2001 Toyota RAV4 Complaint Log

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 STALLS AT STOP LIGHTS, DOES NOT WANT TO SHIFT INTO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR, VERY DANGEROUS FOR OUR DRIVER AT COLLEGE IN ST. LOUIS. IN RESEARCH, HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS RE 2002 RAV4S AND IT APPEARS IT IS FAULTY ENGINEERING. DIAGNOSTICS INDICATED INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *TR

THE ECM COMPUTER ON MY 2001 RAV4 IS FAILING, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO STALL DURING AUTOMATIC SHIFT CHANGE. THIS OCCURS EACH TIME YOU START IN 1ST, MOVING TO SECOND GEAR AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. THIS LASTS SEVERAL SECONDS AND CAN REPEAT IN SECOND GEAR. TRAFFIC BEHIND YOU CAN EASILY RUN INTO YOU AND IF YOU ARE ENTERING A FREEWAY, YOU CAN BE SERIOUSLY INJURED BY TRANSMISSION FAILING OR STALLING AS A RESULT. TOYOTA ISSUED A TSB IN 2006 TO DEALERS YET DID NOT NOTIFY OWNERS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND AN IMMEDIATE RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. MY MECHANIC AND ONE DEALER I TALKED TO INDICATE THAT THE ECM COMPUTER AND TRANSMISSION NEED TO BE REPLACED AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $5000. MY MECHANIC INDICATED HE HAS SEEN OVER 100 VEHICLES ON THIS AT HIS BUSINESS ALONE. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM. SINCE MY VEHICLE IS OVER 8 YRS OLD AND 115K MILEAGE, THERE IS NO EXTENDED WARRANTY. WHY DID TOYOTA NOTIFY ITS DEALERS IN MARCH 2006 OF THE PROBLEM AND NOT NOTIFY THE CUSTOMERS. WHY HAVE YOU NOT ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE BY ASKING TOYOTA TO ISSUE A RECALL TO CORRECT THIS VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. IF THE COMPUTER FAILS COMPLETELY, THE CAR WILL MORE THAN LIKELY STOP IN TRAFFIC. MY MECHANIC INDICATES THAT A NEW COMPUTER MUST BE PUT IN AND THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE RE BUILT. THIS STARTED ON FRIDAY, SEPT 18TH, ABOUT 4PM AS I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE FREEWAY. I HAD THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY CHECKED AND THIS WAS THE DETERMINATION. I HAVE PARKED THE CAR SINCE AND CANNOT DRIVE IT UNTIL REPAIRED. PLEASE ADVISE ON THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. THANK YOU. *TR

COMPLAINT REGARDING ECM ON 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. ECM CAUSES SHIFTING ISSUES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION RESULTING IN UNSAFE OPERATION OF VEHICLE. REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF ECM AT A MINIMUM. *TR

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 - MANUFACTURER-PROGRAMMED ECM FAILURE LEADING TO HARD SHIFTING, PROBLEMS ACCELERATING, AND MISFIRING. UNFORTUNATELY, TOYOTA IS ONLY COVERING THE REPAIR COST IF UNDER 80,000 MILES. APPEARS THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT THE MILEAGE IS AND SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, A RECALL SHOULD BE MADE TO REPAIR THIS FREE OF CHARGE TO THE OWNER. I HAD TO PAY OVER $1300 TO GET THIS FIXED. *TR

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 SUDDENLY STARTED SHIFTING HARD/JERKING...TOOK TO MECHANIC, WHO COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM...NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT...DROVE VEHICLE FEW DAYS AND THE PROBLEM RETURNED...HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, TOLD TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED, ECU FAILURE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT TYPICAL CITY SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION MADE A LOUD CLANKING SOUND AND THE CAR STATED STUTTERING INTERMITTENTLY. OFTEN WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP, THE CAR HAD TROUBLE FINDING A GEAR AND DID NOT MOVE FORWARD. WHILE DRIVING, SOMETIMES THERE WAS LITTLE OR NO ACCELERATION. THIS CAUSED A PROBLEM FOR DRIVERS BEHIND ME. THE FIX WAS A NEW ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM). FORTUNATELY, THE MECHANIC KNEW ABOUT TOYOTA'S TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON THIS MATTER. *TR

AFTER NOT HAVING PROBLEMS FOR NEARLY 4 YEARS, THE CIL CAME ON AND THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN HARD-SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. THE ECM CODE WAS FOR AN O2 SENSOR HEATER. CHANGED THE SENSOR, LIGHT CAME BACK ON CALLING OUT A GEAR AND THE SHIFTING WAS WORSE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY FLUSHED THE OIL AND FLASHED THE ECM PER TSB. RAN FINE FOR ONE DAY. CIL CAME BACK ON AND HARD SHIFTED HORRIBLY WHILE ON THE FREEWAY ON THE WAY HOME. PULLED OVER AND CHECKED FLUIDS. ALL FLUIDS LOOKED CLEAN AND WERE AT APPROPRIATE LEVELS. HEADED FOR DEALERSHIP AGAIN. GOT ON THE FREEWAY AND LOW GEAR HARD-SHIFT WENT AWAY, BUT SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER AND NARROWLY AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT AT 60 MPH! CAR REGAINED POWER AND SHIFTED FINE IN LOW GEARS BUT WOULD NOT SHIFT ABOVE 3RD. DROVE REST OF THE WAY TO DEALER AT 35 MPH AND DROPPED IT OFF FOR DIAGNOSTICS. I HAVE SPENT ALMOST $2K IN DIAGNOSES, PARTS, AND LABOR AND THE PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED. NOW, WE NEARLY WERE KILLED ON A MAJOR FREEWAY! THIS IS DANGEROUS! THIS PROBLEM MANIFESTED IN SEPTEMBER AND PEAKED YESTERDAY (11/17/09). WE CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP PAYING TO REPAIR THIS OBVIOUSLY UNSAFE DEFECT. *TR

I WAS SENT A LETTER ABOUT THE CLASS ACTION SUIT ON THE 2001-2003 TOYOTA RAV4. I ASKED TO HAVE MY VEHICLE FIXED, BUT WAS DENIED, BECAUSE I DID NOT REQUEST UNTIL AFTER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THE 150,000 HAD PASSED. I APPEALED THEIR DECISION AND I WAS DENIED AGAIN. I DID HAVE THE MODULE REPLACED WITH A NEW TOYOTA ONE, WHICH WAS INSTALLED BY A MECHANIC THAT DOES NOT WORK AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THIS MODULE WORKED FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT MY RAV IS BACK TO THE SAME HARD SHIFTING SAFETY ISSUES IT HAD BEFORE. I CAN'T AFFORD A NEW TRANSMISSION OR THE NEW MODULE TO COMPLETELY FIX THE SAFETY ISSUE. EVEN IF THEY REPLACED THE MODULE AGAIN, I BELIEVE IT HAS DONE TOO MUCH DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION THAT WILL NOT BE REPAIRED BY THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS PART. YOU PAY FOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND MAINTAIN IT LIKE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO AND TOYOTA DOES NOT TAKE CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMER. THEY MADE THEIR MONEY AND THAT'S THAT. *TR

MY 2001 RAV4 HAD BEEN EXHIBITING A HARSH SHIFT WHEN PUT IN REVERSE,VERY POOR ACCELERATION FROM A STOPPED POSITION,LOSS OF POWER,UNUSUAL SOUNDS AND FINALLY A P0758 TROUBLE CODE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO STONECREST TOYOTA 3 TIMES AND WAS TOLD ON 9/28/09 THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE SOLVED. BEFORE TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, I'VE HAD A TUNE UP,OIL CHANGE,A NEW BATTERY AND A COMPUTERIZED ENGINE DIAGNOSIS. THE PROBLEMS OCCUR QUITE OFTEN AND IN HEAVY TRAFFIC POSES AN INJURY RISK AS THEY ARE UNPREDICTABLE,CANNOT BE CONTROLLED AND OTHER MOTORISTS ARE UNAWARE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM VEHICLE BESIDE,IN BACK OF OR IN FRONT OF THEM. SINCE THE REQUIRED REPAIRS ARE SO EXPENSIVE, I HAVE STOPPED DRIVING THIS VEHICLE UNTIL I CAN HAVE IT FIXED. *TR

CAR HAD CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON; MECHANIC RAN DIAGNOSTICS ON SYSTEM- CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. RADIATOR NEEDED REPLACEMENT. AFTER CAR PICKUP, CAR GRADUALLY STARTED SHIFTING ABNORMALLY BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR- 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. *TR

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 BEGAN SHIFTING VERY JERKY WHILE ON WAY HOME FROM STORE. VERY SCARY. WOULD LUNGE AND JERK TO START OUT BUT AFTER 2ND OR 3RD GEAR WAS OKAY. WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HIS TRANSMISSION SERVICER HAD A MUCH BETTER PRICE. THE TRANSMISSION CO REPORTED BACK TO ME THAT I NEEDED A NEW COMPUTER AS WELL AS A REBUILT TRANSMISSION ($2700) AND THAT THIS (FAULTY COMPUTER) WAS A CONDITION TOYOTA WAS FULLY AWARE OF. APPARENTLY THE COMPUTER FOR THIS YEAR/MODEL WAS KNOWN TO BE FAULTY AND IN THIS CASE WAS TELLING THE TRANSMISSION TO ACCESS 2 GEARS AT THE SAME TIME (ACCORDING TO THEM). REPORTED THIS TO TOYOTA NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS AND THE WOMAN SAID I WAS OUT OF LUCK BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I WAS NEVER MADE AWARE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER, EVEN THOUGH I HAD CALLED TOYOTA SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF AN ENGINE LIGHT THAT KEPT COMING ON. *TR

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 4WD CAR HAS NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING UP. IT IS VERY INTERMITTENT. WHEN STARTING FROM A STOPPED POSITION OR GETTING ONTO A FREEWAY THE CAR WILL LOOSE ITS POWER. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS, JERKS, AND ENGINE SPEEDS UP WITHOUT CAR PROPERLY ACCELERATING. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE YOU CANNOT MERGE WITH TRAFFIC, CAN?T GET OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER VEHICLES ONCE THE CAR ENTERS AN INTERSECTION, OR COULD GET REAR ENDED BY OTHER VEHICLES. I CAN DRIVE THE CAR FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS WITHOUT THE PROBLEM SHOWING UP. HAD IT IN TO MY MECHANIC TWICE AND THEY CAN?T REPRODUCE IT TO FIX IT. NO PROBLEMS SHOW UP ON THE COMPUTER CHECK. WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN IT MIGHT ONLY HAPPEN ONCE WHEN STARTING OUT FROM A STOP AND THEN BE FINE FOR MANY DAYS OR MILES. I CANNOT MAKE IT DO IT. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET I HAVE LEARNED IT IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE ECM MODULE THAT CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN DATED MARCH 6, 2006. THEY HAVE NOT NOTIFIED OWNERS OF THE PROBLEM. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 VEHICLE. VEHICLE STOPS RUNNING AT ANY POINT DURING DRIVING OPERATIONS. THIS ISSUE AFFECTS THE ENGINE/EMISSION/TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS AND ARE A SEVERE HAZARD TO OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. TOYOTA IS IGNORING THE GROWING NUMBER OF OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE UNTIL ENOUGH DEATHS/SERIOUS INJURIES OCCUR. *TR

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN RAPIDLY IN TRAFFIC CAUSING SERIOUS HEALTH RISKS TO ALL PERSONS NEARBY. TOYOTA ISSUED A BULLETIN TO ALL SERVICE INSTRUCTING THEM TO REPLACE THE TCM TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM FROM TAKING PLACE. TOYOTA DOES NOT WARN THEIR CUSTOMERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND SIMPLY WAITS FOR THE PROBLEM TO HAPPEN AND BY THEN THE TCM CAUSES DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF CONSUMERS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEMS AND TOYOTA WILL NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLES UNDER WARRANTY. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A COMPANY LIKE TOYOTA WOULD OPERATE THIS WAY AFTER BUILDING A REPUTATION OF BEING A QUALITY AUTO MAKER. I HAVE BEEN QUOTED A DISCOUNTED RATE OF $ 3500.00 TO REPAIR MY CAR BY THE DEALERSHIP. THIS IS ROBBERY. *TR

MY TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND BUCKING IN AUG. 2009. THE CAR WOULD LOOSE POWER AND ALMOST STALL OUT. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I CAME CLOSE TO BEING REAR ENDED DUE TO LOSS OF POWER. I HAD TAKEN MY CAR IN TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND WAS TOLD THAT I DIDN'T HAVE CODES SO THEY COULD NOT TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN OR BRING IT BACK WHAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. BEFORE I LEFT THE LOT THE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CODE P0755 WAS THE CODE USED TO REPAIR THE CAR. THIS HOWEVER DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, AND I BEGAN TO DO SOME RESEARCH AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR MANY OTHERS WITH A 2001-2003 RAV4. I CALLED THE TOYOTA COMPANY AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, BUT BECAUSE MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WOULD NOT HELP FIX THE ISSUE. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE ONLY CAR I HAVE AND NEEDED TO GO TO WORK I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY TO GET THE CAR REPAIRED. I FEEL THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT TOYOTA NEEDS TO ADDRESS ALONG WITH THE CURRENT ISSUES THEY ARE HAVING WITH THE RECALL MODELS NOW. JUST BECAUSE NO ONE HAS DIED FROM THIS ISSUE DOES NOT MEAN NO ONE WILL, IF THE OWNER DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND ARE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THEIR FAMILIES IN THE CAR WITH THEM. *TR

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE/HARSH SHIFTING. MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN ECU IS WELL KNOWN BUT TOYOTA WILL NOT REPLACE DEFECTIVE ITEM. ANYONE DRIVING THIS MODEL IS IN A "TICKING TIME BOMB" FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IF IT HAPPENS AT SPEED, THERE WILL BE DEATH/INJURY INCURRED. INFORMATION WAS IN N.Y. TIMES ON 8/26/2009 ARTICLE. I AM THE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND WANT TO BE ADDED TO THE NHTSA LIST OF COMPLAINTS/CONCERNS ABOUT THIS WELL KNOWN DEFECT. REQUEST AGENCY PRESSURE TOYOTA TO RECALL/REPLACE ECU/ECM/TRANSMISSION AS NEEDED ON EVERY OPERATIONAL RAV4 IN THE 2001-2003 RANGE. TOYOTA ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TC002-06 ON MARCH 3, 2006 ADVISING SERVICE MANAGERS TO REPLACE ECM/TRANSMISSIONS.. "ONLY IF CUSTOMER COMPLAINS" THIS IS A DEVIOUS WAY OF AVOIDING AN OUTRIGHT NOTIFICATION/RECALL AND I REQUEST YOUR GOOD AGENCY HELP OWNERS LIKE ME WHO ARE ENDANGERING THEIR FAMILIES/THEM SELVES & THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON OUR ROADS. I AM A LICENSED DRIVING INSTRUCTOR IN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT AND WILL MAKE EVERYONE I KNOW AWARE OF THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH A TOYOTA PRODUCT. YOUR ASSISTANCE IS APPRECIATED. *TR

HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION ON 2001 RAV4 (AUG 09) AND THEN IT WAS REPAIRED ONCE AGAIN AFTER THE TRANSMISSION STARTED DOING THE SAME THING (NOV 09). I WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE TO A FAULTY ECM. WHICH I HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THERE WAS EVEN A PROBLEM FROM THE MANUFACTURE. HAVE PAID FOR REBUILT TRANSMISSION & ECM UNIT. *TR

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 AT 86,000 MILES HAVING TRANSMISSION TROUBLE DUE TO ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. *TR

RAV4 2001 TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, THE TRANSMISSION WENT AT ONLY 100,000 MILES, DEALER REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION BUT THEY CHARGED ME $3,600 THIS INCLUDE THE NEW ECM THEY INSTALLED REQUIRED BY WARRANTY IN THE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE MAKE NOTE IF THERE IS MORE VEHICLES(RAV4 2001) WITH THIS ISSUE. *TR

I BOUGHT NEW[ DEC. 2000] A 2001 TOYOTA RAV.4 LIMITED ..WITH 4CYL/.AUTOMATIC 4SPD.O.D.TRANSMISSION +ALL THE XTRAS...I HAVE KEPT IT UP -MECHANICALLY AND BODY WISE NEAR PERFECT...ALMOST ALL THRU TOYOTA DEALERS,AS I PLAN TO PASS IT ON TO MY GRANDDAUGHTER. DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF AUG. 09 I WAS DRIVING ON A 4 LANE LOCAL HIGHWAY @35/40 MPH AND THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT "CAME ON AND THEN A LOUD BANG AND GROWL ALL WHILE BUCKING DOWN TO10 MPH AND DROPPED INTO FIRST GEAR. AFTER PULLING OVER TO A STOP,I CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND BODY--NO LEAKS OR HANGING PARTS...AFTER I PHONED THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER I DROVE THE CAR [NOW STUCK IN 2ND. GEAR THE SHORT DISTANCE BACK HOME..THE NEXT DAY THE DEALER FOUND 2-CODES STORED--INDICATING A DEFECTIVE ECU.OR ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT ALSO KNOWN AS A ECM OR ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE....THIS $1500. COMPUTER PART SENDS ALL THE SIGNALS TO THE SOLENOIDS IN THE AUTO TANS. WHEN TO SHIFT GEARS..NOW COMES THE SAFETY CONCERN--SEEING THAT THE ECU CAN GO BONKERS AT ANY TIME,IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE IS MOVING ALONG AT 50/60/65MPH AND BOOM THE CAR DROPS DOWN IN 1ST. GEAR GOD FORBID IF THERE ARE 2 OR 3 CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND A 80,000LB.SEMI IS ON THEIR REAR-WORST YET AT NIGHT WITH BAD WEATHER...AS MINE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE IN YOUR FILES AND THE INTERNET HAS THOUSANDS OF NEAR MISSES ON THIS PROBLEM TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT AS FAR BACK AS 2003.THAT THE 01--02 AND 03 RAV 4 HAD THIS SAFETY CONCERN SO THEY TWEAKED THE ECU PER A TSB IN 06 I HAD PURCHASED THE PREMIUM 100K. WARRANTY AND THE E.C.U.WENT OUT AT 105K. WITH SOME PHONE CALLS TO CHICAGO AREA REP.TOYOTA AGREED TO SEND ME A LONG AWAITED CHECK FOR ONE-HALF PART ONLY COST..NOTHING FOR TROUBLESHOOTING-TOWING -OR LABOR FEES....MY MAIN CONCERN IS TOYOTA [I FEEL ]ISN'T ONE BIT PRO ACTIVE ON SAFETY CONCERNS WHEN OWNERS CALL THE 800# IN CALIFORNIA..I HOPE NHTSA CAN GET THIS ON FAST TRACK FOR SAFETY..THANK YOU...P.S. I HAVE OLD PART... *TR

