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, Feb 23, 2010
VERY SUDDENLY MY TRANSMISSION FELT LIKE IT WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. IT WOULD FREE SPIN, THEN FORCE INTO GEAR. TOYOTA REPLACED ECM, APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM REFERRED TO IN A 2006 TSB. UNKNOWN IF MY TRANSMISSION WAS DAMAGED. *TR
Power train, Feb 22, 2010
I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. I'VE BEEN THE SOLE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND PURCHASED IT BAND NEW IN 2002 FROM A LOCAL HONOLULU TOYOTA DEALER. IN MID/LATE 2009, THE VEHICLE STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS: HARD SHIFTING IN LOWER GEARS 1, 2 & 3, HARD SHIFTING WHEN PLACING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE SHAKING AND VIBRATING WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND SUDDEN ACCELERATION FROM THE STOPPED POSITION WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS SLOWLY PRESSED.. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT TOYOTA ISSUED MEMO OUTLINING THE PROBLEMS I DESCRIBED ABOVE POSSIBLY DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND/OR THE ECU (COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION). A TOYOTA SERVICING MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT MY 2002 RAV4 WAS NO LONGER UNDER DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY, SO REPAIR COST ARE MY RESPONSIBILITY. A QUICK WEB SEARCH OF "RAV4 TRANSMISSIONS" SHOWS THAT MANY OTHER RAV4 OWNERS SUFFER FROM SIMILAR PROBLEMS, RESULTING IN VERY HIGH REPAIR COSTS, ANYWHERE FROM $3,000 UP TO $8,000. THE VEHICLE STILL SUFFERS FROM THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROBLEMS, BUT DUE TO THE HIGH REPAIR ESTIMATES I AM UNABLE TO FIX THE VEHICLE. *TR
Power train, Feb 21, 2010
I AM THE OWNER OF A 2002 TOYOTA RAV-4 WITH 60,000 MILES AND HAVE A TRANSMISSION ISSUE. I READ ONLINE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING ISSUE WITH 2001-2003 TOYOTA RAV-4S AND THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT IT SINCE 2006, YET THEY CONTINUE TO SELL THEM. MY ISSUE STARTED IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND SHIFT. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT JERKED AND MOVED FORWARD, SOMETIMES DOING THIS SEVERAL TIMES CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL REACHING ABOUT 35 MILES/HR. IT WAS HARD GOING UP HILL AND AT TIMES FELT UNSAFE WITH VEHICLES TRAVELING VERY CLOSE BEHIND ME. I BROUGHT IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE ECM SENSOR THAT WENT. THEY ALSO MENTIONED THAT THEY HAD SEEN THIS ISSUE WITH MANY OTHER RAV-4S AND TOYOTA ISSUED NO RECALL. SO THIS WAS FIXED AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS MY CAR WAS BAD AGAIN. I CONTACTED TOYOTA, AND THEY CHARGED ME AGAIN TO LOOK AT IT AND THEM TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WENT DUE TO THIS SENSOR ISSUE AND I NEEDED A NEW ONE. ALSO THAT ALTHOUGH IT WAS TOYOTA'S PROBLEM, THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE OVER $6000 AND WHEN CALLING OTHER TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS THEY WANTED ANYWHERE FROM 3000-5000. THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE FOR NOT JUST MYSELF BUT I'M SURE MANY OTHER CONSUMERS WHO ARE LEFT FEELING UNSAFE DRIVING THESE VEHICLES AND WITHOUT THE CASH TO FIX IT. I HAVEN'T DRIVEN IT IN WEEKS, SINCE THE LAST TIME I DROVE IT I WAS PULLING OUT ONTO A BUSY STREET AND I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO MAKE IT ONTO THE ROAD BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY TURN MY CAR FELT AS IF IT WOULD STALL AND TOOK A WHILE BEFORE IT GOT INTO 2ND GEAR TO DRIVE OFF. IN THE MEANTIME A CAR THAT WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 30-40MILES/HR WAS COMING AT ME AND I BARELY MADE IT ONTO THE RODE AND DROVE OFF IN TIME. HAD THE CAR BEEN ANY CLOSER, AND HE WAS PRETTY FAR INITIALLY, HE MAY HAVE HIT ME. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE READ OF OTHERS FAILING ON THE FREEWAY. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. I HOPE THAT AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN DEATH DOESN'T RESULT. *TR
Power train, Feb 19, 2010
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
Power train, Feb 19, 2010
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
Power train, Feb 18, 2010
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
Power train, Feb 18, 2010
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
Power train, Feb 17, 2010
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
Power train, Feb 17, 2010
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
Power train, Feb 16, 2010
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
Power train, Feb 16, 2010
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
Power train, Feb 15, 2010
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
Power train, Feb 12, 2010
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.
Power train, Electrical system, Feb 5, 2010
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
Power train, Electrical system, Feb 3, 2010
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
Power train, Feb 2, 2010
TRANSMISSION SHIFT ERRATICALLY CAUSING THE CAR TO BUCK. 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. *TR
Power train, Feb 1, 2010
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.
Power train, Jan 31, 2010
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
Power train, Jan 22, 2010
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% DISCOUNT OF $640 TOWARDS THE !@#$% TRANSMISSION WHICH I STILL HAD TO PAY THE DEALER THE FULL AMOUNT AND I HAVE TO SUBMIT A WHOLE BUNCH OF PAPERWORK SO THAT I CAN GET MY DISCOUNT. IT SEEMS TOYOTA CARS ARE NOT ARE GOOD AS THEY CLAIM TO BE. *TR
Power train, Jan 21, 2010
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
Power train, Jan 16, 2010
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
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, Jan 11, 2010
TOYOTA 2002 RAV4 TRANSMISSION JERKS, CAR DOESN'T RUN RIGHT, COMPUTER PROBLEM CAUSES TRANNY FAILURE. *TR
Power train, Jan 5, 2010
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
Power train, Jan 4, 2010
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