2016 Toyota RAV4 brake problems
50 of the 257 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Toyota RAV4 name the brakes (NHTSA’s “Service Brakes” heading — the hydraulic brakes, ABS and brake assist). Filed under the same heading: 11 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the brakes
Source: NHTSA complaint database18 of the 50 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 11 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 11 · 2017: 13 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 7 · 2020: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 3
Half of the 37 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the brake problem between 5,000 and 41,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
257 complaints in all about the 2016 Toyota RAV4, 3 filed in 2024. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Service Brakes” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Toyota RAV4 brake problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the brakes. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
The idle speed in the Rav4 4 is set too high causing the car to move forward when stopped with full pressure applied to the brakes. Toyota refused to reduce the idle speed and states that this normal operation.
14 month old Rav4 xle driving down the interstate and applied the brakes for slow traffic, the ABS / traction control warning lights came on. I AM over the 36,000 mile warranty as my work entails driving. The local dealer quoted me $2800 for repairs, he checked with the Toyota MFG.
I have been three times at lipton Toyota of oakland park, fort lauderdale regarding a noise in my breaks, specially when I hit the breaks. They state they don't hear anything but it is cleary heard when I hit the breaks. I believe they don't want to repair nor do anything regarding my situation.
The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the brake pedal was slow to engage and released without warning. As a result, the contact had to apply force to the brake pedal each time the failure occurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer more than once.
I bought this car brand new. After 1 month I started noticing a grinding sound when I would apply my brakes, only if I was driving slowly. 2 months later I started hearing a grinding noise as if metal was grinding on metal and this would happen intermittently regardless of how fast I was driving and occasionally I would hear it when I…
What is on file about the brakes
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 16V198000 HighApr 7, 2016 · 16,656 vehicles
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 30, 2015, to February 3, 2016, 2016 Lexus RX350 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2015, to February 8, 2016, and 2016 Lexus ES350 vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015, to February 29, 2016. These vehicles are equipped with an ABS actuator that may have a damaged O-ring which could result in improper brake fluid pressure control during ABS, Traction Control, or Stability Control activation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
11 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Toyota RAV4
Source: the same files- electrical problems 59 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre brake problems common on the 2016 Toyota RAV4?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 50 owner complaints naming the brakes on this model year (19% of everything owners filed about it), and 11 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the brakes on the 2016 Toyota RAV4?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 16V198000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do brake problems show up on the 2016 Toyota RAV4?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 21,000 miles; half of them between 5,000 and 41,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Service Brakes" heading cover?
The hydraulic brakes, ABS and brake assist. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.