2001 TOYOTA RAV4 Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES HESITATES WHEN SHIFTING AND SOMETIMES STARTS IN 3RD GEAR INSTEAD OF 1ST. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON A WEEK AGO, SIMILAR TO WHEN SHIFTING PROBLEMS BEGAN. *KB

I HAVE A 2011 RAV 4 WITH 151,000 MILES ON IT. I HAD MY TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHED WHEN I GOT MY OIL CHANGED IN EARLY JUNE OF 2011. MY TRANSMISSION STARTING "JUMPING" IN EARLY AUGUST OF 2011 WHEN IN ALMOST ANY GEAR. THE PROBLEM CAME ON VERY SUDDENLY WITH NO WARNING SIGNS. THE DAY IT HAPPENED, I CALLED MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHO HAS DONE ALL OF MY SERVICING AND ASKED IF IT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY HAD TO DO WITH THE FLUSHING OF THE SYSTEM TWO MONTHS PRIOR AND IF THERE HAD BEEN ANY RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE FOR THIS SORT OF PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS UNLIKELY TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE FLUSHING AND NO, THERE HAD BEEN NO RECALLS THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF. I WAS REFERRED OVER TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT REBUILDS TRANSMISSIONS AND GOT IT INTO THE SHOP THAT VERY NEXT MORNING....

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FAILED TO RESPOND AND A LOUD POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE IDENTICAL FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THEY STATED THAT THE COMPUTER MODULE AND TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. ..UPDATED 09/19/11 *BF THERE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS AN ONGOING HARSH SHIFT. AT TIMES, THE TRANSMISSION HAD AN ONGOING SLUGGISH/SLIP. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE INVOICE FROM THE DEALER, THE TRANSMISSION HAD AN INTERNAL WEAR AND TEAR MALFUNCTION. THE FLUID WAS VERY DIRTY. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. UPDATED 12/30/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAULTY TRANSMISSION WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ACCELERATE AND THEN SOMETHING SUDDENLY "KICKS IN" AND THE TRUCK WILL GO- NEARLY BEEN REAR-ENDED NUMEROUS TIMES- THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE- TOLD IT'S GOING TO BE A $4,000 TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT- ONLY 102K MILES, LIKE NEW. ALSO, AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS, WON'T ACCELERATE AND PEOPLE GET TICKED AND NEED TO PASS AND CAN'T- NUMEROUS ONLINE COMPLAINTS- ADD THIS. UNACCEPTABLE FOR TOYOTA. *KB

I NOTICED VEHICLE WAS NOT ACCELERATING OR GOING INTO PROPER GEAR. I WAS ALARMED WHEN I COULDN'T PICK UP SPEED TURNING LEFT. ENGINE LIGHT LIT WHEN I GOT HOME. I SPOKE TO TOYOTA TODAY ABOUT THE KNOWN ECU ISSUE WITH 2001-2003 RAV4S. MY CAR WAS SERVICED IN 2007 WHEN THERE WAS A RECALL BUT THEY WILL NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE NOW SINCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH TOYOTA NOT ADDRESSING THE ECU/ECM ISSUE TO A SATISFACTORY MANNER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA SHOULD SHOW MORE CONCERN OVER. *KB

MY 18 YEAR OLD HAS A 2001 RAVE 4 THE MECHANIC SAYS THAT THE ECU HAS TRASHED THE TRANSMISSION SO NOW SHE NEEDS BOTH TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS ON LINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND MOST LIKELY NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW TO CONTACT THIS AGENCY OR THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY NOW. PLEASE REFER TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE BULLETIN MARCH 3, 2006. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE! THIS PROBLEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO LOSE OF POWER OR STALLING OF THE VEHICLE. MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN VERY FORTUNATE NOT TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS ECU /TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO EXHIBIT SEVERE HESITATION IN A JERKING MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION, ECM MODULE AND A FAULTY TRANS AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THERE WAS A PRIOR VOLUNTARY RECALL ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER PERTAINING TO THE ECM MODULE; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE RECALL EXPIRED IN JANUARY 2011 AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH HIS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION HAD ALSO PREVIOUSLY MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

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...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT BETWEEN GEARS PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT OFFER THE CONTACT ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 193,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 183,000.

