NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Service Brakes complaints
16 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Dec 4, 2025
Air BagsForward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesCrash
During snowy but manageable conditions, the brake system on my 2021 RAV4 Prime SE failed to respond, and the vehicle did not decelerate when I pressed the brake pedal. A “Pre-Collision System Malfunction” warning appeared shortly before impact. I was unable to steer away despite attempting an evasive turn. The vehicle collided w…
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During snowy but manageable conditions, the brake system on my 2021 RAV4 Prime SE failed to respond, and the vehicle did not decelerate when I pressed the brake pedal. A “Pre-Collision System Malfunction” warning appeared shortly before impact. I was unable to steer away despite attempting an evasive turn. The vehicle collided with the car in front of me, and the airbags did not deploy. I was driving at a reduced speed due to snow. The vehicle ahead (a BMW SUV) began slowing. When I applied the brakes, my RAV4 Prime did not slow down at all—there was no deceleration, no ABS pulsing, and no traction control intervention. The vehicle continued moving forward as if the brakes were not engaging. At the same time, I saw a dashboard warning indicating a Pre-Collision System (PCS) malfunction. I attempted to turn the wheel to avoid the collision, but the vehicle did not respond to steering input quickly enough to prevent impact. Despite the collision, no airbags deployed. The vehicle has been regularly maintained (oil changes every 5,000 miles, new tires last year, all service intervals followed), and there were no warning lights or issues beforehand. Safety Concerns: •Complete or partial brake failure •Electronic braking or stability control malfunction •Pre-Collision System malfunction •Airbag non-deployment in a front impact •Potential systemic issue affecting Toyota hybrid/Prime models This incident caused significant fear and distress for both me and my child who was in the vehicle, and raises serious concerns about whether similar failures could occur for other owners.
NHTSA ODI #11703035
Mileage unknown · Sep 9, 2025
Service Brakes
The car has a grinding sound and a brake slipping feeling that occurs while traveling and braking over rough pavement. It does not happen consistently, but it does happen fairly regularly (every 2-4 weeks). Note, the grinding sound can range from subtle to quite loud, depending on bump/timing of braking. This has been happening …
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The car has a grinding sound and a brake slipping feeling that occurs while traveling and braking over rough pavement. It does not happen consistently, but it does happen fairly regularly (every 2-4 weeks). Note, the grinding sound can range from subtle to quite loud, depending on bump/timing of braking. This has been happening since I purchased the car and continues to happen, which is why I put today's date as the incident date, and I have been bringing it up with the Toyota maintenance department at most maintenance appointments. Their shop manager has driven it and thought I was mistaking it for the ABS activating. I have driven it with him, ABS has activated, and when he pointed it out to me, I have let him know that what is happening is definitely something different than the ABS activating. I have tried to find a location to show them to replicate it with the service center, but it happens randomly on rough patches. For example, it happened on a spot near the dealership that I thought I could use to show them, but when I drove over the same area again and braked, nothing happened. So, I have not been able to replicate this with the service center, but it is most certainly happening. I have notified Toyota through their consumer contact system that this issue is going on and they said Toyota tracks issues like this. However, no resolution has been offered. Other Toyota Rav4 Prime owners of the same year have experienced this (see [XXX] and [XXX] ). Although the maintenance manager was stumped, he said at a recent visit that another Prime owner voiced the same type of thing happening. Toyota needs to investigate to determine what the issue is and remedy the issue. I am concerned this could lead to a larger issue and is a safety recall issue that warrants immediate attention. It does not seem that Toyota is taking this seriously. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ODI #11685840
Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2025
Air BagsForward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesCrash
Upon entering a light controlled intersection at a relatively slow speed (probably less than 20 mph} on wet pavement, an oncoming car suddenly made a left turn directly in front of me. I applied the applied the breaks hard and slid into the passenger side of the turning vehicle. The ABS system did not function. The air bag did…
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Upon entering a light controlled intersection at a relatively slow speed (probably less than 20 mph} on wet pavement, an oncoming car suddenly made a left turn directly in front of me. I applied the applied the breaks hard and slid into the passenger side of the turning vehicle. The ABS system did not function. The air bag did not deploy. At the moment of the collision my speed was reduced and I do not know the threshold for airbags to deploy, but this was a direct front end collision. I was able to brace myself and was not injured. I am not claiming the airbag malfunctioned as the speed at the moment of impact was not high. However, I have complained to the Toyota dealer service department almost since the car was new, that the ABS does not function. They have repeatedly told me that it is fully operational based only on the fact that the system registers as "on." Being "on" does not mean it is functioning. Questions: What component failed? ABS and possibly airbag How was my safety at risk? Non functioning ABS resulting in a potentially preventable accident Has the problem been confirmed? Yes, byt the dealer though they claim the sliding of the car is due to old tires. However, the tires are withing the legal limist for tread depth and I have complained about the problem since the car and the tires were nearly new. Has the vehicle been inspected? yes, byt the Toyota dealer and an independent Toyota crash inspector Were there any warning lights etc? No
NHTSA ODI #11634802
Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 2024
Air BagsForward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesCrash
MY [XXX] ’S) SUDDEN ACCELERATION INCIDENT [XXX] - TOYOTA RAV4 2021: I was gliding into a parking space with my foot on the brake and as I went to straighten out the wheel to come to a full stop the car lurched forward full speed and smashed into the car parked in the row that was facing me. Good thing there was no one in that…
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MY [XXX] ’S) SUDDEN ACCELERATION INCIDENT [XXX] - TOYOTA RAV4 2021: I was gliding into a parking space with my foot on the brake and as I went to straighten out the wheel to come to a full stop the car lurched forward full speed and smashed into the car parked in the row that was facing me. Good thing there was no one in that car, it had been backed in so I hit the rear end of it. The damage is so extensive it is beyond comprehension. My airbags did not deploy, which they should have. I saw that the ‘malfunction brake’ orange light was illuminated as I went crashing into the parked car and could not believe that the automatic anti-collision brake system failed - it was as if the car was possessed and the scariest thing ever. Towed to the dealer I bought it from. I have now read all of these other incidents that are the same as mine and this is no joke. We all could have been killed and there are people that most likely have been that have never been reported. I have been driving for over 40 years and have never experienced anything like it. Computers and software have glitches all the time, and if Toyota does not do something about this that means they do not care if their customers die. That makes them murderers. I loved my RAV4 more than anything, it is an eplugin hybrid and the best! I would/will never drive that car again, ever, and I am going to see to it that Toyota Corp, who is liable, reimburses me every penny I spent on that car, plus any legal fees and hourly wages for how much time I now have to spend on dealing with this whole thing, one of which is having to prove to my insurance company that this was NOT my fault so my rates do not go up! The dealer paid off my lease and never made me come pick up the car as I never had it fixed. Of course my insurance went up as they had to pay the damage to the other car! I now have filed a small claim with my local court to recoup the money for increase in insurance, deposit for Rav4 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
NHTSA ODI #11621836
Mileage unknown · May 21, 2024
Air BagsForward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesCrash
My 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime had traction control, braking issues and failure to warn in the event of a possible forward collision. On a few occasions the brakes seem to just slide and the car would keep moving. Last week I was in an accident and the emergency braking system, the forward collision warning system and all the air bag…
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My 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime had traction control, braking issues and failure to warn in the event of a possible forward collision. On a few occasions the brakes seem to just slide and the car would keep moving. Last week I was in an accident and the emergency braking system, the forward collision warning system and all the air bags failed. The California Highway Patrol was surprised that even though the estimation collision speed was 60 mph the air bags did not deploy. I would have not had a chance to test out the air bags, emergency braking system or the forward collision warning prior to the accident.
NHTSA ODI #11590033
Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2024
Fuel/propulsion SystemService BrakesVehicle Speed ControlCrash
I was pulling into a parking space at a slow speed and breaking when my car accelerated violently and caused me to go across a median and strike another parked vehicle. Police came and did a report. I took my car right away to dealer and they had me take it to their collision shop to be repaired. They said they would try to find…
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I was pulling into a parking space at a slow speed and breaking when my car accelerated violently and caused me to go across a median and strike another parked vehicle. Police came and did a report. I took my car right away to dealer and they had me take it to their collision shop to be repaired. They said they would try to find the unintended acceleration problem after it was repaired. No warning lights or airbags.
