2003 TOYOTA RAV4 Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

VEHICLE STARTED TO BEGIN TAKEOFF REALLY SLOW AND HESITANT, AND THEN SHIFT REALLY HARD WITH A JERKING MOTION INTO SECOND. NOT SAFE FOR TAKING OFF WITH TRAFFIC OR CROSSING INTERSECTIONS. VERY SCARY TO OPERATE. COULD RUIN TRANSMISSION, SHAFTS, AND OTHER PARTS. QUOTE FROM DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE ECM IS AROUND 1500+. THEN TRANSMISSION AROUND 3000+. I AM CURRENTLY DEALING WITH TOYOTA BACK AND FORTH ON GETTING REPAIR APPROVED. PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. ALL NECESSARY CALLS HAVE BEEN DONE UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND. THEY ARE NOT WARRANTING THIS CLAIM AT THIS TIME. *KB

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING TO THE GROCERY STORE WHEN HE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. SOON AFTER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. HE IMMEDIATELY TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. WE SOON DISCOVERED OUR 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4 HAS A DEFECTIVE ECM AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SEVERELY DAMAGED DUE TO THE ECM. IT COSTS OVER $5,000 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE ECM AND THE TRANSMISSION. WE ARE UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE WE FEEL IT IS DANGEROUS FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS. *TR

HI ABOUT MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV4, ITS SEEMS TO STALL AND SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING. FOR EXAPLE IT HAPPEN MORE THEN 5 TIME ON ME THIS MONTH7/1/2011, AND ALMOST GETTING BUMP IN REAR END. I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA DEALER, AND PAYING $100 FOR WHAT THEY COULD FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THIS MODEL SHOULD BE RECALL OR ACCIDENT WILL HAPPEN. *TT

I HAVE 2003 RAV4 WITH 70000 MILES, ALL OF SUDDEN THE GEAR STARTED JUMP AND JERK, I ASKED A DEALER HOW TO FIX IT, THE DEALER TOLD ME TO PAY $4000, THIS IS VERY BAD I HOPE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE EVERYBODY WITH RAV 4 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM..THIS IS SO BAD.. *TR

2003 TOYOTA RAV4. STARTED HAVING VAGUE PROBLEMS LAST YEAR WITH THE CAR NOT WANTING TO SHIFT AT THE APPROPRIATE TIMES. ON DEC 22, 2010 WE TOOK IT TO GREENTREE TOYOTA IN DANBURY CT AND THEY REPLACED AN ECU UNIT. IT SEEMED TO BE WORKING BETTER BUT NOT OPTIMAL. IT STARTED SHIFTING BAD AGAIN AND AT TIMES NOT WANTING TO SHIFT AT ALL SO WE RETURNED THE CAR TO MILTON RUBEN TOYOTA IN AUGUSTA GA ON 4/25/11. THESE SYMPTOMS ARE SPORADIC AND SOME DAYS IT RUNS BETTER THAN OTHERS. UPON DRIVING THE CAR THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS NOT ON AND THE CODES ARE FINE, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT THEY CAN NOT GET IT TO REPRODUCE ANY OF THE SYMPTOMS I AM COMPLAINING OF I.E. DIFFICULTY MERGING INTO TRAFFIC B/C IT WILL HARDLEY GO AT TIMES, UPON TAKING OFF ON AN INCLINE, AT...

HI, I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV-4. I HAVE EXPERIENCE SOME TROUBLES WITH WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE ECM AND TRANSMISSION. I HAVE BEEN IN EXTREMELY CLOSE CALLS FOR A MAJOR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONING WHILE ACCELERATING. THE ECM/TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTS OR ACCELERATES OUT OF SEQUENCE AND IT CAUSES THE ENTIRE VEHICLE TO ABRUPTLY JERK IN A FORWARD/BACKWARD MOTION. THE ESTIMATED COST FOR REPAIRS IS WELL ABOVE $4,000 DOLLARS FOR WHAT DOES NOT SEEM NORMAL FOR A VEHICLE THAT ONLY HAS 100K MILES. IN AN ECONOMY LIKE THIS, IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO OBTAIN THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR REPAIRS. I TRUSTED TOYOTA FOR ITS RELIABILITY BUT AFTER THIS MY THOUGHTS HAVE CHANGED. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED TO BE DEALING WITH THIS FRUSTRATING ISSUE. I HAVE READ MANY MORE COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE ON EDMUNDS.COM UNDER COSTUMER REVIEWS. I WISH THAT TOYOTA RECALLS...

