TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Toyota RAV4 brakes problems
severe Owners of the 2013 Toyota RAV4 have filed 16 NHTSA complaints about the brakes, typically surfacing around 24,000 miles at roughly $450 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See brakes across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
| Model year | brakes complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 RAV4 | 23 |
| 2010 RAV4 | 26 |
| 2011 RAV4 | 25 |
| 2012 RAV4 | 20 |
| 2013 RAV4 (this page) | 16 |
| 2014 RAV4 | 6 |
| 2015 RAV4 | 16 |
| 2016 RAV4 | 33 |
| 2017 RAV4 | 27 |
3crashes
When does it fail?
Of the 16 brakes complaints filed for the 2013 Toyota RAV4, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA brakes complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 4 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering brakes on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TSB: REVISION NOTICE September 26, 2019 Rev1: ? The Warranty Information, Parts Information, and Repair Procedure sections have been updated. Any previous printed versions of this bulletin should be discarded. 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 service part. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to address this condition.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2013 RAV4 brake complaints span manufacturing defects, design shortcomings, and field failures. Several owners reported complete brake loss at parking speeds and highway speeds—one crashed at 65 mph despite full pedal application; another couldn't stop while parking and hit a cement post. Multiple owners describe soft, spongy brake feel requiring excessive pedal pressure, with symptoms present from day one. Others report unresponsive pedals that travel to the floor without stopping the vehicle. Squealing and noise from brakes occur across multiple examples despite normal pad, rotor, and shoe condition; one owner's brakes glazed and rotors warped at just 5,300 miles. An owner of an LE trim noted the model's 10.8-inch front rotors are significantly smaller than the 11.7-inch rotors on XLE/Limited models or competitor SUVs, and experienced severe fade and overheating during prolonged downhill braking. One owner's new vehicle had excessively long pedal travel (2.5 inches at light effort, nearly to the floor at full effort) and brake booster depletion during modulated pedal movements—symptoms that mysteriously improved after a dealership visit. A brake line leak lubricated the friction surfaces. Several owners report recurring failures even after brake work.
Same Toyota RAV4 brakes reports on nearby years: 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Excessive brake pedal travel and soft pedal feel at delivery
New vehicle exhibited unusually long brake pedal travel, requiring 2.5 inches at 25 lb effort and reaching 1/2 inch from floor at 100 lb effort. Pedal feel was linear rather than asymptotic, inconsistent with normal brake operation. Condition improved after dealership visit, but the cause of the initial unsafe state remains unexplained. This suggests either a manufacturing or assembly defect affecting brake system calibration or air evacuation.
When: Immediately after purchase, new vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Excessive pedal travel at light effort; Pedal nearly reaches floor on hard application; Linear pedal response instead of asymptotic curve; Brake booster depletion during modulated pedal movements
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership visit resulted in improved pedal feel; specific repair action not documented
Brake fade and overheating during extended downhill use
Owner reported significant brake fading and overheating during prolonged downhill braking on highway, requiring increased pedal travel and effort to maintain stopping power. Vibration felt in steering wheel accompanied braking. Performance restored after cooling. Owner noted that RAV4 LE models have 10.8-inch front rotors versus 11.7 inches on XLE/Limited trim and approximately 12 inches on competitor vehicles, suggesting undersized rotors for vehicle weight and size.
When: During long downhill highway descent
Symptoms owners cite: Significant brake fade; Brake overheating; Increased pedal travel required; Increased pedal effort required; Steering wheel vibration during braking
Complete brake failure resulting in collision
Owner traveling at 65 mph encountered sudden braking by traffic ahead. Despite full brake application, vehicle could not stop and collided with vehicle in front. Owner states brakes simply did not function and felt unsafe to continue driving vehicle. Toyota case opened but communication issues reported.
When: Unspecified mileage, August 2, 2015
Symptoms owners cite: Brakes failed to stop vehicle despite full application; Unable to achieve complete stop at normal highway speeds
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota case opened; owner reported poor communication from manufacturer
Seized rear brakes with recurring failure
After abrupt braking at 55 mph, abnormal noise developed from rear brakes. Rear brakes seized. Replaced rear pads, rotors, and hardware at independent mechanic. Failure recurred. Second repair performed with same components replaced. Manufacturer was notified of the recurring defect.
When: 30,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal noise from rear brakes after emergency braking; Rear brakes seize
Repairs/costs cited: Rear pads, rotors, and hardware replaced twice; recurring failure
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified
Brake failure at low speed while parking
Brake failure occurred while attempting to park at low speed (less than 5 mph). Vehicle could not be stopped even with full pedal depression and struck landscaping. Vehicle had to be towed. Owner describes inability to stop despite depressing brakes all the way to floor.
When: Unspecified mileage, Christmas Eve
Symptoms owners cite: Brakes failed to stop at low speed; Inability to stop despite full pedal depression
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed; dealership inspection requested
Complete brake failure at traffic light with vehicle rollback
While stationary at red light with foot on brake pedal, vehicle began to move forward. Owner applied brake pedal to floor; vehicle continued moving. Owner engaged parking brake to stop vehicle. Condition resolved after incident, but owner expressed ongoing concern about recurrence. No injuries or collision occurred.
When: May 21, 2016, early morning
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle moved while brakes applied at traffic light; Brakes unresponsive to full pedal application; Condition temporary and self-resolved
Brake failure in parking lot resulting in multi-vehicle collision
Brakes failed during parking lot maneuver. Vehicle crashed into parked car, which then collided with third vehicle. No warning indicator illuminated. Police report filed. Injuries reported. Minor damage to vehicles. Manufacturer not notified. This represents a complete loss of brake function with no warning.
When: 24,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Complete brake failure during low-speed parking; No warning indicator
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not notified
Brake squealing with undiagnosed cause and shaking on hard braking
Brakes squeaked during application from day one. Pads, shoes, and rotors inspected by multiple mechanics including Toyota-certified technicians with no defects found. Cleaning provided temporary relief but squeaking recurred. Hard braking for extended periods caused vehicle to shake; shaking resolved when brake pressure released. Occurs regardless of road conditions or driving situation.
When: From new, day 1
Symptoms owners cite: Brake squeaking during application; Vehicle shaking with extended hard braking; Normal inspection findings (pads, shoes, rotors OK)
Repairs/costs cited: Brakes cleaned; squeaking recurred
Soft brake pedal with noise and difficulty achieving stopping power
Brakes feel very soft, requiring hard pedal effort to stop vehicle. Audible noise occurs with each brake application. Original Toyota brakes installed on new vehicle. Owner describes this as a safety problem. Condition present from vehicle purchase.
When: From new
Symptoms owners cite: Soft brake pedal feel; High pedal effort required; Noise with brake application; Difficulty achieving adequate stopping power
Brake pedal to floor failure in parking area
During parking maneuver, brake pedal traveled completely to floor without stopping vehicle. Owner struck cement post to stop. This represents a complete loss of brake function manifested as excessive pedal travel with no stopping force.
When: Unspecified mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal traveled completely to floor; Vehicle did not stop; Loss of brake function during low-speed parking
Glazed rear pads and uneven rotors at very low mileage
At 5,343 miles, brakes scraped loudly while backing and turning. Dealer inspection revealed rear pads were glazed and rear rotors were uneven. Dealer sanded and deglazed rear pads and performed finish cut/machining on rear rotors. New rotors are 0.472 inch; machined rotors measured 0.455 inch, indicating significant material removal. Owner notes this is abnormal for such low mileage, suggesting accelerated wear or manufacturing defect.
When: 5,343 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loud scraping noise while backing; Loud scraping noise on turns; Glazed rear brake pads; Uneven rear rotors
Repairs/costs cited: Rear pads sanded and deglazed; rear rotors finish cut/machined to 0.455 inch
Brake noise and poor grip on original equipment brakes
Brakes produce noise with every brake application. Brakes do not grip as tight as expected on brand new vehicle with original factory brakes. Condition suggests defective original equipment brake system or components.
When: From new, brand new car
Symptoms owners cite: Noise with each brake application; Poor braking force/grip; Inadequate stopping power for new vehicle
Brake failure at low speed with low mileage and routine maintenance
Brakes failed while driving at low speed in city traffic. Vehicle had very low mileage and routine maintenance performed through Toyota dealership. No details provided on cause or outcome, but owner characterized this as a brake failure event.
When: Low mileage, routine maintenance performed
Symptoms owners cite: Brake failure during low-speed city driving
Brake line leak with brake fluid on rotors and pads
Driver-side brake line leaked brake fluid onto rotors and pads, lubricating the friction surfaces and increasing crash risk by compromising braking force. This represents a system integrity failure.
When: Unspecified
Symptoms owners cite: Brake fluid leak from driver-side brake line; Brake fluid pooling on rotors and pads
Front brake noise during driving and braking
Front brakes produce significant noise during normal driving and when brake pedal is applied. Noise is loud and persistent.
When: Unspecified
Symptoms owners cite: Loud front brake noise while driving; Loud front brake noise during braking
Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
Brakes failed to stop while parking vehicle with a speed of less than 5 mph hitting landscaping with a young pine tree that made the vehicle stopped. Hit and went over some matured bushes on the landscaped parking lot. The SUV cannot be stopped even brakes were depressed all the way. I needed to have my vehicle towed out of the bushes and the broken young tree in order to get out of the…
This vehicle has a faulty brake, it makes a sound every time you apply brake. Moreover the brakes feels very soft, need to push very hard on brakes to stop the car. Bought the car new and on original Toyota brakes that came with the new car. It is a safety problem.
Makes lot of noise front brakes when driving and applying brakes. *tr
Had brakes trouble with your 2013 Toyota RAV4?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the brakes problem on the 2013 Toyota RAV4?
It's a meaningful issue. 16 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $450.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Across the 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most brakes failures cluster between 16,000 and 30,000 miles, with the median around 24,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 16,000; a quarter make it past 30,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Toyota/RAV4.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.