FAULTY SHIFTING IN 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 RELATED TO THE ECM CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN AND ALMOST COME TO A STOP WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE OR PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC. ECM WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAULTY SHIFTING STILL OCCURS. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP THIS MEANS THAT THE VEHICLE NOW NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION. WHILE THE VEHICLE IS 10 YEARS OLD, IT HAS LESS THAN 130,000 MILES ON IT. THIS SHOULD NOT BE OCCURRING. TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS ISSUE IS DUE TO THE ECM AND ITS POOR DESIGN DESPITE EXTENDING THE WARRANTY FOR EXACTLY THIS ISSUE. THERE ARE MULTIPLE REPORTS ON THE INTERNET FROM RAV4 OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

BEGINNING IN JAN. 2010 THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 SUDDENLY BEGAN SHIFTING ERRATICALLY. JUST AFTER ENTERING I-35 IT DOWNSHIFTED FROM OVERDRIVE TO I'M GUESSING SECOND GEAR. THIS SUDDEN DECELERATION NEARLY GOT ME REAR ENDED BY A SEMI TRUCK. IT ALSO DESTROYED THE TRANSMISSION. I AM ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ECM THAT CAUSED IT MUST NOW BE REPLACED, @ A COST OF $4200. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY INOPERABLE AS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING IS SO ERRATIC YOU DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL GO INTO GEAR AND IF IT DOES, WHAT GEAR AND IT SHIFTS SO ERRATICALLY IT'S LIKE RIDING A BUCKING HORSE. JUST GETTING IT THE THREE MILES TO THE SHOP WAS TAKING MY LIFE IN MY HANDS. THIS PROBLEM IS GOING TO GET SOMEONE KILLED, IF IT HASN'T ALREADY. BEING OF LIMITED MEANS, I HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE CAR YET. *TR

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING HARD AND INTO INAPPROPRIATE GEARS. WHILE ACCELERATING, THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING INTO A HIGHER GEAR AS IT NORMALLY DID. NOW IT HESITATES BETWEEN GEARS (NEUTRAL) AND THEN RANDOMLY SHIFTS INTO A LOWER OR HIGHER GEAR OFTEN JUMPING FROM GEAR TO GEAR UNTIL SETTLING INTO THE PROPER GEAR. THIS BEHAVIOR JUST BEGAN WITH 112K MILES. *TR

THE ECM IS TOYOTAS 2001-2003 RAV4 CAUSES ROUGH SHIFTING IN THE TRANSMISSION AND IT EVENTUALLY CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO STOP FUNCTIONING. THIS MEANS THE CAR CAN AND WILL COME TO AN ABRUPT HALT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY SEVERAL TIMES AND NOW THE TRANNY IS NO GOOD AT ALL. THIS IS ALL AFTER RECEIVING A FEW LETTERS FROM TOYOTA REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND BRINGING IT IN FOR SERVICE ON THE ECM AFTER I'D ALREADY PAID $1400 TO TOYOTA FOR THE SAME SERVICE. THEY NEVER CHANGED ANYTHING , JUST "REPROGRAMMED " IT. NOW , EVEN WITH TOYOTA SAYING PUBLICLY THAT THEY WILL STAND BY THE VEHICLE ,AFTER CATCHING SO MUCH HEAT FROM THE PUBLIC , THEY STILL DENY ME COVERAGE AS WELL AS REIMBURSEMENT AND THEY EVEN CHARGED ME A STORAGE AND DIAGNOSTIC FEE! THIS ECM PROBLEM HAS BEEN A WELL KNOWN DEFECT SINCE 2006 AND TOYOTA WAS AND FULLY...