IN OCTOBER, 2010 MY 2003 RAV4 STARTED ACTING SLUGGISH AND SHIFTING POORLY. IT WOULD ALMOST STALL OUT IN TRAFFIC AND SEVERAL TIMES I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD BALK SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. I TOOK IT TO ARLINGTON TOYOTA IN PALATINE, ILLINOIS. THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. IN JANUARY, 2011 THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE. THE DEALER REFLASHED THE ECM MODULE WHICH CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION. THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE. THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD NEED A NEW ECM .COST $1400. MILEAGE OUT OF WARRANTY SO IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED. THEY CONTACTED TOYOTA REGIONAL WHO ALSO SAID THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER RELATIONS BUT THEY ALSO SAID EVEN THOUGH I HAD RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE, THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE COST. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH HE ENGAGED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND IT TOOK A FEW SECONDS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE ECM CARD NEEDED REPROGRAMMING. THE FAILURE STARTED IN JUNE 2009. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 73,000. UPDATED 2/28/11 *CN UPDATED 03/07/11

I WAS RECENTLY WARNED THAT MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 HAD MANY, MANY TRANSMISSION COMPLAINTS. NOT 2 DAYS LATER, MY RAV BEGAN SHOWING SIGNS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ON THE INTERNET TO FIND THAT THERE WERE AN UNUSUALLY LARGE NUMBER OF OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS, BUT FOUND NO RELIEF WITH TOYOTA. AFTER TAKING MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYZING, I WAS INFORMED IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION TO THE TUNE OF ALMOST $4,000. THIS IS ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY ONLY ME AND HAD PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE DONE REGULARLY. *TR

TOYOTA RAV4 2003, TRANSMISSION ISSUE, DURING DRIVING, THE CAR SOMETIMES SLOWDOWN, IN HIGHWAY, DURING DRIVING TIME, THE CAR SUDDEN SLOWDOWN, JUST LIKE DEEP STEP ON THE BRAKE PAD. IT IS HAPPEN ALL THE TIME DURING DRIVING. *TR

2003 TOYOTA RAV4 AT 90,000 MILES THE VEHICLE SHOWED SIGNS OF AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION OR COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION, SYMPTOMS INCLUDE ROUGH SHIFTING AND DELAYED ENGAGEMENT (3-9 SECONDS) OF THE DRIVE TRAIN ON ACCELERATION. *TR

MY WIFE'S' 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 JUST STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WE TOOK IT IMMEDIATELY TO A REPAIR SHOP. ON THE WAY THERE WERE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING WHICH WAS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS DURING THE ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION IN INTERSECTIONS. THE DEALER REPAIR SHOP SAID THE COMPUTER AND TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME A SERVICE BULLETINS HAD GONE OUT, BUT THAT OUR PARTICULAR VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE BULLETIN, EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS HAS BEEN WIDELY NOTED AND RECOGNIZED BY TOYOTA. *TR

TOYOTA RAV4 2003 HAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS IS COMMON WITH THIS CAR SO I DID SOME RESEARCH AND QUICKLY FOUND THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER ASKING THE CAR TO SHIFT TO FIRST AND SECOND GEAR AT THE SAME TIME. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN THEN RAPIDLY ACCELERATE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS; THE GEARS WOULD SLIP AT TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS MOST LIKELY THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE; NO CODES WERE PRODUCED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 89,800.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND THEN RAPIDLY ACCELERATE AFTER THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE ECU AND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 83,000. UPDATED 11/05/10. *LJ UPDATED 02/03/11*LJ UPDATED 02/04/11*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. WHILE TRAVELING 10 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE YET THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT HAD THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 146,000.

I WAS ABOUT TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THE CAR DID NOT ACCELERATE. IT TERRIFIED ME BECAUSE THERE WAS A TRACTOR TRAILER TO MY LEFT THAT ALMOST HIT ME. AS I PRESSED HARDER ON THE PEDAL TO ACCELERATE THE CAR, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD REVVING SOUND, AND THE CAR STARTED TO JERK FORWARD, IN THE SENSE THAT THERE SEEMED TO BE TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE: SOMETIMES THE CAR ACCELERATED HARSHLY WHILE AT OTHER TIMES IT WAS LIKE IT WAS ON NEUTRAL. THIS OCCURRED WITH NO WARNING AT ALL, AS SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE, NOR WAS THERE ANY HINT THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD HAPPEN. THIS TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE OCCURS AT LOW SPEED, RIGHT AT THOSE CRUCIAL MOMENTS WHEN YOU NEED THE CAR TO ACCELERATE BECAUSE YOU ARE MERGING WITH TRAFFIC, OR ARE CROSSING AN INTERSECTION AFTER HAVING STOPPED...

