2002 Toyota RAV4 Complaint Log

HESITATION ACCELERATING FROM STOP. LACK OF POWER GOING UP A STEEP INCLINE. IMPROPER SHIFTING FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER.VEHICLE BECAME UNDRIVABLE 03/01/2010. PCM/ECM MODULE DEFECTIVE- NEEDS REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF 1693.41. *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2002 RAV4 LAST WEEK, SHE PULLED AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN AND OUR 2002 RAV4 STARTED JERKING AND THEN SLOWED TO A SUDDEN STOP RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. AFTER A "SCARY MOMENT", IT STARTED DRIVING NORMALLY AGAIN. WE TOOK THE CAR TO OUR MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION SERVICED, IT WAS ABOUT DUE . WE WERE TOLD THE TRANSMISSION IS PROBABLY "SHOT". WHILE SHOPPING ON-LINE FOR A REPLACEMENT, I CAME ACROSS NUMEROUS WEB SITES WITH HUNDREDS OF RAV4 CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS! TURNS OUT HE PROBLEMS WERE IDENTIFIED, BY TOYOTA THEMSELVES A FEW YEARS AGO, AS A MALFUNCTIONING ECM (ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE) CAUSING THE FAILURES OF THE TRANSMISSIONS WITHIN 50 MILES OF DRIVING. TOYOTA NOTIFIED THEIR SERVICE TECHS, BUT DID NOT NOTIFY IT'S CUSTOMERS OF THIS PROBLEM. WE MAINTAIN OUR VEHICLES ROUTINELY AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE RAV. BUT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. A CAR STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF NOT DEADLY. TOYOTA MOTORS HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE FOR YEARS, AND THEY HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM THEIR CUSTOMERS OF SUCH DANGEROUS SITUATIONS AND TO REPAIR AND/OR REPLACE ANY MALFUNCTIONING PARTS IN THEIR CUSTOMERS CARS THAT COULD CAUSE SUCH A SITUATION. *TR

ON FEBRUARY 25TH 2010, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENTER 105 FREEWAY, MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 REFUSED TO ACCELERATE, ALMOST RESULTING IN MY CAR BEEN REAR-ENDED. THIS PROGRESSED INTO ERRATIC SHIFTING. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 RAV 4 WITH 139K MILES ON IT. LATELY MY CAR HAS BEEN HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING FROM FIRST GEAR TO SECOND GEAR. I NOTICED IT WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF FEBRUARY. BUT THERE WOULD BE DAYS WHEN IT WOULD ACT NORMAL AND IT WAS FINE AND SOME DAYS IT HAD ITS PROBLEMS. WITHIN THIS PAST WEEK IT HAS BECOME WORSE. NOW WHEN MY CAR COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP AND TRIES TO SHIFT IT WOULD HESITATE, JERK, SHIFT AGAIN AND BECOME ALMOST IDOL AND THEN GO. THIS WOULD MAKE ME NOT WANT TO STOP AT ALL WHEN DRIVING BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL JUST DIE ON ME. I WOULD GET REALLY AFRAID IF I WOULD GET REAR ENDED FOR MY CAR HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING. THE PROBLEM IS THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ECM. IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM I HAVE TO GET THE TRANSMISSION FIXED WHICH COSTS OVER $1,000 DOLLARS. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND NOTICED I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. I THINK THAT TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL ALL 2002 RAV 4 BECAUSE OF ITS FAULTY TRANSMISSION AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY SO MUCH. I COULD'VE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH MY CAR BUT THAT'S NOT MY FAULT AND TOYOTA ALREADY KNOWS IT'S A PROBLEM BUT IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

WEEK OF 2/23/10 SNOW DAY DRIVING HOME AND MY VEHICLE STARTED HAVING SHIFTING PROBLEMS WITH OUT WARNING. THE NEXT DAY THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE UN NOTICEABLE. WEEK OF 3/1/10 ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK THE PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN WITH OUT WARNING. THIS TIME IT WAS SEVERE SHIFTING PROBLEMS. I DROVE IT TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS IS TURNING OUT TO BE A SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLAR PROBLEM. I DID RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND THAT HUNDREDS OF TOYOTA CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I FOUND THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM FOR YEARS BUT ONLY COVERS IT IF FOUND UNDER THE WARRANTY PERIOD IF THE PROBLEM PRESENTS ITSELF. BUT AFTER THAT TOYOTA PLACE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THEIR CUSTOMERS FOR THE KNOWN PROBLEMS FOUND BETWEEN THE ECM AND THE TRANSMISSION. MILEAGE ON DAY OF INCIDENT IS APROX 97,000 MILES. IT SEEMS LIKE TOYOTA'S UNSAID MOTTO IS LETS SELL VEHICLES WITH KNOWN DEFECTS, DON'T TELL OUT CUSTOMERS, AND DO NOTING FOR OUR CUSTOMERS. TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS BUYING A ROCK SOLID CAR BECAUSE IT WAS TOYOTA. WITH ME HAVING TO BARE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF A KNOWN PROBLEM TELLS ME THAT TOYOTA DOES NOT AND WILL NOT BACK THEIR PRODUCTS.. *TR UPDATED IVOQ 11/12/10

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 35-45 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, PROCEEDING TO A TRAFFIC STOP SIGNAL. THE ENGINE REVED EXCESSIVELY HIGH. THE TRANSMISSION EXHIBITED A HARSH SHIFT AS A RESULT OF AN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE IN OPERATION WITH CAUTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM). THE VEHICLE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000. UPDATED 11/16/10. *LJ

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2002 RAV4 AND HAVE BEEN TAKING IT TO TOYOTA FOR SERVICE. AS I WAS LEAVING WORK AT 5PM ONE FRIDAY, MY CAR WOULD HARD-SHIFT INTO FIRST AND STRUGGLE EVEN MORE TO GET TO SECOND, ETC. I DROVE IT STRAIGHT TO TOYOTA CARLSBAD. THEY CONTACTED ME THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER CHANGING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THEY SAID I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND COMPUTER. COME TO FIND OUT THERE HAD BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN IN 2006 THAT ONLY TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THAT RECOGNIZED THE POTENTIAL FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I WAS NOT INFORMED OF THIS WHEN I HAD THE TRANSMISSION SERVICED BY TOYOTA IN 2007. THE TOTAL COST TO ME WOULD BE $4800 WITHOUT TAX, WHICH I COULD NOT AFFORD. SINCE I NEEDED MY CAR FOR WORK AND I TAKE CARE OF MY ELDERLY MOTHER, I SCROUNGED TOGETHER THE NEARLY $2000 FOR THE COMPUTER REPLACEMENT AS WELL AS THE THERMOSTAT REPLACEMENT (THE IDIOT LIGHT CODE SAID IT HAD A LOOSE WIRE, AND NOT TOTAL REPLACEMENT!). I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DEFINITELY NEED TO BE REPLACED IN A VERY SHORT TIME, AND THEY SUGGESTED I PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR VERY SOON. THE SERVICE BULLETIN SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH ME, THE CLIENT. THEY KNEW ABOUT AND KEPT THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM FROM ME AND NOW THE PROBLEM IS A COSTLY ONE TO REPAIR. I WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR FREE AND REIMBURSE ME FOR MY COSTS TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS RAV4 PROBLEM, I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A BIG AND CONTINUING PROBLEM FOR 2002 RAV4 OWNERS AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I BELIEVE THAT THE COMPUTER (OR ECM) WAS THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I AM HOPING THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I PURCHASED THIS EXPENSIVE (FOR ME) TOYOTA BECAUSE IT WAS SAID TO LAST LONGER THAN OTHER VEHICLES. I TRULY THINK THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE LIGHT AND INCLUDED IN THE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION OF TOYOTA. *TR

VERY SUDDENLY MY TRANSMISSION FELT LIKE IT WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. IT WOULD FREE SPIN, THEN FORCE INTO GEAR. TOYOTA REPLACED ECM, APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM REFERRED TO IN A 2006 TSB. UNKNOWN IF MY TRANSMISSION WAS DAMAGED. *TR

WE HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 . THE TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING UP DUE TO THE ECM VALVE NOT ALLOWING GEARS TO CHANGE . SLIPPING GEARS & NO POWER AT TAKE OFF FROM STOPS. IT HAS 103000 MILES ON IT.WE BOUGHT THIS CAR USED AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN 2004. WE HAVE NOT REPAIRED IT YET. IT IS TO COSTLY AND THE CAR ISN'T PAID OFF YET. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. CAR HAS BEEN PARKED WE ARE AFRAID TO LET OUR DAUGHTER DRIVE IT. *TR

WAS DRIVING IN A 55 MILE HIGHWAY CAR FELT LIKE WAS DRIVING THROUGH SLUDGE. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THEN CAR STARED JERKING GOT TO SIDE OF ROAD AND HAD TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALER SHIP SAID THE TRANSMISSION CHIP WAS BAD COST AROUND $1300.. AND NEW TRANSMISSION ALTOGETHER WOULD COST ME $6000.*TR

I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4, WHICH I BOUGHT 2.5 YEARS AGO. I RECENTLY HAD TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION REBUILT AND CLUTCH REPLACED AFTER IT SUDDENLY BEGAN SLIPPING GEARS. I HAD NO PRIOR WARNING LIGHT ALERTING ME THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM OCCURRING WITH MY CARS ENGINE. THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP HAD DONE EXTENSIVE REPAIR AND ULTIMATELY HAD TO KEEP MY CAR FOR THREE WEEKS TRYING TO DETERMINE WHY IT STILL WOULDN'T RUN PROPERLY. IT WAS FINALLY TAKEN TO FREEMAN TOYOTA IN PETALUMA CA TO HAVE THE COMPUTER "FLASHED". MY MECHANIC WAS TOLD THE COMPUTER WAS DEAD AND WOULD NEED REPLACING FOR JUST OVER $1,000.00. I HAD ALREADY BEEN QUOTED $3,300.00 FOR PRIOR REPAIRS TO THE TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH. HAD I BEEN ALERTED BY AN A WARNING THAT THE ENGINE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS, I COULD HAVE AVOIDED NEEDING TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT TOYOTA HAD A "DEALER" RECALL FOR THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE FREEMAN TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAS DENIED THIS. I AM OUT $4,300.00 AND AM A SINGLE MOM WITH MS. *TR

PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP, THE TRANSMISSION ACTED LIKE IT WAS SLIPPING AND WOULD NOT SPEED UP. I DROVE THE VEHICLE 1 MILE HOME, WITH SIMILAR SLIP/SHIFT ISSUES. IN ADDITION, WHEN I SHIFTED BETWEEN DRIVE AND REVERSE IN MY DRIVEWAY, THE TRANSMISSION HAS A HARD CLUNK. I HAD THE ECM REFURBISHED AT MY OWN EXPENSE, AND THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE MOSTLY GONE. I AM STILL CONCERNED ABOUT SLIGHTLY ERRATIC SHIFTING BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD, AND AM CONCERNED THAT THE TRANSMISSION MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. IF THIS PROBLEM WOULD HAVE OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHICH I DRIVE ROUTINELY, THERE WOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AT THE 75MPH SPEEDS THAT ARE NORMAL ON I15. *TR

PURCHASED 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 NEW FROM TOYOTA DEALER IN OCTOBER 2001. EXPERIENCED HARD SHIFTING SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN TRAVELING UPHILL AND A HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS SHIFTING FINE. NOW THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND POSSIBLY THE COMPLETE TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA ISSUED A TSB IN 2008 BUT I WAS NEVER INFORMED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE THE CAR CAN STOP AT ANY TIME. *TR

TOYOTA ISSUED A SECRET BULLETIN ON 3/3/2006 (TC006-02), BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF 2001-2003 RAV4 VEHICLES REGARDING THEIR HARD SHIFTING, ECM PROBLEMS, AND TRANSMISSION FAILURES. DESPITE MY REPORTING THIS PROBLEM WITHIN WARRANTY PERIOD AT 54,000 MILES IN 2006, AND AGAIN IN 2007, TOYOTA CLAIMED UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. THEY ARE NOW CHARGING ME 1/2 THE COST OF A NEW TRANSMISSION AT APPROXIMATELY $2,000 INCLUDING THE COST OF FLUSHING THE OLD ONE AND DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM. *TR

2002 RAV4 FAULTY ECM DAMAGED MY TRANSMISSION. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY DAUGHTER FOR COLLEGE AND IT RAN FINE FOR 3 YEARS UNTIL NOW. THE CAR STARTED JERKING (PULLING) WHEN ACCELERATING THE CAR. I DID MY RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE ECM. I FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER RAV4 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I DECIDED TO CALL TOYOTA AND OPENED A CASE NUMBER. A WEEK LATER I CALLED THEM BACK AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE WARRANTY NO LONGER COVER THIS. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT TOYOTA NEVER NOTIFIED CUSTOMERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM REPORTED ON BULLETIN TC002-06 DATED 3/3/06. I RECEIVED A RECALL FOR "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" BUT NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL TO REPLACE THE ECM. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID I HAVE TO REPLACE BOTH THE ECM AND THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WILL COST ME ABOUT $3000, WHICH I THINK THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF TOYOTA WOULD HAVE REPLACED THE ECM EARLIER. *TR

ONE DAY OUT OF THE BLUE MY TRUCK HAD TROUBLE ACCELERATING EACH TIME I CAME TO A STOP, IT THEN ALTERNATE BETWEEN JERKING FORWARD AND HESITATING BEFORE IT ACTUALLY GOT GOING. I HAD TO TRY NOT TO HIT ANYTHING IN FRONT OF ME AND NOT GET HIT BY THE CAR BEHIND ME THINKING I'M TAKING OFF. I WAS TERRIFIED MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T ACCELERATE AND THEN DID THE HESITATING AND JERKING THING. WENT STRAIGHT TO MECHANIC, DIAGNOSTICS SHOWED POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION ISSUE. WHICH WOULD COST $4,200 NEW AND ABOUT $3K USED. DID ONLINE RESEARCH AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF SAME COMPLAINTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO REPLACE ECM BEFORE IT DID RUIN THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK THE CHANCE AND REPLACED THE ECM AND TRUCK IS RUNNING FINE NOW. I HAD CALLED MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHO TOLD ME MY WARRANTY WAS UP (5YRS/50K MILES - AND I AM AT 70K MILES). COULD NOT GET THRU TO TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS BECAUSE OF GAS PEDAL RECALL. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND RESEARCH SHOWS TOYOTA KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE 2006 AND HAS NOT DONE A RECALL. TOTAL COST: $1,300 FOR NEW ECM AND $300 FOR CAR RENTAL. *TR

MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 TRANSMISSION IS JERKING AT LOW SPEEDS. IT SEEMED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE JERKS WOULD BE PARTICULARLY STRONG WHEN GOING UP OR DOWNHILL. AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL DURING A COMPLETE STOP, THE CAR DOES NOT ROLL FORWARD NORMALLY EITHER. *TR

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2002 TOYOTA RAV-4 WITH 60,000 MILES AND HAVE A TRANSMISSION ISSUE. I READ ONLINE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING ISSUE WITH 2001-2003 TOYOTA RAV-4S AND THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT IT SINCE 2006, YET THEY CONTINUE TO SELL THEM. MY ISSUE STARTED IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND SHIFT. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT JERKED AND MOVED FORWARD, SOMETIMES DOING THIS SEVERAL TIMES CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL REACHING ABOUT 35 MILES/HR. IT WAS HARD GOING UP HILL AND AT TIMES FELT UNSAFE WITH VEHICLES TRAVELING VERY CLOSE BEHIND ME. I BROUGHT IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE ECM SENSOR THAT WENT. THEY ALSO MENTIONED THAT THEY HAD SEEN THIS ISSUE WITH MANY OTHER RAV-4S AND TOYOTA ISSUED NO RECALL. SO THIS WAS FIXED AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS MY CAR WAS BAD AGAIN. I CONTACTED TOYOTA, AND THEY CHARGED ME AGAIN TO LOOK AT IT AND THEM TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WENT DUE TO THIS SENSOR ISSUE AND I NEEDED A NEW ONE. ALSO THAT ALTHOUGH IT WAS TOYOTA'S PROBLEM, THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE OVER $6000 AND WHEN CALLING OTHER TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS THEY WANTED ANYWHERE FROM 3000-5000. THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE FOR NOT JUST MYSELF BUT I'M SURE MANY OTHER CONSUMERS WHO ARE LEFT FEELING UNSAFE DRIVING THESE VEHICLES AND WITHOUT THE CASH TO FIX IT. I HAVEN'T DRIVEN IT IN WEEKS, SINCE THE LAST TIME I DROVE IT I WAS PULLING OUT ONTO A BUSY STREET AND I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO MAKE IT ONTO THE ROAD BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY TURN MY CAR FELT AS IF IT WOULD STALL AND TOOK A WHILE BEFORE IT GOT INTO 2ND GEAR TO DRIVE OFF. IN THE MEANTIME A CAR THAT WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 30-40MILES/HR WAS COMING AT ME AND I BARELY MADE IT ONTO THE RODE AND DROVE OFF IN TIME. HAD THE CAR BEEN ANY CLOSER, AND HE WAS PRETTY FAR INITIALLY, HE MAY HAVE HIT ME. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE READ OF OTHERS FAILING ON THE FREEWAY. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. I HOPE THAT AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN DEATH DOESN'T RESULT. *TR

AFTER HAVING AN OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM OF MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 ON 02/02/10, I NOTICED THAT MY CAR BEGAN ACCELERATING SLUGGISHLY. APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES AFTER THE SERVICE WAS PERFORMED, I NOTICED MY CAR JERKED WHEN SHIFTING THROUGH GEARS 1-3 AND THE TACHOMETER WOULD REV TO 3000 RPMS. THE CAR THEN RAN FINE FOR APP. 4 DAYS WITH NO GEAR SLIPPAGE. A WEEK LATER THE GEARS STARTED SLIPPING AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING AND THE CAR SEEMED TO HAVE NO POWER WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS FULLY ENGAGED DURING A RIGHT HAND TURN TO MERGE WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CAR THEN BUCKED VIOLENTLY. THIS RESULTED WITH MY PASSENGER AND I BECOMING ANXIOUS/SCARED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THE TRAFFIC COMING TOWARD US WOULD HAVE HIT US IF WE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE MY CAR HOME WHERE IT HAS REMAINED PARKED AND SET AN APPOINTMENT WITH A TOYOTA DEALER EXPLAINING THE PROBLEMS. ACCORDING TO SIMILAR STORIES FROM FELLOW RAV4 OWNERS, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE CAUSING IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. I AM TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT 'OFFICIALLY' DIAGNOSED ALTHOUGH IT ONLY CODES TO HAVE THE O2 SENSOR REPLACED, WHICH I DID. *TR

TOYOTA 2002 RAV4 TRANSMISSION JERKS, CAR DOESN'T RUN RIGHT, COMPUTER PROBLEM CAUSES TRANNY FAILURE. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE/ECM FAILURE ON 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4, ALMOST CAUSING ME TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAD TO SPEND OVER $4700 TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AND A NEW CONTROLLER INSTALLED. TOYOTA DEALER TOLD ME THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ECM CAUSING TRANSMISSION DAMAGE. THEN I RESEARCH IT ON THE INTERNET TO FIND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS. TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE WARNED OWNERS OF THE PROBLEM AND ALLOW OWNERS TO CHANGE THE ECM BEFORE RUINING THE TRANSMISSION AND ALMOST HAVING AN ACCIDENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE AT A STOP SIGN, UPON ACCELERATING THE RPM'S INCREASED RAPIDLY; YET, THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ACCELERATING UP TO ITS NORMAL SPEED WHICH FORCED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MPH. THE CONTACT WANTED A LOCAL MECHANIC TO DRAIN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID TO CONFIRM IF THE FLUID WAS THE CAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING GEARS. REMOVING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT THIS TIME; THEREFORE, SHE WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

2002 TOYOTA RAV4, WHILE PUTTING IN DRIVE THE CAR STALLS FOR A SECOND THEN JERKS INTO GEAR...I HAD ECM WORK DONE FOR 1300.00 DOLLARS AND THE CAR STILL JERKS INTO GEAR AND SOMETIMES THERE IS NO POWER...I AM WORRIED THAT MY WIFE WILL BE IN TRAFFIC AND THE CAR WILL LOSE POWER CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHEN GOING DOWN HILLS THE GEARS WILL DOWNSHIFT AND THE ENGINE REVS FAST. NOW DURING NORMAL DRIVING, IT GETS STUCK IN 2ND GEAR THEN WILL BANG INTO 3RD. I'VE ALSO NOTICED SOMETIMES WHEN I TRY TO PULL ONTO A HIGHWAY, THERE IS NO ACCELERATION. *TR

THE ACTUATOR IN LEFT & RIGHT FRONT DOOR FOR 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 NOT WORKING. *TR

MY TOYOTA 2002 RAV4 WITH ONLY 55,000 STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION AND I TOOK IT IN AS SOON AS PROBLEM STARTED AND WAS TOLD AT DEALERSHIP I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION AND INSTALL A REBUILT. THE REPAIR COST $3400 AND AFTER A DAY OF DRIVING I HAD TO TAKE CAR BACK TO DEALER AS IT WAS STILL NOT RUNNING RIGHT AND THEN I WAS TOLD THAT THE ECM NEEDED REPLACING WHICH THEY SAID THEY DID AT NO COST TO ME WHICH IS VERY HARD TO BELIEVE. I AM TOTALLY DISGUSTED THAT AFTER TAKING CARE OF MY CAR AND AT ONLY 55,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. ANOTHER DISTURBING ISSUE IS THAT TOYOTA ISSUED A BULLETIN REGARDING THIS PROBLEM BUT THE CONSUMER IS STILL STUCK WITH THE REPAIR WHICH IS VERY COSTLY. I ALSO ASKED THEM TO PLEASE RETURN MY OLD TRANSMISSION AND WAS TOLD THAT I COULD NOT HAVE IT. IF IT WAS REPLACED AND IT IS MY PROPERTY WHY COULD THEY NOT RETURN THE TRANSMISSION TO ME SO THAT I COULD BE SURE THAT IT WAS REPLACED. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR BACK AS IT WAS STILL NOT RUNNING RIGHT I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT THE CODES MEANT AND WHY THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING AND WAS TOLD THE HARNESS NEEDED TO ALSO BE REPLACED AND THEN THEY CHANGED THEIR STORY SAYING THAT THE PAINT FROM THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS TOO THICK AND THAT IS WHY THE CABLES WERE NOT MAKING THE CONNECTION. I TOOK MY CAR TO A TOYOTA DEALER FOR SERVICE AND THESE PEOPLE CLEARLY WERE GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND. I CALLED TOYOTA CORPORATION TO FILE A COMPLAINT AND THEY ONLY GAVE ME A 20% DISCOUNT OF $640 TOWARDS THE !@#$% TRANSMISSION WHICH I STILL HAD TO PAY THE DEALER THE FULL AMOUNT AND I HAVE TO SUBMIT A WHOLE BUNCH OF PAPERWORK SO THAT I CAN GET MY DISCOUNT. IT SEEMS TOYOTA CARS ARE NOT ARE GOOD AS THEY CLAIM TO BE. *TR

ON THE EVENING OF DECEMBER 21, 2009, I WAS DRIVING OUR 2002 TOYOTA RAV4, EXITING A MAJOR SHOPPING CENTER, IN A LONG LINE OF VEHICLES AT A SLOW SPEED. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE STALLED (SOMETHING THAT NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE). I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND MOVED A FEW CAR LENGTHS, STILL IN A LONG LINE OF SLOW MOVING VEHICLES AND THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND WAS ABLE TO PROCEED HOME (ABOUT 10 MILES) WITHOUT FURTHER DIFFICULTY. THE NEXT DAY, DECEMBER 22, 2009, MY WIFE USED THE VEHICLE TO DO SOME SHOPPING. DURING HER TRIP SHE MADE 4 UNEVENTFUL STOPS AND RESTARTS. AT HER 5TH STOP, AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION (ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY) SHE STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT. SHE THEN PROCEEDED FROM THE RED LIGHT - BUT THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT AS SOON AS THE GEAR SHIFT WAS PUT INTO DRIVE, THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND MOVE THE CAR WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. MY WIFE WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WITH TRUCKS AND CARS PASSING AROUND HER WITH HORNS BLOWING. A PASSING MOTORIST ULTIMATELY CAME TO HER ASSISTANCE AND PUSHED THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE INTERSECTION TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY OUT OF POTENTIAL DANGER. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE LOCATION, I ALSO COULD NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE WOULD START, BUT ENGAGING ANY DRIVE POSITION (D, 2, 1, R) WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN. THE VEHICLE(WITH 88,000 MILES) WAS TOWED TO MY REPAIR SHOP. THE SHOP DIAGNOSED AN ECM/TRANSMISSION PROBLEM - AND THEN TRANSFERRED THE VEHICLE TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR ON DECEMBER 23, 2009. *TR

ONE DAY, OUT OF THE BLUE, MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 STARTED HAVING TROUBLE GETTING FULL POWER IN 1ST GEAR, AND OFTEN SLIPPED WHEN GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND, AND 2ND TO 3RD. SINCE THIS WAS SO SUDDEN, I OFTEN HAD TROUBLE GETTING UP TO SPEED WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS, BUT A FEW CLOSE CALLS. I HAD THE ECM (ENGINE CONTROL MODULE) REPLACED THE NEXT DAY BECAUSE MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THIS WAS A FAIRLY COMMON FAILURE FOR THE RAV4, AND TOYOTA HAD PUT OUT A TSB FOR THIS PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS WELL PAST THE MILEAGE NEEDED TO GET THIS DONE UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

DETECTED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH A 2002 RAV 4. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ECM SYSTEM BUT TOYOTA SO FAR REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. *TR

NO PROBLEMS WERE APPARENT UNTIL OVERNIGHT THE TRANSMISSION APPEARED TO BE SLIPPING. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CITED FAILING TRANSMISSION AS PROBABLE ISSUE. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP STATED THE ECM/ECU WAS FAILING. TURNS OUT ECM WAS DEFECTIVE IN THE MODEL YEAR OF THIS VEHICLE. TOYOTA' RESPONSE WAS TO "REPROGRAM/REFLASH" DEFECTIVE ECM. THIS ONLY POSTPONEDTHE FAILURE OF THE ECM. THE DEFECTIVE ECM WOULD SEND INCORRECT CODES TO THE TRANSMISSION STUTTERING OR HALTING SHIFTS THUS LEAVING THE VEHICLE EFFECTIVELY IN NEUTRAL. THIS STUTTERING/SLIPPING QUICKLY DESTROYS THE TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE OF THE ECM WOULD NOT ALLOW THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT WHICH PUT US IN DANGER OF BEING IN A REAR END COLLISION WHILE TRYING TO GET ONTO BUSY HIGHWAYS OR STALLING IN AN INTERSECTION. THIS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE TRIP TO THE DEALERSHIP ALONE (THE VEHICLE WENT IN THE NEXT OPEN BUSINESS DAY AFTER THE FIRST OCCURRENCE). THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE FIRST THREE GEARS. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHICH WAS GIVEN AN INEFFECTIVE SOLUTION. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ECM AT A SIGNIFICANT COST TO THE CONSUMER. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE ECM, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ECM, ALTHOUGH AGREED TO BE DEFECTIVE, WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONSUMER AND NOT TOYOTA. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS SHIFTING. ALL OF THE GEARS WERE AFFECTED WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING OR SLOWING DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,830. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000.

TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED ON MY 2002 RAV4. 2 MECHANICS AND 1 TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST STATE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY OVERHAULED AND ECM IS BAD ALSO. CAR WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR AND HESITATES. *TR

MY TOYOTA RAV4 (2002) WITH LESS THAN 90,000 MILES HAS BEEN SLIPPING AND IT HAS CAUSED ME TO BE IN SOME PRETTY RISKY SITUATIONS, SUCH AS NEARLY GETTING INTO A FATAL CAR ACCIDENT WHEN STOPPING AND TRYING TO PROCEED AGAIN AT STOP LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. APPARENTLY THE ECM IS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND INSTEAD OF THEM TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM AS A COMPANY, THEY ARE RECOMMENDING ME TO SPEND OVER 4,000 TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE FELL TO RESOLVE. IT HAS BECOME A FINANCIAL NIGHTMARE AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN MY HOUSE AND MY CAR BECAUSE I NEED BOTH! *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ALL OF SUDDEN WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE REGULAR TO WORK, WHEN CHECKED, THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR BAD ERROR CAME UP, THEN DROVE VEHICLE BACK HOME.WHILE DRIVING BACK GEAR STARTED SLIPPING, COULD NOT ABLE TO PICK UP SPEED. LATER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GONE AND VEHICLE STARTED WORKING FINE. NEXT DAY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS AGAIN ON. WHEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, TRANSMISSION BAD DIAGNOSTIC CAME. COSTING MORE THAN 3500. IT WAS HAZARDOUS DRIVE WHILE COMING BACK HOME AT A SUCH LOW MILES. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR

HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 THAT HAD TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN LATE NOVEMBER/EARLY DECEMBER 2009. ODOMETER AT 91,304 MILES. IN TRAFFIC, CAR STARTED BUCKING (LURCHING) FORWARD WITHOUT PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL. TOOK CAR FOR REPAIR WHERE IT NEEDED TO HAVE NEW COMPUTER INSTALLED AND VALVE BODY TRANSMISSION COMPONENT REPLACED AT COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2000. *TR

CAR JERKS; HESITATES; DOES NOT GO INTO GEAR PROPERLY; REVS LOUDLY BUT STARTS LIKE IT'S BEING MOVED OFF IN THIRD GEAR. TOLD IT'S THE COMPUTER THAT IS BAD BUT IF IT DOES NOT GET FIXED AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPUTER, IT COULD BE THE TRANSMISSION. I AM ORDERING A REPLACEMENT COMPUTER BUT CANNOT AFFORD TO DO IT VIA THE DEALER BECAUSE THE INITIAL COST IS $1300. PROBLEM IS SIMILAR TO MANY LISTED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES - SPOKE TO TOYOTA 800-NUMBER: THEY CAN ONLY TAKE THE COMPLAINT AND GIVE A REFERENCE NUMBER BUT NOBODY WILL CONTACT ME. NO SUGGESTION OF A RECALL DESPITE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT CARS WITH EXACT PROBLEMS. I'M FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THERE IS NO CONSIDERATION OF A DISCOUNT BEING OFFERED, KNOWING THAT SO MANY CARS HAVE HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM. I FEEL THE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND TOYOTA SHOULD OFFER A GOOD-FAITH DISCOUNT, EVEN IF IT'S NOT THE FULL AMOUNT BEING REFUNDED BECAUSE CARS ARE OVER THE 80,000 MILE THRESHOLD, FOR SUCH SAFETY CONCERNS AS THIS. *TR

WHILE STARTING UP FROM A RED LIGHT, I FELT THE TRANS SLIP, THEN BANG INTO 2ND GEAR. IT WOULD CONTINUE TO BUCK AND SLIP, THAN WOULD CATCH AND RUN SMOOTH. I THOUGHT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO THE TRANS, ALTHOUGH I ONLY HAVE APPROX 48,000 MILES ON THE CAR. TURNED OUT TO BE A FAULTY ECM WHICH TOYOTA IS APPARENTLY AWARE OF AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I FELL THIS COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY BEEN DANGEROUS AND I VERY EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, BUT DID NOT REALLY DRIVE THE CAR AFTER THE INITIAL INCIDENT. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 RAV4. ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO, I NOTICED THAT WHEN I ACCELERATED, MY CAR HESITATED AND THEN JUMPED INTO GEAR. THE PROBLEM WORSENED, AND WHEN I TOOK IT TO BE LOOKED AT, THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE REPAIRS TO THE DAMAGED TRANSMISSION WOULD COST CLOSE TO $4,000. AFTER RESEARCHING TOYOTA RAV 4 + TRANSMISSIONS, I QUICKLY FOUND MANY SITES STATING THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR TOYOTA 2001 - 2004 RAV 4 TRANSMISSIONS, AND THAT THE PROBLEMS ARE DUE TO A FAULTY COMPUTER THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOW ABOUT FOR YEARS. *TR

PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTING WAS DOING IT SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK - JERKED REAL HARD WHEN SHIFTING & WAS SLIPPING - WAS INITIALLY TOLD IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION AND/OR THE ECM NOW THEY TELL ME THE PROBLEM IS SUPPOSEDLY THE ECM. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT CAR NOW FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. INITIALLY AS I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED & I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY. FOUND ANOTHER MECHANIC & HAVE HAD SEVERAL OPINIONS. MY MECHANIC HAS SENT THE ECM TO A PLACE IN TEXAS THAT CAN REBUILD THE ECM FOR ABOUT HALF THE COST OF A NEW ONE HOWEVER NOW, THEY CAN'T GET PARTS FOR THE LAST MONTH TO REPAIR THE ECM BECAUSE OF THE RECALLS. THIS SHOULD ALSO BE A RECALL AS THERE ARE OVER 200 COMPLAINTS ON MY YEAR, MAKE & MODEL FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED ON JUST ONE WEBSITE. I AM SO FRUSTRATED - WHERE CAN I GO TO GET HELP FROM TOYOTA??? CAN YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THE ECM & TRANSMISSION ON THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4? THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE. *TR

NO WARNING WHATSOEVER BEFORE FAILURE AS WE TRIED TO PULL ONTO A 4 LANE HIGHWAY AND CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, MADE LOUD NOISES, JERKED AND SEEMED LIKE IT WOULD JUST STOP DEAD IN ITS TRACKS. HAPPENED EVERY TIME IT HAD TO SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR - AT STOP LIGHTS, DRIVING THRU TOWN, ETC. TOYOTA IS NOW AT DEALER TRYING TO SEE WHAT PROBLEM COULD BE. *TR

