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: power train
381 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Oct 29, 2009
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHEN DRIVING SHE EXPERIENCES GEAR SLIPPAGE IN THE TRANSMISSION. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO BOUNCE AND STALL. THE COMPUTER CHIP WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE 75,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Power train, Oct 21, 2009
THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE. MY TRANSMISSION ON MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 STARTED SLIPPING AND PULLING OUT OF THE BLUE. IT HAD 87,280 MILES AND HAD BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED AND INSPECTED. IT FAILED TO ACCELERATE AT INTERSECTIONS AND ON TAKE OFF , MAKING DRIVING VERY DANGEROUS. I TOOK IT IN AND WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR SHOP THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL , LEAVING ME DRIVING WITH ONLY 3RD GEAR. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THE DEFECTIVE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. MY HUSBAND AND I HAD TO SPEND $3715.30 TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE ECM. THIS IS A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER AS THERE IS NO WARNING. FAILURE COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME AND ANY PLACE CAUSING BODILY HARM TO THE DRIVER , PASSENGERS, AND OTHER VEHICLES AND OCCUPANTS ON THE ROAD. I FEEL A RECALL IS NEEDED AND REIMBURSEMENT OF ALL REPAIR COSTS SHOULD BE MADE TO VICTIMS OF THIS NEGLIGENCE. *TR
Power train, Oct 20, 2009
2002 TOYOTA RAV4. CAR STALLED ON HIGHWAY, BARELY MADE IT UP HILLS. DROVE TWO HOURS FROM HOME TO A RECRUITING EVENT. TRANSMISSION SHIFT SOLENOID NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CAR HAS 76,600 MILES ON IT. SLOW SHIFTING AND SUDDEN COMPLETE MALFUNCTION LED TO SAFETY ISSUES/SERIOUS POTENTIAL FOR ACCIDENTS. *TR
Power train, Oct 19, 2009
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH 2002 RAV4: THE "CHECKING" ENGINE LIGHT ON MY CAR WAS ON A WEEK AGO, THEN THE NEXT DAY, I PUT MY CAR TO KOONS TOYOTA AT TYSONS, VIRGINIA FOR CHECKING THE PROBLEM, ALSO I REQUESTED 120,000 MILE SERVICE. AFTER SERVICE WAS COMPLETED BY KOONS, I FOUND THAT MY CAR HAS THE HARSH SHIFTING OCCURS, MEANING THAT, AT THE LOW GEAR, WHEN STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL. MY CAR HESITATES TO SHIFT INTO THE SECOND GEAR. AFTER PUSH FURTHER ON THE GAS PEDAL, MY CAR JUMPED HARSHLY INTO THE SECOND GEAR, RATHER THAN SMOOTH DRIVING AS PRIOR TO THE SERVICE. THE NEXT DAY, I BROUGHT MY CAR BACK TO KOONS TO REPORT THE "HARSH SHIFTING" PROBLEM, THEY TEST DROVE MY CAR AND AGREED THAT THERE IS SOME JERKING OCCURS AT LOW GEAR. THEY RECOMMENDED ME TO CONTINUOUSLY DRIVE THE CAR, HOPING THAT THE CAR WILL ADJUST ITSELF TO THE NEW SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING THAT THEY USED. I CONTINUED DRIVE FOR A WEEK WHILE CAREFULLY LISTEN TO MY CAR: THE "HARD SHIFTING" PROBLEM STILL EXIST. THEN LAST NIGHT, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT MY CAR TO KOONS DEALER AT TYSONS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. AFTER CHECKING IT AGAIN, KOONS TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM CAUSED BY THE "ENGINE CONTROL MODULE" (E.C.M.) AND RECOMMENDED ME THAT FIRST TO REPLACE THE E.C.M., AND IF THAT DOESN'T SOLVE THE HARD SHIFTING PROBLEM, SECOND IS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION NEXT. I THINK THIS PROBLEM DEFINITELY NOT CAUSE BY ME, RATHER BY KOONS AND TOYOTA MANUFACTURER. NOW I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. *TR DANIEL BUI
Power train, Oct 16, 2009
APPARENTLY WITH ALL THE CHATTER ABOUT TOYOTA RAV4S THERE IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS. MINE AS WELL HAS STARTED TO SLIP AND BUCK IN AND OUT OF 2ND GEAR. AN INVESTIGATION IS DEFINITELY WARRANTED AND SHOULD LEAD TO A RECALL BY TOYOTA. *TR
Power train, Oct 14, 2009
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45-50 MPH THE TRANSMISSION EXHIBITED GEAR SHIFTING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD SLIPPED GEARS,THEREFORE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. AFTER THE REPAIR THE FAILURE RESURFACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED. HOWEVER NONE OF THE REPAIRS HAVE REMEDIED THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,000.
Power train, Oct 14, 2009
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE SHE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LUNGED FORWARD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS, THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 86936.
Power train, Oct 14, 2009
TRANSMISSION/ECM FAILURE. TRANSMISSION WOULD "FLARE" WHILE ACCELERATING. WHEN SHIFTING WHILE ACCELERATING, TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND POWER WAS NOT TRANSMITTED TO WHEELS. ENGINE WOULD REV UP FOR 5-10 SECONDS UNTIL TRANSMISSION WOULD VIOLENTLY ENGAGE IN NEXT GEAR. THIS WAS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CROSS OR MERGE WITH TRAFFIC, AS THE VEHICLE HAD NO ABILITY TO ACCELERATE DURING THE EVENT. SYMPTOMS QUICKLY BECAME VERY REGULAR/REPEATABLE. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS A FAULTY ECM MODULE AND DAMAGED TRANSMISSION. *TR
Power train, Oct 12, 2009
IN THE MIDDLE OF A TRIP, AFTER STOPPING, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED JERKING WHEN SWITCHING GEARS. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. SOMETIMES IT DOWNSHIFTS FOR NO REASON, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T FULLY ENGAGE INTO FIRST GEAR. SOMETIMES IT WORKS FINE. SOMETIMES IT HAS TROUBLE ACCELERATING GOING UPHILL, IT WILL DOWNSHIFT AND REV TO REDLINE AND WON'T SHIFT TO THE NEXT GEAR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, THAT IT WORKED FOR THEM. BUT THEN THEY ALSO OFFERED TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION. *TR
Power train, Oct 11, 2009
I HAVE A 2002 RAV4 ALL WHEEL DRIVE AUTOMATIC, AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING UP AT 98,000 MILES. THE CAR WOULD SHUDDER AT STOPS, SOMETIMES LUNGING FORWARD. I WOULD HOLD UP TRAFFIC AS IT CONTINUED SHUDDERING UNTIL IT WOULD FINALLY GO INTO SECOND. SOMETIMES ON THE FREEWAY IT WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR AND SHUDDER AS WELL. I WOULD HAVE TO REDUCE SPEED UNTIL IT WOULD GO INTO SECOND. SOMETIMES AT INTERSECTIONS I WOULD CRAWL ACROSS THE STREET AS I HOPED THAT IT WOULD GO INTO SECOND BEFORE THE LIGHT TURNED RED! I TOOK IT INTO TOYOTA OXNARD CA. AT 110,000 MILES. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THIS MODEL "IS NOTORIOUS FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS." I THEN SAID, "AND YOU SOLD ME THIS CAR KNOWING THIS?!" I PURCHASED THE USED CAR FROM THE SAME LOT IN APRIL 2004. SO THE CAR WAS LOOKED AT, AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. NO MENTION OF THE COMPUTER PROBLEM. I WAS QUOTED $3800 TO FIX IT. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION, AS I COULD NOT AFFORD $3800 TO FIX IT. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I "BABY" IT THAT IT MAY LAST AWHILE LONGER. AT 203,000 MILES IT GAVE OUT. THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER GO INTO 2ND GEAR. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER WAS ALSO AN ISSUE, AND HE SUGGESTED TO REPLACE BOTH. IT IS NOW FIXED...$4800 LATER. I AM CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED AND HAD TO USE ALL OF MY STUDENT LOAN MONEY TO PAY FOR MY CAR. *TR
Power train, Oct 8, 2009
OUR ECM, ENGINE CONTROL MODULE, IS FAULTY AND HAS BEEN SENDING OUR TRANSMISSION THE WRONG SIGNALS AND TELLING THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT AT THE WRONG INTERVALS. THIS CAUSED OUR TRANSMISSION TO HARD SHIFT AND MIS-SHIFT BETWEEN 1 AND 2, AND 2 AND 3. AS A RESULT, MY WIFE AND I ALMOST GOT INTO A ACCIDENT BECAUSE OUR SUV WOULD NOT MOVE UNTIL IT FINALLY WENT INTO GEAR. *TR
Power train, Oct 7, 2009
THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND THERE WAS A LACK OF ACCELERATION AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. ONCE THE CAR WOULD FINALLY ACCELERATE, IT WOULD BANG INTO GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION ISSUE IS A KNOW PROBLEM WITH THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4'S AND TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT IF THE CAR HAS OVER 80,000 MILES ON IT. *TR
Power train, Oct 6, 2009
PROBLEM WITH MY TOYOTA RAV4'S ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED TRANSMISSION. THE COMPUTER WAS RECALLED IN 2007 FOR REPROGRAMMING. NOW IT HAS FAILED, AND THE TRANSMISSION POTENTIALLY ALONG WITH IT. TOYOTA CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS RECALLED AND I HAD THE REPROGRAMMING DONE, BECAUSE I AM NOT UNDER WARRANTY. SCARY TO BE DRIVING AND HAVE THE CAR SHIFT AUTOMATICALLY DOWN TO FIRST GEAR AND NOT SHIFT BACK. I'M A SINGLE MOTHER DRIVING TWO SMALL CHILDREN AROUND - SERIOUSLY SCARY. *TR
Power train, Oct 5, 2009
ERRATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATION, E.G. SEVERE SLIPPING AND IMPROPER DOWNSHIFTING WHICH CAUSES RAPID DECELERATION OF THE VEHICLE WITH NO WARNING OR INDICATION TO FOLLOWING DRIVERS. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE RESULTED FROM FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT (ECU). THIS CAR'S ECU WAS RECENTLY REPROGRAMMED BY TOYOTA IN ACCORDANCE WITH TSB EG010-02. THIS TSB ADDRESSES SPURIOUS CATALYTIC CONVERTER ERROR CODES. *TR
Power train, Oct 5, 2009
2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH AUTO TRANSMISSION, 94K MILES; TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR IN A SAFE MANNER. THE RPMS REACH 4000 - 5000 BEFORE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS TO 2ND GEAR. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING ON A HIGHWAY RAMP AS THE CAR IS NOT SHIFTING TO REACH HIGHER SPEEDS IN ORDER TO MERGE SAFELY. ALSO, IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, CAR IS NOT SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR IN A TIMELY MANNER AND COULD CAUSE LIFE THREATENING ACCIDENTS DUE TO REAR-END COLLISIONS. *TR
Power train, Oct 3, 2009
YESTERDAY, 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP AND HESITATE JEOPARDIZING PASSENGER SAFETY. I UNDERSTAND TOYOTA ISSUED TSB 00206 BUT CHOSE NOT TO RECALL OR OTHERWISE INFORM CUSTOMERS. FURTHER I UNDERSTAND REPLACEMENT ECM IS OVER $1,000 AND A TRANSMISSION REBUILD MAY COST NEARLY $4,500. TOYOTA EVIDENTLY IS UNWILLING TO CORRECT OR OTHERWISE OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO CORRECT THIS DANGEROUS DEFECT. *TR
Power train, Oct 2, 2009
ALL OF THE SUDDEN, MY TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING FUNNY. THE GEARS SHIFTED REALLY HARD AND IT STARTED SLIPPING. I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE SLIPPING KEPT ME IN AN INTERSECTION FOR TOO LONG. *TR IT APPEARS THE PROBLEM IS NOT UNCOMMON: HTTP://WHEELS.BLOGS.NYTIMES.COM/2009/08/26/TOYOTAS-REACTION-TO-TRANSMISSION-WOES-DRAWS-CUSTOMERS-IRE/ I CALLED YOU YESTERDAY, AND WAS TOLD TO CALL TOYOTA. INDEED, THEY SENT ME TO A DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO SPEND $1546 TO REPLACE A COMPUTER IN CHARGE OF THE TRANSMISSION. ONCE THAT WAS REPLACED, THEY COULD TELL ME IF THE TRANSMISSION HAS OTHER PROBLEMS. A GOOGLE SEARCH SUGGESTS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT WAS RECOGNIZED PREVIOUSLY. PLEASE HURRY WITH THIS INVESTIGATION, AS SOMEONE MAY GET KILLED IF YOU GO TOO SLOW. THESE COMPUTERS NEED TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED. I AM RESPECTFULLY ASKING YOU TO DO YOUR JOB, AND KEEP AMERICANS SAFE BY RECALLING THESE CARS FOR REPAIR OF THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TR
Power train, Oct 1, 2009
TOYOTA RAV4 MY TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND JERKS. I WAS JUST AT A LIGHT, AND IT DIDN'T WORK PROPERLY. I ALMOST GOT HIT. I AM NOW SCARED TO DRIVE IT. *TR
Power train, Oct 1, 2009
I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH TRANSMISSION/ECM PROBLEMS. MY ISSUE IS THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN SENT OUT TO ALL OF TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENTS IT IS AS FOLLOWS: TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN IS: TC002-06, REVISED MARCH 3, 2006: "SOME 2001 ? 2003 MODEL YEAR RAV4 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE MAY EXHIBIT A HARSH SHIFT CONDITION AND/OR M.I.L. ?ON? WITH DTC P0750, P0753, P0755, P0758, AND/OR P1760 STORED. IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) (SAE TERM: POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE/PCM) MANUFACTURING PROCESS TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS CONDITION OCCURRING. USE THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE" IT GOES ON TO SAY REPLACE THE ECM/ECU AND POSSIBLY THE TRANSMISSION. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT TOYOTA DID NOT NOTIFY ANY CONSUMER ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND NOW THAT MANY OF US ARE JUST NOW HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THIS AND AFTER RESEARCHING IT LEARNING THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE AND IT IS HAPPENING WITH MANY OF THE SAME MODEL CAR- MAINLY THE 2002. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA CORP. AS WELL AS THE DEALERSHIP WHERE MY CAR WAS PURCHASED. I WAS TOLD THE COST TO REPAIR MY CAR WOULD BE A COSTLY $9,000.00. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT TOYOTA INTENTIONALLY KEPT FROM CONSUMERS TO AVOID COSTLY REPAIRS TO THEMSELVES. HAD I BEEN NOTIFIED I WOULD HAVE HAD THE ECU/ECM REPLACE IN 2006 WHILE MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THERE ARE 121 COMPLAINTS TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. THIS JUST STARTED WITH MY CAR 3 WEEKS AGO I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER CAR BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT SWITCH INTO GEAR ONCE I REACHED ABOUT 20 MPH AND AGAIN AT ABOUT 40 MPH...THE ENGINE REVVED TO ABOUT 6000 RPM'S AND JUST SAT THERE IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF DRIVING THIS CAR. TOYOTA NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THIS PROBLEM AND ISSUE A RECALL. I AM VERY UPSET AND FEEL I WAS NOT DEALT A FAIR HAND WITH THIS CAR - TOYOTA WOULD ONLY REPAIR THIS PROBLEM BASED ON A CUSTOMERS SPECIFIC COMPLAINT UNDER 80K MILES. *TR
Power train, Sep 29, 2009
I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4. AFTER EXPERIENCING SOME PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON (THE SAME EVENING THAT I EXPERIENCED THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM). I TOOK IT INTO AN AUTO CENTER AND THEY REPORTED THAT IT WAS CODE # P0755 - STORED IN SYSTEM SOLENOID B MALFUNCTION. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ECM. THEY TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA HAS BEEN HAVING ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS AND THAT TOYOTA SAID REPAIRS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE FEDERAL EMISSIONS WARRANTY OF 80,000 MILES OR EIGHT YEARS FROM THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD. UNFORTUNATELY, MY CAR HAS ALMOST 97,000 MILES ON IT SO IT WAS NOT COVERED. HERE IS A LINK TO AN ARTICLE CONCERNING THIS ISSUE: HTTP://WHEELS.BLOGS.NYTIMES.COM/2009/08/26/TOYOTAS-REACTION-TO-TRANSMISSION-WOES-DRAWS-CUSTOMERS-IRE/?SCP=1&SQ=RAV4%20OWNERS%20FUME%20OVER%20TOYOTA%E2%80%99S%20HANDLING%20OF%20TRANSMISSION%20GLITCH&ST=CSE. *TR
Power train, Sep 28, 2009
2002 TOYOTA RAV4 92,000 MILES TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. PUT OVER $3,400 INTO GETTING IT REPAIRED. PROBABLY WILL HAVE TO PUT ANOTHER $1,000 TO GET COMPUTER REPLACED. STILL NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA FOR NOT OFFERING ANY KIND OF FIX TO THIS SOLUTION. *TR
Power train, Sep 22, 2009
MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 BEGAN INTERMITTENTLY BOGGING DOWN AND HARD JERKY SHIFTING. I'M UNABLE TO ACCELERATE WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND THE CAR LOOSES FORWARD MOMENTUM. I ENCOUNTERED A CLOSE CALL WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC, THE RAV4 BOGGED DOWN, WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND I NARROWLY MISSED BEING HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY I LIVE IN A LOW TRAFFIC AREA. MY MECHANIC SAID THE PROBLEM IS THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) AND BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY MODULE THERE MAY BE DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA WOULD NOT OFFER ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE PROBLEM STATING MY RAV4 IS OUT OF WARRANTY BY MILES ( I HAVE ABOUT 118,000 MILES) AND TIME. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. *TR
Power train, Sep 22, 2009
TRANSMISSION STARTED TO "ROUGHLY" SHIFT. ALMOST LOST POWER ON FREEWAY. THIS HAPPENED SUDDENLY. NO WARNING OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WAS WORKING PERFECTLY EARLIER IN THE DAY. DROVE HOME IN SLOW LANE WITH HAZARDS ON. AFRAID ENGINE WOULD SHUT DOWN ON FREEWAY. *TR
Power train, Sep 19, 2009
A SAFETY PROBLEM OCCURRED ON OUR 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY STOPPED ENGAGED THE GEARS CORRECTLY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND OR TRYING TO TURN WHEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS APPROACHING AND NOT KNOWING IF OR WHEN THE CAR WOULD MOVE OR ENGAGE GEARS WAS FRIGHTENING. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED OVERNIGHT. WITH 47,717 MILES ON THE CAR, THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS BECAUSE TOYOTA HAS PUT A FAULTY COMPUTER INTO THE 2002 RAV4 THAT MAKES THE PARTS INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION PREMATURELY FAIL. TOYOTA WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIRS OR ISSUE A RECALL. PERHAPS TOYOTA WILL WHEN SOMEONE IS INJURED OR KILLED? TOYOTA CLAIMS THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER BUT TOYOTA REPLACED THE COMPUTER WHEN THE CAR WAS TAKEN THERE BY THE TRANSMISSION MECHANIC. WHY WOULD TOYOTA REPLACE THE COMPUTER IF THERE WAS NO PROBLEM? PLEASE HAVE TOYOTA RECALL THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE THEM BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NEEDED REPAIRS SO THAT THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WILL BE SAFE TO DRIVE! THANK YOU! *TR
Power train, Sep 16, 2009
I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4. ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO, THE CAR BEGIN SHIFTING HARD INTO REVERSE AND SECOND GEAR. AT SOME TIMES THE SHIFTING WOULD STALL, I.E. IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR RIGHT AWAY AND WHEN IT WOULD, IT WOULD SHIFT HARD. I DID RESEARCH ONLINE AND LEARNED ABOUT THE ECM/ECU PROBLEM THAT IS CAUSING 01-04 TOYOTA RAV 4S TO HAVE TROUBLE WITH SHIFTING. I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA AND THEY FOLLOWED THE PROCEDURES ON THEIR SERVICE BULLETIN. THEY TESTED THE ECM AND SAID IT WAS FINE AND TOLD ME I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR $4,100. I TOOK THE CAR TO A TRANSMISSION CARE CENTER. I HAD THE SOLENOID B REPLACED FOR $560 BECAUSE THIS WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE CAR STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AFTER THE SOLENOID WAS REPLACED, SO I HAD THE TRANSMISSION OVERHAULED FOR A TOTAL OF $3,100. THE TECH STATED THERE WAS ABOUT 200,000 MILES WORTH OF WEAR ON THE TRANSMISSION, THE CAR ITSELF ONLY HAS 90,000. THERE WERE VARIOUS PIECES THAT WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY DUE TO WEAR ON THE TRANSMISSION; THESE WERE REPLACED. THE CAR IS STILL HAVING DIFFICULTY SHIFTING-THE SAME PROBLEMS ARE OCCURRING. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE ECM/ECU MALFUNCTIONING. MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM, WHERE THEY ARE TOLD THE ECM/ECU IS FINE, HAVE THEIR TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND THEN THE CAR STILL MALFUNCTIONS AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE ECM/ECU REPLACED. *TR