I BOUGHT MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV 4 IN 2004. IN JULY 2009, MY TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND BUCKING. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR MANY OTHERS WITH A 2001-2003 RAV4. IT IS TERRIFYING TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE BUT IT'S ALL I HAVE. IT WOULD COST ME MORE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION THAN IT WOULD TO JUST PAY IT OFF. I AM CONCERNED THAT I WILL HAVE AN ACCIDENT, AS I DO A LOT OF COMMUTING. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED THAT I HAVE INVESTED SO MUCH MONEY IN THE MAINTENANCE OF THIS UNRELIABLE VEHICLE. I HEARD ABOUT TOYOTA'S RECALL ON THE NEWS YESTERDAY AND I AM DISGUSTED THAT TOYOTA HAS NOT ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE. THIS SHOULD BE AS PERTINENT AS A FAULTY ACCELERATOR. I BOUGHT MY TOYOTA BECAUSE I HAD HEARD THAT THEY HAD A REPUTATION FOR SAFE, WELL-MADE VEHICLES. MY LIFE IS PUT ON THE LINE EVERYTIME I HAVE TO DRIVE THAT CONTRAPTION, AND I EXPECT THAT IF NOTHING IS DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE TO ENSURE A COMPENSATION OR EXTENDED WARRANTY OF SOME KIND, TOYOTA WILL LOSE MY BUSINESS( AMONG MANY, MANY OTHERS, I'M SURE.). MORE IMPORTANTLY, EVERYTIME ANYONE WHO IS HAVING THIS ISSUE WITH A TOYOTA RAV 4 GETS IN THE CAR, THEY ARE INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH CAUSED BY AN ACCIDENT FROM THIS CHEAP, FAULTY, UNRELIABLE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS ISSUE WHEN REVIEWING TOYOTA'S LACK OF CONCERN FOR THEIR DRIVER'S SAFETY. I AM SURE THAT SOME BIGWIG IS SITTING IN AN OFFICE SOMEWHERE, PROFITING FROM THE MONEY THAT TOYOTA SAVED BY USING DEFECTIVE PARTS. *TR

FAULTY COMPUTER. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE COMPUTER CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO ENGAGE INTO WRONG GEARS,RESULTING IN TRANSMISSION FAILURE. COST TO ME OF $4,847.00. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA OF THIS PROBLEM. TECHNICAL BULLETIN #1046. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, HE EXPERIENCED GEAR FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97335.

OUR TOYOTA RAV 4 IS HAVING ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE IS A BUST. IT CONTROLS AMONG OTHER THINGS OUR TRANSMISSION, AND THE SHIFTING OF GEARS. THE ECM HAS PRETTY MUCH RUINED OUR TRANSMISSION. THERE HAS BEEN MANY RAV 4 OWNERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. AND TOYOTA IS (WAS) A REPUTABLE COMPANY. ONE WOULD THINK THEY WOULD MAKE THIS RIGHT. OUR WARRANTY WAS UP LAST YEAR. AND THERE WAS RECALLS ON DIFFERENT COMPUTER THINGS FROM THEM BUT, THEY WILL NOT HELP US. AND WE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THIS. AND THIS IS OUR ONLY FAMILY CAR. ONE WE NEED TO HELP US GET TO WORK. ANY SUGGESTIONS? *TR

ENTERING HIGHWAY AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO OVER 30 MPH AND HAD TO PULL OVER TO AVOID BEING HIT. *TR

SOMEWHERE AROUND THE LATER PART OF JUNE, 2009 MY CAR BEGAN HESITATING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. I TOOK IT BACK AND THEN WAS INFORMED THE IT WAS MY ECM. I CONTACTED TOYOTA TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED SINCE IT WAS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM DURING PRODUCTION. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO GET IT FIXED. MY VEHICLE HAS AROUND 97,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS HAPPENING ON A REGULAR BASIS. SEVERAL TIMES MY FAMILY AND I WERE ENDANGERED BECAUSE SOMEONE ALMOST HIT MY VEHICLE FROM THE BACK BECAUSE OF THE HESITATION. AS OF TODAY, I HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT GETTING TOYOTA TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THIS REPAIRS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD LOOSE ACCELERATION AND THE RPM SPIKED. WHENEVER THE CONSUMER STOPPED AT A LIGHT, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE IMMEDIATELY. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING, DUE TO A PROBLEM STEMMING FROM THE ECM, WHICH WAS NOT READING PROPERLY WHICH WAS AFFECTING THE TRANSMISSION. UPDATED IVOQ. 08/07/09.*JB

FAULTY ECU IN 2001 RAV4 AUTOMATIC CAUSES INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. SLIPPING & DOUBLE-SHIFTING BETWEEN 2ND & 3RD GEAR, LONGER ECU IS USED THE WORSE THE SLIPPING OCCURS. RESETTING ECU FIXES PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL HOURS AND TRANNY WILL WORK PERFECT, THEN IT STARTS ACTING UP AGAIN. *TR

ALL OF A SUDDEN OUT OF THE BLUE MY TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND HARD SHIFTING. WE DROVE IT HOME TO PARK IT UNTIL WE COULD FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. $1000 LATER AND NO THANKS TO TOYOTA IT IS FIXED. IT WAS THE COMPUTER THAT NEEDED REPROGRAMMED. THANKFULLY THE TRANSMISSION WASN'T SHOT B/C WE DIDN'T DRIVE IT AFTER IT STARTED TO HARD SHIFT AND SLIP. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA AND THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE US $5000 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. BUT WE FOUND SOMEONE TO HELP US WITH THE COMPUTER PROBLEM. *TR

