NHTSA Complaint #10394370 — 2001 TOYOTA RAV4

I OWN A REGULARLY SERVICED AND WELL MAINTAINED 108,000 MILE 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH A TRANSMISSION CONCERN. CAR UPON ACCELERATION WILL NOT RESPOND, REVS, SLIPS AND LUNGES INTO GEAR. THIS OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. TWO INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS HAVE INSPECTED THIS VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE PROBLEM THEY DIAGNOSE IS A COMPUTER PROBLEM WHICH IS MALFUNCTIONING COMMUNICATION TO THE TRANSMISSION. THEY HAVE RECOMMENDED NOT REPAIRING THE TRANSMISSION BUT FOCUS ON THE CAR'S COMPUTER. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FINDS NO COMPUTER CODES ON THE DIAGNOSTIC CHECK TO INDICATE ANY PROBLEM WHATSOEVER WITH THIS VEHICLE. TOYOTA CASE MANAGER AND DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER STATES TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WITH ALL THE SAFETY CONCERNS MENTIONED UNTIL A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT INDICATES A COMPUTER PROBLEM. TOYOTA SERVICEMAN RODE IN VEHICLE WITH THIS OWNER AND FELT THE ABOVE MENTIONED SAFETY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND REPORTED IT BACK TO THE MANAGER. NO REPAIR WORK WAS RECOMMENDED BECAUSE THE COMPUTER CODES DID NOT COMMUNICATE A PROBLEM. OTHER THAN THE SERVICE TECH WHO DROVE IN THIS VEHICLE AND FELT FIRST HAND THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND NOT RESPONDING, TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGES THERE IS A PROBLEM. THE COMPUTER COMMUNICATING INFORMATION TO THE TRANSMISSION ON MANY 2001 RAV4 VEHICLES HAVE PROVEN TO MALFUNCTION ACCORDING TO TOYOTA'S OWN SERVICE BULLETIN. ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH A MALFUNCTIONING COMPUTER HAS LED TO MANY TRANSMISSIONS BEING DAMAGED IN TOYOTA VEHICLES. I AM AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT TO DO. I AM ALSO VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA'S RUN AROUND AND THEIR DISMISSIVE ATTITUDE WHEN BRINGING A SAFETY CONCERN TO THEIR ATTENTION. *TR