2002 Toyota RAV4 Complaint Log

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE SHIFTING THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 4 MPH. THEN WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO RAPIDLY ACCELERATE. EVENTUALLY HE WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE COMPUTER WAS OVERRIDING THE TRANSMISSION. A NEW COMPUTER WAS INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. ALL THE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE UNDER THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE OFFICE OF CONSUMERS AFFAIRS AND TO TOYOTA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 111400. UPDATED 02/18/10. *LJ UPDATED 03/04/10. *LJ

I BOUGHT A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 IN NOV 2001. SOMETIME IN NOV 2009, I WAS DRIVING ON I-25 SOUTHBOUND WHEN SUDDENLY THE TOYOTA DOWN SHIFTED GEARS AND SLOWED DOWN FROM ABOUT 65 MPHTO 45 MPH. AS I PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL, IT BEGAN TO UPSHIFT AND GAIN SPEED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS BEGINNING TO ACT UP AT LOWER SPEEDS ABOUT ONCE A WEEK AT TIMES MORE OFTEN. THE TOYOTA HAD ABOUT 86,000 MILES. AFTER DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, I DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM BEGAN ABOUT 35,000 MILES ON SOME TOYOTA. I CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT REPORTED THAT TOYOTA WOULD NOT OWN UP TO IT. GOOGLE SEARCH REPORTS REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO NHTSA AND SUGGESTED OTHERS TO REPORT THE PROBLEM. ONE REPORTED THAT HIS WIFE WAS ALMOST KILLED BY THE HIGHWAY INSTANT SPEED REDUCTION. *TR

2002 TOYOTA RAV4. CAR STALLED ON HIGHWAY, BARELY MADE IT UP HILLS. DROVE TWO HOURS FROM HOME TO A RECRUITING EVENT. TRANSMISSION SHIFT SOLENOID NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CAR HAS 76,600 MILES ON IT. SLOW SHIFTING AND SUDDEN COMPLETE MALFUNCTION LED TO SAFETY ISSUES/SERIOUS POTENTIAL FOR ACCIDENTS. *TR

2002 TOYOTA RAV4 SHIFTING ERRATICALLY AND SLIPPING WHILE DRIVING. BEGAN LAST MONTH WITH ONLY 39K MILES ON CAR. BROUGHT TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED ECM UNDER WARRANTY BUT REFUSED TO ALSO REPLACE TRANSMISSION WHICH HAD BEEN DAMAGED DUE TO FAULTY ECM. (SEE TSB NUMBER:00206 NHTSA NUMBER:10019667). DEALER RETURNED VEHICLE. BUT TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP WORSE AND WORSE EACH DAY RIGHT AFTER. IT WAS NOW EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. WITHIN 1 WEEK THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 20MPH. MULTIPLE TIMES WE ALMOST HAD ACCIDENTS WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. CAR RETURNED TO DEALER FOR $300K+ REPAIR OF TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM SINCE AT LEAST 2006 AND TOYOTA HAS FAILED TO NOTIFY ANY CUSTOMERS. HUNDREDS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE PROBLEM BUT MANY UNSAFE CARS REMAIN ON THE ROAD TODAY AS A RESULT. SEE: HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/RAV4/2002/TRANSMISSION/JERKING_AND_HESITATING.SHTML. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 THAT IS HAVING ACCELERATION SHIFTING PROBLEMS. READING ONLINE IT IS FROM A FAULTY ECU IN THE CAR WHICH IS CAUSING THE CAR TO SHIFT AT IMPROPER TIMES WHICH IS RUINING THE TRANSMISSION. THE PROBLEM COMES AND GOES- WHEN I BRING IT TO TOYOTA THEY CLAIM NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. ALSO LOOKING ON LINE THERE ARE MANY MORE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUE WITH THEIR RAV 4'S AS WELL. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 RAV4 ALL WHEEL DRIVE AUTOMATIC, AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING UP AT 98,000 MILES. THE CAR WOULD SHUDDER AT STOPS, SOMETIMES LUNGING FORWARD. I WOULD HOLD UP TRAFFIC AS IT CONTINUED SHUDDERING UNTIL IT WOULD FINALLY GO INTO SECOND. SOMETIMES ON THE FREEWAY IT WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR AND SHUDDER AS WELL. I WOULD HAVE TO REDUCE SPEED UNTIL IT WOULD GO INTO SECOND. SOMETIMES AT INTERSECTIONS I WOULD CRAWL ACROSS THE STREET AS I HOPED THAT IT WOULD GO INTO SECOND BEFORE THE LIGHT TURNED RED! I TOOK IT INTO TOYOTA OXNARD CA. AT 110,000 MILES. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THIS MODEL "IS NOTORIOUS FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS." I THEN SAID, "AND YOU SOLD ME THIS CAR KNOWING THIS?!" I PURCHASED THE USED CAR FROM THE SAME LOT IN APRIL 2004. SO THE CAR WAS LOOKED AT, AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. NO MENTION OF THE COMPUTER PROBLEM. I WAS QUOTED $3800 TO FIX IT. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION, AS I COULD NOT AFFORD $3800 TO FIX IT. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I "BABY" IT THAT IT MAY LAST AWHILE LONGER. AT 203,000 MILES IT GAVE OUT. THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER GO INTO 2ND GEAR. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER WAS ALSO AN ISSUE, AND HE SUGGESTED TO REPLACE BOTH. IT IS NOW FIXED...$4800 LATER. I AM CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED AND HAD TO USE ALL OF MY STUDENT LOAN MONEY TO PAY FOR MY CAR. *TR

APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS AGO I BEGAN NOTICING HESITATION, JERKING, AND SLIPPING COMING FROM WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE PROBLEM CONTINUED, I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL BIG TEN TIRES TO SEE WHAT THEY THOUGHT. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE ENGINE MOUNT. THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. I REALIZED THEN IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THAT SOLD ME THE VEHICLE,AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, BUT THEY TOLD ME TO LIVE WITH IT BECAUSE IT WAS INTERMITTENT! THEY DID NOT TELL ME IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT AT LEAST HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF 2001-2003 RAV 4 OWNERS ARE HAVING AS WE SPEAK, NAMELY, A DEFECTIVE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (SEE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE DATED 8/26/09). THE DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED ECM IS SENDING THE WRONG MESSAGES TO THE TRANSMISSION. THIS CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO MALFUNCTION. THIS PRESENTS TWO PROBLEMS: OVER TIME IT DESTROYS THE TRANSMISSION AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. ON TWO OCCASIONS I PULLED OUT IN TRAFFIC AND THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY (WITHOUT WARNING) REFUSED TO SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND. THIS HESITATION ALMOST CAUSED OTHER VEHICLES TO HIT ME. IT FINALLY "JERKED" INTO GEAR AND I WAS ABLE TO AVOID THE COLLISIONS. HAD IT NOT DONE SO, I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. IT IS AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE AT LEAST AS EARLY AS 2006 WHEN IT ISSUED A TSB TO IT DEALERS PERTAINING TO THIS EXACT PROBLEM. I AM GOING TO BE HONEST. I ALSO THINK IT IS A TRAVESTY THAT TOYOTA HAS NOT BEEN FORCED TO MAKE A RECALL. TO CONCLUDE THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE IS FLAT OUT WRONG. JUST BECAUSE IT DOES NOT OCCUR ON THE "OPEN HIGHWAY" IS, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, LUDICROUS. I CAN BE JUST AS SERIOUSLY INJURED IF MY CAR IS HIT BY SOMEONE GOING 40 MPH BECAUSE I CAN'T GET OUT OF THEIR WAY. NO PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND MAKE TOYOTA FIX THIS PROBLEM DO NOT LET THIS BECOME ANOTHER PINTO GAS TANK CASE. THANK YOU. *TR

THIS COMPLAINT IS REGARDING THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 ABOUT A YEAR AGO I NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPING AND HAVING PROBLEMS CHANGING SHIFTS. I RESEARCHED AND FOUND A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING THAT IT WAS THE COMPUTER OF THE ENGINE WHICH WAS MESSING UP MY TRANSMISSION. I WENT AHEAD AND PAID AROUND $2000.00 TO HAVE THE COMPUTER CHANGED. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE OLD COMPUTER WHICH WAS PUT AT THE FACTORY HAD DAMAGED MY TRANSMISSION. IT RAN WELL FOR A WHILE BUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS BACK I WAS TURNING LEFT AND THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY STOPPED I WAS SCARED OUT OF MY MIND BECAUSE THERE WERE CARS COMING AT A HIGH SPEED I PUSHED THE GAS ABOUT 3 TIMES FOR IT TO JERK INTO GEAR. A LOT OF OTHER INCIDENTS LIKE THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITH THIS VEHICLE WHERE THE ENGINE JUST WONT REACT AND PLACE ME IN DANGEROUS SITUATION. NOW ITS EVEN WORST WHERE IT IS REALLY STAINING ITSELF TO AT LEAST GET TO 40MPH I'M GOING TO ONCE AGAIN HAVE TO TAKE IT TO A SHOP TO GET FIXED OR MAYBE TRADE IT IN ALL TOGETHER, BECAUSE IT'S A DANGER TO ME AND MY FAMILY. *TR

MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 HAD ISSUES WITH THE ECU (COMPUTER) WHICH CONTROLS THE GEAR SHIFTING. THE SYMPTOMS ARE STALLING/PAUSING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND AND/OR 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. WHEN IT HAPPENS, PRESSING ON THE GAS HAS NO EFFECT - CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE. OCCURS QUITE FREQUENTLY AFTER THE PROBLEM SURFACES. ON 10/8, AS I WAS TAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO A MAIN ROAD, I HAD A STALL AND COULD NOT ACCELERATE. THERE WAS AN ONCOMING CAR THAT HAD ENOUGH TIME TO STOP AND DID NOT HIT ME. I HAD MY MOTHER AND 14 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER IN THE BACK. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ONLINE AND FOUND THIS SAME COMPLAINT FOR HUNDREDS OF RAV4 OWNERS. THE ECU (COMPUTER) FAILS AFTER SIGNIFICANT MILEAGE (I'M AT 135K), CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO BE AFFECTED. IF THE ECU REPAIR DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM, THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REBUILT. I HAD THE ECU RE-BUILT FOR $1,413 ($1200 FOR THE PART ALONE) AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE FIXED MY ISSUE. *TR