PROBLEM APPEARED WITHOUT WARNING. THE TRANSMISSION BECAME SLUGGISH AT LOW SPEEDS AND FROM A STOP AT STOP SIGNS AND STOP LIGHTS, CREATING A HAZARD OF BEING HIT BY OTHER VEHICLES IN INTERSECTIONS. ALSO A ROUGH SHIFT (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS, RESULTING IN SAME HAZARD AS ABOVE. THESE PROBLEMS MATCH TOYOTA'S TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TC0002-06, 3/3/2006. IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO DEALER SHOP, THEY REPLACED TRANSMISSION. PROBLEM PERSISTED!. SHOP REPLACED ECM, AND PROBLEM FIXED. TOYOTA HAD IMPLIED A PROBLEM EXISTED W/ ECM IN THE TSB BACK IN 2006. THEY FURTHER ADMITTED FAULT NOW BY PROVIDING VIA THE LOCAL DEALER A "ONE TIME GOOD WILL WARRANTY" ON THE ECM. I BELIEVE THAT IF TOYOTA HAD RECALLED THE ECMS OR EXTENDED THE WARRANTY BACK IN 2006 AND REPLACED MINE AT THAT TIME, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD MY TRANSMISSION REPLACED FOR $4126 PARTS AND LABOR. I ASSUME DEALER DISPOSED OF OLD ECM. *TR

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

WITHOUT WARNING, THE TRANSMISSION ON MY RAV4 STARTED SHIFTING ERRATICALLY AND THEN IT STOPPED ALTOGETHER IN THE MIDDLE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC! I ALMOST HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. AS IT WAS ALL THERE WAS A MINOR DING. *TR

IN MARCH 2006, TOYOTA SENT DEALERS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 002-06WARNING 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. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT MY CAR IS DOING, I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS DEFECT WHEN I BOUGHT MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 USED IN NOV 2007 FROM TOYOTA OF BUTTE MT. AND OF COURSE IT ISN'T COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY OR RECALL NOW - ONLY UP TO 80,000 MILES BEFORE THE ECM STARTS TO MALFUNCTION. I WAS QUOTED THE FIX TO BE AROUND $900.00 AND THAT'S IF IT HASN'T CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY TRANSMISSION BY NOW. I'M A SINGLE WORKING MOM OF 3 KIDS ON A VERY LIMITED INCOME - I CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE THIS FIXED AND NOW I'M WITHOUT THE ONLY CAR MY FAMILY HAS BECAUSE DRIVING IT IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD WITH IT'S CURRENT PROBLEMS. AS I PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC THE CAR DECIDES TO NOT SHIFT (AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL) RIGHT IN THE PATH OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC - NICE JOB TOYOTA. I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE A COVERED RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED!!!!!!!! *TR

2002 TOYOTA, RAV4, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE CAR ONLY HAS 50,000MILES ON IT, I HAVE JUST RECENTLY HEARING ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH MANY OTHER TOYOTA RAV 4 OWNERS. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH 110,000 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION HAS JUST FAILED. WHAT A DANGEROUS SITUATION, DOESN'T WANT TO GO, SO YOU TAKE OFF FROM A STOP SIGN & YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC & THERE YOU SIT TRYING TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED & I DON'T HAVE $5000 TO REPAIR THIS. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. NICE *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 WITH 82K MILES ON IT. AT THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER, 2009, I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN TO JERK VIOLENTLY WHEN I ACCELERATED BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS. I HAD DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING CONTROL AND AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. SUBSEQUENTLY, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND LEARNED THAT I HAD A COMMON PROBLEM FOR 2002 RAV 4'S -- A FAULTY ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND LEARNED THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM IN 2001 AND 2002 RAV 4'S. TOYOTA IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. *TR

I HAVE A TOYOTA RAV4 2002. I AM NOW EXPERIENCING A NIGHTMARE. A FEW WEEKS AGO, MY CAR STARTED SHIFTING GEARS, SHAKING, AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. I BROUGHT IT TO HYANNIS TOYOTA. THE CSR TOLD ME IT WAS A DEFECTIVE COMPUTER. THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD REPLACE IT. APPROX. 3 WEEKS LATER, MY CAR STARTED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SHAKING, MOVING INTO A DIFFERENT GEAR AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO HYANNIS TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD, "THIS IS NOT THE SAME PROBLEM." YOU NEED A NEW COIL. IT WILL COST YOU $250.00. ALSO, I HAD TO RENT A CAR. OF COURSE AT MY OWN EXPENSE. NOW, I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS COMPANY. IF THE COMPUTER WAS DEFECTIVE, AND WAS REPLACED. WHY AM I STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS? *TR

IN 2004 WE PURCHASED A 2002 RAV4 TOYOTA AFTER CHECKING WITH CONSUMER REPORTS. THE CAR HAS NOT TURNED OVER 100,000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION AND THE COMPUTER WENT OUT. THE CHARGE FOR REPLACING BOTH WAS $3708. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE COMPUTER/TRANSMISSION PROBLEM FOR 2001 TO 2003 TOYOTAS IS GROWING. WE ARE RETIRED LIVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND DID NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF MONEY FOR THIS PROBLEM. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL OR SOME TYPE OF ADJUSTMENT BY TOYOTA FOR THE COMPUTER/TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *TR