2013 Toyota RAV4 Brakes Problems
- Complaints
- 23about this part
- Share
- 9%of 257 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 22,000miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 23 complaints about the brakes of the 2013 Toyota RAV4, 9% of the 257 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 22,000 miles. 6 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“While driving down a bridge at approximate speed of 36 and before the red light I left my right leg from the gas pedal and pressed on the brake pedal to get ready to stop by the red light . At that moment the brake pedal did not respond to my leg pressing and the total braking system did not respond having cars stopped infront of me by the red light I had to turn the steering wheel to the right and hit a big tree. …”
NHTSA complaint #10672339, filed 2015-01, 25,309 miles“I saw article in USA today. Exact same thing was happening to my RAV4 a month ago. I brought back to dealer and they changed the battery- but I paid for it.”
NHTSA complaint #11398466, filed 2021-03, 101,000 miles“The power brake actuator went out on my 2013 Toyota rav-4 three times while I was driving the vehicle. Every time this happened, all of the warning lights on the dash board would come on. At the same time all of the gauges including the speedometer, the vehicle stability control, anti lock brakes, traction control system and power steering would all stop working on the vehicle. This would make it almost impossible to stop or control the vehicle what so ever.”
NHTSA complaint #10819456, filed 2016-01, 20,000 miles“Car won't start. Panel turns on but it won't engage the starter. Can hear a buzz noise, like a magnetized coil going off. Shifter is locked. Steering wheel is locked. Brake impossible to push down. Only way I can start the car is with the emergency procedure pushing the start button for 15 seconds. But still the shifter is blocked in parking and to be able to drive the car I need to use the little switch under the button size cover next to the shifter. Toyota has no clue what is going on. Vehicle has 45k miles”
NHTSA complaint #11172318, filed 2019-01, 45,000 miles“While I was stopping in front of a red light, and my foot was on brake pedal, the car started to move, I pushed the brake down as low as possible, car kept on moving. I then used the hand brake to stop the car. Luckily, there was no car in front of mine, so no accident. This happened on last saturday, may 21, 2016, early in the morning. After the incident, the car's brake functions as expected. But I always have a fear that it might do the same thing sometime someday, and I might not be lucky enough to be accident free.”
NHTSA complaint #10870470, filed 2016-05, 28,643 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10214323Mar 17, 2022TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions
- 10190453Mar 12, 2021TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
- 10187241Dec 14, 2020TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
- 10186195Dec 14, 2020TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
- 10166036Sep 26, 2019TSB: REVISION NOTICE September 26, 2019 Rev1: ? The Warranty Information, Parts Information, and Repair Procedure sections have been updated. Any previous printed versions of…
- 10158583Mar 12, 2019TSB: Some 2009 ? 2018 model year RAV4 and 2017 ? 2018 model year iM vehicles may exhibit a grind/groan noise from the front brake pads. An updated pad kit is now available as a…
- 10111585Aug 5, 2016TSB: Some 2012 - 2016 model year RAV4 vehicles may exhibit a squeak noise which is heard coming from the front brakes with light to moderate braking. To address this squeak noise…
- 10084332Aug 5, 2016Tsb: some 2012 2016 model year rav4 vehicles may exhibit a squeak noise which is heard coming from the front brakes with light to moderate braking. To address this squeak noise…
Brakes: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | 9% |
| 2024 | 16 | 9% |
| 2023 | 18 | 11% |
| 2022 | 8 | 5% |
| 2021 | 21 | 5% |
| 2020 | 20 | 3% |
| 2019 | 36 | 4% |
| 2018 | 30 | 9% |
| 2017 | 38 | 12% |
| 2016 | 46 | 19% |
| 2015 | 31 | 10% |
| 2014 | 16 | 8% |
| 2013 | 23 | 9% |
| 2012 | 39 | 15% |
| 2011 | 48 | 17% |
| 2010 | 34 | 9% |
| 2009 | 31 | 9% |
| 2008 | 34 | 6% |
| 2007 | 47 | 5% |
| 2006 | 32 | 5% |
| 2005 | 11 | 8% |
| 2004 | 8 | 5% |
| 2003 | 3 | 1% |
| 2002 | 5 | 1% |
| 2001 | 24 | 8% |
| 2000 | 1 | 3% |
| 1999 | 5 | 8% |
| 1998 | 16 | 21% |
| 1997 | 5 | 9% |
| 1996 | 11 | 23% |
Other parts of the 2013 Toyota RAV4
75 complaintsOther or unknown
40 complaintsEngine
29 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
29 complaintsBody and structure
28 complaintsVehicle speed control
17 complaintsEquipment
15 complaintsAir bags
13 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
13 complaintsSteering
11 complaintsFuel system
9 complaintsExterior lighting
5 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2013 Toyota RAV4
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology