2001 Toyota RAV4
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 314 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 12th highest complaint count among 26 RAV4 model years with reports.
Of the 2001 reports, 19 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 12 people were injured and 4 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: engine and engine cooling
27 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 9, 2001
I AM EXPERIENCING A 5 TO 10 SECOND DEAD SPOT IN THE ACCELERATION OF MY NEW RAV4 SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. BASED ON INTERNET WEB PAGE FORUM POSTINGS, I HAVE FOUND OTHER NEW RAV4 OWNERS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT SLUGGISH ACCLERATION IS THE RESULT OF A NEW EMMISIONS CONTROL COMPUTER. THIS IS BEYOND SLUGGISH, THE CAR BARELY MOVES. PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, ACCROSS STREETS AND INTERSECTIONS, I AM AT RISK AND NEVER KNOW IF THE CAR IS GOING TO MOVE OR NOT. A NEW EMMISIONS CONTROL COMPUTER HAS BEEN INSTALLED IN RAVS SINCE 4/01 SO THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE NEW. I'M NOT GETTING ANYWHERE WITH TOYOTA ON THIS, AND NEITHER ARE THE OTHER OWNERS THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM.
Engine and engine cooling, Other or unspecified, Feb 23, 2001
WITHIN ONE WEEK OF OWNERSHIP, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO BOG DOWN WHEN MAKING A TURN FROM A DEAD STOP. A DAY LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE PROBLEM WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION AND THE REPLY WAS THAT; "WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG, WHEN WE FIND OUT WE'LL LET YOU KNOW...UNTIL THEN, BE CAREFUL" THAT WAS OVER A MONTH AGO AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM THEM. I CALLED TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY STILL DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT WAS WRONG. THE VEHICLE IS UNPREDICTABLE WHEN TAKING OFF AND HAS ALREADY RESULTED IN A COUPLE OF CLOSE CALLS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. THE GENERAL ATTITUDE IS NONCHALANT AND NOBODY HAS MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO NOTIFY ME OF ANYTHING. FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP. ALL THE 2001 HIGHLANDERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.