I OWN A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH ONLY 63K MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR. WE TOOK IT TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP TO HAVE IT FIXED. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS TRYING TO INSTALL A REBUILT TRANSMISSION THAT THEY CONTACTED A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE YEAR AND MODEL TOYOTA I HAVE WAS KNOW TO HAVE A FAULTY COMPUTER THAT CAUSED TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IT WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DEEMED THE COMPUTER FAULTY AND FIXED THE CAR FREE OF CHARGE. ONCE THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP PUT IN THE NEW COMPUTER, THE TRANSMISSION STILL WOULDN'T WORK. IT IS BACK AT THE TRANSMISSION SHOP. I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR FOR OVER FOUR WEEKS. I AM NOW IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING TOYOTA TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. WHEN THE CONTACT DROVE OUT OF HER DRIVEWAY AT A SLOW SPEED THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING. THE DEALER CHANGED THE OIL, THE FUEL FILTER AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTED. THE DEALER LATER STATED THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT HER EXPENSE AND THAT IF THE ECM DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED FOR $5500.00. TOYOTA WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND STATED THAT SINCE THE WARRANTY WAS NOT VALID THEY COULD NOT OFFER HER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 123,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 124,600.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. WHEN THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO REVERSE GEAR, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS NO LONGER VALID; THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR REPAIR COST. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

TRANSMISSION PROBLEM ON A 2003 RAV4 4 WHEEL DRIVE. IT STARTED AT 100,456 MILES. NEVER HAD PROBLEM WITH THE CAR BEFORE. IT STARTED TO OCCUR ONCE IN A WHILE IN FIRST GEAR, THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, GOT IT CHECK. CAME UP CODE PO755. NOW IS OCCURRING MORE OFTEN. LIGHT GOES OFF AND AFTER A COUPLE OF DAY GOES ON AGAIN. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA. THEY SAID IT NEEDS A REMANUFACTURE TRANSMISSION AND THEY NEED TO CHANGE THE ECM. COST 5,995 THEY TOLD ME I'M BETTER OFF TRADING THE CAR. *TR

CAR JERKS, HARSH SHIFTING, STAYS STUCK IN GEAR, WILL NOT GO BACK INTO FIRST GEAR. HAVE DONE OIL CHANGE, TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSH, LEFT AND RIGHT 02 SENSORS, STILL SHIFTING HARSH CONDITIONS, FEELS VERY UNSAFE. *TR

NO WARNING WHEN TRANSMISSION SLIPPED FROM STOPPED TO FIRST. WOULD JERK THEN BE FINE. DROVE APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING WITH HAZARD LIGHTS ON. TOOK TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP & WAS QUOTED $3,200 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. NO MENTION OF THE ECM BEING THE CAUSE OR NEEDING REPAIRED. WILL HAVE TO TRADE IN. FAILURE 110,000. *TR

CAR SUDDENLY STARTED HAVING SHIFTING PROBLEM, HESITATES FROM A START, VERY JERKY, THEN DIFFICULTY SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND AFTER TWENTY SECONDS OF THE VEHICLE MAINTAINING 25 MPH, IT ACCELERATED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONNECTION FROM THE ENGINE BLOCK TO THE BODY EXHIBITED A BROKEN ELECTRICAL GROUND CONNECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT NO COST TO THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE DEALER THEN ADVISED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 68,000. UPDATED 10/27/10. *LJ

RAV4 TRANSMISSION SLIPS, JERKS AND SLAMS INTO GEAR. VERY UNSETTLING AND UNSAFE. NO "CHECK" LIGHT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY GAVE A LAME EXCUSE ABOUT MY HUSBAND DRIVING IT AND CONFUSING THE COMPUTER. SYMPTOMS NEVER STOPPED SO I TOOK IT TO A TRUSTED INDEPENDENT SHOP AND AM HAVING TO PAY $4000 FOR REPAIRS. TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND EVEN ISSUED A TSB ON IT. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT ONLY COVERS UP TO 80K MILES. PLEASE LEAN ON THEM TO MAKE THIS RIGHT! *TR

