By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse
On a 2006-2016 Toyota RAV4, the parking brake is not part of the rear disc caliper. It is a small set of brake shoes that expand against a drum machined into the inside of each rear rotor hat, pulled by cables from the center console lever. When the lever travels too far, fails to hold the vehicle, or the rear brakes drag after release, the fix is almost always shoe clearance, cable adjustment, or worn or glazed shoes, and the shoes must be adjusted before the cable, never the other way around.
How the RAV4 Parking Brake Works
Both the third-generation (2006-2012) and fourth-generation (2013-2018) RAV4 use rear disc brakes for normal stopping and a separate drum-in-hat parking brake. Each rear rotor has a smooth drum surface cast inside its center hat. Behind it, on the backing plate, sit two parking brake shoes, a shoe lever, a strut, upper and lower return springs, hold-down springs and pins, and an adjusting screw (star wheel). The factory service manual for the 2013-2018 model lists exactly those components in the parking brake assembly.
When you pull the console lever, the No. 1 cable pulls an equalizer, which splits the pull into the two rear cables. Each rear cable moves the shoe lever, which spreads the shoes against the drum. Because the shoes only touch the drum when the lever is pulled, they wear very slowly, and their clearance is set by hand with the star wheel rather than by a self-adjuster working every time you stop.
The owner's manuals for both generations give the same operating instructions: apply the parking brake fully while holding the brake pedal, and to release it, raise the lever slightly, press the button and lower it completely. Toyota also warns that driving with the parking brake set overheats brake components, which can affect braking performance and increase wear.
Common Parking Brake Problems and What They Mean
| Symptom | Most likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Lever pulls up too many clicks, weak hold on a hill | Excess shoe clearance or stretched cable | Shoe clearance first, then cable adjusting nut |
| Lever feels tight after only a few clicks, rear drags | Cable or shoes adjusted too tight | Back off the cable nut, recheck shoe clearance |
| Hot rear wheel, burning smell, discolored rotor hat | Shoes dragging or a cable not returning | Cable free play at each wheel, shoe return springs |
| Brake light stays on after release | Lever not fully down, switch, or low fluid | Lever fully released, fluid level, switch |
| Holds poorly even with correct clicks | Glazed or contaminated shoe lining, worn drum surface | Remove rotor, inspect lining and drum diameter |
| Grinding or scraping from the rear at low speed | Broken spring or loose shoe hardware inside the hat | Remove rotor and inspect hardware |
A sticking parking brake is a real concern on RAV4s in salt states. Moisture gets inside the hat, the star wheel threads rust, and cables corrode inside their sheaths. A cable that will not return fully keeps the shoes lightly applied, and that slow drag is what cooks the lining and discolors the hat.
Factory Specifications (2013-2018 Service Manual)
The figures below come from the Toyota service manual for the 2013-2018 RAV4, which covers the 2013-2016 years in this range. The 2006-2012 model uses the same drum-in-hat layout, but confirm its exact numbers in the factory service manual for your year rather than assuming they carry over.
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Parking brake lever travel | 7 to 9 clicks at about 200 N (44 lbf) of pull, with no rear brake drag |
| Brake warning light | Illuminates at the first click |
| Shoe clearance adjustment | Contact the adjuster, then return it 8 notches until the disc rotates smoothly |
| Shoe lining thickness | 3.5 mm (0.138 in.) standard, 1.0 mm (0.039 in.) minimum |
| Drum (disc inside) diameter | 172 mm (6.77 in.) standard, 173 mm (6.81 in.) maximum |
| Cable lock nut torque | 6.0 N-m (53 in.-lbf) |
| Lever mounting bolts | 14.5 N-m (11 ft.-lbf) |
| Rear wheel nuts | 103 N-m (76 ft.-lbf) |
How to Adjust the Parking Brake the Right Way
The order matters. If you tighten the cable to make up for worn or loose shoes, the lever feels firm but the shoes are held partly applied by cable tension, and they drag. Set the shoes first, then take up cable slack.
- Check the current travel. Pull the lever with firm, steady force and count the clicks. On 2013-2016 models the target is 7 to 9 clicks.
- Loosen the cable. Remove the rear console panel to reach the cable adjusting nut and lock nut at the lever. Loosen the lock nut and back the adjusting nut off so the cables are slack.
- Adjust the shoes at each rear wheel. Remove the wheel and temporarily install lug nuts to hold the rotor flat. Remove the adjusting hole plug in the rotor, and turn the star wheel with a brake spoon until the rotor locks. Then return it 8 notches, or until the rotor turns smoothly, and confirm there is no drag. Left and right adjusters are side-specific, so note which way expands the shoes on each side.
