2012 Toyota RAV4 Service Brakes Problems

NHTSA component category: SERVICE BRAKES · data through 07/12/2026

34Service Brakes complaints

13.1%Of all 260 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How service brakes ranks on this vehicle

VISIBILITY/WIPER53 · 20.4%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL49 · 18.8%

SERVICE BRAKES34 · 13.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM30 · 11.5%

SEAT BELTS30 · 11.5%

Share of the 260 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Toyota RAV4 overview page.

What owners report

“WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKES, THE CAR CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST A DOZEN…”NHTSA complaint 10745620 — filed 08/02/2015

“WITHOUT CAUSE OR REASON, THE "BRAKE ACTUATOR" CIRCUIT MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE CRUISE CONTROL, ABS, ANTI-SKID AND SPORADIC TAIL LIGHT PROBLEMS (LIGHTS WILL…”NHTSA complaint 10726994 — filed 06/23/2015

“NEW RAV4 PURCHASED 2/2013;BOUGHT EXTENDED PLATNUM WARRANTY. 5 SEPARATE INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION 2/14/2015-5/25/2015-HAD PASSENGER IN CAR EACH TIME.1ST- TRAVELING S I-79 WARRENDALE PA 60…”NHTSA complaint 10722299 — filed 05/29/2015

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Service Brakes complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Toyota RAV4 have service brakes problems?

Service Brakes is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2012 Toyota RAV4: 34 of 260 complaints on file (13.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Toyota RAV4 have in total?

260 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 36 involved a crash, 4 involved a fire, 22 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's service brakes category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SERVICE BRAKES category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.