NHTSA ODI #11563605
Mileage unknown · Oct 25, 2023
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemService Brakes
When driving over small bumps while slowing down will cause the rear brakes to lock
NHTSA ODI #11551856
Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2023
Service Brakes
When braking and hitting a slight bump in the road or on a wet road it actually like my car is accelerating, seems to be a possible issue with the regenerative brake system and the antilock brake system software working together. Luckily i have not hit anyone, but this is a major safety flaw. Has happened multiple times.
NHTSA ODI #11547682
Mileage unknown · Jul 26, 2023
Service BrakesCrash
When pulling into a parking spot at less than 5 mph the car accelerated violently and couldn't be stopped while braking. A marble or granite barrier stopped the my car preventing me from going into a shallow ravine and potential on coming traffic. There have been multiple safety recalls on the braking system on the car and each …
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When pulling into a parking spot at less than 5 mph the car accelerated violently and couldn't be stopped while braking. A marble or granite barrier stopped the my car preventing me from going into a shallow ravine and potential on coming traffic. There have been multiple safety recalls on the braking system on the car and each have been executed in a timely fashion. I cannot determine if warning lights went off at the time due to how quickly the issue happened
NHTSA ODI #11534494
Mileage unknown · Jun 4, 2022
Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control
We have COMPLETELY lost brakes on MULTIPLE occasions for a few seconds per occasion. Brake loss has occurred upon slow, even braking and on flat, dry, even pavement with no pot poles or loose gravel around. When this happens, an orange light appears on the dash, we lose brakes for a few seconds, the car regains brakes, and jolts…
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We have COMPLETELY lost brakes on MULTIPLE occasions for a few seconds per occasion. Brake loss has occurred upon slow, even braking and on flat, dry, even pavement with no pot poles or loose gravel around. When this happens, an orange light appears on the dash, we lose brakes for a few seconds, the car regains brakes, and jolts forward with no change in foot position on the brake pedal. We have taken the car to the dealer multiple times and every single time this incident has occurred the rear right wheel speed shows about a 10% variation in speed compared to all the other wheels per the vehicle diagnostic report/record of behavior. The orange light we are seeing on the dash is the ABS light. There is no feedback in the brake pedal on any occasion. This incident has occurred about 20 times so far. Our car is available for inspection. The dealer believes this is being caused by a software issue and not a faulty sensor. This car is a danger to us and anyone around us as we have needed to swerve into the shoulder multiple times to avoid hitting someone ahead of us. This NEEDS to be fixed before it injures or kills someone. This issue has still been persistent even after taking care of the VSC recall and a reset/recalibration to the braking system. We have taken the car to the dealer for this issue on: 4/4/22, 4/15/22, 4/25/22, 5/11/22, 6/4/22. *We have been limiting our driving in this car due to the issue happening multiple times a week, that is why there hasn't been many trips to the dealer much between May and June. I want to reiterate, this doesn't sound like a defect per the dealer, it sounds like a software issue!
NHTSA ODI #11467556
Official recalls
4Jul 12, 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2022 RAV4 Prime and 2022 Lexus NX450h+ plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicles. The electric current rectifying module contained within the DC-DC converter may have been damaged during production, which can result in an electrical short-circuit.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A short circuit can cause the DC-DC converter to overheat, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to charge their vehicles when the ambient air temperature is below or expected to drop below 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius). Dealers will replace the DC-DC converter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB07/23LB01.
Feb 2, 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021 RAV4 Prime Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. During certain cold weather driving conditions, while driving in EV Mode, the hybrid vehicle control engine control unit (HEV ECU) software may cause the hybrid system to shut down if the accelerator is rapidly pressed to further accelerate the vehicle, resulting in a stall.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the HEV ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 27, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TA01.
Apr 13, 2022
Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The Skid Control ECU software may not turn on the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system when the vehicle is restarted after the driver has disabled the VSC system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA03. Lexus' number for this recall is 22LA01.
Nov 12, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021 RAV4 Prime vehicles. The headlight aiming caps may have been improperly closed, allowing for horizontal adjustment of the headlight beam. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Adjusting the horizontal headlight beam can increase glare, reducing the visibility of an oncoming driver or the vehicle operator, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will close the aiming caps on the headlights, free of charge. The recall began January 6, 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA15.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.