31 complaints reported

2012 Toyota RAV4 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
31
Crashes
5
Fires
0
Injuries
3

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Mar 2025

Over the last several years, I have experienced a minimum of four, possibly one or two more, incidents of this vehicle accelerating at a high rate while I have had my foot on the brake. In all of these cases, I was braking to come to a stop - braking quickly and hard in a couple cases. While braking and slowing, my engine revved/accelerated at a very high rate. In all of these incidents, I changed gears to neutral, and the acceleration stopped. These incidents were random and very far apart from one another in terms of time. In all cases, my foot was firmly (and only) on the brake pedal, and my floor mat was in the proper position and secure. There was nothing in contact with the acceleration pedal. On Monday, March 10, 2025, I got into my car in our garage to go to work. The car started normally. When I put my car into reverse, the engine started revving/accelerating at a very high rate and it was lurching, like it was trying to move. Luckily, my foot was firmly on the brake, and the brake held. I quickly put the car back into park, and the engine began revving/accelerating at an even higher rate. I then turned the car off. Again, I checked my floor mat, and it was in place and secured, my foot was only on the brake pedal, and there was nothing touching the acceleration pedal. This was a frightening experience, and at that point I decided that I would never drive this car again. If I did not have my brake firmly engaged, my car would have shot out of my garage when I put it in reverse. Upon researching the problem, my husband and I read about the unintended acceleration that many people have experienced with Toyotas, causing numerous deaths and injuries, and about the class action law suit with Toyota. Although the investigation seemed to chalk the incidents up to "user error" - foot being on the wrong pedal, floor mats affecting the acceleration pedal, etc. - I know with 100% confidence that none of these were the case. I will be notifying Toyota, as well.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Oct 2025
Jun 2019

I WAS COMING TO A STOPLIGHT AND PRESS THE BRAKES THE CAR CAME TO STOP THEN THE ENGINE REVVED UP VERY FAST. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKES BUT THE ENGINE WAS REVVING VERY FAST THAT I HAD TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING FORWARD. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK THEN THE ENGINE STOP REVVING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2019
May 2019

MY RAV4 ACCELERATES EXCESSIVELY OUT OF THE BLUE, IN A DANGEROUS MANNER FAR EXCEEDING ANY NEED TO MAINTAIN THE SET SPEED. SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES IS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. IN A DAY AND A HALF OF HIGHWAY DRIVING IT HAPPENED THREE SEPARATE AND RANDOM OCCURRENCES YESTERDAY, SEP 4TH AND TODAY SEP 5TH, 2019. FOR EXAMPLE I WAS DRIVING ON I-44 EASTBOUND AT CRUISE CONTROL OF 70 MPH. AND AS I WAS GOING ALONG IT HAD ACCELERATED TO 75 BEFORE I RECOGNIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENED AND SLAMMED AGGRESSIVELY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL OR IT WOULD HAVE SURPASSED 85 MPH EASILY. IT PUT ME IN DANGER OF HAVING AN SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH A SEMITRAILER IN JULY. I SOUGHT ANSWERS FROM A MECHANIC TODAY. HE SAID IT SOUNDED SIMILAR TO WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER TOYOTA MODELS. BECAUSE OF THIS SIMILARITY, I AM REPORTING MY EXPERIENCES TO THE NHTSA NOW. YOURS TRULY, [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2019
Jan 2019

I WAS COMING TO A STOPLIGHT AND I PUT MY FOOT IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CAR SLOWED DOWN, CAME TO A STOP BUT THEN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ENGINE REVED UP TO 3000 RPM. THE BRAKES WERE BARELY ABLE TO KEEP THE CAR STOPPED SO I HAD TO PUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON. I WAS IN DRIVE THE WHOLE TIME. ONCE THE LIGHT CHANGED, I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ONTO TO GAS PEDAL AND THE RPM'S DROPPED BACK TO 1000. IT HASN'T HAPPENED SINCE THEN. TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND SAID THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO THEY COULDN'T FIX ANYTHING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2019
Jul 2018

