2002 Toyota RAV4 complaints

NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. AT EVERY STOP LIGHT, IN DRIVE, CAR WOULD REV UP AS IF IN NEUTRAL, THEN SLAM INTO GEAR. DEALERSHIP REPLACED ECM AT COST OF $1200 TO ME. *TR

2002 RAV4 FAULTY ECM DAMAGED MY TRANSMISSION. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY DAUGHTER FOR COLLEGE AND IT RAN FINE FOR 3 YEARS UNTIL NOW. THE CAR STARTED JERKING (PULLING) WHEN ACCELERATING THE CAR. I DID MY RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE ECM. I FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER RAV4 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I DECIDED TO CALL TOYOTA AND OPENED A CASE NUMBER. A WEEK LATER I CALLED THEM BACK AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE WARRANTY NO LONGER COVER THIS. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT TOYOTA NEVER NOTIFIED CUSTOMERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM REPORTED ON BULLETIN TC002-06 DATED 3/3/06. I RECEIVED A RECALL FOR "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" BUT NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL TO REPLACE THE ECM. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID I HAVE TO REPLACE BOTH THE ECM AND THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WILL COST ME ABOUT $3000, WHICH I THINK THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF TOYOTA WOULD HAVE REPLACED THE ECM EARLIER. *TR

PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP, THE TRANSMISSION ACTED LIKE IT WAS SLIPPING AND WOULD NOT SPEED UP. I DROVE THE VEHICLE 1 MILE HOME, WITH SIMILAR SLIP/SHIFT ISSUES. IN ADDITION, WHEN I SHIFTED BETWEEN DRIVE AND REVERSE IN MY DRIVEWAY, THE TRANSMISSION HAS A HARD CLUNK. I HAD THE ECM REFURBISHED AT MY OWN EXPENSE, AND THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE MOSTLY GONE. I AM STILL CONCERNED ABOUT SLIGHTLY ERRATIC SHIFTING BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD, AND AM CONCERNED THAT THE TRANSMISSION MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. IF THIS PROBLEM WOULD HAVE OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHICH I DRIVE ROUTINELY, THERE WOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AT THE 75MPH SPEEDS THAT ARE NORMAL ON I15. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 THAT IS HAVING ACCELERATION SHIFTING PROBLEMS. READING ONLINE IT IS FROM A FAULTY ECU IN THE CAR WHICH IS CAUSING THE CAR TO SHIFT AT IMPROPER TIMES WHICH IS RUINING THE TRANSMISSION. THE PROBLEM COMES AND GOES- WHEN I BRING IT TO TOYOTA THEY CLAIM NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. ALSO LOOKING ON LINE THERE ARE MANY MORE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUE WITH THEIR RAV 4'S AS WELL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ECU BOARD FAILED ON THE VEHICLE AND THAT THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ECU BOARD NORMALLY FAILED AT 75 MILES ON HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. AFTER THE ECU FAILED THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LUNGE FORWARD WHEN IT SHIFTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000. UPDATED 05/10/10 *BF UPDATED 05/11/10. *JB

HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 THAT HAD TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN LATE NOVEMBER/EARLY DECEMBER 2009. ODOMETER AT 91,304 MILES. IN TRAFFIC, CAR STARTED BUCKING (LURCHING) FORWARD WITHOUT PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL. TOOK CAR FOR REPAIR WHERE IT NEEDED TO HAVE NEW COMPUTER INSTALLED AND VALVE BODY TRANSMISSION COMPONENT REPLACED AT COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2000. *TR

AN INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE CONDUCTED INTO THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE PROBLEM OF THE TOYOTA RAV4 2002 AND LATER MODELS. MINE RAV4 HAD A PROBLEM WITH THIS ISSUE AND I REPORTED TO TOYOTA COMPANY ABOUT THE ISSUE, BUT NO RECALL HAS TAKEN. I HAD DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT MANY OWNERS OF THIS TYPE OF VEHICLES HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. AS I HAVE EXPERIENCED, THE SLIPPAGE CAN CREATE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE TRAVELING ON THE ROAD. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. *TR

A NORMAL DRIVING DAY FOR OUR 2002 TOYOTA RAV4, MAYBE 30 MILES OF ERRANDS. THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE IN THE MORNING BUT WE WERE BARELY ABLE TO LIMP IT HOME BY THAT SAME AFTERNOON. OUR MECHANIC SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT, WHICH I FOUND HARD TO BELIEVE, SINCE THE CAR WAS ASYMPTOMATIC THAT MORNING. THE TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM MANY TIME BEFORE AND KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (PART # 89661-42820) CAN MALFUNCTION WITHOUT WARNING AND IN THE PROCESS DESTROY THE TRANSMISSION. HE HAD RECEIVED TSB# TC002-06 FROM TOYOTA DETAILING THE ISSUE, AND HAS REBUILT SEVERAL TRANSMISSION FOR THE SAME REASON. WE WERE STRONGLY ADVISED TO REPLACE THE ECM, A $1300 PART, OR OUR NEW TRANSMISSION WOULD LAST FOR ABOUT 30-50 MILES BEFORE COMING APART AGAIN. AFTER REBUILDING THE 2ND AND 3RD CLUTCHES AND REPLACING THE ECM, OUR BILL CAME TO ABOUT $3500. I REPORTED ALL OF THIS TO TOYOTA AND AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS TIME AND MUCH NEGOTIATION, THEY OFFERED ME A $1500 CUSTOMER RETENTION INCENTIVE, GOOD IF I BUY A NEW OR CERTIFIED USED TOYOTA IN THE NEXT 2 YEARS. THE ENTIRE PROCESS HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED WITH TOYOTA NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS UNDER FILE #0906113635. *TR

PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTING WAS DOING IT SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK - JERKED REAL HARD WHEN SHIFTING & WAS SLIPPING - WAS INITIALLY TOLD IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION AND/OR THE ECM NOW THEY TELL ME THE PROBLEM IS SUPPOSEDLY THE ECM. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT CAR NOW FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. INITIALLY AS I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED & I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY. FOUND ANOTHER MECHANIC & HAVE HAD SEVERAL OPINIONS. MY MECHANIC HAS SENT THE ECM TO A PLACE IN TEXAS THAT CAN REBUILD THE ECM FOR ABOUT HALF THE COST OF A NEW ONE HOWEVER NOW, THEY CAN'T GET PARTS FOR THE LAST MONTH TO REPAIR THE ECM BECAUSE OF THE RECALLS. THIS SHOULD ALSO BE A RECALL AS THERE ARE OVER 200 COMPLAINTS ON MY YEAR, MAKE & MODEL FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED ON JUST ONE WEBSITE. I AM SO FRUSTRATED - WHERE CAN I GO TO GET HELP FROM TOYOTA??? CAN YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THE ECM & TRANSMISSION ON THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4? THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE. *TR

AFTER HAVING AN OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM OF MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 ON 02/02/10, I NOTICED THAT MY CAR BEGAN ACCELERATING SLUGGISHLY. APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES AFTER THE SERVICE WAS PERFORMED, I NOTICED MY CAR JERKED WHEN SHIFTING THROUGH GEARS 1-3 AND THE TACHOMETER WOULD REV TO 3000 RPMS. THE CAR THEN RAN FINE FOR APP. 4 DAYS WITH NO GEAR SLIPPAGE. A WEEK LATER THE GEARS STARTED SLIPPING AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING AND THE CAR SEEMED TO HAVE NO POWER WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS FULLY ENGAGED DURING A RIGHT HAND TURN TO MERGE WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CAR THEN BUCKED VIOLENTLY. THIS RESULTED WITH MY PASSENGER AND I BECOMING ANXIOUS/SCARED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THE TRAFFIC COMING TOWARD US WOULD HAVE HIT US IF WE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE MY CAR HOME WHERE IT HAS REMAINED PARKED AND SET AN APPOINTMENT WITH A TOYOTA DEALER EXPLAINING THE PROBLEMS. ACCORDING TO SIMILAR STORIES FROM FELLOW RAV4 OWNERS, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE CAUSING IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. I AM TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT 'OFFICIALLY' DIAGNOSED ALTHOUGH IT ONLY CODES TO HAVE THE O2 SENSOR REPLACED, WHICH I DID. *TR

I BOUGHT A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 IN NOV 2001. SOMETIME IN NOV 2009, I WAS DRIVING ON I-25 SOUTHBOUND WHEN SUDDENLY THE TOYOTA DOWN SHIFTED GEARS AND SLOWED DOWN FROM ABOUT 65 MPHTO 45 MPH. AS I PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL, IT BEGAN TO UPSHIFT AND GAIN SPEED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS BEGINNING TO ACT UP AT LOWER SPEEDS ABOUT ONCE A WEEK AT TIMES MORE OFTEN. THE TOYOTA HAD ABOUT 86,000 MILES. AFTER DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, I DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM BEGAN ABOUT 35,000 MILES ON SOME TOYOTA. I CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT REPORTED THAT TOYOTA WOULD NOT OWN UP TO IT. GOOGLE SEARCH REPORTS REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO NHTSA AND SUGGESTED OTHERS TO REPORT THE PROBLEM. ONE REPORTED THAT HIS WIFE WAS ALMOST KILLED BY THE HIGHWAY INSTANT SPEED REDUCTION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. HE STATED THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO BE REPAIRED IN DECEMBER OF 2008 AND WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION BUT HE CONTINUED TO RECEIVE THE FAILURE CODE FOR THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE COMPUTER ECM FAILED AND WAS CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO DOWN SHIFT AND FAIL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE COMPUTER ECM AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE CODE WAS CORRECTED. THE TOTAL REPAIR COST WAS $4,400. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY WOULD NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

WAS DRIVING IN A 55 MILE HIGHWAY CAR FELT LIKE WAS DRIVING THROUGH SLUDGE. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THEN CAR STARED JERKING GOT TO SIDE OF ROAD AND HAD TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALER SHIP SAID THE TRANSMISSION CHIP WAS BAD COST AROUND $1300.. AND NEW TRANSMISSION ALTOGETHER WOULD COST ME $6000.*TR

TOYOTA ISSUED A SECRET BULLETIN ON 3/3/2006 (TC006-02), BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF 2001-2003 RAV4 VEHICLES REGARDING THEIR HARD SHIFTING, ECM PROBLEMS, AND TRANSMISSION FAILURES. DESPITE MY REPORTING THIS PROBLEM WITHIN WARRANTY PERIOD AT 54,000 MILES IN 2006, AND AGAIN IN 2007, TOYOTA CLAIMED UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. THEY ARE NOW CHARGING ME 1/2 THE COST OF A NEW TRANSMISSION AT APPROXIMATELY $2,000 INCLUDING THE COST OF FLUSHING THE OLD ONE AND DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH ON A LOCAL ROAD THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FROM 25 MPH TO 85 MPH. SHE QUICKLY MADE A LEFT TURN TO AVOID A COLLISION AND CRASHED INTO AN ISLAND AND A CEMENT RETAINING WALL. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DIDN'T GIVE HER A REPORT ON WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. SHE BROKE HER RIGHT ANKLE, AND HER LOWER BACK WAS INJURED. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS SUSTAINED A BROKEN LEFT HAND AND INJURIES TO THE NECK. THE OTHER PASSENGER RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE NECK. THE POLICE REPORT INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,000.

PURCHASED 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 NEW FROM TOYOTA DEALER IN OCTOBER 2001. EXPERIENCED HARD SHIFTING SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN TRAVELING UPHILL AND A HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS SHIFTING FINE. NOW THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND POSSIBLY THE COMPLETE TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA ISSUED A TSB IN 2008 BUT I WAS NEVER INFORMED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE THE CAR CAN STOP AT ANY TIME. *TR

TRANSMISSION SHIFT ERRATICALLY CAUSING THE CAR TO BUCK. 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE AT A STOP SIGN, UPON ACCELERATING THE RPM'S INCREASED RAPIDLY; YET, THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ACCELERATING UP TO ITS NORMAL SPEED WHICH FORCED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MPH. THE CONTACT WANTED A LOCAL MECHANIC TO DRAIN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID TO CONFIRM IF THE FLUID WAS THE CAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING GEARS. REMOVING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT THIS TIME; THEREFORE, SHE WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

ONE DAY OUT OF THE BLUE MY TRUCK HAD TROUBLE ACCELERATING EACH TIME I CAME TO A STOP, IT THEN ALTERNATE BETWEEN JERKING FORWARD AND HESITATING BEFORE IT ACTUALLY GOT GOING. I HAD TO TRY NOT TO HIT ANYTHING IN FRONT OF ME AND NOT GET HIT BY THE CAR BEHIND ME THINKING I'M TAKING OFF. I WAS TERRIFIED MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T ACCELERATE AND THEN DID THE HESITATING AND JERKING THING. WENT STRAIGHT TO MECHANIC, DIAGNOSTICS SHOWED POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION ISSUE. WHICH WOULD COST $4,200 NEW AND ABOUT $3K USED. DID ONLINE RESEARCH AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF SAME COMPLAINTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO REPLACE ECM BEFORE IT DID RUIN THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK THE CHANCE AND REPLACED THE ECM AND TRUCK IS RUNNING FINE NOW. I HAD CALLED MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHO TOLD ME MY WARRANTY WAS UP (5YRS/50K MILES - AND I AM AT 70K MILES). COULD NOT GET THRU TO TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS BECAUSE OF GAS PEDAL RECALL. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND RESEARCH SHOWS TOYOTA KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE 2006 AND HAS NOT DONE A RECALL. TOTAL COST: $1,300 FOR NEW ECM AND $300 FOR CAR RENTAL. *TR

MY TOYOTA 2002 RAV4 WITH ONLY 55,000 STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION AND I TOOK IT IN AS SOON AS PROBLEM STARTED AND WAS TOLD AT DEALERSHIP I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION AND INSTALL A REBUILT. THE REPAIR COST $3400 AND AFTER A DAY OF DRIVING I HAD TO TAKE CAR BACK TO DEALER AS IT WAS STILL NOT RUNNING RIGHT AND THEN I WAS TOLD THAT THE ECM NEEDED REPLACING WHICH THEY SAID THEY DID AT NO COST TO ME WHICH IS VERY HARD TO BELIEVE. I AM TOTALLY DISGUSTED THAT AFTER TAKING CARE OF MY CAR AND AT ONLY 55,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. ANOTHER DISTURBING ISSUE IS THAT TOYOTA ISSUED A BULLETIN REGARDING THIS PROBLEM BUT THE CONSUMER IS STILL STUCK WITH THE REPAIR WHICH IS VERY COSTLY. I ALSO ASKED THEM TO PLEASE RETURN MY OLD TRANSMISSION AND WAS TOLD THAT I COULD NOT HAVE IT. IF IT WAS REPLACED AND IT IS MY PROPERTY WHY COULD THEY NOT RETURN THE TRANSMISSION TO ME SO THAT I COULD BE SURE THAT IT WAS REPLACED. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR BACK AS IT WAS STILL NOT RUNNING RIGHT I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT THE CODES MEANT AND WHY THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING AND WAS TOLD THE HARNESS NEEDED TO ALSO BE REPLACED AND THEN THEY CHANGED THEIR STORY SAYING THAT THE PAINT FROM THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS TOO THICK AND THAT IS WHY THE CABLES WERE NOT MAKING THE CONNECTION. I TOOK MY CAR TO A TOYOTA DEALER FOR SERVICE AND THESE PEOPLE CLEARLY WERE GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND. I CALLED TOYOTA CORPORATION TO FILE A COMPLAINT AND THEY ONLY GAVE ME A 20% DISCO

MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 TRANSMISSION IS JERKING AT LOW SPEEDS. IT SEEMED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE JERKS WOULD BE PARTICULARLY STRONG WHEN GOING UP OR DOWNHILL. AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL DURING A COMPLETE STOP, THE CAR DOES NOT ROLL FORWARD NORMALLY EITHER. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE/ECM FAILURE ON 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4, ALMOST CAUSING ME TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAD TO SPEND OVER $4700 TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AND A NEW CONTROLLER INSTALLED. TOYOTA DEALER TOLD ME THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ECM CAUSING TRANSMISSION DAMAGE. THEN I RESEARCH IT ON THE INTERNET TO FIND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS. TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE WARNED OWNERS OF THE PROBLEM AND ALLOW OWNERS TO CHANGE THE ECM BEFORE RUINING THE TRANSMISSION AND ALMOST HAVING AN ACCIDENT. *TR

MY TOYOTA RAV4 (2002) WITH LESS THAN 90,000 MILES HAS BEEN SLIPPING AND IT HAS CAUSED ME TO BE IN SOME PRETTY RISKY SITUATIONS, SUCH AS NEARLY GETTING INTO A FATAL CAR ACCIDENT WHEN STOPPING AND TRYING TO PROCEED AGAIN AT STOP LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. APPARENTLY THE ECM IS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND INSTEAD OF THEM TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM AS A COMPANY, THEY ARE RECOMMENDING ME TO SPEND OVER 4,000 TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE FELL TO RESOLVE. IT HAS BECOME A FINANCIAL NIGHTMARE AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN MY HOUSE AND MY CAR BECAUSE I NEED BOTH! *TR

TOYOTA 2002 RAV4 TRANSMISSION JERKS, CAR DOESN'T RUN RIGHT, COMPUTER PROBLEM CAUSES TRANNY FAILURE. *TR

ABOUT A MONTH AFTER HAVING MY 90,000 TUNE UP AT MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER, I NOTICED MY TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING; FROM FIRST TO SECOND AND SECOND TO THIRD. IT STARTED INTERMITTENTLY AND THEN BECAME MORE FREQUENT TO THE POINT THAT I NEEDED IT TO BE INSPECTED. ON MY WAY TO THE DEALER MY CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION; CARS WERE HONKING AND I WAS THANKFUL NO ONE REAR-ENDED ME SINCE I WAS EXITING OFF A RAMP. AT THE DEALER THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE MY PROBLEM (DON'T KNOW HOW THEY COULDN'T ;EVERYONE DRIVING IN MY CAR NOTICED!) AND I DROVE IT AWAY WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS FOR ALMOST 2 WEEKS; THE SLIPPING STARTED AGAIN. THIS TIME MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER TAKING IT BACK FOR A SECOND INSPECTION THEY DETERMINED THAT MY ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1,200. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 2 WEEKS AND MY CAR IS WORKING GREAT AFTER THEY REPLACED THE ECM. WHAT UPSETS ME IS THE FACT THAT TOYOTA KNEW THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE ECMS. BACK IN 2006 I WAS NOTIFIED BY MY DEALERSHIP THAT MY ECM NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. I HAD MINE REPROGRAMMED BUT IT DIDN'T HELP. I JUST HOPE THAT NO ONE IS INJURED AS A RESULT OF THESE DEFECTIVE ECMS. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 RAV4. ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO, I NOTICED THAT WHEN I ACCELERATED, MY CAR HESITATED AND THEN JUMPED INTO GEAR. THE PROBLEM WORSENED, AND WHEN I TOOK IT TO BE LOOKED AT, THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE REPAIRS TO THE DAMAGED TRANSMISSION WOULD COST CLOSE TO $4,000. AFTER RESEARCHING TOYOTA RAV 4 + TRANSMISSIONS, I QUICKLY FOUND MANY SITES STATING THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR TOYOTA 2001 - 2004 RAV 4 TRANSMISSIONS, AND THAT THE PROBLEMS ARE DUE TO A FAULTY COMPUTER THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOW ABOUT FOR YEARS. *TR

TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED ON MY 2002 RAV4. 2 MECHANICS AND 1 TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST STATE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY OVERHAULED AND ECM IS BAD ALSO. CAR WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR AND HESITATES. *TR

ON THE EVENING OF DECEMBER 21, 2009, I WAS DRIVING OUR 2002 TOYOTA RAV4, EXITING A MAJOR SHOPPING CENTER, IN A LONG LINE OF VEHICLES AT A SLOW SPEED. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE STALLED (SOMETHING THAT NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE). I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND MOVED A FEW CAR LENGTHS, STILL IN A LONG LINE OF SLOW MOVING VEHICLES AND THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND WAS ABLE TO PROCEED HOME (ABOUT 10 MILES) WITHOUT FURTHER DIFFICULTY. THE NEXT DAY, DECEMBER 22, 2009, MY WIFE USED THE VEHICLE TO DO SOME SHOPPING. DURING HER TRIP SHE MADE 4 UNEVENTFUL STOPS AND RESTARTS. AT HER 5TH STOP, AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION (ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY) SHE STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT. SHE THEN PROCEEDED FROM THE RED LIGHT - BUT THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT AS SOON AS THE GEAR SHIFT WAS PUT INTO DRIVE, THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND MOVE THE CAR WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. MY WIFE WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WITH TRUCKS AND CARS PASSING AROUND HER WITH HORNS BLOWING. A PASSING MOTORIST ULTIMATELY CAME TO HER ASSISTANCE AND PUSHED THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE INTERSECTION TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY OUT OF POTENTIAL DANGER. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE LOCATION, I ALSO COULD NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE WOULD START, BUT ENGAGING ANY DRIVE POSITION (D, 2, 1, R) WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN. THE VEHICLE(WITH 88,000 MILES) WAS TOWED TO MY REPAIR SHOP. THE SHOP DIAGNOSED AN ECM/TRANSMISSION PROBLEM -

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 WITH 82K MILES ON IT. AT THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER, 2009, I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN TO JERK VIOLENTLY WHEN I ACCELERATED BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS. I HAD DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING CONTROL AND AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. SUBSEQUENTLY, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND LEARNED THAT I HAD A COMMON PROBLEM FOR 2002 RAV 4'S -- A FAULTY ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND LEARNED THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM IN 2001 AND 2002 RAV 4'S. TOYOTA IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. *TR

ONE DAY, OUT OF THE BLUE, MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 STARTED HAVING TROUBLE GETTING FULL POWER IN 1ST GEAR, AND OFTEN SLIPPED WHEN GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND, AND 2ND TO 3RD. SINCE THIS WAS SO SUDDEN, I OFTEN HAD TROUBLE GETTING UP TO SPEED WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS, BUT A FEW CLOSE CALLS. I HAD THE ECM (ENGINE CONTROL MODULE) REPLACED THE NEXT DAY BECAUSE MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THIS WAS A FAIRLY COMMON FAILURE FOR THE RAV4, AND TOYOTA HAD PUT OUT A TSB FOR THIS PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS WELL PAST THE MILEAGE NEEDED TO GET THIS DONE UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE SHIFTING THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 4 MPH. THEN WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO RAPIDLY ACCELERATE. EVENTUALLY HE WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE COMPUTER WAS OVERRIDING THE TRANSMISSION. A NEW COMPUTER WAS INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. ALL THE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE UNDER THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE OFFICE OF CONSUMERS AFFAIRS AND TO TOYOTA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 111400. UPDATED 02/18/10. *LJ UPDATED 03/04/10. *LJ

NO PROBLEMS WERE APPARENT UNTIL OVERNIGHT THE TRANSMISSION APPEARED TO BE SLIPPING. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CITED FAILING TRANSMISSION AS PROBABLE ISSUE. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP STATED THE ECM/ECU WAS FAILING. TURNS OUT ECM WAS DEFECTIVE IN THE MODEL YEAR OF THIS VEHICLE. TOYOTA' RESPONSE WAS TO "REPROGRAM/REFLASH" DEFECTIVE ECM. THIS ONLY POSTPONEDTHE FAILURE OF THE ECM. THE DEFECTIVE ECM WOULD SEND INCORRECT CODES TO THE TRANSMISSION STUTTERING OR HALTING SHIFTS THUS LEAVING THE VEHICLE EFFECTIVELY IN NEUTRAL. THIS STUTTERING/SLIPPING QUICKLY DESTROYS THE TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE OF THE ECM WOULD NOT ALLOW THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT WHICH PUT US IN DANGER OF BEING IN A REAR END COLLISION WHILE TRYING TO GET ONTO BUSY HIGHWAYS OR STALLING IN AN INTERSECTION. THIS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE TRIP TO THE DEALERSHIP ALONE (THE VEHICLE WENT IN THE NEXT OPEN BUSINESS DAY AFTER THE FIRST OCCURRENCE). THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE FIRST THREE GEARS. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHICH WAS GIVEN AN INEFFECTIVE SOLUTION. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ECM AT A SIGNIFICANT COST TO THE CONSUMER. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE ECM, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ECM, ALTHOUGH AGREED TO BE DEFECTIVE, WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONSUMER AND NOT TOYOTA. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ALL OF SUDDEN WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE REGULAR TO WORK, WHEN CHECKED, THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR BAD ERROR CAME UP, THEN DROVE VEHICLE BACK HOME.WHILE DRIVING BACK GEAR STARTED SLIPPING, COULD NOT ABLE TO PICK UP SPEED. LATER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GONE AND VEHICLE STARTED WORKING FINE. NEXT DAY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS AGAIN ON. WHEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, TRANSMISSION BAD DIAGNOSTIC CAME. COSTING MORE THAN 3500. IT WAS HAZARDOUS DRIVE WHILE COMING BACK HOME AT A SUCH LOW MILES. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH 110,000 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION HAS JUST FAILED. WHAT A DANGEROUS SITUATION, DOESN'T WANT TO GO, SO YOU TAKE OFF FROM A STOP SIGN & YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC & THERE YOU SIT TRYING TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED & I DON'T HAVE $5000 TO REPAIR THIS. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. NICE *TR

