2002 TOYOTA RAV4 Power Train 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...

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...

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

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.

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...

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

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/

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...

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$

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...

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...

WHEN TRAVELING THE TRANSMISSION IS SLAMMING INTO GEAR. IN 2012 THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT. THE LAW SUIT WAS WON AND RAV 4 OWNERS WHOM FILED WERE REIMBURSED FOR COST OF FIXING. TOYOTA ALSO AGREE TO EXTEND WARRANTY ON TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA FAILED TO INFORM OWNERS OF TOYOTA RAV 4 OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT OWNED THIS RAV 4 FOR LONG BUT FEEL IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. PLEASE ADVISE IF WE CAN EXTEND CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT OR ADD THIS TO THE RECALL LIST AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THANK YOU *TR

I PURCHASED THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP. ONE DAY WHILE I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK I ALMOST WRECKED BECAUSE THE DRIVE BELT GOT HUNG UP ON SOMETHING AND IT CHEWED UP MY DRIVE BELT. ALSO, I STARTED NOTICING EVERY TIME THAT I WANTED TO SPEED UP MY RAV4 WOULD HESITATE AND NOT GO IN GEAR. IF IT DID GO IN GEAR IT MADE A NOISE LIKE A GRINDING TYPE OF NOISE. I CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY DID NOTHING. I CALLED THE TOYOTA MOTOR USA AND TOLD THEM ABOUT MY PROBLEM AND I WAS TOLD THAT TOYOTA DOES NOT MANUFACTURE ANY DEFECTIVE VEHICLES AND THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. THE I READ WHERE THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON ALL 2001, 2002 AND 2003 RAV4 TOYOTA VEHICLES BECAUSE OF FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS. I THEN SENT A LETTER TO TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION USA AND AGAIN THEY...

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).

PURCHASED THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 FOR $6000 FROM A 'REPUTABLE' MECHANIC. HIS NEPHEW OWNED IT. MECHANIC DID ALL THE WORK ON IT WHILE IT WAS OWNED BY NEPHEW. NEPHEW OWNED IT FOR 2 YEARS. I PURCHASED IT IN MAY 2014. FEBRUARY 2015 THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THROUGH MUCH RESEARCH & DIGGING FOUND A RECALL ON IT. TOYOTA STATED THEY FIXED IT IN 2007. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOW 2001 - 2003 RAV4'S ARE A PIECES OF JUNK. THIS CAR WAS TAKEN IN FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER TO HAVE THE 'SHIFTING ISSUES' LOOKED AT IN MARCH 2012. SAID NEPHEW OWNED IT AT THAT TIME. NOONE CAN TELL ME THE MECHANIC & THE NEPHEW DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS GOING TO BE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. FEBRUARY 16, 2015 THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. HAD TOWED TO MY MECHANIC, WE WILL CALL HIM [XXX]. [XXX] SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION, HE...

TRANSMISSION SLIPS BETWEEN GEAR 3 AND 4. *TR

MY RAV4 STARTED HAVING ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I BROUGHT IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER IN ESCANABA, MICHIGAN AND THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A TRANSMISSION AND A BRAIN AND THE COST WAS OVER $4,000. I COULD NOT AFFORD AT THE TIME SO I WAITED A SHORT TIME BEFORE I COULD GET A LOAN TO REPAIR. AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED, IT STARTED ACTING UP AGAIN AND I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER IN ESCANABA AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE MOTOR THIS TIME AND I HAD DONE SOMETHING. IT WASN'T THE MOTOR. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED, THEY BROKE THE FLYWHEEL, BENT THE CRANKSHAFT AND THE TRANSMISSION PUMP WAS WELDED TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER REPAIRED FOR FREE THIS TIME. NOW, THE TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING IN TWO DIFFERENT AREAS. I HAVE HAD MONTHS WITHOUT A VEHICLE AND LOTS OF EXPENSES INCURRED. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN MY RAV4...