I WAS IN A PARKING AREA LOOKING FOR A PARKING SPOT. I HAD JUST DRIVEN UP A SLIGHT INCLINE AND CRESTED THE TOP WHEN I SPOTTED AN OPEN SPACE ON THE LEFT. I BRAKED SLIGHTLY TO TURN INTO THE SPOT, LIFTED MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE BUT KEPT IT COVERED AND MADE THE LEFT TURN INTENDING TO COAST INTO THE SPOT. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN THE VEHICLE INEXPLICABLY ACCELERATED AT WHICH POINT I SLAMMED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE ENDING UP CROSS WAYS IN THE PARKING SPOT AND JUST SHORT OF A PARKING SIGN IN FRONT ON THE CURB. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO IDLE SPEED. THE THROTTLE PEDAL, WHICH IS TOP MOUNTED, WAS EXAMINED AND FOUND TO BE CLEAR AND FREE. NO IDEA WHAT MIGHT BE THE CAUSE, MOST LIKELY ELECTRONICALLY RELATED. FRIGHTENING SITUATION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jul 2018
Dec 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE AT A COMPLETED STOP, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Nov 2016
Dec 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED RANDOMLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2015
Aug 2016 Crash

WHILE STOPPED IN A LEFT TURN LANE AT A MAJOR CITY INTERSECTION BEHIND A LINE OF ABOUT 6 STOPPED CARS, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO RACE AT HIGH SPEED. THE CAR MOVED FORWARD AND HIT THE REAR OF THE CAR IN FRONT BEFORE I COULD DEPRESS THE BRAKE HARD. I DID THAT, PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AT THE IGNITION KEY BEFORE CHECKING ON THE CONDITION OF THE FOLKS IN THE CAR IN FRONT. THERE WAS NO WAY THAT I COULD HAVE MISTAKEN WHICH PEDAL WAS WHICH, AS I WAS ALREADY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO KEEP FROM MOVING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2016
Jun 2016

I WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AT APPX: 35-40MPH. ON US INTERSTATE #66. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR, AND THE ROAD WAS RELATIVELY LEVEL. AS THE OTHER CARS SLOWED, I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR BUT THE CAR SURGED FORWARD. UPDATED 01/11/17*LJ I --LITERALLY--HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE AS THE ENGINE SURGED. I MANAGED TO PUSH THE SHIFTER INTO PARK. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE BUT, WHEN I PUMPED THE ACCELERATOR SEVERAL TIMES, THE ENGINE SPEED DROPPED BACK TO IDLE. I DID NOT HIT ANY OTHER VEHICLE OR OBJECT. I HAVE HAD TWO (2) SIMILAR INCIDENTS IN THE LAST 5-6 MONTHS-- BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I REPORTED IT--TO BOTH NHTSA AND TOYOTA. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, EXPECTING A QUICK FIX BUT INSTEAD, THE DEALERSHIP PERSONNEL BECAME DEFENSIVE, CLAIMED THAT THE WELL KNOWN HISTORY OF TOYOTA ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WAS A FRAUD. NEVERTHELESS, THEY HAD A PREPRINTED" UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION" REPORT FORM WHICH THEY FILLED OUT WITH MY "VERBATIM" ACCOUNTS. UPDATED 06/13/18*JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Oct 2016
Jun 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. THE CONSUMER WROTE IN ON BEHALF OF HER MOTHER. THE CONSUMERS MOTHER EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON THE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. EACH TIME, WHEN HER MOTHER APPLIED THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED AND THEN ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND ON EACH OCCURRENCES, HER MOTHER WAS ABLE TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF TO STOP THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 10/06/16.*JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 2016
Jun 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY SHUTTING IT OFF. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,800.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 2015
Apr 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Nov 2015
Dec 2015

12/21/15 - MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. I JUST FINISHED REFUELING AND STARTED THE CAR. I HAD MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND SWITCHED FROM PARK TO DRIVE. MY LEFT FOOT STAYED ON THE FLOOR, TO THE LEFT OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. WITHOUT REMOVING MY RIGHT FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD. I PRESSED EXTREMELY HARD ON THE BRAKE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM MOVING FORWARD, AND COULD HEAR AND FEEL THE ENGINE AND BRAKE FIGHTING EACH OTHER. THIS LASTED APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS AND THE ENGINE RETURNED TO IDLE. THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS ARE NOT THAT CLOSE, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO PRESS BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 2015
Nov 2015 Crash Injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL AND CRASH INTO A TRAFFIC LIGHT POLE. DURING THE CRASH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND WOBBLED FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A FRACTURED RIB AND UPPER TORSO CONTUSIONS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,500.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2015
Jul 2015 Crash Injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4 EV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL REMEDY. FIVE DAYS AFTER THE RECALL REMEDY WAS PERFORMED, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD TO A HIGH SPEED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE CRASHED OVER A MEDIAN, A CONCRETE BARRIER, AND INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR WHIPLASH, BUT NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAITED OVER THREE WEEKS FOR THE MANUFACTURER'S ENGINEER TO PROVIDE AN ANALYSIS ON HOW THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4 EV, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Feb 2015
Oct 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. THE FAILURE WAS PROGRESSING. THE SAFETY CONCERN WAS REPORTED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER, AND NEITHER WERE ABLE TO REPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 12/9/14*CN