IN MARCH 2006, TOYOTA SENT DEALERS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 002-06WARNING THEM THAT SOME CONSUMERS MIGHT COMPLAIN ABOUT HARSH SHIFTING. IT SAID IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE TO THE COMPUTER ?MANUFACTURING PROCESS TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS CONDITION OCCURRING.? IT THEN TOLD THE DEALERS TO REPLACE THE MODULE AND IF THAT DID NOT WORK TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. BUT CONSUMERS OWNING THE VEHICLES WERE NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT MY CAR IS DOING, I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS DEFECT WHEN I BOUGHT MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 USED IN NOV 2007 FROM TOYOTA OF BUTTE MT. AND OF COURSE IT ISN'T COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY OR RECALL NOW - ONLY UP TO 80,000 MILES BEFORE THE ECM STARTS TO MALFUNCTION. I WAS QUOTED THE FIX TO BE AROUND $900.00 AND THAT'S IF IT HASN'T CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY TRANSMISSION BY NOW. I'M A SINGLE WORKING MOM OF 3 KIDS ON A VERY LIMITED INCOME - I CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE THIS FIXED AND NOW I'M WITHOUT THE ONLY CAR MY FAMILY HAS BECAUSE DRIVING IT IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD WITH IT'S CURRENT PROBLEMS. AS I PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC THE CAR DECIDES TO NOT SHIFT (AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL) RIGHT IN THE PATH OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC - NICE JOB TOYOTA. I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE A COVERED RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED!!!!!!!! *TR

2002 TOYOTA, RAV4, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE CAR ONLY HAS 50,000MILES ON IT, I HAVE JUST RECENTLY HEARING ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH MANY OTHER TOYOTA RAV 4 OWNERS. *TR

CAR JERKS; HESITATES; DOES NOT GO INTO GEAR PROPERLY; REVS LOUDLY BUT STARTS LIKE IT'S BEING MOVED OFF IN THIRD GEAR. TOLD IT'S THE COMPUTER THAT IS BAD BUT IF IT DOES NOT GET FIXED AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPUTER, IT COULD BE THE TRANSMISSION. I AM ORDERING A REPLACEMENT COMPUTER BUT CANNOT AFFORD TO DO IT VIA THE DEALER BECAUSE THE INITIAL COST IS $1300. PROBLEM IS SIMILAR TO MANY LISTED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES - SPOKE TO TOYOTA 800-NUMBER: THEY CAN ONLY TAKE THE COMPLAINT AND GIVE A REFERENCE NUMBER BUT NOBODY WILL CONTACT ME. NO SUGGESTION OF A RECALL DESPITE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT CARS WITH EXACT PROBLEMS. I'M FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THERE IS NO CONSIDERATION OF A DISCOUNT BEING OFFERED, KNOWING THAT SO MANY CARS HAVE HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM. I FEEL THE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND TOYOTA SHOULD OFFER A GOOD-FAITH DISCOUNT, EVEN IF IT'S NOT THE FULL AMOUNT BEING REFUNDED BECAUSE CARS ARE OVER THE 80,000 MILE THRESHOLD, FOR SUCH SAFETY CONCERNS AS THIS. *TR

TOYOTA 2002 RAV4 PROBLEM WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HESITATING AND JERKING IN LOW GEARS. PROBLEM STARTED IN JULY 2009 AND WITHIN ONE WEEK WAS OCCURRING ALL THE TIME. RAV4 WAS WELL PAST ITS WARRANTY OF 50K OR 5 YEARS. OURISMAN CHANTILLY VIRGINIA TOYOTA DEALER SAID IT NEEDED NEW TRANSAXLE FOR $5,500. MILLER TOYOTA OF MANASSAS VIRGINIA REPLACED ECM MODULE WHICH WAS STILL UNDER EMISSIONS WARRANTY OF 80K OR 8 YEARS. THIS HAS CORRECTED THE PROBLEMS SO FAR. *TR

