Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2018 Toyota RAV4 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
We were driving when I made a right turn and suddenly the steering wheel locked on me and at the same time various warning lights lit up on my dashboard. The car slowed and I was able to regain control of the steering wheel to pull over. After driving a few miles further we once again came to a right turn and everything happened as before except with greater intensity. We tried to straighten the steering wheel for control and were able to pull over into an empty parking lot. By the time we came to a stop, which took all of just one or two minutes, smoke was coming out from under our hood. We quickly got out of our car and opened the hood to see the battery in flames. I called 911 while my husband poured his cup of water over the flames. It stalled the fire but it continued to spark until help arrived. I am certain if we had not had water the whole car would have caught on fire. …
The Toyota RAV4 2018 car acceleration went out of control and crashed into a retaining wall. The airbags exploded and the steering wheel airbag burst. The car was totaled and is with State Farm. I was blessed to still be alive the car speed out of control on its own. I tried to push on the brakes but the car kept going. The accident could have been worse. No one else was injured only another car was hit. I did reach out to Toyota and they said it could take 4-6 weeks for someone to look at the car. I reach out to the dealer and waiting to hear back from the dealer. The police department issued me a ticket, I have court on July 23, 2021. State Farm insurance declared the car a total loss. No warning lamps or messages. The first same incident happened on April 3, 2021, and on June 12, 2021, was the day of the accident. The incident and accident happened at the same location. …
The first incident happened on June 9, 2021. I was turning right very slowly into a parking spot at a grocery store when the car suddenly accelerated rapidly, even when I depressed the brake very hard. My car hit a row of small trees that formed a border between the parking lot and the street. The impact was so hard that there was over $5,000 in damage to the front of the car. I was in shock as it felt like the car was out of control. The second incident July 27, 2021. Again, I was turning right to reach the exit of a parking garage at a medical clinic. I was going very slow because I was approaching the ticket booth to exit the parking garage. Just as I completed the turn, the car accelerated and lurched forward toward the arm that keeps cars from exiting. I was able to stop the vehicle by pressing the brake hard, and I did not hit the arm at the exit point. …
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, upon attempting to slow the vehicle, she heard an abnormal sound emanating from the front of the vehicle, and the brake pedal required an excessive amount of force to slow the vehicle. The contact also stated that later, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost all motive power. She was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be jumpstarted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the braking system but did not provide a diagnosis in regards to the vehicle's loss of power. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that upon exiting a parking lot, with the brake pedal depressed to the floorboard the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The contact was forced to engage the parking brake to stop the vehicle. Once the vehicle was stopped, the contact was able to resume normal driving. After the initial failure, the contact experienced the failure on two separate occasions. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer however, the mechanic was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle remained in possession of the dealer. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and informed her that there were no recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.
I tried breaking and was on a hill with a small incline stopping behind a car as a pedestrian was crossing. When I pushed on the breaks lightly the car didn't break. So I pushed harder as the car in front of me was a few feet. When I pressed harder on the breaks the car actually accelerated and hit the car in front of me. The car made a strange noise and the warning that I was close to another car flashed on but the breaks failed to work at all. I had my breaks checked about 2 months ago when I had the tires changes and they said they were fine for now and just to have them looked at next tire rotation to evaluate. I've nver had issues with my breaks and my car took some damage. It was pretty terrifying.
On 8/31/2022 I was turning into the driveway of a friend. All of a sudden my car accelerated. There was another car in the driveway in front of me. I was trying not to hit it, so turned my steering wheel sharply to the right. I left the driveway, turning into a side yard, and then it seemed the brakes wouldn't work. I hit a tree, and went over a large rock, which stopped my car. As it happened, I did hit the other car. its back right bumper was hit, and my front left was crushed. My car was towed to an auto shop on 9/6/2022. It is not drivable. Incident was reported to my insurance that evening. My local agent told me to report to you on 9/9/2022.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while attempting to depress the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that excessive pressure was needed on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the parking brake had to be engaged while the vehicle was parked. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and brake fluid was added. The failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 52,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH, there was a squishy sound while depressing the brake pedal. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was made aware of a vacuum leak underneath the pedal. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign 18V211000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.
I the vehicle used with 20000 miles the brakes were mushy And made noise like that old school bus with no brake pads at all I checked for any recalls the Run none and I contacted Toyota with no result I researched on the internet and found that it was a bad batch of brake pads on several years including my particular year of 2018 the brake pedal becomes mushy the brakes make a lot of bought noise and it's possible for the brake pedal to go all the way to the floor however there is no recall as of yet on this problem can you please help Thank you Bruce Long
Brake complaints in other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2018 Toyota RAV4?
NHTSA has 30 complaints about the brakes of the 2018 Toyota RAV4, 9% of the model year's 333 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2018 Toyota RAV4 brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2018 Toyota RAV4, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2018 Toyota RAV4 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 14,000 miles, and 78% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 10 crashes, 2 fires and 2 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.