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jun 2014
Oct 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jun 2012
Jun 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OR WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000. UPDATED 10/22/14*CN

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2013
Feb 2014

APPROACHING STOP LIGHT AND SLOWING DOWN TO 35 MPH. STEPPED ON BRAKE WITH RIGHT FOOT AND ENGINE WENT FROM 2000 TO 3000 RPM WITHOUT ANYTHING AGAINST ACCELERATOR. STEPPED ON BRAKE AS HARD AS POSSIBLE, BUT COULD NOT GET VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN UNTIL WELL PAST THE STOP LIGHT. THIS EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN THREE DAYS LATER ON 2/14/14. HAD WALSER TOYOTA RUN A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK ON THIS VEHICLE ON 2/14/14, BUT IT DID NOT SHOW ANY ERRORS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Nov 2014
Nov 2013

11 OCT 12 - I BOUGHT A 2012 RAV4. 24 OCT 12 - I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. AS I APPLIED THE BRAKE THE CAR ACCELERATED. I PUSHED THE BRAKE HARD AND THE CAR DECELERATED. A FEW MINUTES LATER I APPROACHED A STOP SIGN AT MY HOUSE. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE THE CAR ACCELERATED. BEFORE I COULD PUSH HARDER ON THE BRAKE THE CAR RAN THE STOP SIGN AND THEN DECELERATED. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE. I EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE ACCELERATION ISSUES. I TOLD THE REP I LOOKED AT MY FOOT POSITION IN BETWEEN INCIDENTS AND THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD PRESS THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS TOGETHER. THE REP TOLD ME THERE WAS NO RECALLS ON THIS YEAR RAV4. HE SAID TAKE THE CAR TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALER. I TOOK THE CAR TO TOYOTA AND EXPLAINED EVERYTHING TO THEM. THE SERVICE MAN TOLD ME THAT THE FLOOR MAT BEING CAUGHT UP UNDERNEATH THE BRAKE WAS THE ISSUE. HE TOLD ME THAT THE REP FROM TOYOTA WOULD LOOK AT IT. 5 NOV 12 - TOYOTA CALLED TO SAY THE TOYOTA REP COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. 6 NOV 12 - I WENT TO TOYOTA TO PICK UP MY CAR. I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP AND STOPPED THE CAR TO WAIT FOR TRAFFIC. AFTER SITTING WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE FOR ABOUT 4-5 SECONDS, THE CAR BEGAN ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. I FIRMLY PUSHED HARD ON THE BRAKE AND LOOKED AT MY FOOT TO ASSURE MYSELF I WASN'T NEAR THE GAS PEDAL. I VERIFIED THE FLOOR MAT WASN'T ON THE GAS PEDAL. I PLACED THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AS IT WAS REVVING UP AND NOTICED THE TACHOMETER WENT BETWEEN 6500 TO 7000 RPM'S (IN THE RED). WHEN TRAFFIC CLEARED FOR ME TO TURN, I MADE A TURN, THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD AND THE ACCELERATION DECELERATED. I DROVE THE CAR DIRECTLY TO TOYOTA AND EXPLAINED WHAT JUST HAPPENED. 7 NOV 12 I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE CORPORATE TELLING ME THAT I COULD PICK UP THE VEHICLE FROM THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Oct 2012
Oct 2013 Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DECELERATE AND THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE RPMS INCREASED GREATLY. THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND TO DECELERATION ATTEMPTS AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PROCEEDING VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT AN INVESTIGATOR WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jul 2013
Sep 2013