- Reinstall the plugs and wheels. Torque wheel nuts to the factory value listed above.
- Adjust the cable. Turn the adjusting nut until the lever travel is back within specification, then tighten the lock nut.
- Cycle and recheck. Pull and release the lever 3 to 4 times, recount the clicks, and spin each rear wheel to confirm the shoes release fully.
Do not pull the lever while a rear rotor is off. With nothing to push against, the shoes spread out of position and you will have to reset them before the rotor goes back on.
Replacing Shoes, Hardware and Bedding Them In
If the lining is at or below the 1.0 mm minimum, contaminated with oil or grease, or glazed, replace the shoes. Since the rear rotor has to come off to reach them, this is the ideal time to inspect the rear rotors and pads too. A rusted or weak spring set is cheap insurance, so install a fresh brake hardware kit along with new parking brake shoes. Measure the drum surface inside the rotor hat as well: past the 173 mm maximum, the rotor must be replaced, which is a good reason to fit new rear brake rotors at the same time.
Keep the lining and drum surface completely free of oil and grease. Toyota specifically cautions that no oil or grease should be on the shoe lining or the disc friction surface. Use a thin film of high-temperature brake grease only on the backing plate contact points and the adjuster threads.
New parking brake shoes need to be bedded in to hold properly. Toyota's procedure for 2013-2018 is to pull the lever with about 147 N (33 lbf) of force and drive at roughly 50 km/h (31 mph) for about 400 m (0.25 mile), repeating 2 to 3 times on a safe, level, dry road with no traffic. Then recheck the clearance and lever travel.
How Hard Is This Job?
Lever and cable adjustment is an easy driveway job once the console panel is off. A shoe adjustment through the rotor hole is moderate: the star wheel is hard to see and the notch count takes patience. Full shoe replacement is a solid intermediate job, since the caliper, bracket and rotor come off and the springs take some pliers work. Rotors rusted onto the hub, or shoes that grab the drum so the rotor will not come off, are the usual time-eaters; back the star wheel off through the adjusting hole before trying to pull the rotor.
If your front brakes are also due, the Hawk HPS 5.0 front brake pads for the 2006-2016 RAV4 fit every year covered here, and 2006-2008 owners can do the whole front axle at once with the Brembo OE front brake kit for the 2006-2008 RAV4. Everything else is in our brake parts catalog.
The parts that fix this — verified to fit your Toyota RAV4 Parking
- Front Rear Brake Kit Drilled Rotors Akebono ProACT Ceramic Pads For Toyota RAV4 — $451.99
- Front & Rear Brake Disc Rotors and Pads Kit For Toyota RAV4 2009 2010 2011-2018 — $346.99
- Front & Rear Brake Rotors + Ceramic Pads for 2006-2015 2016-2018 Toyota RAV4 — $330.99
Ships from our Circleville, OH warehouse. Free shipping over $75.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the RAV4 parking brake use the rear disc pads?
No. On 2006-2016 models the rear pads handle normal stopping only. The parking brake is a separate pair of shoes inside each rear rotor hat.
How many clicks should my RAV4 parking brake have?
Toyota's specification for 2013-2018 models is 7 to 9 clicks with about 44 lbf of pull and no rear drag. For 2006-2012, check the factory service manual for your year.
Can I just tighten the cable to fix a loose parking brake?
Only if the shoe clearance is already correct. Tightening the cable to make up for worn or loose shoes leaves them partly applied, which causes drag, heat and fast lining wear.
Why is my rear wheel hot after driving?
A dragging parking brake shoe, a cable that does not return, or the lever not being fully released are the common causes. Check that the lever is all the way down, then check cable free play and shoe clearance.
Do I need to replace rotors when I replace parking brake shoes?
Only if the drum surface inside the hat exceeds the maximum diameter, or the rotor braking surface is worn or damaged. Since the rotor is already off, it is a good time to measure both.
Sources
- Toyota RAV4 (XA40) Service Manual - Parking brake system - lever travel, applied force, warning light, adjustment sequence, lock nut and wheel torque
- Toyota RAV4 (XA40) Service Manual - Parking brake assembly - components, lining and drum specifications, 8-notch return, bedding-in procedure, no-grease caution
- Toyota RAV4 (XA40) Service Manual - Parking brake lever - lever, equalizer and cable layout, lever bolt torque
- Toyota RAV4 (XA40) Owner's Manual - Parking brake - setting and releasing, overheating warning
- Toyota RAV4 3rd Generation Owner's Manual - Parking brake - lever operation on 2006-2012 models
- Wilwood - How to adjust an internal drum parking brake - star wheel adjustment principle, do not actuate the lever with the drum off
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