I ALSO HAD TO SHELL OUT $3000 TO REPLACE A FAULTY ECM FOR THE TOYOTA RAV4 2001. THE CAR HAD LOW MILEAGE AND JUST PAST THE 7 YEAR WARRANTY. THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING AND THE CAR ALMOST DIED ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP. I FOUND THOUSANDS OF REPORTED CASES OF PEOPLE SHARING THE SAME GRIEF AND APPARENTLY THIS PROBLEM WITH THE ECM EXTENDS TO 2002-2003 RAV4 AND COROLLAS AS WELL. TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAD A RECALL THE PATCH THE ECM AT 2006. BUT THE PATCH DOES NOT WORK AND PERHAPS A SMALL BANDAGE TO MASK THE REAL PROBLEM. AND TOYOTA BANKED ON THE FACT THAT CAR WILL EXCEED THE WARRANTY SO THEY BLOW ALL OF US OFF AND MAKE US PAY FOR THE PART OR DUMP THE CAR. I BROUGHT THIS UP WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND ALSO WITH TOYOTA HEADQUARTER AND THEY VEHEMENTLY DENIED THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR FREE OR TO DO A RECALL. BUT JUST DOING A CASUAL SEARCH THIS PROBLEM IS THE HIGHEST REPORTED PROBLEM WITH ANY TOYOTAS AND THIS PROBLEM SPANS TO EU AND AUSTRALIA AS WELL. THE ONLY REASON WHY THIS IS NOT PUBLICIZE IS BECAUSE LUCKILY NO ONE DIED, OR WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT. BUT THE RAV4 CAN EASILY STALLED ON THE FREEWAY AND CAUSING ANOTHER CAR TO SLAM INTO THE RAV4. TOYOTA HAS A HISTORY OF LYING TO THE PUBLIC. FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, THEIR CARS ALL HAD SOME TYPE OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. IT'S NOT JUST THE ACCELERATOR OR BRAKE ISSUE, IT'S ELECTRICAL. THEY HAVE A POOR DESIGN THAT KILLS. I HOPE THIS LETTER CAN PROMPT ANOTHER INVESTIGATION INTO OTHER MODELS OF TOYOTA THAT HAD SUFFERED WITH OTHER ISSUES IN THE LAST DECADE. *TR

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 ECM AND TRANSMISSION REPLACED IN MAY OF 2009. PAID OUT OF POCKET. REPLACEMENT WAS A REBUILT TRANSMISSION INSTALLED BY DEALER (VICTORY TOYOTA IN CANTON, MI) SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILED AFTER 17,000 MILES. PAID OUT OF POCKET AGAIN. NO HELP FROM DEALER OR TOYOTA CORPORATE. FOUND OUT THAT DEALER JUST SWAPPED TRANS, DID NOT ACTUALLY REBUILD TRANS. TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANS SHOP. INDEPENDENT DISCOVERED A WASHER MISSING THAT CAUSED THIRD GEAR TO STRIP (DEFECT IN SECOND TRANS). TRANS REPAIRED, BUT THEN GOT A HARD DOWNSHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR WHEN STOPPING, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND P0420 P0430 CODES. INDEPENDENT TRANS SHOP CLEARED CODES, AND TOLD ME THAT IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN TO HAVE DEALER RE-FLASH ECM. WORKED OK FOR ABOUT FIVE DAYS, THEN GOT THE HARD DOWNSHIFT INTO 1ST GEAR AGAIN. TOOK IT TO DEALER. NOW THEY SAY THE CHARCOAL CANNISTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I WILL SUBMIT FOR RE-IMBURSEMENT UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT AM SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR SECOND TRANSMISSION WHICH WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE FIRST ECM AND TRANS FAILING. *TR

MY CAR IS TOYOTA RAV4 2001 2WD AUTOMATIC. RECENTLY, THE CAR ON ACCELERATION STARTED DOING HARD SHIFT. MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT. HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/RAV4/2001/TRANSMISSION/PROBLEMS_SHIFTING.SHTML. WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM PRIVATE PARTY, I HAD ASKED TOYOTA OF KIRKLAND (WA) TO CHECK FOR ECU MODULE. I WAS TOLD IT IS THE RIGHT MODULE AND NOT THE RECALLED ONE. SO, I PURCHASED THIS CAR FROM THE PRIVATE PARTY. AFTER 9 MONTHS OF USING THIS CAR, I GET THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED. THE CAR JERKS WHEN ACCELERATING. SOMETIMES IT REFUSES TO ACCELERATE. TOYOTA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE CAR BUT WHEN I PURCHASED IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I THINK IT IS A FAULTY PART IN THE CAR. IF REPLACING ECU DOES NOT FIXES THE PROBLEM THEN WE HAVE TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION WHICH WILL COST ME ADDITIONAL $4000. TO REPLACE NEW ECU OR ECM, IT COSTS $1100+. PLEASE ASK TOYOTA TO RECALL THE RAV4S. THIS IS A BIG BLOW TO US IN THIS ECONOMY. *TR

MY TOYOTA RAV 4 (2001) SUDDENLY STARTED SLIDING, JERKING, MOTOR RACING IN MAY OF 2009. IT HAD JUST PASSED THE 80,000 MI MARK, AND THE SHIFTING OF THE TRANSMISSION NEARLY STOPPED. I HAD BOUGHT IT USED, AND WHEN WE CHECKED WITH THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, FOUND THAT THE 2006 BULLETIN ON THE PROBLEMS WITH THE ECU WHICH CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION HAD RESULTED IN THE ECU BEING 'FLASHED'. SO IT HAD THE WORK DONE WHICH WOULD SUPPOSEDLY FIX THE PROBLEM. IT IS LUCKY THAT IT HAPPENED ON A STREET AND NOT ON A FREEWAY, WHICH WOULD MOST LIKELY HAVE RESULTED IN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. TOYOTA WAS PHONED, A COMPLAINT WAS MADE. NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. AT MY OWN EXPENSE, I HAD THE ECU REBUILT; THE DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION WAS THERE, BUT THE REBUILDING OF THE ECU ENABLED ME TO DRIVE THE CAR. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL LAST. *TR