ON THREE OCCASIONS DURING 2013, THE CAR ACCELERATED AND JUMPED FORWARD AS THE BRAKE WAS BEING APPLIED TO STOP THE CAR. ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2013 THE ACCELERATION AND MOVEMENT FORWARD WAS MORE PRONOUNCED AND WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A NOTICEABLE SOUND OF THE ENGINE. THIS OCCURRED AS THE BRAKE WAS BEING SLOWLY APPLIED DURING AN APPROACH TO AN INTERSECTION. THERE WAS NO MOVEMENT OR INVOLVEMENT OF THE FLOOR MAT ON THE DRIVER?S SIDE AND NO POSSIBILITY THAT THE DRIVER'S FOOT COULD HAVE HIT THE ACCELERATOR AT THE SAME TIME AS HIS FOOT WAS PLACED ON THE BRAKE. WE REQUESTED THAT THE CAR BE EXAMINED BY THE TOYOTA DEALER IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE NATURE OF THE DEFECT AND THE CORRECTIVE ACTION NEEDED. THE DEALER REPORTED THAT IT COULD NOT IDENTIFY ANY PROBLEM. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2013
Aug 2013

THE LATEST INCIDENT WAS THE 8TH TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED SINCE PURCHASED NEW IN SEPT. 2012. AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING APPROACHED A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WHEN BRAKE APPLIED CAR REVVED UP AND LURCHED FORWARD. SINCE NOTHING STOPS THIS EXCEPT TURNING OFF IGNITION THIS WAS DONE AGAIN AND CAR RESTARTED AND NO FURTHER INCIDENT. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND AFTER HAVING CAR THERE FOR 2 DAYS WAS TOLD NO REPLICATION COULD BE MADE. I CONTACTED THE TOYOTA OFFICE IN CALIFORNIA AND AFTER MORE DELAYS HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN A RENTAL. CAR IS STILL AT DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE IS DOING NOTHING UNTIL HE HEARS FROM CALIFORNIA THAT MAY APPROVE SUPER TECH TO LOOK AT CAR. VERY DISSATISFIED WITH TOYOTA DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THEY ARE IN DENY MODE UNTIL SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA AFTER THIS POOR RUN AROUND SERVICE ON BOTH COASTS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Oct 2013
May 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING 1 MPH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER STATED THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WAS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. UPDATED 10/17/13*LJ

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2013
May 2013

VEHICLE WAS SLOWING DOWN FROM ORIGINAL SPEED OF 45MPH APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT. AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE STARTED TO REV UP AND ACCELERATE WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE HARDER THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED THE HIGHER THE RPMS AND FOOT WAS NOT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL. AFTER A FEW SECONDS AND BRAKE PRESSED AS HARD AS POSSIBLE THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING AND THE CAR WAS TOTALLY SHUT OFF AFTER JOLTING FORWARD. AFTER GETTING CAR RESTARTED IT WAS RUNNING ROUGH AT 45 MPH AND SHORT DISTANCE FROM HOME. THIS WAS A FRIDAY NIGHT. CALLED TOYOTA DEALER NEXT MORNING AND MADE APPOINTMENT FOR THEM TO CHECK IT OUT ON TUESDAY JUNE 4. HAD TO USE THE RAV ON SUNDAY JUNE 2 TO PICK UP A PART AT THE HARDWARE. RAN FINE FOR THE 4 MILES OR SO TO THE HARDWARE. UPON STARTING THE CAR, AFTER LEAVING THE HARDWARE, IT REVVED UP TO A VERY HIGH RPM THEN DROPPED BACK TO NORMAL. DRIVE BACK HOME WAS OK. ON THE WAY TO THE TOYOTA DEALER ON JUNE 4 I COULD WATCH RPMS FLUCTUATE IN AN ABNORMAL MANNER AFTER HITTING THE BRAKE FOR A STOP AT TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHILE AT THE DEALER I FILED A CASE WITH TOYOTA. I SAT THERE FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS BEFORE THEY TOLD ME THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. I SAID I WAS NOT GOING TO TAKE THE VEHICLE HOME IF THEY HAD NOT TRIED ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY PUT A CALL IN FOR THE LOCAL TOYOTA REP AND THEY ARE WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2013

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Toyota RAV4 has 31 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL complaints on file. 5 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.