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This week, I casually scrolled through reels on Instagram until I came across a mechanic talking about a recent customer complaint. A decade-old Toyota RAV4 produced a grinding noise from either the front or rear brakes; the customer wasn’t sure which. Typically, a brake inspection would reveal brake wear or some visual evidence of grinding. The tech inspected the brake system only to find plenty of meat left on all the pads. He did additional research and found a technical service bulletin from 2015, likely tucked deeply in his shop’s repair software. The document reflected this exact combo of symptoms and lack of obvious identifiable cause.

Toyota released the TSB after receiving owner complaints about noisy brakes. Interestingly, the underlying cause wasn’t a flaw in the braking system at all. Instead, Toyota realized that rear body trim pieces created what’s called “overnight rotor soak.” In other words, the vehicle’s trim caused moisture to build up on the rear rotors. In turn, a grinding or moaning sound emits when braking after sitting.

TSB number T-SB-0037-15 says the fix is replacing these rear trim pieces with redesigned versions. The recent customer complaint is evidence that some 2013-2015 Toyota RAV4s still suffer from the issue. So, if you’re driving around a decade-old Toyota RAV4 with noisy but healthy brakes, consider checking for the redesigned trim components.

The mechanic who posted the diagnostic procedure on Instagram, Felipe Toro, shared the customer’s narrative to remind techs to check for recalls and TSBs before throwing parts at the problem. Even years-old TSBs remain active as long as these vehicles are on the road.

Toyota has several documented fixes for RAV4s with noisy and shuddering brakes, such as the 2012-2016 model years. In most cases, an updated set of pads or even a shim install to adjust contact points in the braking system remedies the complaint. In the example above, though, the fix didn’t involve the brakes at all.

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Editor-in-Chief

Sarah Kennedy

Sarah Kennedy joined the MotorBiscuit team as managing editor in 2021 and brings with her a bevy of automotive expertise. She’s an ASE-Certified Automotive Service Consultant and licensed car salesperson with over a decade of shop operations experience.

Sarah was the creator of “Shop Smarts” for MOTOR Magazine and was a contributor from 2013 to 2020. Her work earned her a Gold Medalist award from the American Society of Business Publication Editors in 2014 and Bronze Medalist awards from the International Automotive Media Competition in 2014 and 2015.

She has attended the Automotive Management Institute and earned her bachelor’s degree in English from The Ohio State University.