I have 2007 Rav 4 with 60K miles.
At about 25K with the original pads I started hearing a rough pad growl, just as the vehicle would come to a stop. I decided to get another set of factory pads and replace the original pads. The rotors looked great and there was approximately still another 15 to 20K of life left on the pads I was replacing, but I went ahead and changed the pads. The braking growl went away till I got to about 55K, and the growl started again. I decided to try a different set of front pads and installed a set of Raybestos ceramic pads, the growl started again at 60K. The rotors aren't warped, and for each of the brake pad replacements I lubed correctly and installed the original factory pad shims.
Has anyone else experienced this front brake pad symptom with their Rav 4?

I was tempted to suggest you might have a wheel bearing problem but if changing the brake pads cures it temporarily then logic dictates it must be a brake issue. Since each pad change yields less and less life before the growling returns I think it's a fairly safe assumption that the pads are not the direct culprit. It's possible they may be indirectly responsible but whatever the real problem is, it's getting worse with time causing the shortened life of the pads. The next logical course would be to remove the rotors and do a very slight turn just to clean them up. Some brake shops will not do this as they feel they must turn them down by a book specified amount regardless of the fact they may only require a few thousandths to clean them up. That kind of attitude will only cost you more money in the long run by severely lessening the life of the rotor unnecessarily. This is good for the brake shop but bad for you. Find a shop (or even a machinist if you know one) whom you can trust to not royally spank your rotors. Clean them up and see how long it takes before they begin to growl. While you're removing rotors, you may also want to check for any oil leaks or brake fluid leaks that might be contaminating the pads since you're going to get a good look at the system anyways during the rotor removal. Grease, oil or brake fluid impregnating the pad material can cause a variety of brake issues. Usually grabbiness is the first sign of contamination but not always.

Hope that helps.

I don't really think that your brake pads are the ones causing the problem, since it does provide a temporary fix. I suggest checking your brake system to see if there are any leaks or dirt that could be causing the problem.

i have the same problem too, i asked the dealer and they told me all rav 4 brakes sounds like that. i was thinking he was using that as an excuse.

Okay, I am licensed wrench bender. Todays brake pads and shoes are made of soft organic material. Then they impregnate soft metals into the pad to increase life. They do not last long during normal use, accelerate this with heavy loads, city driving and panic stops. Since the pads and rotors are exposed to road grime, the pads will pick up small rock and impregnate themselves into the pads/shoes. Rocks come in all hardnesses and they will eat away your rotors into nice grooves (similar to vinyl records) but deeper. Overall this wont reduce braking by much, as the pads will conform to the new shape of the surface of the rotor.
Chattering, squeeling is very loud and you should look with great care at how your brakes perform, inspection of all componenets is a must. Free floating calipers must slide in and out together. Failing that, they will create badly sounding music.
Whenever I replace my brakes I replace rotors and pads as a unit. I then remove the slider pins and boots, refilling with anti seize compound and light sanding where required. Some manufactureres require different procedures, which I follow, never mess with brakes, they could save a life

mongo