2002 Toyota RAV4 Powertrain & Transmission Problems

My car engine light goes on and off due to transmission fault. It continuously has a hard time shifting gears in between 2500-3000 rpm and gives a jerky stop before continuing to speed up/accelerate despite when I have not let go of my foot from the pedal. After taking it to the auto shop, I was told this is the same problem other Toyota RAV 4 between 2001-2003 experiences and the mechanics told me that there was a lot of recall for the same code my car is giving (2 codes that the computer diagnosed were p0775 and p0161). While Toyota extended the warranty to 10years/150,000k and my car is 1-2 years past the warranty, it's only been barely 80,000mi and it should not be causing this problem. This transmission/ECM problem puts me and the passengers to risks because both the speed and RPM don't go past certain numbers which is low at most times, limiting myself as the driver to go even within the speed limits. All the more, with this happening more frequently these days than it had in the past, I am highly concerned for my safety and not feel safe to have someone in my car. I have been to 4 different mechanics and they have told me the same problem and that it's the same case as they saw from different RAV4's recall problem. This car was handled very carefully and this is the only occurring problem. With engine light being on and off, it is my concern that I need to have this car inspected, related to Toyota RAV4 recalls.

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, she heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure had since become a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnostic result. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000.

2002 Toyota RAV4 AWD transmission problems and will be available upon request. Transmission caused vehicle to disengaged , jerks, stalls with severed engine braking while driving creating a safety performance and hazard on the roads to myself and other unexpected drivers. Upon reading similar complaints of other owners reported similar transmission problems. This was believed to be a reproduced problem and should be investigated for Safety-Related defects. The vehicle was inspected by manufacture according to previous owner. Manufacturer recently replaced transmission and updated ECM per previous owner. The vehicle appeared in working order for 3-4 months then the transmission problems occurred again as mentioned above. There was no warning lights while I experienced this transmission problem.

The contact owned a 2002 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, an abnormal noise was heard. The brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle spun 360 degrees and stopped on the opposite side of the road. No warning light illuminated. The contact called the independent mechanic who advised her to turn off the vehicle. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and drove the vehicle approximately 3-feet before the rear wheels locked up. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic and diagnosed with rear differential failure. The contact was informed that the rear differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because the contact took the vehicle back to the used car dealer. The contact stated that the used car dealer stated that the mechanic did not diagnose the correct failure. The dealer's independent mechanic diagnosed the failure as a transmission transfer case failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 123,000.

2002 TOYOTA RAV. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *LD *JS

ERRATIC SHIFTING ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEEDS. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. CAR MAY LOCK IN HIGH GEAR (4 SPEED AUTOMATIC) OR SEEM TO BE STUCK IN 2 GEARS AT ONCE AND REFUSE TO MOVE AT ALL. CAN BANG HARSHLY WHEN SHIFTING. LOCKED UP AT A BUSY INTERSECTION NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AT OTHER TIMES IT WORKS PERFECTLY. HAS NOT OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM JUST BEGAN A FEW DAYS AGO. BEFORE THAT THERE WAS NO HINT OF A PROBLEM.

VEHICLE STALLS AND JERKS CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING; UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AFTER STOPLIGHT. VERY UNPREDICTABLE.THIS IS DUE TO DEFECTIVE ECM WHICH TOYOTA HAS BEEN AWARE OF BUT REFUSES TO LIST AS A RECALL.I PURCHASED THE USED CAR 1 MONTH AGO --- HAD NO IDEA IT HAD THIS SERIOUS, DANGEROUS PROBLEM. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA DEALER WHICH IS SAYING IT WILL COST $5K TO FIX !! CAR ONLY HAS 77K MILES.

2002 RAV4 ECU SHIFTING PROBLEM (DTC CODE P0755). THE CAR JITTERS WHEN SWITCHING FROM GEAR 1 TO 2 AS WELL ON REVERSE. IT ALSO JITTERS WHEN IT DRIVES ON LOW GEAR. THERE IS AN WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH RAV4 2001-2003 BUT TOYOTA HAS FAILED TO RECALL IT, DESPITE BEING A SAFETY HAZARD AS IT HAS CAUSED ACCIDENTS AND BODILY INJURY. IT HAS THE HIGH LIKELIHOOD TO DESTROY THE TRANSMISSION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PROPERLY ACCELERATE WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FRED ANDERSON TOYOTA (9101 GLENWOOD AVENUE, RALEIGH, NC) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE AND TRANSMISSION WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000. *TT CONSUMER STATED TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE IN TRAFFIC, CAR WAS ABLE TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY AND WAS LONGER SHIFTING GEARS.*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT SWITCHED GEARS INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO ENGAGE AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT PROCEED FORWARD. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. *TT *TR

I NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE OR LETTER FROM TOYOTA ABOUT EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO THE TRANSMISSION FOR THE RAV4 SENT TO OWNERS. I EVEN WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER IN RAPID CITY FOR CAR MAINTENANCE AND THEY NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I DONATED THE CAR TO MY DAUGHTER WHO LIVES IN SEATTLE AND SHE IS HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE CAR TRANSMISSION. THE TOYOTA DEALER IN SEATTLE WANTS TO CHARGE $4500 FOR FIXING IT. WHAT DO I OR MY DAUGHTER DO? I WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY. PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU

FAULTY ECU COMPUTERS CAUSEING VARIATIONS IN SPEED AND PROBLEMS WITH HARD SHIFTING, DAMAGEING TRANSMISSONS, CAUSEING VEHICLES TO FAIL WHILE DRIVING WHILE IN MOTION VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY. MY VEHICLE STOPPED IN AN INTERSECTION AND I WAS NEARLY HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR WHILE TURNING LEFT. I FELT I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY ON COMMING TRAFFIC WITH NO ABILITY TO CONTROL MY VEHICLE. TOYOTA DEALER AND MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS IS A WELL KNOW DEFECT AND PROBLEM KNOW TO TOYOTA WITH RAV 4 2001-2003. ALSO, 02 SESSORS GO BAD EARLY LEADING TO HAZARDOUS EMISSIONS TO PUBLIC AND THIS BURNS OUT CATALITIC CONVERTERS WHICH CAN ALSO CAUSE HARMFUL EMISSIONS. RAV 4 2001 TO 2003 HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS HAVING FAULTY ECU'S, AUTO TRANSMISSIONS AND 02 SENSOR DEFICITS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BY TOYOTA TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM ACCIDENTS RELATED TO POOR SHIFTING, UNSAFE SPEED CONTROL AND HARMFUL EMISSIONS TO THE PUBLIC. I NOTIFIED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO NOTHING BECAUSE THEY OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARNETY BUT THAT EXPIRED AFTER 10 YEARS AND THEY NEVER NOTIFIED ME OF ANY PROBLEMS TO LOOK OUT FOR WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I FEEL THESE VEHICLES MAY BE A DANGER TO THE PUBLIC DUE TO BUILT IN ENGINEERING DEFECTS THAT AFFECT SPEED CONTROL AND EMISSIONS. THEY ALSO LEAD TO VERY COSTLY REPAIRS FOR THE CUSTOMERS.

TSB = TC002-06. KNOWN ECM ISSUES CAUSED TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT INCORRECTLY AND RUINED TRANSMISSION. ECM HAS TO BE REPLACE AND TRANSMISSION REBUILT. SEARCHING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR MY GENERATION RAV4. IF A FAULTY PRODUCT CAUSES SO MANY PEOPLE TO RISK DRIVING SAFELY AND BE OUT SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL PLACED TO FIX THE ISSUE. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AFFECTED. HTTPS://MBEACH1B.FILES.WORDPRESS.COM/2010/10/TC002-061.PDF HTTP://WWW.TOYOTAPROBLEMS.COM/TRENDS/RAV4-TRANSMISSION/

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR AND LUNGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED; HOWEVER THE CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT ENDED IN 2012. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,612. UPDATED 04/25/17 LJ *CN

I BOUGHT MY FRIENDS 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 AND FROM THE TIME I BOUGHT IT BACK IN MARCH HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN I GO TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC IT HAS NO POWER AND PULLS OUT TOOOO SLOW AND BUCKS! I HAVE TO WAIT TILL THERE IS NO TRAFFIC TO SAFELY PULL OUT! I READ WHERE THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM AND IT WAS EXTENDED TO 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAD 136,000 MILES ON IT! I THINK THIS WAS HAPPENING TO HER BEFORE SHE SOLD IT TO ME AND SHE WAS GOING TO TRADE IT IN BUT DECIDED TO SELL IT PRIVATE! DON'T KNOW IF SHE EVER GOT THE RECALL LETTER OR NOT BUT I'M SURE SHE WOULD HAVE HAD IT REPAIRED IF SHE DID. ANYWAY I AM ON A LIMITED INCOME AND CAN'T AFFORD THE PART IT SAYS IT NEEDS AND THINK THAT SINCE TOYOTA HAD A MILEAGE OF UP TO 150,000 THEY SHOULD HAVE TO FIX IT! I DID PAY 700 DOLLARS TO HAVE 2 OF THE SOLENOIDS REPLACED BUT THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM! THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF AS FAR AS CHANGING THE OIL AND UPKEEP BUT AM REALLY UPSET! I ACTUALLY BOUGHT THE CAR FOR MY SON TO TAKE HIS DRIVING TEST IN BUT HE CAN'T EVEN DRIVE IT WITH THIS HAPPENING! MY CONCERN IS I THINK TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE TO FIX ALL RECALLS IF IT IS UNDER THE MILAGE AND THEY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM! ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED! THANK-YOU

THE CAR MAKE NOISE,BY THE TRANSMISSION AREA AND THE 3 GEAR NOT WORKING WHEN THE CAR IS ALREADY HOT. I THINK MY CAR STILL UNDER GARANTY IS ONLY 128,000 MILES.

CAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE NEGOTIATING AN INTERSECTION ON SEVERAL OCCATIONS. HAS BUCKED STALLED PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, AND FAILED TO SHIFT WHILE PASSING, IM TOLD ITS A KNOW PROBLEM WITH ECU, BUT TOYOTA CUT A DEAL AND DID NOT HAVE TO NOTIFY OWNERS! BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW NOW THERE TELLING ME 6000 TO 9000$

MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND IT DOESN'T SHIFT EASILY. I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS A 4 CYLINDER, BUT RECENTLY IT HAS GOTTEN A LOT WORSE. WHAT IT'S DOING NOW IS A MAGNIFICATION OF WHAT IT HAS BEEN DOING FOR A LONG TIME, STRUGGLING TO SHIFT FROM THE LOWER GEAR TO A HIGHER GEAR. I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN 2002 AND THEY SAID THAT MY CAR HAS A 'WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT' NOTICE ON IT, AND THAT IT NEEDS A NEW ECU, BUT THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE DONE THIS WITHIN 10 YEARS FROM MY PURCHASE DATE. A NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE FROM JULY 13, 2010 ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE AND TOYOTA'S WARRANTY EXTENSION, AND POINTED OUT THAT TOYOTA NOTIFIED DEALERSHIPS. HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE A CUSTOMER OF YOUR DEALERSHIP TO HAVE TO HAVE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE ECU, AND I AM NOT BECAUSE I DON'T LIVE NEAR THE DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT I FALL OUTSIDE THE 10 YEAR WARRANTY AND WOULD HAVE TO PAY $1200-1600 TO REPLACE THE ECU. TOYOTA MOTOR CORP TOLD ME THE SAME THING WHEN I CALLED. IT SEEMS PATENTLY UNFAIR THAT TOYOTA WOULD ONLY INFORM ME THAT MY CAR HAS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED BY THEM IF I'M A CUSTOMER OF THEIR SERVICE STATION AT MY DEALERSHIP! I'M JUST GUESSING THAT IF THEY CALL IT A 'WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT' INSTEAD OF A RECALL, THEY'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO NOTIFY PEOPLE WHO DON'T FREQUENT THEIR SERVICE STATIONS. BECAUSE OF THE SHIFTING PROBLEM MY CAR SEEMS VERY UNSAFE. I HAVE HAD TO PARK IT. WHEN I SAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR ANOTHER CAR, YOU CAN BET IT WON'T BE A TOYOTA!

I PURCHASED THE RAV IN 2007 WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. SOON AFTER THE PURCHASE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OFF. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE MULTIPLE TIMES TO BE SERVICED THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD NOT BE ON AND THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT DID NOT CHECK FOR CODES BECAUSE DEALER POLICY IS IF ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ON, CODES WOULD NOT BE CHECK. THIS VEHICLE WAS SUBJECT TO A 2007 RECALL ON ECU AND THE ECU WAS RESET PER RECALL INSTRUCTIONS PER THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MULTIPLE COMPONENTS WITH THE MOST RECENT REPAIR OF $3,600 FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. I BELIEVE THAT IF COMPUTER WOULD HAVE BEEN CHECKED BACK IN 2007 THESE REPAIRS (REPLACEMENT OF MULTIPLE SOLENOID, OXYGEN SENSORS AND VALVE SWITCH) WOULD NOT HAVE NOT TAKEN, INCLUDING THE RECENT FAILURE AND REPLACED OF THE TRANSMISSION AND I WOULD NOT BE IN THIS SITUATION NOW. PER MULTIPLE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT STAFF, I WAS TOLD THIS MODEL HAS A HISTORY OF ECU PROBLEMS CAUSING TRANSMISSION FAILURES. RESETTING THE ECU ONLY MASKED OR PUT A BAND AIDE ON THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM.

THE CAR RECENTLY STARTS HESITATE AND SUDDENLY SLOW DOWN SOMETIMES WHEN I PUSH THE GAS GEAR FROM STOP (NOT ALWAYS). THE MECHANIC SAID THE TRANSMISSION MAY NEED TO BE CHECKED. FROM THE INTERNET, I LEARNED THAT THIS PARTICULAR CAR IS KNOWN TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION DEFECT (RAV4 2001-2003 WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION).