IllustrationREAR BRAKE DRUMS MADE A NOISE. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES,THEY GRAB AND PULL, MAKING VEHICLE JERK. ALSO, FRONT BRAKES WOULD GRIND, AND STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. CONTACTED DEALER ,AND DEALER STATED THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON VEHICLE, BUT CONSUMER CAN'T GET ADEQUATE INFORMATION.*AK
2001 Toyota RAV4
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2001 Toyota RAV4 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 258.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAV4 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
130–25K
525–50K
2950–75K
6875–100K
93100–150K
28150K+
236 reports with mileage · 73 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 190 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports2 fire reports9 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
19 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE BRAKES SCREETCH WHEN APPLIED. THE SOUND IS PARTICULARLY STARTLING IF THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED QUICKLY. THIS SOUND IS NOT THE "WEAR SENSOR" SOUND (DEALER CHECKED BRAKES AND SAID THEY ARE FINE). THIS SOUND IS DIFFERENT THAN THE STANDARD SQUEKY BRAKES YOU HEAR ON SOME CARS AND IS VERY CONCERNING. THE WINDSHIELD WOULD RATTLE WHILE…
Read full complaint
THE BRAKES SCREETCH WHEN APPLIED. THE SOUND IS PARTICULARLY STARTLING IF THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED QUICKLY. THIS SOUND IS NOT THE "WEAR SENSOR" SOUND (DEALER CHECKED BRAKES AND SAID THEY ARE FINE). THIS SOUND IS DIFFERENT THAN THE STANDARD SQUEKY BRAKES YOU HEAR ON SOME CARS AND IS VERY CONCERNING. THE WINDSHIELD WOULD RATTLE WHILE DRIVING (DEALER PUT IN A GASKET AND SOUND STOPPED).*AK
WHILE COMING TO COMPLETE STOP BY PRESSING ABS BRAKES, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HIT A STONEWALL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN PHOTOGRAPHS OF VEHICLE/ WALL AND GROUND, SHOWING NO TIRE MARKS.*AK
FRONT BRAKES SQUEAL WHEN COMING TO A STOP ON A CONSTANT BASIS, WINDSHIELD RATTLES AT LOW TEMPS LESS THAN 60 DEGRESS, REAR SUSPENSION CREAKS WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER STOP
BRAKE SHOE OR DRUM GRIND WHEN COMING TO FULL STOP EVERYTIME. BRAKE MIGHT NOT BE WORKING PROPERLY. DEALER KEPT SAYING NO PROBLEM, GRIND SOUND IS NORMAL.*AK
BRAKES SQUEAL WHEN STOPPING. REPLACED ROTORS, PADS. STILL NOT CORRECTED. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS SLOWLY, POPS INTO REVERSE WHILE IN THE CAR WASH AND THE RPM GAUGE SHOWS HIGH RPM'S WHEN ACCELERATING IN THIRD GEAR. NLM
CONSUMER'S FOOT SLIPPED OFF BRAKE PEDAL ONTO THROTTLE AND ALMOST RAN INTO SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. BRAKE PEDAL WAS TOO SMALL. MANUFACTURER HAD NO PLANS OF CHANGING DESIGN. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.