THIS COMPLAINT IS REGARDING THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 ABOUT A YEAR AGO I NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPING AND HAVING PROBLEMS CHANGING SHIFTS. I RESEARCHED AND FOUND A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING THAT IT WAS THE COMPUTER OF THE ENGINE WHICH WAS MESSING UP MY TRANSMISSION. I WENT AHEAD AND PAID AROUND $2000.00 TO HAVE THE COMPUTER CHANGED. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE OLD COMPUTER WHICH WAS PUT AT THE FACTORY HAD DAMAGED MY TRANSMISSION. IT RAN WELL FOR A WHILE BUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS BACK I WAS TURNING LEFT AND THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY STOPPED I WAS SCARED OUT OF MY MIND BECAUSE THERE WERE CARS COMING AT A HIGH SPEED I PUSHED THE GAS ABOUT 3 TIMES FOR IT TO JERK INTO GEAR. A LOT OF OTHER INCIDENTS LIKE THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITH THIS VEHICLE WHERE THE ENGINE JUST WONT REACT AND PLACE ME IN DANGEROUS SITUATION. NOW ITS EVEN WORST WHERE IT IS REALLY STAINING ITSELF TO AT LEAST GET TO 40MPH I'M GOING TO ONCE AGAIN HAVE TO TAKE IT TO A SHOP TO GET FIXED OR MAYBE TRADE IT IN ALL TOGETHER, BECAUSE IT'S A DANGER TO ME AND MY FAMILY. *TR

WHILE STARTING UP FROM A RED LIGHT, I FELT THE TRANS SLIP, THEN BANG INTO 2ND GEAR. IT WOULD CONTINUE TO BUCK AND SLIP, THAN WOULD CATCH AND RUN SMOOTH. I THOUGHT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO THE TRANS, ALTHOUGH I ONLY HAVE APPROX 48,000 MILES ON THE CAR. TURNED OUT TO BE A FAULTY ECM WHICH TOYOTA IS APPARENTLY AWARE OF AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I FELL THIS COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY BEEN DANGEROUS AND I VERY EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, BUT DID NOT REALLY DRIVE THE CAR AFTER THE INITIAL INCIDENT. *TR

AFTER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY TRANSMISSION I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE THAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA DEALERS IN MY AREA WOULD NOT OFFER ANY HELP OTHER THAN TO SAY THAT IT WILL COST ME ~$5,000 FOR NEW EMC AND NEW TRANSMISSION. FROM ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS SO FAR I WOULD GUESS THAT TOYOTA IS MAKING MORE MONEY ON REPLACING TRANSMISSIONS THEN THEY MAKE ON ACTUALLY SELLING THE CAR. THE EMC IS A WELL KNOW PROBLEM. NOW MY WIFE AND I ARE TAKING THE BUS TO WORK BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THIS CAR AS IT IS ABOVE THE 80,000 MILE WARRANTY. IT?S BAD ENOUGH THAT WE ALL HAVE THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT MAKES THINGS WORSE TO KNOW THAT TOYOTA INTENTIONALLY LEFT CONSUMERS IN THE DARK ABOUT THIS UNDERLINING PROBLEM. THEY CONVENIENTLY LET PEOPLE GO ON DRIVING THESE CARS WITH THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND HOPE THAT STATISTICALLY MOST OF US WILL DRIVE PAST THE 80,000 MILE WARRANTY LIMIT?.WHICH MANY OF US HAD. I GUESS THEIR STATISTICS DEPARTMENT MADE THEM SOME EXTRA BONUS MONEY. WELL, I?M TICKED OFF AND NO MORE TOYOTA FOR ME. I?M TAKING MY BUSINESS ELSE WARE AND I AM GOING TO TELL EVERYONE THAT I CAN WHAT I THINK OF TOYOTA. IT?S TOO BAD BECAUSE I USED TO THINK THAT IT WAS A GOOD CAR MANUFACTURE. NOW I KNOW THAT THEY DO NOT CARE AT ALL ABOUT US. THEY ARE TOO HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR MONEY AND LET YOU DRIVE A CAR THAT WILL EVENTUALLY NEED HUGE REPAIR COSTS, HOPEFULLY BY THEM. *TR

2002 TOYOTA RAV4 SHIFTING ERRATICALLY AND SLIPPING WHILE DRIVING. BEGAN LAST MONTH WITH ONLY 39K MILES ON CAR. BROUGHT TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED ECM UNDER WARRANTY BUT REFUSED TO ALSO REPLACE TRANSMISSION WHICH HAD BEEN DAMAGED DUE TO FAULTY ECM. (SEE TSB NUMBER:00206 NHTSA NUMBER:10019667). DEALER RETURNED VEHICLE. BUT TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP WORSE AND WORSE EACH DAY RIGHT AFTER. IT WAS NOW EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. WITHIN 1 WEEK THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 20MPH. MULTIPLE TIMES WE ALMOST HAD ACCIDENTS WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. CAR RETURNED TO DEALER FOR $300K+ REPAIR OF TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM SINCE AT LEAST 2006 AND TOYOTA HAS FAILED TO NOTIFY ANY CUSTOMERS. HUNDREDS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE PROBLEM BUT MANY UNSAFE CARS REMAIN ON THE ROAD TODAY AS A RESULT. SEE: HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/RAV4/2002/TRANSMISSION/JERKING_AND_HESITATING.SHTML. *TR