TOYOTA RAV4 2001 SUDDEN ACCELERATION, AND THROTTLE SURGE... NO WAY TO STOP CAR WITH BRAKE PEDAL. *TR

ENTERING HIGHWAY AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO OVER 30 MPH AND HAD TO PULL OVER TO AVOID BEING HIT. *TR

2001 RAV4- AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THE CAR STARTED SHIFTING GEARS AND HAVING PROBLEMS TAKING OFF FROM A STOP POSITION A WEEK AGO. THERE WAS NO "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT BLINKING TO LET ME KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS AND "THINK IT MIGHT BE THE COMPUTER". WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED I ALMOST GOT INTO A ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. AFTER I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP, SURE ENOUGH THE CAR STARTS JERKING BACK AND FORTH. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE WHERE THEY TOLD ME THEY RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM AS THE ECM (SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEM WITH OTHER COMPLAINTS I HAVE LOOKED INTO), BUT NOTHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT AS IT IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST AND THE CAR CAME FROM JAPAN TO CANADA THEN TO THE UNITED STATES (SERIOUSLY?). I GUESS TOYOTA WILL NOT DO...

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 ECM AND TRANSMISSION REPLACED IN MAY OF 2009. PAID OUT OF POCKET. REPLACEMENT WAS A REBUILT TRANSMISSION INSTALLED BY DEALER (VICTORY TOYOTA IN CANTON, MI) SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILED AFTER 17,000 MILES. PAID OUT OF POCKET AGAIN. NO HELP FROM DEALER OR TOYOTA CORPORATE. FOUND OUT THAT DEALER JUST SWAPPED TRANS, DID NOT ACTUALLY REBUILD TRANS. TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANS SHOP. INDEPENDENT DISCOVERED A WASHER MISSING THAT CAUSED THIRD GEAR TO STRIP (DEFECT IN SECOND TRANS). TRANS REPAIRED, BUT THEN GOT A HARD DOWNSHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR WHEN STOPPING, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND P0420 P0430 CODES. INDEPENDENT TRANS SHOP CLEARED CODES, AND TOLD ME THAT IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN TO HAVE DEALER RE-FLASH ECM. WORKED OK FOR ABOUT FIVE DAYS, THEN GOT THE HARD DOWNSHIFT INTO 1ST GEAR AGAIN. TOOK IT TO DEALER. NOW THEY SAY THE CHARCOAL CANNISTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I WILL SUBMIT...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH WHEN HE DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THEY SUGGESTED THAT THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED YET THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE ECM IN 2007 BUT THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE VEHICLE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. UPDATED 12/21/10*BF UPDATED 12/29/10

ON 06/05/10, MY PERSONAL VEHICLE (2001 TOYOTA RAV4) BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE WHICH DEVELOPED INTO "HARSH SHIFTING"; THIS PROBLEM WORSENED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS BUT, DUE TO THE CAR'S ELECTRONICS FAILURE (FROM A KNOWN MALFUNCTION WHICH TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF BUT FAILED TO EVER NOTIFY ME ABOUT) THIS WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED AS A TRANSMISSION-RELATED ISSUE. UPON FINALLY REACHING DANGEROUS LEVELS OF JERKING AND DECELERATING ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS, ETC., I FINALLY TOOK THE RAV4 TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY INFORMED ME OF AN ECM "RECALL" RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION -- OF WHICH I HAD NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION. THE REPROGRAMMING DID NOT WORK AND THE HARSH SHIFTING WORSENED. I HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK ABOUT A WEEK LATER, AT WHICH POINT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER. I DID SO, ONLY TO RECEIVE A NOTICE 3 WEEKS LATER FROM TOYOTA...