MY TOYOTA RAV4 2003 HAS 85,200 MILES AND TRANSMISSION IS GIVING ME A LOT OF PROBLEMS. IT'S JERKING THE FIRST AND SECOND SPEED AND WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER(FINDLAY TOYOTA) THEY TOLD ME THERE IS NO WARRANTY SO I HAVE TO SPEND $1,600 BUYING A NEW COMPUTER AND IF THE PROBLEM PERSIST I WILL HAVE TO SPEND MONEY FIXING THE TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A BULLETIN FROM TOYOTA ABOUT THIS FAILS(RAV4 2001-2003) BUT WAS SENT TO DEALERS AND NO TO OWNERS. *TR

MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 IS SLIPPING, BUCKING, AND DRAGGING: TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, JUST LIKE ALL THE REST! WHAT MORE IS THERE TO SAY? BESIDES THE FACT THAT I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT WITH MY 6 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER IN THERE, AND I HAVE NO MONEY TO HAVE IT FIXED! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TROUBLE SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR AND WOULD ABRUPTLY JERK WHEN DOING SO. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE PERSISTED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 101,000.

MY 2003 RAV4, SUDDENLY BEGAN HAVING INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS - THE TRANSMISSION STICKS IN FIRST GEAR THEN BANGS INTO SECOND; JERKING SPORADICALLY - NOT MOVING, THEN LUNGING FORWARD. IT IS DANGEROUS. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MY TOYOTA AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS IT. $3,500. MY CAR HAS JUST OVER 100,000 MILES. IT IS "YOUNG. I LOOKED ONLINE AND IT TURNS OUT THAT THE NEW YORK TIMES DID AN ARTICLE IN AUGUST 2009. TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THIS SINCE 2006. THE ARTICLE MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT A "BULLETIN" THAT SAID THEY WOULD REPAIR THE PROBLEM UP TO 80,000 MILES AND 8 YEARS. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED AND NOW MY CAR IS UNDER THE YEARS AND OVER THE MILES. AT CARCOMPLAINTS.COM I FOUND A LOT OF OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS. MOST OF THE MILEAGE IS OVER...

DRIVING MY RAV 4 2003 WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT HAD NO POWER STRUGGLED TO SHIFT IT FELT LIKE I WAS RIDING A BULL. IT IS VERY SCARY. WHEN YOU HAVE NO POWER AND NEED TO ACCELERATE AT A LIGHT. PLEASE PROTECT THE PEOPLE. FORCE TOYOTA TO SO A RECALL. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. DO NOT WAIT TILL SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED. I AM NOW HAVING TO REPLACE A TRANSMISSION AND COMPUTER.$3300. MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP SO I DO NOT HAVE THE VIN# PLUS WHEN YOU TAKE IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. IT DOES NOT SHOW ON THE COMPUTER THAT IT IS THE TRANSMISSION OR THE ECU. *TR

VEHICLE JERKS, SOMETIMES FAILS TO ACCELERATE OR IT WILL SUDDENLY SLOW DOWN WHILE IN MOTION AND THEN SUDDENLY SURGES FORWARD. IT IS REALLY A SCARY SITUATION EVERYTIME IT HAPPENS. *TR

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 TRANSMISSION JERKS AND CHANGE GEARS FOR NO REASON ALL THE TIME VERY DANGEROUS! ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT HAS 91K MILES NOT REPAIRED YET (WAITING TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT A RECALL FOR THE PROBLEM) IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR RAV4. *TR

ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR AWHILE. I SPENT 1400 TO GET IT FIXED LAST YEAR SO THAT I CAN PASS EMISSION BUT STILL FAILED AND HAD TO GET A WAIVER. ON DECEMBER OF 2009, A FRIEND OF MINE AND I WAS DRIVING AND IT STARTED TO LOSE ITS POWER AND STARTED JERKING. WE IMMEDIATELY PARKED THE CAR AND TURNED IT OFF. WE WAITED A LITTLE WHILE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET HELP SOMEWHERE BUT WE WERE IN A PLACE WHERE WE CAN'T GET ANY CELL SIGNAL SO WE DECIDED TO TURN THE CAR BACK ON AND AT LEAST TRY TO DRIVE TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN GET SIGNAL. CAR DROVE OK THAT DAY BUT SINCE THEN HAD JERKING OR SHIFTING PROBLEM SEVERAL HOURS AFTER FIRST USED IN THE DAY. I HAD THE ECU CHANGED THIS YEAR AND IT COST 1500. IT DRIVES BETTER NOW BUT NOW THE...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. WHILE RETURNING TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALERSHIP, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLLED THE TRANSMISSION ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; THE COMPUTER WAS ALSO REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THE CONTACT DID NOT FEEL THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AFTER SEVEN YEARS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,911.

I PURCHASED MY TOYOTA RAV 4 2003 ON OCTOBER 2007 WITH ABOUT 58,000 MILES. ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO MY CAR STARTED JERKING WHILE CHANGING GEARS. I HAD MY CAR PARKED AND WHEN I WANTED TO MOVE IT WAS MAKING A WEIRD NOISE AND MAKING A JUMP. AT RED LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS CAR WOULD NOT MOVE IF I PRESS THE GAS. NOISE BEGAN TO BE LOUDER AND WHEN DRIVING IN HIGHWAY IT WAS NOT CHANGING GEARS. CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AT TIMES EVEN IF IT WAS ON DRIVING. PROBLEMS BECAME MORE SEVERE. I TOOK IT TO SERVICE AND WAS INFORMED THAT I NEED A NEW COMPUTER TRANSMISSION AND THE COST WILL BE AROUND $1400+TAX+PART AND LABOR. I HAD BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT IS NOT COVERING ANY COSTS AT ALL. I HAD NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS. *TR

IN SEPTEMBER 2008, MY RAV4 SUDDENLY BEGAN HAVING SHIFTING PROBLEMS. I PULLED OUT OF A SHOPPING CENTER AND IN THE MIDDLE OF STREET THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. IT WAS A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE AS OTHER VEHICLES WARE APPROACHING AND AS I PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDDLE NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR JUST IDLED HIGH THEN IT JOLTED INTO GEAR. I TOOK IT TO AAMCO THE NEXT DAY. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY AAMCO, THEY PROVIDED ME WITH THE TSB TC002-06 ISSUED BY TOYOTA. AAMCO ADVISED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BEFORE THEY COULD DETERMINE IF IT WAS IN FACT THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, WHICH IT DID NEED A NEW ECM COMPUTER AS PER TC002-06. ALSO IN FEB 2009 I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ECM COOLANT TEMP SENSOR. MY RAV4 AT THE TIME HAD 80,300 MILES ON IT AND THE SLONE TOYOTA THAT I PURCHASED...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED WITHOUT A POWER RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY AFTER A FEW MOMENTS; HOWEVER, WHEN THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO ANOTHER GEAR POSITION THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHICH STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERN OF THE SAFETY ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

ON OCT. 5, 2002, I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 FROM STAR TOYOTA OF BAYSIDE INC. AS OF THIS WRITING, THE AUTOMOBILES MILEAGE IS ONLY 15, 782 MILES. ON JULY 13, 2009 (8 MONTHS AGO), I HAD TAKEN MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 FOR SERVICE IN REGARDS TO THE LIGHTING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CHECK ENGINE. ADDITIONALLY, I STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE ENGINE LIGHT TURNING ON, I HAD NOTICED THAT THE CAR WOULD STALL AS I HIT THE GAS PEDAL AFTER A RED LIGHT, AND THAT IT WOULD SURGE WITH FORCE ONCE IT ACCELERATED; IT FELT LIKE A REAR-ENDED COLLISION. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 12,894 MILES WHEN THE SUV WAS TAKEN IN FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. I WAS CHARGED $664.87 FOR A SENSOR AND A V-RIPPED BELT. LAST WEEK, ON MAR. 24, 2010 AT 15,757 MILES, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. THIS PROBLEM RECURRED FOR THE...

TRANSMISSION UNRESPONSIVE AT TIMES. HARD SHIFTING IN REVERSE. HESITATES AT 1ST GEAR...

