YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED! THE REST OF THE STORY, I TOOK A TRIP FROM DENVER, CO TO PHOENIX, AZ MAY 3, 2018. I HAD APPROX 13,000 ON THE RAV 4., WHICH REQUIRES DRIVING DOWN HILL FROM FLAGSTAFF, AZ ...APPROX. 120 MILES. THAT MOUNTAIN DRIVING RESULTED IN THE RAV 4 BRAKING TO CAUSE THE SEVERE SHAKE OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALMOST LOOSING CONTROL OF RAV 4 AT 70 MPH. THE CRUISE CONTROL SLOWS THE CAR DOWN AS YOU APPROACH OTHER SLOWER VEHICLES AND IF YOU JUST TOUCH THE BRAKE PEDDLE THE RAV 4 WANTS TO SHAKE THE RAV 4 APART! YOU LOOSE TOTAL CONTOL OF RAV 4 IF LEAVE FOOT ON BRAKE PEDDLE.. TOYOTA SAYS THAT IS JUST NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ... WELL AT SPEED LIMIT ON INTER STATE ..THESE ROTORS CAN CAUSE TO HIGH SPEED ACCIDENT!!!

BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WORE OUT BEFORE 10K MILES ON A BRAND NEW CAR. REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES BECAUSE THEY WERE SO WORN OUT.THAT IS UNHEARD OF. DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD AND A DEFECT ON THE PART/VEHICLE.

MY BRAKES WERE INSPECTED AFTER OWNING MY 2017 RAV4 FOR ALMOST 5 MONTHS IT NEEDED ITS SERVICE BECAUSE IT HAD18K MILES ON IT. THEY INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND FOUND EVERYTHING TO BE IN PERFECT CONDITION, EXCEPT THEY FOUND A NAIL IN THE SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE. FAST FORWARD ABOUT 2 MONTHS AND MY SUV IS BEING REPAIRED AFTER A WRECK AND IT WAS AT THE REPAIR PLACE A WEEK BEFORE THE WOMAN CALLS AND TELLS ME MY CAR IS READY BUT WHEN THEY WERE TAKING THE CAR APART TO FIX THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE THE BRAKE PAD AND ROTOR FELL OFF THE RIGHT AIDE AND I NOW NEED TO PURCHASE NEW BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. MY RAV4 HAS 23K MILES AND IS 7 MONTHS OLD, NOT ONE NOISE WAS MADE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT ONLY AFTER. SHE ALSO TELLS ME IT'S NOT ACCIDENT RELATED. I'M NOW GETTING THE RUN AROUND FROM THEM ALL TRYING TO GET MY CAR FIXED. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT TODAY AND THE GUY OVER THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN SO HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO CALL THE WOMAN AND SEE WHAT ALL IS GOING ON BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T NEED NEW BRAKES AND ROTORS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL TRAVELED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT BRAKE IN A TIMELY MANNER. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. WHILE DRIVING 30 OR 50 MPH, THE RPMS ABRUPTLY INCREASED WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO JERK AND SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HUDSON TOYOTA (599 NJ-440, JERSEY CITY, NJ 07305, 201-713-5508) AND PAID TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT THE FRONT BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE REAR BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ROUTE 22 TOYOTA (109 US-22, HILLSIDE, NJ 07205, 973-287-4741) WHERE THEY DID NOT HONOR HIS EXTENDED WARRANTY AND ATTEMPTED TO CHARGE $250 FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,500.*BF CONTACT STATED ENGINE CONTROL WAS REPLACED AND TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS REPAIRED.*JB

I GOT THIS CAR BRAND NEW. WITHIN THE 17,000 MILES I HAVE PUT ON IT, IT HAS HAD TO HAVE THE SAME {ONLY ONE BRAKE) BRAKE REPLACED THREE SEPARATE TIMES. THE OTHER 3 BRAKES ARE LIKE NEW. ALSO, JUST LAST WEEK, ON THE HIGHWAY, WITH THE NEWEST BRAKE REPLACEMENT RECENTLY COMPLETED, THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED TO WORK, AND WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKES, THEY DID DEPRESS, BUT I COULD NOT SLOW DOWN. THIS WAS TERRIFYING, AND ON THE FREEWAY, IT COULD HAVE COST ME MY LIFE. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING MALFUNCTION, AND NO AMOUNT OF BRAKE REPLACEMENT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO DEMAND A NEW VEHICLE THAT IS SAFE.