Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
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 2005 Toyota RAV4 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
WHEN DRIVING AT OR UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT ON SOME TURNS MY CARS SLIP INDICATOR GOES OFF WITHOUT ANY APPARENT ISSUES AND IT WILL START BEEPING AND SOMETIMES IT EVEN BREAKS ON IT'S OWN AND JERKS THE CAR. THE SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT HAS TURNED ONE WHILE DRIVING UNDER 30 MPH IN A DRY AND PAVED ROAD. THE BEEPING AND JERKING HAS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY
NONE OF MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE WORKING I HAVE TRIED REPLACING THEM WITH NEW BULBS AND THEY STILL DON'T WORK I EVEN CHECKED TO SEE IF IT NEED A NEW FUSE AND ALL THE FUSES LOOK GOOD. I'M STARTING TO FEEL LIKE THE VEHICLE HAS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT'S CAUSING THE LIGHTS NOT TO WORK.
WHEN DRIVING I WILL PRESS THE BREAK PEDAL AND INSTEAD OF BREAKING THE VEHICLE REACTS LIKE I HIT THE GAS INSTEAD AND SURGES FORWARD. THIS HAPPENS AT SEEMINGLY RANDOM TIMES, THE LATEST WAS YESTERDAY 7-30-2018, THE TIME BEFORE THAT WAS A FEW MONTHS AGO AND I HIT A PARKED CAR BECAUSE OF IT. WAS TOLD BY A NON-DEALER MECHANIC IT MIGHT BE THE AIR INTAKE SENSOR, CLEANED IT AND IT DIDN'T HELP. TOYOTA DEALER OF COURSE CLAIMS TO NOT KNOW OF THE ISSUE. IT HAS DONE THIS ON CITY STREETS AND PARKING LOTS.
I'VE BEEN HAVING AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE WITH MY 2005 RAV 4. WHEN EXITING A HIGHWAY ON A SWEEPING RIGHT CURVE EXIT RAMP, THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT WILL START TO FLASH AND AN AUDIBLE BEEP CAN BE HEARD IN THE CABIN. THIS USUALLY INDICATES THE CAR IS IN A SKID BUT I ASSURE YOU I AM IN FULL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, IN ITS LANE. AFTER 2 TO 3 SECONDS OF CONSTANT BEEPING THE ENGINE CUTS POWER AND APPLIES BRAKING TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHEEL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH SLIGHTLY TO ONE SIDE. JUST AS QUICKLY AS THIS HAPPENS, THE CAR RESUMES NORMAL OPERATION AND THE ISSUE CEASES TO EXIST. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES OF THIS VERY ISSUE IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS. MOST HAPPEN AT SLOW SPEEDS (UNDER 35MPH) AND ON DRY PAVEMENT. THE VEHICLE SUSPENSION AND ALIGNMENT ARE WITHIN OPERATING SPECIFICATION. I HAVE NOTICED HOWEVER, THAT THE STEERING RACK BUSHINGS ARE WORN. THIS CAUSES THE ENTIRE RACK TO MOVE ABOUT SLIGHTLY WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF ITS MOUNT. TO MY DISMAY, TOYOTA DOES NOT SELL REPLACEMENT BUSHINGS FOR THE STEERING RACK ON 2004-2005 MODEL RAV-4'S, FORCING OWNERS TO PAY FOR A COMPLETELY NEW STEERING RACK. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FROM A BRAND THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON RELIABILITY AND REASONABLY PRICED MAINTENANCE. THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE IS COMPROMISED BY AN SUBSTANDARD ENGINEERED COMPONENTS. IE: STEERING BUSHINGS; CAUSING TOO MUCH PLAY AND ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM TO INADVERTENTLY ACTIVATE, CAUSING A DANGEROUS UNSETTLING OF THE VEHICLE.
STARTED MY TRIP FROM HOME AND I BLOCK AWAY I TRIED TO STOP FOR A STOP SIGN, THE BRAKE WOULD NOT HOLD. I PRESSED AS HARD AS I COULD HITTING THE FLOOR NO BRAKE. THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHEN I HIT THE CURB. CONTINUE DRIVING AND STEPPING ON BRAKE TO SEE IF PROBLEM CONTINUE SAME PROBLEM. HAD TO SLOWLY RETURN HOME. I DROVE THE VEHICLE THE PREVIOUS NIGHT WHICH WAS 6 HRS EARLIER AND DID NOT RECEIVED ANY INDICATION ON THE DASHBOARD THAT THERE WAS ANY PROBLEM AND STILL THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. *TR
WAS TOLD IN 2010 THAT CAUSE OF THE BACK BRAKES SQUEAKING (IN REVERSE ONLY) WAS BECAUSE ALL RAV4S HAVE THAT PROBLEM. JUST ASSUMED THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT. RECENTLY WENT TO NON-DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A FILM (DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS CALLED) THAT WAS PROBABLY MAKING THEM SQUEAK. HAD BRAKES REPLACED ON ALL WHEELS AND HAD THEY INSPECTED AND CLEANED THE WHOLE AREA AROUND THE BRAKES TO SEE IF THEY COULD STOP THE SQUEAKING. IT WORKED BUT JUST FOR A SHORT TIME. IT IS ANNOYING BECAUSE NOW IT SQUEAKS WHEN STOPPING IN FORWARD POSITION AND WHEN IN REVERSE AND APPLYING BRAKES. NEED TO FIND A REMEDY AS I WANT TO SELL MY CAR BUT CAN'T IF THIS ISSUE ISN'T TAKEN CARE OF. DEALERSHIP IS NOT HELPFUL AT ALL (SEE FIRST SENTENCE). *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHENEVER THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, VSC TRACK LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WITH THE BRAKES ENGAGED, THERE WAS MINIMAL RESISTANCE. THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM ENGAGED IN ORDER FOR THE CONTACT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ABS BRAKE AND TRACK WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND CONFIRMED THAT A FAULTY ABS ACTIVATOR CAUSED THE FAILURE TO OCCUR. THIS WAS AN INTERNAL FAILURE WHICH PREVENTED THE BRAKES FROM COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMPUTER. THE REPAIR PART#44050-42161 IS REQUIRED TO REPAIR THE FAILURE AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $3000. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND STATED HER WARRANTY WAS NO LONGER VALID. SHE WAS EXPECTING A CALL FROM A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE. SHE FILED CLAIM#1006300590 WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 21,613.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE SPEED WAS ALWAYS RELATIVELY LOW (30 MILES/HOUR OR LESS). I NEVER KNEW WHEN IT WOULD HAPPEN, SO I NEVER REPORTED IT BECAUSE IT WAS NON-REPEATABLE. IT HAPPENED EVERY FEW MONTHS. I CAN'T PUT INCIDENT DATES SINCE IT WAS RECURRING, BUT I NEED TO FILL THAT IN, SO I'LL FILL IT IN WITH THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED. *TR
THE ABS BRAKES ON MY 2005 TOYOTA RAV4 DO NOT GRAB PROPERLY ON UNEVEN SURFACES. THEY SEEM TO TRY TO SLOW DOWN RATHER THAN STOP, ESPECIALLY AFTER HITTING A POTHOLE, OR BEING ON BUMPY ROAD. I ALMOST ENDED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *TR
HAD 2005 TOYOTA RAV 4 FRONT BRAKE ROTORS DISPLAYED STRAIGHT LINES OF TINY PITS ACROSS BRAKING SURFACE , APPEARED TO BE CASTING FLAWS EXTENDED INTO AND BELOW ROTOR SURFACE. HAD PROBLEMS WITH TIRES PREMATURELY WEARING ON INNER SIDES, SCRAPING NOISE. *AK ASKED DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP ABOUT THESE ROTORS AND WAS TOLD THEY SEE A LOT OF THEM LIKE THIS.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .