2002 Toyota RAV4
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 555 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 26 RAV4 model years with reports.
Of the 2002 reports, 39 involved a crash and 15 involved a fire. 50 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
93 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Electrical system, Jan 14, 2010
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
Power train, Electrical system, Dec 18, 2009
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
Electrical system, Dec 3, 2009
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
Power train, Electrical system, Nov 4, 2009
APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS AGO I BEGAN NOTICING HESITATION, JERKING, AND SLIPPING COMING FROM WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE PROBLEM CONTINUED, I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL BIG TEN TIRES TO SEE WHAT THEY THOUGHT. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE ENGINE MOUNT. THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. I REALIZED THEN IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THAT SOLD ME THE VEHICLE,AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, BUT THEY TOLD ME TO LIVE WITH IT BECAUSE IT WAS INTERMITTENT! THEY DID NOT TELL ME IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT AT LEAST HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF 2001-2003 RAV 4 OWNERS ARE HAVING AS WE SPEAK, NAMELY, A DEFECTIVE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (SEE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE DATED 8/26/09). THE DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED ECM IS SENDING THE WRONG MESSAGES TO THE TRANSMISSION. THIS CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO MALFUNCTION. THIS PRESENTS TWO PROBLEMS: OVER TIME IT DESTROYS THE TRANSMISSION AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. ON TWO OCCASIONS I PULLED OUT IN TRAFFIC AND THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY (WITHOUT WARNING) REFUSED TO SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND. THIS HESITATION ALMOST CAUSED OTHER VEHICLES TO HIT ME. IT FINALLY "JERKED" INTO GEAR AND I WAS ABLE TO AVOID THE COLLISIONS. HAD IT NOT DONE SO, I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. IT IS AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE AT LEAST AS EARLY AS 2006 WHEN IT ISSUED A TSB TO IT DEALERS PERTAINING TO THIS EXACT PROBLEM. I AM GOING TO BE HONEST. I ALSO THINK IT IS A TRAVESTY THAT TOYOTA HAS NOT BEEN FORCED TO MAKE A RECALL. TO CONCLUDE THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE IS FLAT OUT WRONG. JUST BECAUSE IT DOES NOT OCCUR ON THE "OPEN HIGHWAY" IS, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, LUDICROUS. I CAN BE JUST AS SERIOUSLY INJURED IF MY CAR IS HIT BY SOMEONE GOING 40 MPH BECAUSE I CAN'T GET OUT OF THEIR WAY. NO PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND MAKE TOYOTA FIX THIS PROBLEM DO NOT LET THIS BECOME ANOTHER PINTO GAS TANK CASE. THANK YOU. *TR
Electrical system, Oct 22, 2009
MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 HAD ISSUES WITH THE ECU (COMPUTER) WHICH CONTROLS THE GEAR SHIFTING. THE SYMPTOMS ARE STALLING/PAUSING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND AND/OR 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. WHEN IT HAPPENS, PRESSING ON THE GAS HAS NO EFFECT - CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE. OCCURS QUITE FREQUENTLY AFTER THE PROBLEM SURFACES. ON 10/8, AS I WAS TAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO A MAIN ROAD, I HAD A STALL AND COULD NOT ACCELERATE. THERE WAS AN ONCOMING CAR THAT HAD ENOUGH TIME TO STOP AND DID NOT HIT ME. I HAD MY MOTHER AND 14 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER IN THE BACK. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ONLINE AND FOUND THIS SAME COMPLAINT FOR HUNDREDS OF RAV4 OWNERS. THE ECU (COMPUTER) FAILS AFTER SIGNIFICANT MILEAGE (I'M AT 135K), CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO BE AFFECTED. IF THE ECU REPAIR DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM, THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REBUILT. I HAD THE ECU RE-BUILT FOR $1,413 ($1200 FOR THE PART ALONE) AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE FIXED MY ISSUE. *TR
Electrical system, Oct 3, 2009
I HAVE A 2002 RAV 4 WITH 60K MILES AND THE ECM IS FAULTY AND IS CAUSING MY TRANSMISSION TO SLIP, FLARE UP, AND ALMOST GOT ME KILLED IN CAR ACCIDENT AD MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE IN TRAFFIC UNTIL IT FINALLY GRABBED AND WENT FORWARD. NOW, I HAVE TO SPEND $4000 TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION FIXED AT 60K MILES. I AM OUTRAGED THAT TOYOTA HAS NOT RECALLED THIS FAULTY COMPUTER ECM. IT'S DANGEROUS AND DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. I WILL BE CONTACTING AN ATTORNEY AS 1000'S OF OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND DISCUSS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. *TR
Electrical system, Sep 16, 2009
MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WHICH CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO GO BAD WHICH RESULTS IN THE CAR HESITATING AND JERKING WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY WILL ONLY FIX THIS FAULTY ECM IF THE CAR IN UNDER 80,000 MILES, MINE HAD 80,800. *TR
Electrical system, Sep 7, 2009
I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4L. MY PROBLEMS STARTED YESTERDAY. THE CAR IS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. IT STALLS AS IF THE CAR WERE PUT INTO NEUTRAL AT 20MPH AND AGAIN AT ABOUT 40MPH. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER CAR BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN THE GAS WAS PUSHED IT JUST REVVED THE ENGINE. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. I PURCHASED IT IN DEC OF 2006 AND AM STILL PAYING FOR THIS CAR. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ I HAVE THE SAME TYPE ISSUE AS MOST OTHERS- THE ECM. THIS IS UNSAFE AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO FESS UP. THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN EARLY 2006 BECAUSE A TSB WAS SENT OUT TO ALL TOYOTA DEALERS. IF WE HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE OR IN 2006 THE 2002 WOULD HAVE MOST LIKELY STILL BEEN UNDER WARRANTY. THEY KEPT IT QUIET UNTIL NOW AND PEOPLE ARE CATCHING ON. I HAVE SENT A COMPLAINT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE MY CAR WAS PURCHASED AND AM WAITING TO HEAR BACK WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO IN THIS CASE. I AM WILLING TO TAKE IT AS FAR AS I NEED TO GO TO MAKE THEM REPAIR THE CAR AT NO COSTS TO ME. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ IT WOULD COST MORE TO REPAIR THE CAR THAT WHAT THE VALUE OF THE CAR ACTUALLY IS AT THIS POINT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED AND WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE DECEPTION AND THE INCONVENIENCE AND LACK OF CONCERN OF THE SAFETY OF THE CONSUMER FROM TOYOTA. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Sep 6, 2009
AROUND THE 1ST OF JULY MY TOYOTA RAV 4 STARTING JERKING AND REFUSED TO GO INTO SECOND GEAR. THE RAV 4 HAS HAD ALL OF THE REGULAR REQUIRED MAINTENANCE AND SHOWED ABSOLUTELY NO SIGNS OF FAILURE. THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ECM WERE GOING OUT. I HAD MY 16 YEAR OLD GRANDSON IN THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I DID NOT REALIZED THAT TOYOTA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR AROUND 3 YEARS UNTIL I STARTED DOING SOME RESEARCH. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE TOYOTA COMPANY IMMEDIATELY. I AM JUST NOW LEARNING THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED TOYOTA CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE SAME ISSUE BUT OF COURSE THE TOYOTA COMPANY WILL NOT REMEDY THE SITUATION. IF MY GRANDSON AND I HAD BEEN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY I DO FEEL THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE DEVASTATING. *TR
Electrical system, Aug 31, 2009
ECM FAILED ON 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 CAUSING ERRATIC AUTO TRANSMISSION SHIFTING AND CAR SPEED TO VARY WIDELY WHILE IN TRAFFIC. NO 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT WARNING. TOYOTA KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT PROVIDE ANY WARNING. I HAD TO PAY A REPAIR BILL OF $5358.00 TO REPLACE THE ECM AND TRANSMISSION. *TR
Electrical system, Aug 28, 2009
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO TOYOTA. THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW ECM THAT THERE WAS A TSB ON THE MAKE MODEL AND YR OF MY VEHICLE RAV4 2002/I DROVE HOME AND TOLD MY BOYFRIEND THAT THE ECM REPLACEMENT IS 1600 DOLLARS. ONE WEEK LATER I WAS DRIVING TO TOYOTA TO HAVE FIXED AND MY CAR WOULD NPT ACCELERATE. IT WOULD STOP AND GO AND I BARELY MADE IT THROUGH A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION.. I WAS AT 83,000 MILES AND OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. OF COURSE I HAD TO ABSORB THE COST.. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Aug 27, 2009
1. TOYOTA 2002 RAV 4 STARTING JERKING UNCONTROLLABLY AT 80,300 MILES WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT AROUND 60 MPH. 2. TOOK IT IN THE NEXT DAY AND TOYOTA DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE FAILURE WHICH WAS MAKING THE TRANSMISSION JERK. 3. THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND STUCK US WITH THE BILL SINCE OUR CAR WAS 300 MILES OVER WARRANTY ALTHOUGH WE HAD BROUGHT IT IN 4 TIMES PRIOR FOR ENGINE CONTROL MODULE PROBLEMS. *TR
Electrical system, Aug 17, 2009
THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND PROPERLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. THE CAR JERKS/TRANSMISSION JERKS AND REMAINS AT A SLOW SPEED, RESPONDING MUCH LATER. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING OR SIMPLY DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER FROM A MAJOR TOYOTA DEALER. WHEN I TEST DROVE IT, IT SEEMED FINE. THE DEALER APPARENTLY, DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER TOYOTA DEALER WHO IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM. THIS CAR WAS APPARENTLY IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, OBVIOUSLY A FALSEHOOD. I HAVE HAD THE CAR CHECKED OVER - THIS IS THE ONLY PROBLEM - A DEADLY ONE. *TR
Electrical system, Aug 3, 2009
ECM IS FAULTY. CAUSING VEHICLE TO "MISSHIFT" FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. THE MISSHIFTING CAUSES CAR TO STALL FOR A FEW SECONDS TILL SHIFTING IS COMPLETED, CAUSING POTENTIAL REAR-END OR SIDE-HIT(AT INTERSECTIONS) ACCIDENTS. HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT TWICE. SUGGESTED BY DEALERSHIP TO "REFLASH" ECMA; COMPLETED; NO CHANGE. NOW SUGGESTED TO REPLACE PART (ESTIMATED COST OF + LABOR) RESEARCHED ON INTERNET, THERE ARE SEVERAL WEB SITES THAT HAVE CUSTOMERS COMPLAINING TO TOYOTA WITH NO SOLUTION (SUCH AS HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/RAV4/2002/TRANSMISSION/PROBLEMS_SHIFTING.SHTML AND HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F0C40D0/573) CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY OFFERED NO SOLUTION BECAUSE A THERE WASN'T A "SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN" AKA RECALL. ADVISED ME TO SEEK OUTSIDE HELP. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Aug 1, 2009
MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY NOT SHIFTING INTO GEAR. IT BALKS AND CLUNKS, AND EVENTUALLY SHIFTS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN ENTERING TRAFFIC, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW IF THE CAR WILL BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE TO THE SPEED OF TRAFFIC OR NOT. IT IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE AT STOP LIGHTS, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE IT ACROSS THE INTERSECTION BEFORE THE LIGHT CHANGES OR NOT. THIS STARTED IN JANUARY 2009, BUT WAS NOT CONSISTENT. IN JULY, IT FINALLY CREATED A "CHECK ENGINE" CONDITION. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPUTABLE MECHANIC, AND HE CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND REPLACED SOLENOIDS, WHICH THE ENGINE CODE SUGGESTED. I THEN TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE ECM, AT A COST OF $1500. THAT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM, AND THEY SAY I NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR $3500. TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE 2006, AND AT THAT TIME ISSUED A BULLETIN. HOWEVER, I FEEL THEY SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUES AND THE COST INVOLVED. *TR
Electrical system, Aug 1, 2009
AFTER 30 MINS OF HWY/PKWY DRIVING, THE CAR SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE TRAVELING APPROX 45 MPH. NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE INCIDENT AND NO PREVIOUS ISSUE AT ALL. STEERING AND BRAKES BECAME SLUGGISH, AND WE LACKED BASIC ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE MEASURES. HAD WE BEEN TRAVELING FASTER AND/OR IN DENSER TRAFFIC THE CAR WOULD HAVE PRESENTED A MAJOR OBSTACLE TO ONCOMING VEHICLES, PLACING BOTH US AND OTHER DRIVERS ETC. IN DANGER. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND SO MADE NO REPAIR. THE CAR SHUT OFF AGAIN IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC 2 WEEKS LATER. THE DEALER EVENTUALLY REPLACED A TRANSMISSION CHIP. THE CAR THEN RAN WITH HESITATIONS AND SOME DELAY IN SHIFTING FOR SOME WEEKS. FINALLY, AT 60 MPH IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC THE CAR STARTED TO JERK, FAIL, AND BUCK. AGAIN THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO ADDRESS IT. WE DISCOVERED THROUGH RESEARCH ON LINE THAT THIS MODEL TOYOTA RAV4 2002 HAS A PROBLEM WITH ITS ONBOARD COMPUTER OR ECM, FOR WHICH TOYOTA EXTENDED ITS WARRANTY. OUR CAR IS WITHIN THE WARRANTY LIMITS BOTH AS TO YEARS AND MILEAGE. TOYOTA IS SUPPOSED TO REPLACE THE ECM IN THIS MODEL UNDER THIS WARRANTY. OUR DEALER HAS REFUSED TO DO SO AND HAS SENT US BACK OUT ON THE ROAD WITHOUT ANY SECURITY AGAINST ANOTHER FULL ENGINE STOP IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. *TR
Electrical system, Jul 27, 2009
I BEGAN NOTICING THAT MY AUTOMATIC 2002 RAV 4 WAS JERKING WHEN SHIFTING, WOULD REV AT HIGH RPMS BEFORE SHIFTING AND AT TIMES FELT LIKE IT WOULD NOT SHIFT AT ALL. LIKE OTHERS, I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND THAT IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ECM THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. MY CAR HAS 119K MILES ON IT AND IS OUT OF WARRANTY SO I AM EVALUATING MY OPTIONS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR IS UNDRIVABLE, AS IT IS A SAFETY RISK WHEN THE CAR IS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS PROBLEM WILL COST ABOUT A THOUSAND TO GET A NEW ECM, AND MUCH MORE IF THE DAMAGE IT HAS DONE TO THE TRANSMISSION NOW REQUIRES A TRANSMISSION REBUILD. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Jul 8, 2009
2002 TOYOTA RAV4 - ECM/TRANSMISSION FAILURE - AT 125,000 MILES, DRIVING LAST WEEK, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTED BUCKING. CAR SLOWED WITHOUT CAUSE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND I HAD TO PULL OFF ROAD IN ADVERSE CONDITIONS. DRIVING TO DEALER, THEN DRIVING TO TRANSMISSION SHOP WRECKED TRANSMISSION. AFTER PAYING $2700.00 TO GET TRANSMISSION FIXED, FOUND OUT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS REALLY A ECM FAILURE PROBLEM. FOUND 1000'S OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS. CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SVC., AND TOYOTA IS NOT RECOGNIZING AS A RECALL PROBLEM. I AM UNEMPLOYED AND THIS COST IS OVERWHELMING, AND SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Equipment, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jun 16, 2009
THE TOYOTA RAV4 (YEAR 2002) INDISCRIMINATELY SPEEDS UP AND MAXES OUT THE RPMS (6000) FOR NOT REASON. I WAS GOING 65 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE RPMS WENT UP TO 6000 FROM 3000 AND THE CAR SPED UP TO 85 AND THEN WENT INTO NEUTRAL WITH ME TOUCHING ANY GEARS OR ANY PEDALS. LUCKILY I WAS ALLOWING ENOUGH DISTANCE BETWEEN ME AND THE OTHER VEHICLES TO SAFELY GET IT PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO WAY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE TO KEEP IT FROM CRASHING INTO SOMEONE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME AND BOTH SIDES AND THE REAR HAD VEHICLES IN THEM. THE ECM, TRANSMISSION AND VSS (VARIABLE SPEED SENSOR) WERE REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. TOYOTA DISAVOWS ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THESE TYPES OF ISSUES; HOWEVER, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUES AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEING SPENT TO SOLVE THEM AND IT'S NOT BEING SOLVED. THERE ARE LIVES AT STAKE HERE. TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE PROBLEMS. THE MODELS EFFECTED ARE THE TOYOTA RAV4'S FROM 1999 TO 2009. AND IT APPEARS THAT IT'S STILL AN ISSUE AND STILL BEING PUSHED UNDER THE RUG SO TO SPEAK. ACTION OR LIVES....THAT'S WHAT IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO NOW. INCIDENT DATE IS MOST CURRENT. NUMEROUS PAST DATES. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, May 28, 2009
TOYOTA RAV 4 2002. A MONTH AGO, MY CAR STARTED JERKING AND BUCKING AND STALLING MID INTERSECTION. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER FOR SERVICING. THE SERVICE DEPT. COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM SO THEY CHANGED TRANSMISSION FLUID (CHARGE ALMOST $200.00) AND SENT ME ON MY WAY WITH NOTICE THAT IF THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON I SHOULD RETURN. TWO WEEKS LATER, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY APPROACHING A DOUBLE MERGE DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTED INTO FIRST GEAR CAUSING ME TO LURCH AND LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHILE ONE TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK WAS MERGING TO MY RIGHT AND ANOTHER DIRECTLY BEHIND ME CAUSING TRUCK BEHIND ME TO LAY ON BRAKES AND VEER OFF THE ROAD...I MANAGED TO GET MYSELF OFF THE ROAD...NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED BUT THE THREAT TO MY LIFE WAS SERIOUS. I DID INVESTIGATION ON LINE CARCOMPLANTS.COM AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED TO ALL DEALERS IN 2006. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF DEFECT THEREFORE WAS ENDANGERING MYSELF AND MY FAMILY EVERY TIME I DROVE THE CAR WITHOUT ANY KNOWLEDGE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DIFFERENT LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND PAID $150.00 FOR DIAGNOSTIC: FAULTY ECM (SEE CARCOMPLAINTS.COM). QUOTED A COST OF REPLACEMENT AT ($1,200.00) THAT MIGHT SOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT THEY WOULD NOT KNOW CONDITION OF TRANSMISSION UNTIL AFTER THEY REPLACED THE ECM. I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS ANSWER AND FELT I MIGHT HAVE BETTER SERVICE WITH ORIGINAL DEALER SO I PAID FOR CAR TO BE TOWED ($100.00) AND RENTED A CAR. ORIGINAL DEALER DETERMINED ECM NEEDS REPLACEMENT NO GUARANTEE THAT TRANSMISSION WOULD BE OKAY. I ASKED THAT DEALER SPEAK ON MY BEHALF TO TOYOTA TO SEE IF THEY WERE WILLING TO SHARE SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITY AND COST OF REPLACEMENT OF FAULTY ECM. TOYOTA REFUSED. AFTER BEING WITHOUT FAMILY'S ONLY CAR FOR 2 WEEKS,PAYING FOR RENTAL (OVER $200.00) THE ECM WAS REPLACED ($1,000.00) CAR SEEMED TO BE OKAY FOR ONE WEEK. 4 DAYS AGO ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. RETURNING TO YET ANOTHER DEALER TOMORROW. DO YOU VALUE MY SAFETY? *TR
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, May 25, 2009
AT 84,000 MILES THE CAR STARTED SURGING FOR NO REASON, STALLING WHILE MOVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AND STALLING WHILE APPROACHING INTERSECTIONS. HAPPENED TWO TO THREE TIMES DAILY, CAUSING A NUMBER NEAR MISS ACCIDENTS, REAR ENDS. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE COMPUTER. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND EASILY COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. UPDATED 07/26/10.*JB
Power train, Electrical system, May 12, 2009
2002 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS DEFECTIVE ECU WHICH HAS IN TURN FRIED TRANSMISSION...MY WIFE NOTICED PROBLEMS WHEN THE SHIFTING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON A MERGE AND WAS ALMOST RUN OVER BY A SEMI-TRUCK. WE THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD US THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ON SO THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE AND ADVISED US TO DRAIN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. 2 WEEKS LATER, MY WIFE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE TRANSMISSION SPONTANEOUSLY SHIFTED INTO LOW GEAR CAUSING HER TO SWERVE OFF ROAD. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE THE ECU AND TRANSMISSION AT $5,000. I HAVE GONE ONLINE AND READ THAT TOYOTA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR OVER 2 YEARS AND WILL NOT ISSUE RECALL AS NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED...THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE MY WIFE WAS ALMOST KILLED!!! PLEASE ADDRESS WITH TOYOTA!! *TR UPDATED 03/22/10.*JB
Power train, Electrical system, Apr 29, 2009
THERE EXISTS A DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF ECM FAILURE IN THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 VEHICLES THAT IS CAUSING SHIFTING PROBLEMS IN THE TRANSMISSION. THIS DEFECTED PART NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AS NEEDING REPLACEMENT (NOT JUST "REPROGRAMMING" AS TOYOTA HAS TRIED TO DO). WHEN I BEGAN EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS WITH MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 ON APRIL 17, 2009, I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND NO MATTER HOW HARD I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR, MY CAR WOULD NOT GO. IT EVENTUALLY VERY SLOWLY BEGAN TO ACCELERATE BUT EVERY TIME I HAD TO STOP AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, IT WOULD BARELY GO AGAIN. I WAS TERRIFIED THAT I WAS GOING TO GET HIT EVERY TIME I HAD TO CROSS OVER A STREET WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION...SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT ONE OF THESE DAYS BECAUSE THERE IS NO WARNING WHEN THIS BEGINS TO HAPPEN - THE CAR JUST WON'T GO AT TAKEOFF. MANY OF US WHO OWN THE 2002 RAV4 HAVE WASTED HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS ON MISDIAGNOSIS OF THIS PROBLEM...I HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHED, I HAD A TOP ENGINE CLEANING TO REMOVE BUILDUP IN THE THROTTLE, I WAS EVEN TOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY CAR MAT WAS GETTING IN THE WAY OF THE ACCELERATOR AND THAT WAS ADDING TO THE PROBLEM. ONLY AFTER NONE OF THIS FIXED THE PROBLEM DID THEY COME BACK AND FINALLY SAY THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED OR THE TRANSMISSION WOULD BE RUINED. THIS REPAIR IS GOING TO COST ME $1300.00 BECAUSE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT AT 80,000 MILES AND MY VEHICLE IS AT 84,000 MILES. I AM GOING TO FIX THIS CAR SO THAT I CAN TRADE IT IN (THE DEALERSHIP EVEN SUGGESTED THAT I TRADE IT- THEY MUST KNOW HOW SERIOUS THIS IS). I CAN'T TAKE THE RISK THAT THIS VEHICLE WILL BE SAFE TO DRIVE EVEN AFTER THE ECM IS REPLACED BECAUSE I'VE READ THAT THE NEW ECM MAY NOT COMMUNICATE CORRECTLY WITH THE OLD TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A DEVASTATING LOSS FOR THOSE OF US WHO BOUGHT OUR VEHICLES BASED IN LARGE PART ON THE TOYOTA REPUTATION FOR RELIABILITY. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Apr 14, 2009
CAR SHUTTERED AND STOPPED ROLLING IN AN INTERSECTION, THEN ABRUPTLY WENT INTO GEAR AGAIN WITH A LURCH. TRANSMISSION SHOP REPLACED VALVE ASSEMBLY. PROBLEM RETURNED AND CAR WAS RETURNED TO SHOP. NEW VALVE ASSEMBLY INSTALLED, PROBLEM CAME BACK. RETURNED TO SHOP, TRANSMISSION REMOVED, REPLACED, 3 TIMES. SEALS REPLACED. SAME PROBLEM.ECM WAS SUSPECT. CAR WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER, WAS TOLD ECM WAS FINE, ECM WAS RE-PROGRAMMED AND WE WERE CHARGED $275.00. PROBLEM CONTINUED. LONG STORY SHORT-ECM WAS REPLACED, PROGRAMMED, AND PAID ANOTHER $1200. WORKS FINE. TOYOTA OWES ME BIG TIME. THEY KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM, AND IGNORE. I HAVE OWNED 5 TOYOTAS IN MY LIFE, AND HAVE AN FJ CRUISER AS WELL. WILL NOT CONSIDER TOYOTA IN THE FUTURE UNLESS THEY ADMIT THE PROBLEM, AND ASSIST IN REPAIRS. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Apr 10, 2009
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD REPEATEDLY SLIP OUT OF GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS DEFECTIVE. THEY FURTHER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMMON WITH HIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE REPAIR, THE FAILURE RESURFACED AND THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER MECHANICALLY FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WOULD COST $4,000 TO REPLACE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 126,605. UPDATED 6/8/09 *CN UPDATED 06/11/09.*JB