CAR SEEMED TO STRUGGLE GETTING TO 1ST GEAR THEN LURCHED INTO 4TH GEAR. STRUGGLED TO GET IT DRIVEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. ENDED UP BEING A FAILURE OF ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM), FAILED CODE PO 755. THIS WAS COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT OF A NHTSA ID#10037585 KNOWN PROBLEM THAT EXPIRED AFTER 10 YEARS FROM PURCHASE OR 150,000 MILES. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN 2003 FROM THE SAME DEALERSHIP THAT DID THE REPAIR. TOYOTA CORPORATE OFFICE WOULD NOT OFFER ANY HELP IN FIXING THIS KNOWN MALFUNCTION PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH MY MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 43,000 MILES. I FEEL A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN SOME WAY BY TOYOTA BEYOND THEIR STRINGENT TIME LIMITS. 1-9-2015 COST TO REPLACE ECM...$1,435....WITH NO GUARANTEES IT DID NOT RUIN THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

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

MY DAUGHTER PURCHASED A USED 2002 RAV4 AS HER FIRST CAR IN 2010. IT HAD ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITHIN MONTHS OF PURCHASING. SHE ALSO HAD TRANSMISSION ISSUES WHERE IT WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR OR IT WOULD ACT SLUGGISH WHILE DRIVING ON THE CALIFORNIA FREEWAYS. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY FOR A YOUNG DRIVER. WE LEARNED OF THE CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR THIS ISSUE AND GOT ON BOARD WITH IT. UNFORTUNATELY WE LOST, AS WE KNEW WE WOULD, SINCE TOYOTA DOES NOT WANT TO STAND BEHIND ITS WARRANTIES OR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS. WE PAID FOR A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT SO SHE COULD SAFELY DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AND THE TSB CLEARLY STATES THAT ANY PRIOR OUT-OF-POCKET REPAIRS RELATED TO THIS ISSUE WOULD BE REIMBURSED. EVEN THOUGH WE EVENTUALLY HAD THE ECM AND TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT THEIR EXPENSE, SHE WAS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE PRIOR WORK DONE BUT WAS NOT. WE...

I PURCHASED MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 SUV IN AUGUST OF 2002. EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE RAV4 SOMETHING HAS BEEN WRONG WITH IT. THE FIRST 3-MONTHS THAT I HAD THE RAV4 THE DRIVE BELT WAS CHEWED UP AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO WRECK. THE TRANSMISSION STARTED MAKING FUNNY NOISES LIKE A GRINDING SOUND AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT. SOMETIMES I WOULD JUST HAVE TO PULL OFF OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THE RAV4 TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT. I CALLED AND TALKED WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH MY RAV4. I FINALLY JUST PARKED IT BECAUSE MY WIFE WOULD NOT DRIVE IT AND I WOULD NOT DRIVE IT. TOYOTA WOULD NOT FIX MY VEHICLE NOR WOULD THE DEALERSHIP. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW SAID THAT HE WOULD TRY TO FIND A USED TRANSMISSION AND PUT IT IN MY NEW RAV4 SUV. THE USED TRANSMISSION WAS PURCHASED AT A CAR...

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT AND, WHILE ON THE "ON RAMP" TO THE INTERSTATE, THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM 2ND TO THIRD GEAR (IT'S AN AUTOMATIC TRANS). WITH THE ENGINE REVVING SHE LOOKED DOWN TO CHECK TO ASSURE IT WAS IN DRIVE ABOUT THE TIME IT LURCHED INTO 3RD, THEN SOON LURCHED INTO 4TH. COMING HOME SHE SHIFTED BETWEEN DRIVE AND NEUTRAL TO TRY TO MAINTAIN A SAFE SPEED, SAVE THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE, WHILE ALLOWING HER TO GET HOME. THE DEALERSHIP QUOTED $989 TO REPLACE THE ECM (COMPUTER), BUT COULDN'T ASSURE THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T LATER NEED TO BE REPLACED. TOYOTA CORPORATE WAS NOT HELPFUL. I HAD RECORDS FROM THE PREVIOUS CAR OWNER THAT TOYOTA ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO REPLACE THE ECM FOR 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES AS A RESULT OF A CLASS ACTION SUIT, "IF THEY FELT IT WAS WARRANTED." I ALSO HAD...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT TO REVERSE. THE CONTACT HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AND WAS ABLE TO CHANGE GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ECM AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 216,000.

GOING FROM A VERY SLOW SPEED OR FROM STOP IT HAS A HARD TIME GETTING OUT OF FIRST AND OR SECOND. I WILL JERK OR SHIFT VERY HARSHLY. SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE I'VE BEEN REARENDED. AS IT'S PICKING UP SPEED IN THE 15-25 MPH RANGE IT WILL START TO SLOW ON IT'S OWN WHEN I'M STILL GIVING IT GAS. IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S A RUBBERBAND IN THE TRANSMISSION STRETCHING AND AS IT GETS TIGHT IT'S SLOWING DOWN THEN IT WILL JUST RELEASE AND THEN COMES THE HARSH OR VIOLENT SHIFT. IF I CAN CATCH IT AT THE RIGHT TIME AND LET OFF THE GAS, THAT WILL MOST OF THE TIME NEGATE THE HARSHNESS. IT IS PROBABLY NOT SAFE TO BE DRIVING IT BUT I DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE AT THIS POINT. TOYOTA TOLD ME IT MAY NEED A NEW CHIP AT ABOUT $900 AND IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, IT...

I PURCHASED A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. SUV. AND WITHIN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF OWNING IT, MY DRIVE BELT BROKE AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO WRECK AND HIT THREE OTHER VEHICLES. I HAD MY NEW CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE DRIVE BELT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY.A FEW MONTHS LATER I NOTICED THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS MAKING A WEIRD GRINDING SOUND AND WAS HARD TO SHIFT. SOMETIMES THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT AND IT WOULD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THIS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO WRECK VIA HITTING OTHER VEHICLES OR OTHER VEHICLES HITTING ME. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM THAT THEY HAD SOLD ME A LEMON AND I WANTED TO KNOW IF THEY WOULD GIVE ME ANOTHER RAV4, THAT IS DEPENDABLE. THEY TOLD ME NO. I LET THE RAV 4...

I PURCHASED MY TOYOTA RAV4 IN AUGUST, 2002. ELEVEN MONTHS LATER WHILE DRIVING BY THE STATE CAPITAL I WAS GOING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN AND WHEN I DID, I ALMOST HIT THREE PARKED CARS BECAUSE THE MAIN DRIVE BELT HAD BROKEN. THIS DRIVE BELT CONTROLS ABOUT EVERYTHING TO DO WITH STEERING, AIR CONDITIONING AND ETC. I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE LABOR AND NEW BELT BECAUSE I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THIS. THEN I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE RAV4 TRANSMISSION. IT STARTED TO MAKE A GROWLING SOUNDS AND WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS CORRECTLY. SOME TIMES I HAD TO COMPLETELY STOP, BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT WORKING. THIS ALMOST CAUSED OTHER CARS TO HIT ME OR ME TO HIT OTHER CARS. I MADE SEVERAL...

TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN REVERSE - BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP - ECM AND TRANSMISSION REPLACED - SPENT $4,997.42 TO REPLACE. INVESTIGATION DONE NOW ON RECURRENCE SHOWED THIS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE AND TOYOTA WAS SUPPOSED TO NOTIFY US (WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED), AND REIMBURSE. THEY NOW REFUSE TO REIMBURSE NOR ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN. JULY 2014 SAME ISSUE -BUT WORSE RECURRING WITH REPLACEMENT ECM AND TRANSMISSION FROM DEALER. TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM WHEN CONTACTED. CONCERN THIS IS APPEARING VERY COMMON IN INTERNET SEARCHES THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

TRANSMISSION PARTIALLY AND ALSO COMPLETELY SLIPS IN REVERSE. ECM AND TRANSMISSION REPLACED FOR SAME ISSUE IN 2010. CONTACTED TOYOTA - CUSTOMER SERVICE REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM DESPITE BEING GIVEN INFORMATION ON THEIR CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT THAT WAS GRANTED FINAL APPROVAL ON JANUARY 6, 2012. I FEEL THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE IF THE MANUFACTURER (TOYOTA) IS NOT FOLLOWING THEIR AGREEMENT (MILLIGAN V. TOYOTA MOTOR SALES U.S.A., INC.). WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA OF THE ISSUE. *TR

I WAS BEGINNING TO PULL ONTO THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 75 IN VENICE, FLORIDA, WHEN THE CAR STARTED BUCKING UNCONTROLLABLY AND I COULD NOT GET UP TO SPEED TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. IT THEN JERKED INTO GEAR AND I WENT ON. IT SEEMED TO HAVE A PROBLEM SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR. IT SEEMED TO HAPPEN WHEN PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP LIGHT AS WELL. I TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP, WHO PUT HIS COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC ON IT. HE SAID THE COMPUTER WAS NOT SHOWING AS BAD, SO HE REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. I GOT THE CAR BACK AND IT STARTED DOING THE EXACT SAME THING! I TOOK IT BACK, HE REBUILT IT AGAIN, STILL WITH NO BAD COMPUTER CODES SHOWING. STILL NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY, EVEN THOUGH HE HAD REPLACED THE BURNED 3RD GEAR. I PAID $2200 FOR THIS. NOW IT NEEDS A $950 COMPUTER! IT IS A 2002 AND I READ...

SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE WEEK OF JUNE 2, 2014, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND OFF PERIODICALLY. I HAD MY MECHANIC CHECK THE CODES, BUT SHE FOUND NOTHING WRONG. ON JUNE 13, 2014 I WAS DRIVING N. ON HIGHWAY 101 NEAR REDWOOD CITY, CA. IT WAS ABOUT 6P.M. IN GOOD WEATHER; I WAS IN STOP-AND-GO COMMUTE TRAFFIC. I HAD SLOWED TO A STOP IN THE FAR LEFT LANE,OF 5 LANES, DUE TO SLOW TRAFFIC. WHEN TRAFFIC BEGAN TO MOVE AGAIN, I ACCELERATED AND THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO BE "SLIPPING"; I REVVED THE ENGINE,BUT THERE WAS NO POWER GOING TO THE WHEELS. THERE WERE MANY CARS BEHIND ME BLOWING THEIR HORNS. THEN THE CAR BEGAN TO "CLANK" AND "CHUG" AND IT SOUNDED LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WAS GRINDING. I TURNED ON MY EMERGENCY FLASHER LIGHTS AND PULLED VERY SLOWLY OVER TO THE SHOULDER ACROSS 5 LANES OF TRAFFIC! I HAD SEVERAL...

DEFECTIVE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM). AS A RESULT OF SENDING THE WRONG SIGNAL TO THE TRANSMISSION, IT GOT RUINED AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE ECM FOR THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4, I WAS NOT AWARE OF IT, OR I STILL DID NOT OWNED THE VEHICLE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING WEST ON NORTHGATE WAY TOWARD MERIDIAN AVENUE. THE CAR (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS AND ALMOST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION NEAR I5 NORTHBOUND ENTRANCE. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO MERIDIAN WAY AND TURN LEFT. I PULLED OVER TO THE CURB ON MERIDIAN WAY AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. I THEN RESTARTED THE CAR AND DROVE HOME TO WALLINGFORD (3 MILES) BY PACING THE CAR SO THAT I DID NOT HAVE TO INTERACT WITH OTHER VEHICLES. (THIS OCCURRED EARLY ON A SUNDAY MORNING SO TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT.) I WAS BARELY ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR UP MY DRIVEWAY - SHIFTING CONTINUED TO BE A PROBLEM SO THAT THE CAR STALLED AND DID NOT RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR. TOYOTA HAS A DOCUMENT THAT DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER I CANNOT ACCESS ANY ASSISTANCE FROM TOYOTA BECAUSE THE CAR HAS BEEN IN SERVICE GREATER THAN 10 YEARS....

WE BOUGHT THIS CAR OFF MY MOM (WHO WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAS TAKEN IMMACULATE CARE OF IT!) JUST TWO MONTHS AGO! OUT OF NOWHERE THE CAR STARTED TO EXPERIENCE "HARD SHIFTING". BECAUSE IT COULDN'T SHIFT LIKE IT SHOULD, IT WAS A ROAD HAZARD/SAFETY ISSUE! WE TOOK IT INTO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT VERY DAY. THEY TOLD US IT WAS THE ECM AND MAYBE EVEN THE TRANSMISSION! THE APPROX. COST WOULD BE $1,100 TO REPLACE THE ECM, AND THOUSANDS MORE IF IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE IT DONE BY TUESDAY (CHRISTMAS EVE.) I STARTED RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE THAT THIS CAR THAT HAD SUCH LOW MILES WOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM. WELL, I FOUND OUT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THE RAV4. TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT IT AND HAS NOT RECALLED THIS PART! THERE WAS EVEN A LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM, BUT THAT...

WHEN I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40MPH THE CAR WOULD LURCH, NOT ALL THE TIME, BUT EVERY SO OFTEN. WHEN I WAS BACKING UP THE CAR WOULD MAKE A CLUNKING NOISE. I TOOK MY CAR TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED WITH MY MECHANIC, IT WAS REPAIRED BUT THE LOCAL BUT HE SAID THAT IF THE COMPUTER PART OF THE TRANSMISSION ISN'T DEALT WITH, IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. I WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WITH THE RECALL PAPERWORK THAT MY MECHANIC PRINTED OUT FOR ME AND THEY SAID THAT 10 YEARS HAVE PASSED AND THEY WOULDN'T HONOR THE RECALL. *TR

ATTEMPTING TO ENTER HIGHWAY, CAR LOST POWER, EVENTUALLY KICKED IN, IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER. THEY SERVICED FUEL INJECTION, FUEL SYSTEM, SPARK PLUGS. FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION. 4 WEEKS FOLLOWING REPAIR, HESITATION HAPPENED AGAIN, THIS TIME CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, RETURNED TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION AND ECM UNIT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. GOING THROUGH ALL MY PREVIOUS SERVICE RECORDS, CAME ACROSS A SERVICE TICKET DATED 05/18/2012, SHOWING A SERVICE PERFORMED ON A FAULTY ECM UNIT. TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT NEVER INFORMED CONSUMERS THAT THE FAULTY UNITS COULD AFFECT THE TRANSMISSION, AND DRIVING ABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. I AM STUCK WITH A $5,000. REPAIR BILL, BUT I ALSO COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, HAD I BEEN MERGING ONTO A BUSIER HIGHWAY. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS FILED, BUT YET NO ACTION TAKEN BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ADMINISTRATION...WILL IT TAKE A LOSS OF...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY DECELERATED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND THE COMPUTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) MALFUNCTIONING, CAUSING HARD SHIFT CONDITIONS, TRANSMISSION DAMAGE, POSSIBLE ACCIDENTS AND INJURY.THIS PROBLEM IS AFFECTING UP TO 235,500 TOYOTA RAV 4 MODELS BETWEEN 2001-2003. MY EXPERIENCE IS TYPICAL OF THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS THAT CAN BE SEEN POSTED HERE; HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/RAV4/2002/TRANSMISSION/PROBLEMS_SHIFTING.SHTML TOYOTA NEEDS TO ISSUE A COMPLETE RECALL ON THE DEFECTIVE ECM UNITS AND COMPENSATE FOR LOSSES INCURRED. *TR

ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 WHILE DRIVING MY RAV 4 TO WORK , I EXPERIENCED A STRANGE BEHAVIOR , THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED MOVING AND I HAD TO PRESS ON GAS SEVERAL TIMES AND IT WOULD MOVE AS IF LIKE IT IS CHOKED , IN A MINUTE EVERYTHING WENT NORMAL AS IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, I WAS A LITTLE WORRIED BUT THEN AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 2 MILES AND STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT , THIS THING HAPPENS AGAIN AND WHEN I TRY TO PUSH ON GAS IT STARTED MOVING A LITTLE AND THEN THERE IS THIS "THUD" SOUND AS IF SOMETHING WAS HOLDING WHEELS OF MY RAV 4 FROM MOVING AND THEN SUDDENLY IT LET THE WHEELS RUN. I TOOK THE CAR TO TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER (TOYOTA SCION OF CONCORD) AND BEEN TOLD THAT MY CAR NEEDS A ECM TO BEGIN WITH AND THAT TOYOTA HAS A TSB OUT THERE AS...

