RoadVitals

1998 Toyota RAV4 Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
17
Latest Oct 30, 2017
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
22%
of 77 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Toyota RAV4 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Brakes
Filed Oct 30, 2017

EVEN AFTER I REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS WHILE DOING MAINTENANCE, THE BRAKES ARE STILL LOOSE AT TIMES, MOSTLY AFTER RUNNING ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID
11041468
Incident
Oct 30, 2017
Brakes
Filed Aug 4, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO COME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE ROTOR WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10618588
Incident
Sep 13, 2011
Brakes
Filed Apr 13, 2011

THE BRAKES FAILED TO WORK TWICE AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD INSTEAD INTO DRIVE. THIS WAS AT LOW SPEED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE FIRST BRAKING ATTEMPT FAILED, THE BRAKE WAS PUMPED A SECOND TIME AND IT FAILED TO STOP AND ACCELERATED INSTEAD. FIRM PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL A THIRD TIME AND THIS DID PROMPT THE VEHICLE TO STOP BUT IT WAS CLOSE TO REAR-ENDING ANOTHER CAR ALREADY STOPPED AT THE LIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10395749
Incident
Apr 10, 2011
Mileage
120,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 27, 2002

TS

NHTSA ID
767830
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Sep 28, 2001
Crash reported

ENGINE LIGHT CAME 0N. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, AND VEHICLE WENT FORWARD AND JUMPED CURB. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND LIGHT WENT OFF. NEXT DAY, DEALER CHECKED SYSTEM'S COMPUTER AND A SENSOR KICKED UP THE IDLER. SENSOR WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER WAS UNAWARE OF THE CAUSE, AND IF IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
897021
Incident
Sep 23, 2001
BrakesTransmission
Filed May 12, 2001

BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILED FIRST TIME 5/19/00 AT 35379 MILES. BRAKE LIGHTS DID NOT WORK AND COULD NOT SHIFT TRANSMISSION OUT OF PARK. DEALER REPLACED AT NO CHARGE BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. REPLACEMENT BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH HAS NOW FAILED AGAIN 12 MONTHS LATER. DEALER HAS SAID WILL REPLACE UNDER HIS 12-MONTH WARRANTY. DEALER SAYS IS NOT AWARE OF ANY TECH SERVICE BULLETINS OR RECALLS ON THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
745239
Incident
May 10, 2001
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Feb 20, 2001

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR ,CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE AFTER BRAKES ARE APPLIED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
880767
BrakesSuspension
Filed Jan 8, 2001

REPLACED BRAKES 4 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE, PADS TWICE A YEAR, REPLACED ROTORS TWICE. BRAKES ARE ALWAYS SQEAKING. CURENTLY, STRUTS ARE LEAKING. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
877601
Incident
Jan 1, 1998
Brakes
Filed Sep 5, 2000

WHILE PASSING A TRUCK BRAKES LOCKED UP. DEALER WAS CONTACTED . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
869551
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Sep 5, 2000

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID
730266
Incident
Aug 28, 2000
Brakes
Filed Aug 31, 2000

SQUEAKY BRAKES WHICH GRADUALLY BECOMES WORSE WITH GRINDING NOISE, PROBLEM WITH ALL ROTOR AND NEED NEW BRAKES, ONE MONTH LATER WITH BRAKES STILL SQUEAKY

NHTSA ID
9001893
Incident
Jun 1, 1999
Brakes
Filed Feb 1, 1999

BRAKES FAILED.

NHTSA ID
609341
Incident
Feb 1, 1998
Brakes
Filed Feb 1, 1999

BRAKES SQUEAK. *YC

NHTSA ID
607292
Brakes
Filed Feb 1, 1999

BRAKE SWITCH RELEASE HANDLE FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ID
606178
Incident
Jul 1, 1998
Brakes
Filed Sep 9, 1998
Crash reported

BRAKING SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE, AND ON WET PAVEMENT AT 20MPH THE BRAKES LOCK UP. DEALER AND INSURANCE COMPANY CONTACTED. AFTER REPAIR WORK HAD BEEN DONE, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURS WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
827738
Incident
May 1, 1998
Brakes
Filed Sep 9, 1998

INTERMITTENTLY THE BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BE "HARD" AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE SLID, ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK TOYOTA DECIDED TO TAKE VEHICLE BACK AND GIVE CONSUMER A NEW ONE. *SLC

NHTSA ID
827718
Incident
Mar 9, 1998
Brakes
Filed Jan 29, 1998

POWER ASSISTED FRONT DISC AND REAR BRAKE DRUMS FAILED.

NHTSA ID
529295

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Airbags13Driver assistance12

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .