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
314 reports, newest first.
Visibility, Aug 4, 2001
NO SUMMARY LISTERD FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Air bags, Jun 22, 2001, crash
AIRBAG DID NOT OPEN, DURING THIS ACCIDENT THERE WERE 3 DEATHS.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 30, 2001
BRAKES SQUEAL WHEN STOPPING. REPLACED ROTORS, PADS. STILL NOT CORRECTED. *AK
Air bags, Structure, May 21, 2001
CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE UP AND AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING ALL NIGHT. DOOR AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED ONCE VEHICLE HAD STARTED UP. CONSUMER WAS PINNED TO SEAT AND COULDN'T GET OUT FOR A FEW SECONDS. DEALER INSPECTED AIRBAGS AND COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. AN AIRBAG SPECIALIST LOOKED AT VEHICLE TO DETERMINE FAULT. *AK *SLC
Power train, May 19, 2001
THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS SLOWLY, POPS INTO REVERSE WHILE IN THE CAR WASH AND THE RPM GAUGE SHOWS HIGH RPM'S WHEN ACCELERATING IN THIRD GEAR. NLM
Seat belts, May 16, 2001, crash
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE CROSSED INTO CONSUMER'S PATH WHICH RESULTED IN FRONT END OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COLLIDING WITH OTHER VEHICLE. PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO REMAIN LOCKED INTO BUCKLE, WHICH ALLOWED RESTRAINT BELT TO COME LOOSE. PASSENGER WAS THROWN AGAINST REAR VIEW MIRROR AS A RESULT OF RESTRAINT BELT RELEASING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
Structure, Apr 22, 2001
VIBRATION/RATTLE AT ALL SPEEDS FROM WINDSHIELD AREA OF VEHICLE. APPEARS TO BE FROM PLASTIC COWLING AROUND WINDSHIELD AND WIPERS. MAY BE DUE TO IMPROPER MOUNTING OF EITHER WINDSHIELD OR COWLING. MAY INTERFER WITH WIPER ACTION.*AK
Other or unspecified, Apr 16, 2001
THE SQUEEZING / RATTLING TYPE OF NOISE AT DASH / INSTRUMENT AREA. I TOOK MY CAR TO MAITA TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER FOR MORE THEN 6 TIMES AND THEY COULDN'T GET IT DONE RIGHT.I AM AWARE OF MANY OF 01 RAV4S HAVE THIS KIND OF PROBLEM.*AK
Steering, Apr 9, 2001
STEERING PROBLEMS; WHILE TRAVLING 45 MPH STEERING JERKED TO RIGHT SIDE, AND SHE COULD NOT GET BACK IN PLACE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Feb 23, 2001
CONSUMER'S FOOT SLIPPED OFF BRAKE PEDAL ONTO THROTTLE AND ALMOST RAN INTO SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. BRAKE PEDAL WAS TOO SMALL. MANUFACTURER HAD NO PLANS OF CHANGING DESIGN. *AK
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.
Visibility, Jan 22, 2001
THE WINDSHIELD AND REAR-VIEW MIRROR ARE NOT SET INTO THE WINDOW FRAME CAUSING VIBRATION AT ANY SPEED AND MAKING IT HARD TO SEE OUT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. *AK
Tires, Dec 22, 2000
TIRE IS LOW-PROFILE DESIGN STANDARD ON PRIUS. EXPLOSIVE SEPARATION OCCURRED ON DRY ROADWAY WITHOUT DEBRIS. OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 78 DEGREES. THANK GOODNESS THAT THE TIRE WAS ON THE REAR. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO INITIATE A CONTROLLED STOP FROM THE NUMBER ONE LANE TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. THE SEPARATION CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT REAR QUARTER-PANEL, THE ALLOY RIM AND OF COURSE THE TIRE. BRIDGESTONE CUSTOMER CARE WAS CONTACTED AT 800-847-3272 AND I WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD SEND A CLAIM PACKAGE WITHIN 5 DAYS. THERE IS NO REFERENCE NUMBER ASSIGNED. THEY INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR REPAIRS. SERIAL NUMBER FOR ALL 4 TIRES IS: CHA3700. IT IS LIKELY THAT THIS LOT OF TIRES IS ON ALL OF THE PRIUS VEHICLES SITTING AT THE LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA STORAGE FACILITY. THE TIRE PRESSURE ON THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED THE DAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT AND ALL TIRES WERE INFLATED ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS. *AK (DOT NUMBER: EL9P TIRESIZE: P17565 R14)
Visibility, Nov 2, 2000
IS THE PLASTIC SUN ROOF SAFE? WILL IT SPLINTER IN A CRASH?*AK