NHTSA Complaint #10625812 — 2001 TOYOTA RAV4

ECM WAS REPLACED IN 2007. NO PROBLEMS AT THAT TIME. IN MAY 2014 BRAKES PLUS MISDIAGNOSED PROBLEM AND FIXED ALMOST EVERYTHING POSSIBLE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER WENT ON UNTIL THE DAY BEFORE THE PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING UP AND WHEN I WENT TO PASS A PERSON ON A BICYCLE SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL. THEN IT JUMPED BACK AND FORTH LIKE TRYING TO GO FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER, WITH NOTHING HAPPENING. I COULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY A TRUCK AT THIS POINT, BUT AVOIDED. TOOK THE RAV BACK TO BRAKES PLUS. THEY SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. WOULD COST $4500-5000 REPAIR. THEY NEVER EVEN CHECKED THE DIAGNOSIS - WHICH WHEN WE TOOK TO AUTO ZONE (WHICH WILL READ THE PROBLEM AS ECM). THEN TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION IS "SMOKE." CALLED THE TOYOTA REP AND ONLY GOT A CASE NUMBER. OF COURSE THE CAR IS 13 YEARS OLD AND WE HAVE HAD IT 12. IT IS AT 175,000 MILES. WE CAN'T PUT ANOTHER $4,500 IN THIS CAR. THE ECM SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE OUT AGAIN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SHOULD HAVE GONE ON IN MAY FROM WHAT WE ASSESS CONSIDERING THE PROBLEMS WE EXPERIENCED AT THAT TIME. I WOULD NOT ADVISE ANYONE TO PURCHASE A 2001-2003 RAV4. I AM NOT SURE I'D EVERY PURCHASE ANOTHER TOYOTA. IT LOOKS LIKE TOYOTA HAS STUCK US WITH A NEARLY $5000 REPAIR IF WE WANT A NEW TRANS. AND WE JUST PUT $2,700 INTO IT IN MAY. *TR