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH 2002 RAV4: THE "CHECKING" ENGINE LIGHT ON MY CAR WAS ON A WEEK AGO, THEN THE NEXT DAY, I PUT MY CAR TO KOONS TOYOTA AT TYSONS, VIRGINIA FOR CHECKING THE PROBLEM, ALSO I REQUESTED 120,000 MILE SERVICE. AFTER SERVICE WAS COMPLETED BY KOONS, I FOUND THAT MY CAR HAS THE HARSH SHIFTING OCCURS, MEANING THAT, AT THE LOW GEAR, WHEN STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL. MY CAR HESITATES TO SHIFT INTO THE SECOND GEAR. AFTER PUSH FURTHER ON THE GAS PEDAL, MY CAR JUMPED HARSHLY INTO THE SECOND GEAR, RATHER THAN SMOOTH DRIVING AS PRIOR TO THE SERVICE. THE NEXT DAY, I BROUGHT MY CAR BACK TO KOONS TO REPORT THE "HARSH SHIFTING" PROBLEM, THEY TEST DROVE MY CAR AND AGREED THAT THERE IS SOME JERKING OCCURS AT LOW GEAR. THEY RECOMMENDED ME TO CONTINUOUSLY DRIVE THE CAR, HOPING THAT THE CAR WILL ADJUST ITSELF TO THE NEW SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING THAT THEY USED. I CONTINUED DRIVE FOR A WEEK WHILE CAREFULLY LISTEN TO MY CAR: THE "HARD SHIFTING" PROBLEM STILL EXIST. THEN LAST NIGHT, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT MY CAR TO KOONS DEALER AT TYSONS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. AFTER CHECKING IT AGAIN, KOONS TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM CAUSED BY THE "ENGINE CONTROL MODULE" (E.C.M.) AND RECOMMENDED ME THAT FIRST TO REPLACE THE E.C.M., AND IF THAT DOESN'T SOLVE THE HARD SHIFTING PROBLEM, SECOND IS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION NEXT. I THINK THIS PROBLEM DEFINITELY NOT CAUSE BY ME, RATHER BY KOONS AND TOYOTA MANUFACTURER. NOW I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. *TR DANIEL BUI

THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND THERE WAS A LACK OF ACCELERATION AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. ONCE THE CAR WOULD FINALLY ACCELERATE, IT WOULD BANG INTO GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION ISSUE IS A KNOW PROBLEM WITH THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4'S AND TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT IF THE CAR HAS OVER 80,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

PROBLEM WITH MY TOYOTA RAV4'S ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED TRANSMISSION. THE COMPUTER WAS RECALLED IN 2007 FOR REPROGRAMMING. NOW IT HAS FAILED, AND THE TRANSMISSION POTENTIALLY ALONG WITH IT. TOYOTA CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS RECALLED AND I HAD THE REPROGRAMMING DONE, BECAUSE I AM NOT UNDER WARRANTY. SCARY TO BE DRIVING AND HAVE THE CAR SHIFT AUTOMATICALLY DOWN TO FIRST GEAR AND NOT SHIFT BACK. I'M A SINGLE MOTHER DRIVING TWO SMALL CHILDREN AROUND - SERIOUSLY SCARY. *TR

YESTERDAY, 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP AND HESITATE JEOPARDIZING PASSENGER SAFETY. I UNDERSTAND TOYOTA ISSUED TSB 00206 BUT CHOSE NOT TO RECALL OR OTHERWISE INFORM CUSTOMERS. FURTHER I UNDERSTAND REPLACEMENT ECM IS OVER $1,000 AND A TRANSMISSION REBUILD MAY COST NEARLY $4,500. TOYOTA EVIDENTLY IS UNWILLING TO CORRECT OR OTHERWISE OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO CORRECT THIS DANGEROUS DEFECT. *TR

2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH AUTO TRANSMISSION, 94K MILES; TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR IN A SAFE MANNER. THE RPMS REACH 4000 - 5000 BEFORE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS TO 2ND GEAR. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING ON A HIGHWAY RAMP AS THE CAR IS NOT SHIFTING TO REACH HIGHER SPEEDS IN ORDER TO MERGE SAFELY. ALSO, IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, CAR IS NOT SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR IN A TIMELY MANNER AND COULD CAUSE LIFE THREATENING ACCIDENTS DUE TO REAR-END COLLISIONS. *TR

ALL OF THE SUDDEN, MY TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING FUNNY. THE GEARS SHIFTED REALLY HARD AND IT STARTED SLIPPING. I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE SLIPPING KEPT ME IN AN INTERSECTION FOR TOO LONG. *TR IT APPEARS THE PROBLEM IS NOT UNCOMMON: HTTP://WHEELS.BLOGS.NYTIMES.COM/2009/08/26/TOYOTAS-REACTION-TO-TRANSMISSION-WOES-DRAWS-CUSTOMERS-IRE/ I CALLED YOU YESTERDAY, AND WAS TOLD TO CALL TOYOTA. INDEED, THEY SENT ME TO A DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO SPEND $1546 TO REPLACE A COMPUTER IN CHARGE OF THE TRANSMISSION. ONCE THAT WAS REPLACED, THEY COULD TELL ME IF THE TRANSMISSION HAS OTHER PROBLEMS. A GOOGLE SEARCH SUGGESTS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT WAS RECOGNIZED PREVIOUSLY. PLEASE HURRY WITH THIS INVESTIGATION, AS SOMEONE MAY GET KILLED IF YOU GO TOO SLOW. THESE COMPUTERS NEED TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED. I AM RESPECTFULLY ASKING YOU TO DO YOUR JOB, AND KEEP AMERICANS SAFE BY RECALLING THESE CARS FOR REPAIR OF THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 RAV 4 WITH 60K MILES AND THE ECM IS FAULTY AND IS CAUSING MY TRANSMISSION TO SLIP, FLARE UP, AND ALMOST GOT ME KILLED IN CAR ACCIDENT AD MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE IN TRAFFIC UNTIL IT FINALLY GRABBED AND WENT FORWARD. NOW, I HAVE TO SPEND $4000 TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION FIXED AT 60K MILES. I AM OUTRAGED THAT TOYOTA HAS NOT RECALLED THIS FAULTY COMPUTER ECM. IT'S DANGEROUS AND DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. I WILL BE CONTACTING AN ATTORNEY AS 1000'S OF OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND DISCUSS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. *TR

OUR ECM, ENGINE CONTROL MODULE, IS FAULTY AND HAS BEEN SENDING OUR TRANSMISSION THE WRONG SIGNALS AND TELLING THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT AT THE WRONG INTERVALS. THIS CAUSED OUR TRANSMISSION TO HARD SHIFT AND MIS-SHIFT BETWEEN 1 AND 2, AND 2 AND 3. AS A RESULT, MY WIFE AND I ALMOST GOT INTO A ACCIDENT BECAUSE OUR SUV WOULD NOT MOVE UNTIL IT FINALLY WENT INTO GEAR. *TR

APPARENTLY WITH ALL THE CHATTER ABOUT TOYOTA RAV4S THERE IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS. MINE AS WELL HAS STARTED TO SLIP AND BUCK IN AND OUT OF 2ND GEAR. AN INVESTIGATION IS DEFINITELY WARRANTED AND SHOULD LEAD TO A RECALL BY TOYOTA. *TR

IN THE MIDDLE OF A TRIP, AFTER STOPPING, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED JERKING WHEN SWITCHING GEARS. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. SOMETIMES IT DOWNSHIFTS FOR NO REASON, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T FULLY ENGAGE INTO FIRST GEAR. SOMETIMES IT WORKS FINE. SOMETIMES IT HAS TROUBLE ACCELERATING GOING UPHILL, IT WILL DOWNSHIFT AND REV TO REDLINE AND WON'T SHIFT TO THE NEXT GEAR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, THAT IT WORKED FOR THEM. BUT THEN THEY ALSO OFFERED TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION. *TR

THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE. MY TRANSMISSION ON MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 STARTED SLIPPING AND PULLING OUT OF THE BLUE. IT HAD 87,280 MILES AND HAD BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED AND INSPECTED. IT FAILED TO ACCELERATE AT INTERSECTIONS AND ON TAKE OFF , MAKING DRIVING VERY DANGEROUS. I TOOK IT IN AND WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR SHOP THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL , LEAVING ME DRIVING WITH ONLY 3RD GEAR. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THE DEFECTIVE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. MY HUSBAND AND I HAD TO SPEND $3715.30 TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE ECM. THIS IS A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER AS THERE IS NO WARNING. FAILURE COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME AND ANY PLACE CAUSING BODILY HARM TO THE DRIVER , PASSENGERS, AND OTHER VEHICLES AND OCCUPANTS ON THE ROAD. I FEEL A RECALL IS NEEDED AND REIMBURSEMENT OF ALL REPAIR COSTS SHOULD BE MADE TO VICTIMS OF THIS NEGLIGENCE. *TR

MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS 100,102 MILES ON IT AND STARTED TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, I.E. SLOWING DOWN WHILE DRIVING POSTED SPEED, NOT MOVING AFTER RED LIGHT TURNS GREEN AND THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO JUMP WHILE JUST DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. WE CALLED A RELIABLE TRANSMISSION REPAIR PLACE WHO INFORMED US THAT "TOYOTA RAV4S ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION AND IT'S NOT THE TRANSMISSION IT'S THE COMPUTER. TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP." WE TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER WHO REPLACED PART NUMBER 89661-42822 COMPUTER, ENGINE ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2009. THIS REPAIR COST US$1,504.00. MY VEHICLE SEEMED FINE FOR A WEEK AND THEN INTERMITTENTLY STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER (A-1 TOYOTA IN AMITY CONNECTICUT) ON OCTOBER 19, 2009 AND LEFT IT OVERNIGHT BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN FIRST THING, ON A COOL ENGINE AND IT DIDN'T DO IT FOR THEM. THEY TOLD US TO KEEP A RECORD OF IT, AND WHEN IT STARTS TO HAPPEN ON A MORE FREQUENT BASIS - WHEN THEY CAN EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM, BRING IT BACK. I FEEL I'M DRIVING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE AND THAT TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE THIS DANGEROUS, COMMON PROBLEM WITH THEIR VEHICLES. *TR

TRANSMISSION STARTED TO "ROUGHLY" SHIFT. ALMOST LOST POWER ON FREEWAY. THIS HAPPENED SUDDENLY. NO WARNING OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WAS WORKING PERFECTLY EARLIER IN THE DAY. DROVE HOME IN SLOW LANE WITH HAZARDS ON. AFRAID ENGINE WOULD SHUT DOWN ON FREEWAY. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4. AFTER EXPERIENCING SOME PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON (THE SAME EVENING THAT I EXPERIENCED THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM). I TOOK IT INTO AN AUTO CENTER AND THEY REPORTED THAT IT WAS CODE # P0755 - STORED IN SYSTEM SOLENOID B MALFUNCTION. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ECM. THEY TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA HAS BEEN HAVING ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS AND THAT TOYOTA SAID REPAIRS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE FEDERAL EMISSIONS WARRANTY OF 80,000 MILES OR EIGHT YEARS FROM THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD. UNFORTUNATELY, MY CAR HAS ALMOST 97,000 MILES ON IT SO IT WAS NOT COVERED. HERE IS A LINK TO AN ARTICLE CONCERNING THIS ISSUE: HTTP://WHEELS.BLOGS.NYTIMES.COM/2009/08/26/TOYOTAS-REACTION-TO-TRANSMISSION-WOES-DRAWS-CUSTOMERS-IRE/?SCP=1&SQ=RAV4%20OWNERS%20FUME%20OVER%20TOYOTA%E2%80%99S%20HANDLING%20OF%20TRANSMISSION%20GLITCH&ST=CSE. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH TRANSMISSION/ECM PROBLEMS. MY ISSUE IS THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN SENT OUT TO ALL OF TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENTS IT IS AS FOLLOWS: TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN IS: TC002-06, REVISED MARCH 3, 2006: "SOME 2001 ? 2003 MODEL YEAR RAV4 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE MAY EXHIBIT A HARSH SHIFT CONDITION AND/OR M.I.L. ?ON? WITH DTC P0750, P0753, P0755, P0758, AND/OR P1760 STORED. 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" IT GOES ON TO SAY REPLACE THE ECM/ECU AND POSSIBLY THE TRANSMISSION. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT TOYOTA DID NOT NOTIFY ANY CONSUMER ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND NOW THAT MANY OF US ARE JUST NOW HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THIS AND AFTER RESEARCHING IT LEARNING THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE AND IT IS HAPPENING WITH MANY OF THE SAME MODEL CAR- MAINLY THE 2002. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA CORP. AS WELL AS THE DEALERSHIP WHERE MY CAR WAS PURCHASED. I WAS TOLD THE COST TO REPAIR MY CAR WOULD BE A COSTLY $9,000.00. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT TOYOTA INTENTIONALLY KEPT FROM CONSUMERS TO AVOID COSTLY REPAIRS TO THEMSELVES. HAD I BEEN NOTIFIED I WOULD HAVE HAD THE ECU/ECM REPLACE IN 2006 WHILE MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THERE ARE 121 COMPLAINTS TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. THIS JUST STARTED WITH MY CAR 3 WEEKS AGO I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER CAR BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT SWITCH INTO GEAR ONCE I REACHED ABOUT 20 MPH AND AGAIN AT ABOUT 40 MPH...THE ENGINE REVVED TO ABOUT 6000 RPM'S AND JUST SAT THERE IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF DRIVING THIS CAR. TOYOTA NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THIS PROBLEM AND ISSUE A RECALL. I AM VERY UPSET AND FEEL I WAS NOT DEALT A FAIR HAND WITH THIS CAR - TOYOTA WOULD ONLY REPAIR THIS PROBLEM BASED ON A CUSTOMERS SPECIFIC COMPLAINT UNDER 80K MILES. *TR

ERRATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATION, E.G. SEVERE SLIPPING AND IMPROPER DOWNSHIFTING WHICH CAUSES RAPID DECELERATION OF THE VEHICLE WITH NO WARNING OR INDICATION TO FOLLOWING DRIVERS. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE RESULTED FROM FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT (ECU). THIS CAR'S ECU WAS RECENTLY REPROGRAMMED BY TOYOTA IN ACCORDANCE WITH TSB EG010-02. THIS TSB ADDRESSES SPURIOUS CATALYTIC CONVERTER ERROR CODES. *TR

IN MID SEPTEMBER I STARTED TO NOTICE MY CAR REALLY HAVING TROUBLE PICKING UP SPEED ESPECIALLY WHEN STARTING OFF AFTER A COMPLETE STOP. OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS THE PROBLEM BECAME MUCH WORSE. THE CAR WOULD HESITATE TO CHANGE GEARS AND WHEN IT DID IT WOULD JERK REALLY HARD (IT SOUNDED LIKE THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR WAS GOING TO FALL OUT). I FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO WRECK SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT PICK UP TO SPEED AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WOULD JERK UPTO LIKE 40MPH. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED CONSISTENTLY GETTING WORSE AND WORSE EVERYDAY UNTIL I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE. I TOOK IT IN TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND THE SERVICE MAN TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT AND THAT MY CAR'S COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE I DISCOVERED THAT MANY OTHER RAV4 OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES. I JUST WONDER HOW MUCH TOYOTA CARES ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAVE NOT TOLD THE CONSUMER ABOUT IT NOR HAVE THEY MADE A RECALL ON THE COMPUTERS TO HELP WITH THE REPAIRS. I ENDED UP HAVING TO REBUILD MY TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE MY COMPUTER WHICH ENDED UP COSTING $5,000. *TR

AFTER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY TRANSMISSION I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE THAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA DEALERS IN MY AREA WOULD NOT OFFER ANY HELP OTHER THAN TO SAY THAT IT WILL COST ME ~$5,000 FOR NEW EMC AND NEW TRANSMISSION. FROM ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS SO FAR I WOULD GUESS THAT TOYOTA IS MAKING MORE MONEY ON REPLACING TRANSMISSIONS THEN THEY MAKE ON ACTUALLY SELLING THE CAR. THE EMC IS A WELL KNOW PROBLEM. NOW MY WIFE AND I ARE TAKING THE BUS TO WORK BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THIS CAR AS IT IS ABOVE THE 80,000 MILE WARRANTY. IT?S BAD ENOUGH THAT WE ALL HAVE THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT MAKES THINGS WORSE TO KNOW THAT TOYOTA INTENTIONALLY LEFT CONSUMERS IN THE DARK ABOUT THIS UNDERLINING PROBLEM. THEY CONVENIENTLY LET PEOPLE GO ON DRIVING THESE CARS WITH THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND HOPE THAT STATISTICALLY MOST OF US WILL DRIVE PAST THE 80,000 MILE WARRANTY LIMIT?.WHICH MANY OF US HAD. I GUESS THEIR STATISTICS DEPARTMENT MADE THEM SOME EXTRA BONUS MONEY. WELL, I?M TICKED OFF AND NO MORE TOYOTA FOR ME. I?M TAKING MY BUSINESS ELSE WARE AND I AM GOING TO TELL EVERYONE THAT I CAN WHAT I THINK OF TOYOTA. IT?S TOO BAD BECAUSE I USED TO THINK THAT IT WAS A GOOD CAR MANUFACTURE. NOW I KNOW THAT THEY DO NOT CARE AT ALL ABOUT US. THEY ARE TOO HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR MONEY AND LET YOU DRIVE A CAR THAT WILL EVENTUALLY NEED HUGE REPAIR COSTS, HOPEFULLY BY THEM. *TR

IN 2006 MY TRANSMISSION JUST DISINTERGRATED WITH 103000 MILES, HAD IT REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION SHOP SAID THAT THE COMPUTER WAS NOT DOING IT'S JOB THAN COME TO FIND OUT THAT TOYOTA HAD A TSB ON IT AND NEVER NOTIFIED ANYONE. NOW ABOUT IN MARCH OF 2009 AT ABOUT 145000 MILES 2ND TO 3RD GEAR STARTED TO SLIP AGAIN. NOW SO THIS IS MY SECOND TIME I'M HAVING THIS PROBLEM IT SEEMS I CAN'T GET MORE THAN 100,000. SAD THESE SHOULD LAST LONGER, AT THIS RATE $3500.00 EACH FOUR YEARS, SOMEONE IS MAKING $$$$$. THANKS

A SAFETY PROBLEM OCCURRED ON OUR 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY STOPPED ENGAGED THE GEARS CORRECTLY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND OR TRYING TO TURN WHEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS APPROACHING AND NOT KNOWING IF OR WHEN THE CAR WOULD MOVE OR ENGAGE GEARS WAS FRIGHTENING. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED OVERNIGHT. WITH 47,717 MILES ON THE CAR, THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS BECAUSE TOYOTA HAS PUT A FAULTY COMPUTER INTO THE 2002 RAV4 THAT MAKES THE PARTS INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION PREMATURELY FAIL. TOYOTA WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIRS OR ISSUE A RECALL. PERHAPS TOYOTA WILL WHEN SOMEONE IS INJURED OR KILLED? TOYOTA CLAIMS THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER BUT TOYOTA REPLACED THE COMPUTER WHEN THE CAR WAS TAKEN THERE BY THE TRANSMISSION MECHANIC. WHY WOULD TOYOTA REPLACE THE COMPUTER IF THERE WAS NO PROBLEM? PLEASE HAVE TOYOTA RECALL THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE THEM BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NEEDED REPAIRS SO THAT THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WILL BE SAFE TO DRIVE! THANK YOU! *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4L. MY PROBLEMS STARTED YESTERDAY. THE CAR IS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. IT STALLS AS IF THE CAR WERE PUT INTO NEUTRAL AT 20MPH AND AGAIN AT ABOUT 40MPH. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER CAR BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN THE GAS WAS PUSHED IT JUST REVVED THE ENGINE. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. I PURCHASED IT IN DEC OF 2006 AND AM STILL PAYING FOR THIS CAR. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ I HAVE THE SAME TYPE ISSUE AS MOST OTHERS- THE ECM. THIS IS UNSAFE AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO FESS UP. THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN EARLY 2006 BECAUSE A TSB WAS SENT OUT TO ALL TOYOTA DEALERS. IF WE HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE OR IN 2006 THE 2002 WOULD HAVE MOST LIKELY STILL BEEN UNDER WARRANTY. THEY KEPT IT QUIET UNTIL NOW AND PEOPLE ARE CATCHING ON. I HAVE SENT A COMPLAINT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE MY CAR WAS PURCHASED AND AM WAITING TO HEAR BACK WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO IN THIS CASE. I AM WILLING TO TAKE IT AS FAR AS I NEED TO GO TO MAKE THEM REPAIR THE CAR AT NO COSTS TO ME. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ IT WOULD COST MORE TO REPAIR THE CAR THAT WHAT THE VALUE OF THE CAR ACTUALLY IS AT THIS POINT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED AND WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE DECEPTION AND THE INCONVENIENCE AND LACK OF CONCERN OF THE SAFETY OF THE CONSUMER FROM TOYOTA. *TR

MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 BEGAN INTERMITTENTLY BOGGING DOWN AND HARD JERKY SHIFTING. I'M UNABLE TO ACCELERATE WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND THE CAR LOOSES FORWARD MOMENTUM. I ENCOUNTERED A CLOSE CALL WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC, THE RAV4 BOGGED DOWN, WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND I NARROWLY MISSED BEING HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY I LIVE IN A LOW TRAFFIC AREA. MY MECHANIC SAID THE PROBLEM IS THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) AND BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY MODULE THERE MAY BE DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA WOULD NOT OFFER ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE PROBLEM STATING MY RAV4 IS OUT OF WARRANTY BY MILES ( I HAVE ABOUT 118,000 MILES) AND TIME. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. *TR

I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. I'VE BEEN THE SOLE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND PURCHASED IT BAND NEW IN 2002 FROM A LOCAL HONOLULU TOYOTA DEALER. IN MID/LATE 2009, THE VEHICLE STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS: HARD SHIFTING IN LOWER GEARS 1, 2 & 3, HARD SHIFTING WHEN PLACING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE SHAKING AND VIBRATING WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND SUDDEN ACCELERATION FROM THE STOPPED POSITION WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS SLOWLY PRESSED.. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT TOYOTA ISSUED MEMO OUTLINING THE PROBLEMS I DESCRIBED ABOVE POSSIBLY DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND/OR THE ECU (COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION). A TOYOTA SERVICING MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT MY 2002 RAV4 WAS NO LONGER UNDER DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY, SO REPAIR COST ARE MY RESPONSIBILITY. A QUICK WEB SEARCH OF "RAV4 TRANSMISSIONS" SHOWS THAT MANY OTHER RAV4 OWNERS SUFFER FROM SIMILAR PROBLEMS, RESULTING IN VERY HIGH REPAIR COSTS, ANYWHERE FROM $3,000 UP TO $8,000. THE VEHICLE STILL SUFFERS FROM THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROBLEMS, BUT DUE TO THE HIGH REPAIR ESTIMATES I AM UNABLE TO FIX THE VEHICLE. *TR

MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WHICH CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO GO BAD WHICH RESULTS IN THE CAR HESITATING AND JERKING WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY WILL ONLY FIX THIS FAULTY ECM IF THE CAR IN UNDER 80,000 MILES, MINE HAD 80,800. *TR