PROBLEM APPEARED WITHOUT WARNING. THE TRANSMISSION BECAME SLUGGISH AT LOW SPEEDS AND FROM A STOP AT STOP SIGNS AND STOP LIGHTS, CREATING A HAZARD OF BEING HIT BY OTHER VEHICLES IN INTERSECTIONS. ALSO A ROUGH SHIFT (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS, RESULTING IN SAME HAZARD AS ABOVE. THESE PROBLEMS MATCH TOYOTA'S TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TC0002-06, 3/3/2006. IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO DEALER SHOP, THEY REPLACED TRANSMISSION. PROBLEM PERSISTED!. SHOP REPLACED ECM, AND PROBLEM FIXED. TOYOTA HAD IMPLIED A PROBLEM EXISTED W/ ECM IN THE TSB BACK IN 2006. THEY FURTHER ADMITTED FAULT NOW BY PROVIDING VIA THE LOCAL DEALER A "ONE TIME GOOD WILL WARRANTY" ON THE ECM. I BELIEVE THAT IF TOYOTA HAD RECALLED THE ECMS OR EXTENDED THE WARRANTY BACK IN 2006 AND REPLACED MINE AT THAT TIME, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD MY TRANSMISSION REPLACED FOR $4126 PARTS AND LABOR. I ASSUME DEALER DISPOSED OF OLD ECM. *TR

RE: 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 - AT APPROXIMATELY 56,000 MILES, THIS VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION BEGAN ERRATIC BEHAVIOR, I.E, STALLING IN TRAFFIC, HESITATING AND UNPREDICTABLE SHIFTING. SAFETY WAS A MAIN CONCERN AS THE VEHICLE WAS STALLING DURING MERGING WITH FAST-MOVING TRAFFIC. TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED BY A TECHNICIAN AND A FACTORY REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE ECM WAS REPLACED AS WELL. *TR

NO WARNING WHATSOEVER BEFORE FAILURE AS WE TRIED TO PULL ONTO A 4 LANE HIGHWAY AND CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, MADE LOUD NOISES, JERKED AND SEEMED LIKE IT WOULD JUST STOP DEAD IN ITS TRACKS. HAPPENED EVERY TIME IT HAD TO SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR - AT STOP LIGHTS, DRIVING THRU TOWN, ETC. TOYOTA IS NOW AT DEALER TRYING TO SEE WHAT PROBLEM COULD BE. *TR

MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS 100,102 MILES ON IT AND STARTED TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, I.E. SLOWING DOWN WHILE DRIVING POSTED SPEED, NOT MOVING AFTER RED LIGHT TURNS GREEN AND THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO JUMP WHILE JUST DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. WE CALLED A RELIABLE TRANSMISSION REPAIR PLACE WHO INFORMED US THAT "TOYOTA RAV4S ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION AND IT'S NOT THE TRANSMISSION IT'S THE COMPUTER. TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP." WE TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER WHO REPLACED PART NUMBER 89661-42822 COMPUTER, ENGINE ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2009. THIS REPAIR COST US$1,504.00. MY VEHICLE SEEMED FINE FOR A WEEK AND THEN INTERMITTENTLY STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER (A-1 TOYOTA IN AMITY CONNECTICUT) ON OCTOBER 19, 2009 AND LEFT IT OVERNIGHT BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN FIRST THING, ON A COOL ENGINE AND IT DIDN'T DO IT FOR THEM. THEY TOLD US TO KEEP A RECORD OF IT, AND WHEN IT STARTS TO HAPPEN ON A MORE FREQUENT BASIS - WHEN THEY CAN EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM, BRING IT BACK. I FEEL I'M DRIVING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE AND THAT TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE THIS DANGEROUS, COMMON PROBLEM WITH THEIR VEHICLES. *TR

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

WITHOUT WARNING, THE TRANSMISSION ON MY RAV4 STARTED SHIFTING ERRATICALLY AND THEN IT STOPPED ALTOGETHER IN THE MIDDLE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC! I ALMOST HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. AS IT WAS ALL THERE WAS A MINOR DING. *TR

IN MID SEPTEMBER I STARTED TO NOTICE MY CAR REALLY HAVING TROUBLE PICKING UP SPEED ESPECIALLY WHEN STARTING OFF AFTER A COMPLETE STOP. OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS THE PROBLEM BECAME MUCH WORSE. THE CAR WOULD HESITATE TO CHANGE GEARS AND WHEN IT DID IT WOULD JERK REALLY HARD (IT SOUNDED LIKE THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR WAS GOING TO FALL OUT). I FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO WRECK SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT PICK UP TO SPEED AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WOULD JERK UPTO LIKE 40MPH. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED CONSISTENTLY GETTING WORSE AND WORSE EVERYDAY UNTIL I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE. I TOOK IT IN TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND THE SERVICE MAN TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT AND THAT MY CAR'S COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE I DISCOVERED THAT MANY OTHER RAV4 OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES. I JUST WONDER HOW MUCH TOYOTA CARES ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAVE NOT TOLD THE CONSUMER ABOUT IT NOR HAVE THEY MADE A RECALL ON THE COMPUTERS TO HELP WITH THE REPAIRS. I ENDED UP HAVING TO REBUILD MY TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE MY COMPUTER WHICH ENDED UP COSTING $5,000. *TR