TODAY MY TOYOTA RAV4 2002 BEGAN TO HAVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING ISSUES. IT HAS AN EXCESSIVE JERK WHEN SHIFTED FROM PARK TO REVERSE, IT IS SLOW TO SHIFT FROM 1 TO 2, AND IT JERKS LIKE I WAS REAR ENDED WHEN SHIFTING TO THE NEXT GEAR. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE ARE NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS ON MY CAR, THE ECM SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED BEFORE I PURCHASED IT USED. I ASKED IF THEY HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS MODEL AND YEAR AND I WAS TOLD "NO". THEY RECOMMENDED I BRING IT IN FOR A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK FOR $104 JUST TO CHECK IT OUT. AFTERWARDS I THOUGHT I WOULD CHECK THE NET. I FOUND NUMEROUS THREADS REGARDING THE 2001-3 ECM/TRANSMISSION ISSUE. IT APPEARS A NUMBER OF OWNERS HAVE SUBMITTED COMPLAINTS TO NHTSA. PLEASE ADD ME. THEY ARE IGNORING THIS ISSUE AND PRETENDING THEY DO...

ORIGINAL OWNER OF 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 AWD. WAS DRIVING HOME FROM A FRIEND'S HOUSE AND STOPPED OFF NEAR MY HOME FOR AN ERRAND. LEFT THE STORE, (CAR WAS RUNNING, FAMILY INSIDE) AND PROCEED TO DRIVE TOWARDS MY HOUSE. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING BUT THE CAR WAS BARELY MOVING. THE TACH WAS AT 4,000 AND I WAS BARELY GOING 5 MPH. SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR RACED FORWARD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID A REAR-END COLLISION. AFTER IT WAS SAFE TO MOVE, I STEPPED ON THE GAS AGAIN AND THE CAR SLUGGISHLY MOVED AT ABOUT 5MPH AGAIN. THE WHOLE RIDE HOME (LESS THAN 5 MINUTES) THE CAR WAS EITHER SLOW OR FAST WITHOUT MUCH PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR. UPON ARRIVING AT HOME AND TRYING TO PARALLEL PARK THE CAR, I NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLUGGISH AND MADE LOUD NOISE WHEN SHIFTED...

I JUST GOT A TOYOTA RAV 4 2002 AUTO AND WHEN DRIVING WITH FAMILY THE VEHICLE STARTED TO RUN SLUGGISH, JERKS WHEN PRESSING GAS, STARTS SLOW REAL SLOW AFTER COMING TO A STOP AND THIS SITUATION ALMOST GOT US INTO AN ACCIDENT IN US 81 NEAR FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA. ADDITIONALLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER TAKING VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC IT SHOWS A CODE P0755 AND READING ABOUT THE PROBLEM IS NOT A SOLENOID BUT IT IS ECM OR ECU MALFUNCTION THAT THE TOYOTAS RAV 2001-2003 ARE PRESENTING WHICH MAKES THE CAR SHOW A GHOST CODE NOT A TRANSMISSION CODE BUT RATHER A DEFECTIVE COMPUTER MALFUNCTION THAT CANNOT BE REPAIRED BUT REPLACED. TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND I DO NOT SEE TOYOTA ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY AND HAD PASSED THE COST TO VEHICLES OWNERS AND NOT A GENERAL RECALL TO BE FIXED AT MANUFACTURE EXPENSES. PLEASE RESEARCH AND MAKE...

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, ENGINE RACING, HARD SHIFT WITH A LOUD NOISE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, THERE WAS A DELAY BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD ENGAGE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE AND LUNGE FORWARD ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ECM WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,600.