RE: 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 - AT APPROXIMATELY 56,000 MILES, THIS VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION BEGAN ERRATIC BEHAVIOR, I.E, STALLING IN TRAFFIC, HESITATING AND UNPREDICTABLE SHIFTING. SAFETY WAS A MAIN CONCERN AS THE VEHICLE WAS STALLING DURING MERGING WITH FAST-MOVING TRAFFIC. TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED BY A TECHNICIAN AND A FACTORY REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE ECM WAS REPLACED AS WELL. *TR

ECM FAILED ON 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 CAUSING ERRATIC AUTO TRANSMISSION SHIFTING AND CAR SPEED TO VARY WIDELY WHILE IN TRAFFIC. NO 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT WARNING. TOYOTA KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT PROVIDE ANY WARNING. I HAD TO PAY A REPAIR BILL OF $5358.00 TO REPLACE THE ECM AND TRANSMISSION. *TR

I HAVE A '02 TOYOTA RAV 4 WHOSE K- FRAME, WHICH SUPPORTS THE FRONT WHEELS AND STEERING MECHANISM, RUSTED COMPLETELY IN HALF, WHICH CAUSED ME TO RUN OFF THE ROAD WHEN I BRAKED SUDDENLY AND IT CRACKED. THE VEHICLE HAS 150K AND I HAVE ALWAYS KEPT UP THE MAINTENANCE AND HAD NO IDEA THE RUST WAS THAT BAD. TOYOTA HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY COMPLAINTS, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE COVERING EVEN OLDER TACOMAS AND TUNDRAS BECAUSE OF THEIR RUSTING FRAMES. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED AND DISCONCERTED IN TOYOTA PRODUCTS ,ESPECIALLY SINCE THEIR LATEST AD CAMPAIGN TOUTS THEIR LONGEVITY AND DEPENDABILITY. THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER, I'M SURE THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY RAV4 OWNER WITH THIS COMPLAINT. *TR

I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. ON AUGUST 22ND, 2009 I NOTICED THAT WHEN I WOULD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, IT WOULD TAKE A WHILE FOR THE CAR TO ACCELERATE AND PICK UP SPEED. ONCE IT DID GET MOVING, THE CAR WOULD JERK FORWARD AND EVENTUALLY PICK UP SPEED. EVERYTIME I WOULD COME TO A STOPLIGHT, I WOULD BE DEATHLY AFRAID THAT MY CAR WOULDN'T START UP AGAIN AND THAT I WOULD BE HIT FROM BEHIND. WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, IT WOULD SLOW DOWN ALL OF A SUDDEN AND THEN JERK VIOLENTLY FORWARD. THIS HAPPENED EVERYTIME I DROVE. ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 28TH I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT IT WAS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE AND RECOMMENDED A SHOP. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE TRANSMISSION SHOP GETTING REBUILT AT A COST OF $3,000+ I CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT MY CAR AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION BUT WOULD SEND IT TO BE REMANUFACTURED AT A COST OF NO LESS THAN $5,000. FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE WEB INDICATES THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH 2002 RAV4 OWNERS AND THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN OF THIS FOR A WHILE BUT DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. APPARENTLY THE ISSUES IS WITH A FAULTY ECM THAT CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION ISSUES. UNFORTUNATELY, BY THE TIME THE TRANSMISSION GOES OUT, MOST OF THE CARS ARE OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND THE COST IS LEFT UP TO THE CONSUMER. MY FEAR IS THAT EVEN WITH THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED, IF THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE ECM, IT IS GOING TO RE-OCCUR AND I AM GOING TO INCUR ANOTHER STAGGERING REPAIR BILL. I CALLED TOYOTA'S CORPORATE NUMBER AND SPOKE TO A CUSTOMER CARE REP WHO ADVISED ME THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS AT THE TIME ON THIS MODEL YEAR AND THAT I COULD NOT SPEAK TO HIS MANAGER AS THEY DO NOT TALK TO CONSUMERS. I WANT TOYOTA TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ISSUE. HAD THEY NOTIFIED THEIR BUYERS TO REPLACE THEIR ECM'S AHEAD OF TIME, THIS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THESE COSTLY REPAIRS DOWN THE LINE. *TR

CAR JERKS AND LOSES ACCELERATION, ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AS I WAS ENTERING AN INTERSECTION. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4. ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO, THE CAR BEGIN SHIFTING HARD INTO REVERSE AND SECOND GEAR. AT SOME TIMES THE SHIFTING WOULD STALL, I.E. IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR RIGHT AWAY AND WHEN IT WOULD, IT WOULD SHIFT HARD. I DID RESEARCH ONLINE AND LEARNED ABOUT THE ECM/ECU PROBLEM THAT IS CAUSING 01-04 TOYOTA RAV 4S TO HAVE TROUBLE WITH SHIFTING. I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA AND THEY FOLLOWED THE PROCEDURES ON THEIR SERVICE BULLETIN. THEY TESTED THE ECM AND SAID IT WAS FINE AND TOLD ME I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR $4,100. I TOOK THE CAR TO A TRANSMISSION CARE CENTER. I HAD THE SOLENOID B REPLACED FOR $560 BECAUSE THIS WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE CAR STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AFTER THE SOLENOID WAS REPLACED, SO I HAD THE TRANSMISSION OVERHAULED FOR A TOTAL OF $3,100. THE TECH STATED THERE WAS ABOUT 200,000 MILES WORTH OF WEAR ON THE TRANSMISSION, THE CAR ITSELF ONLY HAS 90,000. THERE WERE VARIOUS PIECES THAT WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY DUE TO WEAR ON THE TRANSMISSION; THESE WERE REPLACED. THE CAR IS STILL HAVING DIFFICULTY SHIFTING-THE SAME PROBLEMS ARE OCCURRING. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE ECM/ECU MALFUNCTIONING. MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM, WHERE THEY ARE TOLD THE ECM/ECU IS FINE, HAVE THEIR TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND THEN THE CAR STILL MALFUNCTIONS AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE ECM/ECU REPLACED. *TR

2002 RAV4 JERKS AT LOW SPEEDS WHILE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS TRYING TO SHIFT GEARS. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 IN WHICH I RECENTLY REPLACED THE COMPUTER FOR THE TRANSMISSION. MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FROM A STOPLIGHT, THEN WOULD JERK FROM 1ST INTO 2ND GEAR--A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO GAIN SPEED ON A HIGHWAY. AFTER I REPLACED THE COMPUTER, THE CAR RAN FINE FOR ABOUT A MONTH, AND NOW THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WENT BACK ON AND IT IS STARTING TO JERK AGAIN AND NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. THE TRANSMISSION SPECIALTY SHOP TO WHICH I TOOK THE VEHICLE INDICATED THAT IF THE COMPUTER REPLACEMENT, AT A COST OF ABOUT $1300, DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, THEY MIGHT HAVE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF ABOUT $4,000. I DO NOT HAVE $4,000 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. I HOPE WITH ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES RELATED TO FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS, YOU CAN FORCE TOYOTA TO RECALL THEIR TRANSMISSIONS ON THESE VEHICLES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45-50 MPH THE TRANSMISSION EXHIBITED GEAR SHIFTING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD SLIPPED GEARS,THEREFORE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. AFTER THE REPAIR THE FAILURE RESURFACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED. HOWEVER NONE OF THE REPAIRS HAVE REMEDIED THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND PROPERLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. THE CAR JERKS/TRANSMISSION JERKS AND REMAINS AT A SLOW SPEED, RESPONDING MUCH LATER. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING OR SIMPLY DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER FROM A MAJOR TOYOTA DEALER. WHEN I TEST DROVE IT, IT SEEMED FINE. THE DEALER APPARENTLY, DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER TOYOTA DEALER WHO IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM. THIS CAR WAS APPARENTLY IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, OBVIOUSLY A FALSEHOOD. I HAVE HAD THE CAR CHECKED OVER - THIS IS THE ONLY PROBLEM - A DEADLY ONE. *TR

TRANSMISSION/ECM FAILURE. TRANSMISSION WOULD "FLARE" WHILE ACCELERATING. WHEN SHIFTING WHILE ACCELERATING, TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND POWER WAS NOT TRANSMITTED TO WHEELS. ENGINE WOULD REV UP FOR 5-10 SECONDS UNTIL TRANSMISSION WOULD VIOLENTLY ENGAGE IN NEXT GEAR. THIS WAS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CROSS OR MERGE WITH TRAFFIC, AS THE VEHICLE HAD NO ABILITY TO ACCELERATE DURING THE EVENT. SYMPTOMS QUICKLY BECAME VERY REGULAR/REPEATABLE. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS A FAULTY ECM MODULE AND DAMAGED TRANSMISSION. *TR

THE CAR JUST BEGAN JERKING AFTER I PUT GAS IN ONE DAY. I WAITED A WEEK TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM WOULD GO AWAY, BUT IT GOT WORSE. THE DAY I BROUGHT IT TO THE SHOP, THE CAR WOULD BARELY DRIVE. IT WOULD HESITATE SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO 2ND GEAR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH ONLY 150 MILES BEFORE THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY EXPIRED. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE ECU AND IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME THEY HEARD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP FIXED IT AND I ONLY HAD TO PAY A DEDUCTIBLE. HOWEVER, THIS PROBLEM MASKED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE O2 SENSOR, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AFTER 2 DAYS. SO I BROUGHT IT BACK AND THE DEALERSHIP FIXED IT UNDER THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IT HAD ALREADY EXPIRED. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 RAV4 AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING GEARS. THE CAR STALLS UPON TAKEOFF AND IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. I PULLED OUT INTO TRAFFIC WITH MY SON IN THE CAR AND THE CAR WOULDN'T TAKE OFF. WE WERE ALMOST HIT IN THE SIDE. *TR

AFTER REGULAR SERVICE, CAR BEGAN SHIFTING POORLY THIS WEEK WITH JUST OVER 85K MILES WITH NO INITIAL INDICATION OF PROBLEM INCLUDING HARD CLUNKING/SHIFTING IN THE LOWER GEARS.. I HAVE HAD NEAR REAR-END ACCIDENTS THIS WEEK AS A RESULT OF THE INTERMITTENT BEHAVIOR OF THE ENGINE. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO DEALER WHOM DIAGNOSED THEN UN-DIAGNOSED TRANSMISSION/ECM FAILURE HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT THERE IS A LARGE COMMUNITY OF USERS REPORTING THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR

SUDDEN TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN AND WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE BOTH WITH THE THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS WHO HAVE HAD IT HAPPEN TO AND WITH THE TOYOTA COMPANY. TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE WHATSOEVER AND THIS IS KNOWN TO BE A $6,000 PROBLEM TO REPAIR. *TR

2002 RAV4 THAT I WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND ECM ON - DESPITE THE FACT THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE CARS. REPAIR COST $5,000. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS THERE VERY WELL COULD HAVE BEEN, AS TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AS I WAS MERGING ONTO A VERY BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THESE CARS ARE A DEATHTRAP AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECALL THEM AND FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

2002 TOYOTA RAV4 STARTED HESITATING ON INITIAL ACCELERATION AND BOLTING WHEN THE GEAR CAUGHT 2ND. WAS PULLING OUT INTO INTERSECTION AND NEARLY T-BONED BY FORD EXPEDITION. BROUGHT TO TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST. NO ENGINE LIGHT, NO CODE. READ ABOUT POTENTIAL ECM PROBLEM. BROUGHT TO TOYOTA AND SPENT $1400.00 TO REPLACE ECM. *TR