THE COMPUTER IN MY RAV4 FAILED. IT WAS GIVING MY TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENT COMMANDS TO DRIVE IN THE WRONG GEAR. FOR EXAMPLE, MY MECHANIC SAID THERE WERE TIMES THE CAR WAS ESSENTIALLY IN 2 GEARS AT THE SAME TIME. I WAS NEARLY IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE CAR BUCKED AND ALMOST STALLED AS I TRIED TO MOVE FORWARD FROM A STOP. ONCE IT STARTED HAPPENING I DROVE TO THE NEAREST MECHANIC I COULD FIND AND ONLY MADE RIGHT TURNS BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE CAR WOULD DO. IT BURNED UP THE TRANSMISSION AND I HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED. WHEN THE COMPUTER WAS RESET (AS WHEN THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED) THE CAR WOULD DRIVE NORMALLY FOR A FEW MILES AND THEN THE ECM WOULD BEGIN GIVING THE WRONG COMMANDS AGAIN. THE MECHANIC HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE NEARBY TOYOTA DEALER TO GET THE ECM REPAIRED AND HE GOT TO EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM. HE SAID IT WAS A SCARY RIDE, WHICH IT WAS. WHEN I SPOKE WITH TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE THE REP DENIED THAT THE RAV4 HAS A HISTORY OF THIS PROBLEM. WHEN I TOLD HIM THAT I HAD RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND HAD FOUND MANY PEOPLE WITH MY PROBLEM HE STATED THAT ANYONE COULD CREATE FAKE INTERNET POSTINGS, INCLUDING MYSELF. PLEASE, PLEASE RESEARCH THIS. TOYOTA TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY AND I WORRY WHAT WILL HAPPEN. MY CAR HAS BEEN FIXED BUT I DON'T WANT OTHER PEOPLE TO GO THROUGH WHAT I DID. I DON'T WANT SOMEONE TO BE INJURED OR KILLED BECAUSE THEIR CAR HAS THE SAME ISSUE MINE DID. IT COMES ON VERY SUDDENLY, IT IS NOT THE CASE OF A SMALL PROBLEM GRADUALLY BECOMING WORSE. IF I HAD KNOWN THAT I COULD MAKE A REPORT LIKE THIS I WOULD HAVE DONE SO SOONER. *TR

ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND AUTO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. BOUGHT RAV USED JULY 2007 WITH 109,230 MI. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON (HAS REMAINED ON) BUT WAS DIAGNOSED AS O2 SENSOR & RAV OPERATED PERFECTLY (LIVE WHERE EMISSIONS CHECK NOT REQUIRED). MAY 2009 TRANNY STARTED ALTERNATING BETWEEN WORKING GOOD, SHIFTING ROUGH, SLIPPING BETWEEN GEARS, AND NOT DOWNSHIFTING AT SLOW DOWN OR STOP. HAD MECHANIC WITH OVER 15 YRS EXPERIENCE AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP CHECK IT (AFTER HOURS). HE WAS UNAWARE OF CONNECTION TO FAULTY ECM SO WE THOUGHT TRANY WAS BAD & HE FLUSHED TRANNY. THAT REDUCED FREQUENCY OF SYMPTOMS BUT DID NOT STOP THEM. WE STILL THOUGHT PROBLEM WAS MECHANICAL & TRANNY REBUILD/REPLACE WAS INEVITABLE & I DROVE IT LONGER TO SAVE UP MONEY FOR REPAIRS. I LIVE ON A SEMI-RURAL OHIO STATE ROUTE WITH 55MPH POSTED LIMIT & 65MPH AVERAGE SPEED. I HAD NUMEROUS NEAR MISSES WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY OR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY THEN SLIPPED, HESITATED, OR REFUSED TO SHIFT. MY 18YR OLD SON DROVE THE RAV IN DEC & PULLED OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY IN FRONT OF A SEMI TRACTOR TRAILER RIG WITH WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFE DISTANCE EXCEPT THAT THE RAV DECIDED NOT TO ACCELERATE. THE TRUCK WAS ABLE TO PASS, BUT HAD THERE BEEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SLOW ENOUGH IN TIME. INTERMITTENT SYMPTOMS CONTINUED UNTIL 12/14/09 WHEN 2ND & 3RD GEAR BURNED OUT & I DROVE HOME 20 MILES IN 1ST. JUST PARTS THRU TOYOTA WILL COST $2000 FOR REBUILT TRANNY PLUS $1000 FOR ECM. INDEPENDENT REPAIRMEN CAN FIX THE ECM FOR $65. HAD I AT LEAST KNOWN ROOT CAUSE OF THE SYMPTOMS WAS ECM NOT TRANNY (TOYOTA'S KNOWN SINCE 2006 OR BEFORE) I COULD HAVE SAVED $4-5K & AVOIDED 7 MONTHS OF RISKY DRIVING. I CHALLENGE ANYONE WHO THINKS THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE TO DRIVE ONE OF THESE AND RELY ON IT WHEN IT FAILS IN 65MPH TRAFFIC. OR WE CAN WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED WHERE THERE IS ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO SHOW THIS PROBLEM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT AND NOT POOR DRIVER JUDGMENT. *TR

TOYOTA RAV4 TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, HARD TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION WHEN ACCELERATION. THIS PROBLEM PUTS MYSELF AND MY FAMILY ON RISK OF BEING HIT BY OTHER CARS. *TR

FAULT ECM CAUSES TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEMS. NO SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED TO OWNERS. *TR

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. SEVERE JERKING, BONE RATTLING AND VERY JARRING, LOSS OF POWER AND VEHICLE STALLING. OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES, HAD REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY AND A HIGH COST TO ME. TRANSMISSION HASN'T FELT RIGHT SINCE. STOPPED DRIVING VEHICLE TO REPLACEMENT OF ECM WAS REPLACED. I'M NOT CONFIDENT THAT THE TRANSMISSION DIDN'T SUFFER DAMAGE DURING THIS LIMITED TIME IT WAS DRIVEN AND UNTIL THE REPAIR COULD BE MADE. I HAVEN'T FELT COMPLETELY SAFE BECAUSE THE FAILURE WAS SO SEVERE AND QUICK TO SURFACE. *TR

2001 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCHED AND JERKED, COASTED THEN LURCHED AGAIN, SUDDENLY LOSING SPEED, THEN STALLED. ENGINE REVVED AND TRANSMISSION KEPT JERKING, WOULD NOT ENGAGE FULLY. TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY AND WAS NEARLY RUN OVER BY TRUCK. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER. EVENTUALLY, MANAGED TO DRIVE HOME AT REDUCED SPEED ON BACK ROADS. DEALER REPLACED COMPUTER CHIP, $1,000 BILL. TOYOTA NOTIFIED DEALERS IN 2006 OF FAULTY CHIP, NOT ME. NOW, 12-11-09, TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR AT ALL. BEGAN HESITATING IN TRAFFIC, AS IF CUTTING OUT. *TR

TOYOTA 2001 RAV4 TRANSMISSION SHIFT PROBLEM SINCE MARCH 2009. APPROX MILES TO DATE 95,750. WHEN I FIRST TOOK IT IN, I CHECKED WITH AUTOZONE FOR DIAGNOSTIC CHECK WHICH WAS FREE BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I THEN TOOK THE READINGS TO TOYOTA WHO TOLD ME THEY WOULDN'T ACCEPT AUTOZONE'S DIAGNOSTIC AND I HAD TO GET ANOTHER ONE FROM THEM WHICH COST $100. THEN THEY TOLD ME IT WAS JUST THE GAS CAP AND TURNED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OFF. WITHIN 2 DAYS, AFTER MY E-CHECK, THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON HAS BEEN ON EVER SINCE. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK SEVERAL TIMES FOR OIL CHANGES AND THEY NEVER SAID THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE DIAGNOSTIC FROM AUTOZONE STATED THE SHIFT SOLENOID WAS BAD BUT TOYOTA SAID IT WAS THE GAS CAP. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND I AM NOW AWARE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. THIS IS SHAMEFUL THAT THEY CHOOSE TO IGNORE THIS SERIOUS MALFUNCTION TO GET MAJOR MONEY FROM THE CONSUMERS. I AM MORE UPSET WITH THE FACT THAT I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAY OF 2006 AND THEY KNEW THEN THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE WARRANTY IS A JOKE, THAT'S A MAJOR PART THAT THEY WON'T HONOR AND THEY ARE PURPOSELY IGNORING IT SO THAT IT'S NOT COVERED OR THEIR PROBLEM. WHY WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO OWN UP TO THEIR DEFECTIVE PARTS. MY CAR WILL GET STUCK IN FIRST GEAR AND JUMP TO SECOND VERY HARD. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO A FOREIGN CAR REPAIR SHOP LAST SPRING AND THEY DID A QUICK FIX BY TRYING TO SEE IF REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID TO SEE IF THAT WORKED BUT IT LASTED FOR ONLY A WEEK. DURING MY LAST MAINTENANCE CHECK AT TOYOTA, I WAS TOLD I PROBABLY HAD SIX MONTHS, STILL NEVER ACKNOWLEDGING THAT IT WAS A DEFECT IN THEIR PART OR THAT IT WAS COVERED. IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE CONSUMER TO BE IGNORED AND TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY THIS COMPANY. PLEASE DON'T IGNORE OUR COMPLAINTS THEY ARE REAL AND SERIOUS. *TR

MARCH 2009 VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK VEHICLE TO AUTOZONE FOR A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. CHECK INDICATED THAT THE SHIFT SOLENOID WAS BAD. I TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA OF BEDFORD AND WAS TOLD I HAD TO GET ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC BECAUSE THEY DON'T TAKE DIAGNOSTIC FROM OTHER PLACES, SO THAT COST ME $100. AFTER THEIR DIAGNOSTIC CHECK WAS PERFORMED, THEY CLAIMED IT WAS JUST THE GAS CAP AND TURNED THE LIGHT OFF. WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THE LIGHT CAN BACK ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. IN JUNE 2009, THE CAR STARTED HAVING SHIFTING DIFFICULTY, GETTING STUCK IN A GEAR THEN JERKING OUT OF IT. I TOOK IT TO A FOREIGN CAR SPECIALIST SHOP AND THEY CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, I DROVE IT FOR A FEW WEEKS AGAIN, THEN IT SHIFTED HARD WHILE DRIVING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I HAVE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY SOMETIMES WHEN THE CAR GETS STUCK IN A GEAR AND WON'T ACCELERATE!!! I READ COMPLAINTS EXACTLY LIKE MINE WITH THE 2001 TOYOTA RAV 4 AND CAN'T BELIEVE NOTHING IS BEING DONE. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND NOT A DRIVER ERROR, THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER ERROR. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE GETS KILLED BEFORE A RECALL CAN BE ORDERED. THIS A PART THAT SHOULD NEVER BE DEFECTIVE AND IF IT IS IT SHOULD BE FIXED WITHOUT QUESTION. *TR

THE ECU COMPUTER ON A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 CAUSED THE AUTOMATIC TRANS TO NOT SHIFT LIKE IT SHOULD. IT GOT SO BAD THAT IT FELT LIKE IT WENT INTO PARK COMING TO A RED LIGHT. COMPUTER ECU HAD TO BE REPAIRED AND THE TRANS REBUILT AND THE TRANS SHOP THAT DID THE WORK WAS NOT SO GOOD. TOYOTA WANTS $4200 TO FIX. *TR

I HAVE A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 (MANUAL TRANSMISSION). THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER SEEMS TO HAVE COME DETACHED AND DOES NOT FULL KEEP THE CAR FROM MOVING. *TR

2001 TOYOTA RAV 4 THE ACCELERATOR SUDDENLY BECAME STUCK FULL OPEN AT A SLOW SPEED. WAS ABLE TO BRING CAR TO STOP BY RIDING BRAKES AND TURNED ENGINE OFF. HAPPENED ONE TIME. CAR SEEMED FINE AFTER RESTARTING. NOTHING WAS DONE TO CORRECT BECAUSE NEVER COULD FIGURE OUT CAUSE AND HAS NEVER REPEATED. *TR

I AM ONE OF THE MANY UNLUCKY PEOPLE WHO OWN A 2001 TOYOTA RAV-4 WHICH HAS HAD CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ISSUE FOR YEARS. AFTER BRINING TO TOYOTA MORE THAN ONCE TO HAVE THEM NOT BE ABLE TO TURN OFF I AM NOW FACING A FAILED TRANSMISSION- OVER $2,500 TO FIX. AS I SEE ALL THESE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE FAULTY ECM AND TOYOTA'S LACK OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I AM DISGUSTED. SHAME ON TOYOTA AND AS A ONCE LOYAL OWNER I WILL NEVER BUY A TOYOTA AGAIN AND WOULD NOT RECOMMEND TO ANYONE. *TR

RAV4 DO NOT SHIFT GEAR. SOME TIMES IT WAS LIKE JERKED SHIFTING AND I SEARCHED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL PROBLEM REPORTED IN CARCOMPLAINTS.COM SITE. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. "I TOOK CAR TO A DEALER - LOMBARD TOYOTA, IL, AND TOLD ABOUT GEAR SHIFTING PROBLEM. AT FIRST THEY DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE KNOWN PROBLEM WITH RAV4. WHEN I SAID, I RESEARCHED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN INTERNET AND FOUND THAT RAV4 HAS A GEAR SHIFTING PROBLEM AND TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT IT, AND THERE IS A TSR-TECH SERVICE BULLETIN, AND IT NEEDS TO REPAIR FREE. THEY TOLD ME LET US TAKE A LOOK AT. AFTER HALF AN HOUR, THEY TOLD ME I AM LUCKY IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY 8YR/80000. I PURCHASED THIS ONE ON 2/??/2001. SO I AM LUCKILY COVERED. I DID A LITTLE ARGUED THAT EVEN IF I AM OUT OF WARRANTY, TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS A DEFECT. THEY DID NOT CARE MUCH. AND I DID NOT PRESS ON IT. SO HERE IS THE PROBLEM-ACCORDING TO TOYOTA SERVICE BULLETIN TC002-06 REVISED MODEL 2001-2003 RAV4 EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE MAY EXHIBIT A HARSH SHIFT AND/OR M.I.L "ON" DTC P0750, P0753, P0755, P0758, AND/OR P1760. IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) SAE TERM - POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE/PCM) MANUFACTURING PROCESS TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS CONDITION OCCURRING. USE THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THEY REPLACE A R&R ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. MY RAV4 DRIVES GOOD NOW. I STILL THINK MY RAV4 IS REALLY NOT SMOOTH. OR ATLEAST THAT IS THE WAY I FEEL. THIS IS IT FOR RIGHT NOW. IF ANYTHING COMES UP I WILL UPDATE LATER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 UTILITY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE WOULD DOWN SHIFT. AS A CONSEQUENCE HIS RISK FOR VEHICLE CRASH WAS INCREASED. HE HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO MULTIPLE DEALERS, IN WHICH THE TECHNICIAN HAVE REPROGRAMMED THE ECU, REPLACED THE COMPUTER MODULE AND TRANSMISSION. NONE OF THE REPAIRS HAVE REMEDIED THE FAILURE. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ONLY OFFERED A $300.00 DISCOUNT TOWARD FUTURE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,473. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,426. BL

MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV 4 STARTED EXPERIENCING HARD SHIFTING LATE LAST YEAR. THE SHIFTS BECAME HARDER EARLY THIS YEAR PARTICULARLY BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. I'VE NEVER HAD ANY SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE AND AT THAT TIME I HAD PROBABLY 78000 MILES. WHEN THE HARD SHIFTING OCCURRED, MY VEHICLE WOULD ALMOST STALL COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING. I STARTED DOING SOME RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED A KNOWN TRANSMISSION TROUBLE "SUPPOSEDLY" SOLVED BY REPROGRAMMING MY ECM CARD(WHICH I HAD DONE). THIS HOWEVER DID NOT SOLVE MY PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO OTHER'S WHO HAD THE SAME THING DONE, THE TRANSMISSION WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE FAULTY PROGRAMMING HAS ALREADY DAMAGED MY EXISTING TRANSMISSION. I AM STILL DRIVING MY RAV4 WAITING FOR IT TO COMPLETELY FAIL. TOYOTA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION. I BOUGHT A TOYOTA AT A HIGHER PRICE POINT, FOR IT'S RELIABILITY! THE 1ST MAJOR REPAIR MADE ON MY VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

MY 2001 RAV4 DEVELOPED A SHIFTING ISSUE, AND EVENTUALLY PRODUCED A CHECK ENGINE CODE, WHICH INDICATED AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP TELLS ME THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AT THE COST OF $3200. THEY ALSO TELL ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2001-2003 RAV4S, AND THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF IT. A TECHINICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED IN 2006, INDICATING THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH SOME RAV4S, AND THAT THE ECM SHOULD BE REPLACED - IF NOT THE TRANSMISSION MAY BE RUINED. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF ANY POSSIBLE ISSUE, AND NOW MY VEHICLE IS RUINED. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR CORRECTLY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN THAT I WAS UNAWARE THAT THERE WAS ANY ISSUE, AND UNTIL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I WAS UNAWARE THAT MY CAR MAY NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT. *TR

MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 BEGAN ACTING UP AND WOULD NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY. IT WOULD SHIFT VERY HARD, AND WOULD OFTEN HESITATE BEFORE SHIFTING INTO GEAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. THE SHOP RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION AND ECM MONITOR TO CORRECT THE ISSUE, AS THEY WERE VERY AWARE OF THE ISSUE WITH THE RAV4'S AND ALSO BECAUSE METAL SHAVINGS WERE FOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION PAN. TOYOTA IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, AND CONTINUES TO TRY AND AVOID THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES WITH THESE VEHICLES. IN MARCH 2006, TOYOTA SENT DEALERS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WARNING THEM THAT SOME CONSUMERS MIGHT COMPLAIN ABOUT HARSH SHIFTING. IT SAID IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE TO THE COMPUTER ?MANUFACTURING PROCESS TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS CONDITION OCCURRING.? IT THEN TOLD THE DEALERS TO REPLACE THE MODULE AND IF THAT DID NOT WORK TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. BUT CONSUMERS OWNING THE VEHICLES WERE NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. TOYOTA ALSO REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING IS THE VEHICLES MILEAGE IS OVER THE 80,000 WARRANTY PERIOD, AND LUCKY FOR THEM, MOST VEHICLES DO NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES UNTIL THEY ARE OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. *TR

MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 IS A VICTIM OF THE ECM FAILURE THAT CAUSES TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2001 AND 2002 RAV4'S THAT TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE. THE ECM UNIT FAILS, AND DESTROYS THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PROCESS. *TR