I BOUGHT A USED TOYOTA RAV4 IN 2007. LAST WEEK MY ECM (TRANSMISSION) COMPUTER MALFUNCTIONED. I GOT THE CAR FIXED BY MY TOYOTA DEALER, BUT FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS THE 3RD ECM COMPUTER REPLACED. MY CAR DID NOT ACCELERATE. IT WOULD NOT MOVE. AND IF THE SHIFT IS BUMPED THE SHIFTER WILL MOVE TO ANOTHER RGEAR. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT NOW. WHAT IF IT COMPLETELY STALLS. I COULD SEE ONE COMPUTER BUT 3!!! I WILL NOT BUY TOYOTA AGAIN. AFTER FINDING ARTICLES ON THIS ON THE INTERNET-SEEMS LIKE TOYOTA STILL HAS NOT FIGURED OUT HOW TO FIX IT. AND NOW THE QUESTION REMAINS-HOW GOOD IS MY TRANSMISSION AT THIS POINT? *TR

DRIVING MY TOYOTA 2001 RAV4 AND IT DECIDES NOT TO SHIFT IN TO GEAR, LEAVING ME TO PULL OVER BARELY ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH 2 SMALL CHILDREN. *TR

MY RAV4 2001 MOTOR 2.0 HAS HARSH SHIFT OF AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FOR ALMOST ONE MONTH IS PARK. I DO NOT USE BECAUSE ALMOST CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHILE I WAS DRIVING WITH MI TWO KIDS AND MI WIFE, PLEASE HELP ME I NEED TO REPAIR AND IT COST 1200 DOLLARS. IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. PLEASE STOP BEFORE WILL BE TO LATE. *TR

MARCH 2009 VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK VEHICLE TO AUTOZONE FOR A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. CHECK INDICATED THAT THE SHIFT SOLENOID WAS BAD. I TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA OF BEDFORD AND WAS TOLD I HAD TO GET ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC BECAUSE THEY DON'T TAKE DIAGNOSTIC FROM OTHER PLACES, SO THAT COST ME $100. AFTER THEIR DIAGNOSTIC CHECK WAS PERFORMED, THEY CLAIMED IT WAS JUST THE GAS CAP AND TURNED THE LIGHT OFF. WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THE LIGHT CAN BACK ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. IN JUNE 2009, THE CAR STARTED HAVING SHIFTING DIFFICULTY, GETTING STUCK IN A GEAR THEN JERKING OUT OF IT. I TOOK IT TO A FOREIGN CAR SPECIALIST SHOP AND THEY CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, I DROVE IT FOR A FEW WEEKS AGAIN, THEN IT SHIFTED HARD WHILE DRIVING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I HAVE TO...

TOYOTA RAV4 TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, HARD TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION WHEN ACCELERATION. THIS PROBLEM PUTS MYSELF AND MY FAMILY ON RISK OF BEING HIT BY OTHER CARS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 (71K MILES) WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE BACKSEAT AND AS I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE TO GET ONTO THE FREEWAY ONRAMP THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND THE CARS IN BACK OF ME ALMOST REARENDED ME. THE CARS BEHIND ME BEGIN HONKING AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LUNGE, BUCK, AND HESITATE THE WHOLE WAY HOME(FORTUNATELY I WAS ONLY ONE EXIT AWAY); MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE VERY SHAKEN UP. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT IN TO MY MECHANIC, WHO DID A TRANSMISSION SERVICE. THE CAR DROVE FINE FOR A COUPLE DAYS THEN AGAIN OUT OF NOWHERE BEGAN HESITATING AND LUNGING/THUDDING. MY MECHANIC RECOMMENDED I TAKE IT TO AAMCO, WHO REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION FOR $3129. A FEW DAYS LATER, IT DISPLAYED THE SAME SYMPTOMS. AAMCO DROVE IT AROUND BUT SAID IT DROVE FINE AND GAVE IT BACK TO ME. A WEEK LATER, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION...

TOYOTA RAV4 2001 - COMPUTER PROBLEMS & TOTAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEM MY RAV4, 2001 MODEL INITIALLY STARTED GIVING "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" AND HAVING HARD TIME ACCELERATING FROM STOP SIGNAL. THE BBB APPROVED SERVICE CENTER CHECKED IT AND FOUND OUT THE ERROR CODE AS P0750 AND ADVISED THE REPLACEMENT/REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY CHARGED ME APPROX $3000 FOR THIS TRANSMISSION REBUILD WORK/FIXING THE ERROR CODE ISSUE. TWO DAYS AFTER, I GOT THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN AND WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE SAME SERVICE CENTER, I WAS TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER SYSTEM IS THE CULPRIT FOR CAUSING THE PROBLEM. NOW, BASED ON THE DETAILS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET (HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/RAV4/2002/TRANSMISSION/MAIN_COMPUTER_AND_TRANSMISSION_FAILURE.SHTML), I UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS IS THE COMMON PROBLEM OF TOYOTA RAV4 CARS. WHEN I SPOKE TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE ON 800-331-4331 (CASE # 1006150572), THEY SAID THEY ARE HELPLESS. I AM INTERESTED TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH CARSAFETY TO TAKE...

TOYOTA RAV 4 TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEMS AFTER SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES, SHIFTING FROM 1-2 WILL HESITATE AND CAUSE ENGINE REV, WILL ALSO JERK WHILE SHIFTING HESITATION COULD BE HAZARDOUS AND CAUSE ACCIDENTS. AND SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. *TR

ERRATIC SHIFTING OF GEARS IN TOYOTA RAV4. SHIFTS HARD OR SLOWLY, CAUSING SAFETY ISSUE WHILE DRIVING. HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND COMPUTER. *TR

TOYOTA RAV4 CAR JERKS UPON ACCELERATING FROM STOP. CAR IS SLUGGISH TO ACCELERATE. COULD CASE WRECK WHEN TURNING LEFT ACROSS A STREET OR HIT FROM BEHIND IF RAV4 DOES NOT ACCELERATE CORRECTLY. FAILURE STARTED TO OCCUR SUDDENLY WITHOUT PRIOR PROBLEMS. DEALERSHIP STATES ECM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BASED ON TSB FROM TOYOTA (TSB # 000206), TSB STATES "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" -- THIS INDICATES THAT IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE, THAT IS OCCURRING DUE TO A POOR MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THERE ARE SEVERAL WEBSITES WHERE OTHER 2001-2003 RAV4 OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

WHEN DRIVING MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 L, I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT AFTER TAKING OFF FROM A STOP LIGHT/SIGN OR BASICALLY ACCELERATING, IT ACTED AS IF IT DID NOT WANT TO GO INTO GEAR, THERE SEEMED TO BE NO POWER, THEN THE ENGINE WOULD REVVED, FINALLY IT LUNGED AND JERKED INTO GEAR. IT FELT AS THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO HAS SERVICED MY CAR RELIGIOUSLY EVERY 3000 MILES. HE COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, IN FACT THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWED NOTHING. AFTER DOING MUCH RESEARCH ONLINE I READ ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE, INCLUDING ONE FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES--I'M UPSET TO FIND OUT THAT TOYOTA CORP. A COMPANY WHO I HAVE TRUSTED FOR MANY YEARS HAS KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE ECM. DRIVING THIS CAR IN THIS CONDITION POSES A VERY FRIGHTENING SITUATION WHEREAS THIS IS AN "ACCIDENT...

TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO FAULTY ECM ON 2001 TOYOTA RAV 4. TOYOTA ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN IN 2006 TO THE DEALERS BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY ME, THE ONLY OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH 81,000 MILES. ECM FAILED CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. SAFETY ISSUE CREATED DUE TO POOR ACCELERATION AND ERRATIC SHIFTING. TOYOTA WILL NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO THE ECM FAILURE. *TR

MY SPOUSE HAS A TOYOTA RAV4, 2001 AND IT EXPERIENCED MAJOR STALLING PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING, ALMOST LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING OUT. WE TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE TEAM IN BERKELEY, CA THREE TIMES FOR A POTENTIAL FIX. FIRST IT WAS THE ENGINE CONTROL MONITOR (ECM AT $1,040), THEN IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AT $266, THEN IT WAS A BEND PIPE/TUBE LEADING TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE'RE STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM ONE MONTH LATER. *TR

2001 TOYOTA RAV 4 TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY STARTED SLIPPING, SHIFTING HARD AT LOW SPEEDS. HAS 144,480 MILES. AAMCO SHOP DIAGNOSED IT AS A KNOWN COMPUTER DEFECT, SENT FAULTY INFORMATION THAT FRIED THE CLUTCHES IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE REPAIR IS UNDERWAY, TAKES 4 DAYS AND COSTS $3,900 FOR NEW COMPUTER AND TRANSMISSION REPAIR. *TR

MY TOYOTA RAV4 2001 MODEL, 125000 MILES ON IT. I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, WHEN TURNED GREEN TRIED TO MOVE , BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. IT JUST DID A LITTLE, THEN I SOME HOW PARKED IN THE ROAD SIDE. TOOK IT TO DIFFERENT GARAGES, MIENEKE SAID 6000 DOLLAR REPAIR ON THE TRANSMISSION, ANOTHER SAID 4800 DOLLAR FOR REFURBISHED TRANSMISSION, AAMCO DID A TRANSMISSION REPAIR FOR 2800 DOLLAR.... ALL THESE PLACES THEY ARE NOT SURE WHETHER IT IS TRANSMISSION OR ECM PROBLEM. I JUST CHOOSE TO GET IT DONE WITH THE CHEAPEST ONE. I FEEL LIKE IT IS A PROBLEM WITH ECM AND THE TRANSMISSION OF TOYOTA. BEING A CUSTOMER I HAVE NO WAY KNOWING WHO SAYS THE RIGHT THING? NOW I HEAR THAT TOYOTA RAV 4 HAS DEFECTIVE ECM THAT CAN CAUSE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS? NOW I AM WORRIED IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE THAT CAR ANY FURTHER? *TR

TRANSMISSION STARTED JERKING AND SLIPPING IN SECOND GEAR THEN JUMPING TO THIRD GEAR, THEN TAKING OFF IN THIRD GEAR, FLUSH TRANNY AND REPROGRAM ECM, DIN"T 'HELP ALSO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON FOR CODE P0758, I WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW ECM AND A NEW TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA KNEW OF THIS ECM PROBLEM AND FAIL TO NOTIFIED ITS CUSTOMERS

2001 RAV4 TRANSMISSION DID NOT WANT TO CHANGE GEARS. TOOK TO DEALER, DENIED PROBLEM. TOOK TO ANOTHER SHOP, CHANGED TO NEW ECM IN TRANSMISSION. PROBLEM FIXED. TOYOTA NEEDS TO OWN UP TO BAD PARTS. *TR

MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV4, 98,000 MILES, HAS A PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION SHIFT AROUND 30MILES AND ENGAGING SHIFT 2ND TO 3RD, RPM GAUGE JUMPING UP 5,000~6,000 RPM ON EVERY DRIVING AND FINALLY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME UP. DEALER SHIP SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND NEEDED REPROGRAM ECM. AFTER FIXED IT HAPPENED AGAIN THEY SAID IT NEEDS NEW ECM AND REPROGRAM. AND HAD SAME PROBLEM. NOW THEY SAY IT NEEDS TRANSMISSION REBUILD TOO. THEY ALREADY KNEW THESE PROBLEM THROUGH THEIR BULLETIN SOME YEARS AGO AND DIDN'T NOTICED OWNERS. IT WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS IF SHIFT WAS CHANGED WHEN RPM GAUGE JUMPED UP. IT SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE. ALSO I READ SOME ARTICLE FOR CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS FILED FOR THIS. *TR

DURING A TRIP TO THE LOS ANGELES AREA FROM OUR HOME IN FREMONT, CA. OUR 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 REFUSED TO ENTER 1ST GEAR, THEN WOULD SLAM INTO GEAR SUDDENLY, CAUSING A BUCKING EFFECT. AFTER ABOUT 2 HOURS AND SOME ATTEMPTS AT ADDING TRANS FLUID IT STARTED RUNNING OK. TWO DAYS LATER ON THE FREEWAY HOME IT SUDDENLY STARTED IN AGAIN, LEAVING US WITH NO POWER TO DRIVE ON THE ROAD TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC UNTIL IT SLAMMED INTO GEAR AGAIN. WE MADE IT BACK HOME BY REMAINING ON THE FREEWAY AND NOT STOPPING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS RUINED AND NEEDED REPLACING. HE SHOWED ME THE CHIPPED-UP GEARS ON THE UNIT. AFTER REPAIRING THE TRANSMISSION I DROVE IT FOR A DAY AND A HALF AND THE SLIPPING AND BUCKING STARTED IN AGAIN. I...

I DROVE MY CAR TO WORK AND IT WAS DRIVING AND SHIFTING JUST FINE (AUTOMATIC). I PARKED, TURNED THE CAR OFF, AND WENT INSIDE TO PUNCH IN. NOT 10 MINUTES LATER I RETURNED TO START THE VEHICLE AND IT IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED HARD OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE. WHEN IT SHIFTED INTO FIRST GEAR I COULD TELL THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THE CAR BASICALLY SPUTTERED INTO THE GEAR AND COULD BARELY SHIFT OUT OF IT INTO SECOND. ONCE IT DID THE CAR JERKED FORWARD AND I FELT LIKE I DID NOT HAVE GOOD CONTROL OF IT DUE TO THE WAY IT WAS JERKING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. DURING THIS TIME THE RPMS WOULD GO WAY UP AND SUDDENLY DOWN AGAIN, AND IT SEEMED LIKE EVERY TIME I APPLIED THE GAS (AND THUS ENGAGED THE TRANSMISSION) THE VEHICLE STARTED REACTING IN AN UNPREDICTABLE MANNER. THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ANY RHYME...

TOYOTA 2001 RAV4: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE AT LEAST AUGUST, 2004 (DOCUMENTED). TOYOTA CLAIMED TO FIX PER A RECALL NOTICE. FROM FEBRUARY 2002 TO DATE, THERE HAS BEEN INTERMITTENT GROANING BENEATH CAR, WHINING IN FIRST GEAR, AND WHAT FELT LIKE CLUNKING. COULD NOT PASS SMOG TESTS BECAUSE OF CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE. IN OCTOBER, 2009, CAR DIED. COULD NOT RESTART, HAD TO WAIT FOR TOW (MIDNIGHT ON A DARK ROAD). HAD WORK DONE IN OCT, 2009, AND I REQUESTED THE PARTS. THEY REPLACED MY COILS, PLUGS AND AIR FILTER FOR $1,330. I HAVE HAD BRAKES REPLACED , FLUIDS CHANGED, O2 SENSORS REPLACED ( SINCE THEN, THE CAR IS MIS-SHIFTING, CLUNKING OR GROANING, ROUGH ENGINE. ON 3/25/2010, I TOOK IT IN AND TOYOTA SERVICE RECOMMENDED THAT I "LET IT GO" AND BUY ANOTHER CAR. THEY TOLD ME TO JUST COME AND GET THE CAR WITHOUT ANY WORK DONE,...

ON DECEMBER 22ND, I EXPERIENCED SLIPPING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. I THEN TOOK IT TO A INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP. I LEARNED THAT THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS DESTROYED, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. A REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED. I STILL HAD PROBLEMS, AND UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE TORQUE CONVERTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. WITH THE TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACED, I DROVE MY TOYOTA RAV 4, ONLY TO EXPERIENCE MORE PROBLEMS. I PERSONALLY BEGAN INVESGATING THE PROBLEMS WITH TOYOTA RAV'S, AND LEARNED OF ALL OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS LOGGED AGAINST TOYOTA, DUE TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. IT HAS BEEN 3, ALMOST4 MONTHS, AND MY TOYOTA IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP, GETTING A SHIFT SOLENOID. I CALLED TOYOTA, FOR ASSITANCE, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. CURRENTLY, I HAVE OVER $4700 IN REPAIRS TO THIS VEHICLE.

MY 2001 RAV 4 BAGAN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE TROUBLE GETTING STARTED AND THE CAR SHIFTS VERY HARD. WHEN THE CAR FINALLY SHIFTS, IT OFTEN LURCHES FORWARD. I HAVE TROUBLE GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY AND AM FEARFUL TO DRIVE IN TRAFFIC. VERY SCARY!

2001 TOYOTA RAV4, TRANSMISSION HAS STARTED TO JERK US AROUND, LURCH IN TRAFFIC AND FEELS LIKE IT COMES OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING/ACCELERATING IN TRAFFIC OR PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU ARE NOT MOVING.

FAULTY COMPUTER. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE COMPUTER CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO ENGAGE INTO WRONG GEARS,RESULTING IN TRANSMISSION FAILURE. COST TO ME OF $4,847.00. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA OF THIS PROBLEM. TECHNICAL BULLETIN #1046. *TR

TOYOTA 2001 RAV4 TRANSMISSION SHIFT PROBLEM SINCE MARCH 2009. APPROX MILES TO DATE 95,750. WHEN I FIRST TOOK IT IN, I CHECKED WITH AUTOZONE FOR DIAGNOSTIC CHECK WHICH WAS FREE BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I THEN TOOK THE READINGS TO TOYOTA WHO TOLD ME THEY WOULDN'T ACCEPT AUTOZONE'S DIAGNOSTIC AND I HAD TO GET ANOTHER ONE FROM THEM WHICH COST $100. THEN THEY TOLD ME IT WAS JUST THE GAS CAP AND TURNED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OFF. WITHIN 2 DAYS, AFTER MY E-CHECK, THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON HAS BEEN ON EVER SINCE. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK SEVERAL TIMES FOR OIL CHANGES AND THEY NEVER SAID THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE DIAGNOSTIC FROM AUTOZONE STATED THE SHIFT SOLENOID WAS BAD BUT TOYOTA SAID IT WAS THE GAS CAP. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND I AM NOW AWARE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY...

HELLO, MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A 2001 TOYOTA RAV 4 IN 2003. IT SERVED US WELL UNTIL ABOUT A MONTH AGO, WHEN AT 93,500 MILES IT BEGAN TO HAVE SHIFTING PROBLEMS. WHEN THE CAR WAS COLD, I WOULD STEP ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE CAR WOULD CRAWL ALONG; THEN IT WOULD BEGIN TO SLIP, AS IF I HAD HIT A PATCH OF ICE--THE ENGINE WOULD REV BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT GO FORWARD. AND I HEARD A LOUD AND OMINOUS CLANKING NOISE FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR AS I CRAWLED ALONG. AS THE ENGINE WARMED UP, THE PROBLEM SUBSIDED SO I HEADED HOME. AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE CAR STALLED MOMENTARILY. THANKFULLY, NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, THOUGH I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN REAR-ENDED. AFTER MANY HOURS SPENT WITH MY MECHANIC, OUR SELLING TOYOTA DEALER, AND A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE ECU MODULE IN THE...

MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV-4 BEGAN HAVING GEAR SHIFT PROBLEMS ABOUT JANUARY 10, 2010. IT BUMPED, LURCHED, BURPED GOING INTO 2ND, 3RD AND 4TH GEARS. I TOOK IT TO MY REGULAR SERVICE DEALER AND THEY CHECKED IT OVER, THEY DRAINED AND REPLACED THE FLUID, PAN GASKET & FILTER. WHILE DRIVING IT HOME IT BEGAN THE GEAR PROBLEM AGAIN. I THEN TOOK IT TO A RECOMMENDED TRANSMISSION SHOP. THEY RECONDITIONED THE TRANSMISSION. IT WAS OK FOR A FEW DAYS; TOOK IT BACK; MORE WORK DONE AS PART OF TRANSMISSION WARRANTY. STILL NOT FIXED. BIG PROBLEMS SHIFTING INTO SECOND AND THIRD GEARS MOST OF THE TIME. *TR