MY PROBLEM IS WITH MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. RECENTLY I WAS DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO HAVE SOME PROBLEMS. FIRST, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AS I WOULD BE ENTERING TRAFFIC, FOR EXAMPLE, ON HIGHWAYS. A NUMBER OF TIMES IT WOULD START ACCELERATING AND THEN SLOW DOWN OR LOSE ACCELERATION, THIS CAUSED MANY ANXIOUS MOMENTS AS OFTEN A CAR/TRUCK WOULD BE COMING UP BEHIND ME. I WOULD TRY TO ACCELERATE AND STEP ON THE GAS AND THE CAR WOULD NOT REALLY MOVE UNTIL ALL OF A SUDDEN THE GEARS WOULD SHIFT AND THE CAR WOULD JUMP FORWARD AND SUDDENLY START MOVING. THIS WAS SCARY ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAD MY SON IN THE CAR. ALSO, THE CAR WOULD AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT GEARS, OR DROP GEARS WHILE DRIVING. I WOULD BE IN TRAFFIC AND WE WOULD BE MOVING ALONG WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR WOULD JUMP INTO...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLS WHILE IN PARK. ALSO WHILE DRIVING 25MPH THE VEHICLE DOES NOT PICK UP SPEED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT NOTICE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION FOR THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL AND MAKE AND FEELS THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 RAV4 ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO WHEN IT REFUSED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP AT A RED LIGHT, I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION(COASTING BASICALLY) WITH A LINE OF UNHAPPY TRAFFIC BEHIND ME BEFORE IT SLAMMED VIOLENTLY INTO HIGH GEAR AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH INTO THE OVERPASS WALLS. IT HAS SINCE THEN BEEN INTERMITTENT, BEING FINE FOR A DAY OR SO THEN DOING THE SAME THING, IN VARYING DEGREES OF SEVERITY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON, AND I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING IT IN TO TOYOTA FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THEY QUOTED ME $6800 TO REPLACE THE ECM COMPUTER AND THE TRANSMISSION. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED AND ONLY HAS 119,000 MILES. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS AND COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR OF TOYOTA THAT THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT FOR A WHILE NOW. I...

AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A STOP THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND THEN SPED UP QUICKLY AND I ALMOST HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT DID THAT ABOUT 4-8 TIMES BEFORE I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT TOYOTA WOULDN'T FIX IT, ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH AND TOYOTA'S RELUCTANCY TO RECALL THE VEHICLE. *TR

TRANSMISSION WAS BURNED UP BY A FAULTY ECM. *TR

1. JERKING TRANSMISSION AT LOW SPEED 2. LOSS OF POWER 3. DEALER REPLACED ECM TO TRANSMISSION (WARRANTY) IN ACCORDANCE WITH TSB. *TR

WE HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 THAT OBVIOUSLY HAS A DEFECTIVE PART AND SAFETY ISSUES. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FOR OUR TEENAGE DAUGHTER APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 YRS AGO FROM A DEALER AND IT HAD 74,000 MILES. THANKFULLY WE DID GET A EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT NOT ONE THAT WILL COVER THIS PROBLEM. THIS LAST NOVEMBER OUR DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND WAS STUCK GOING UP A HILL AS THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO THE RIGHT GEAR. SHE WAS STRANDED ON THE MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY UNTIL WE COULD COME GET HER. THANKFULLY SHE DID GET OFF THE ROAD, BUT IT SCARED US TO THINK THAT THIS CAR COULD OF DONE THIS IF SHE WAS AT A HIGH SPEED OR COULDN'T HAVE GOT OFF THE ROAD IN THE DARK MOUNTAIN TERRAIN. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL SHOP AND THEY CONCLUDED THAT IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. WE HAD ONLY...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. THE RPMS RAPIDLY BEGAN TO INCREASE. WHENEVER SHIFTING FROM SECOND GEAR TO THIRD GEAR RANGE THERE WAS A JERKING SENSATION. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE IN OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD BE POSSIBLY RELATED TO THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECU). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

CAR WOULDN'T SHIFT PROPERLY. TOYOTA DEALER SAID I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE SOLENOID. AFTER INTERNET SEARCHING THE PROBLEM, I ASKED THAT THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP REPLACE THE COMPUTER (MUCH LESS COSTLY) AND THE CAR STARTED WORKING AGAIN. AN INTERNAL MEMO TO DEALERS STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE MAKE/MODEL BUT THE LOCAL DEALER DID NOT MENTION SUCH A MEMO. I ONLY FOUND IT AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE. *TR

TRANSMISSION ON 2003 RAV 4 (TOYOTA) DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY IT HESITATES AND DOES NOT MOVE THE AUTO WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED IT ALSO JUMPS AND SHIFTS GEARS ROUGHLY WHEN ACCELERATING THIS COULD WELL LEAD TO PROBLEMS AND POSSIBLE CRASHES ON FREEWAY RAMPS AND AT STOP LIGHTS AND SIGNS. *TR