2003 Toyota RAV4
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 326 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 11th highest complaint count among 26 RAV4 model years with reports.
Of the 2003 reports, 19 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 9 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
42 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Electrical system, Feb 19, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. SHE NOTICED THAT WHEN SHE STOPPED THE GEAR WILL FAIL IT WILL STAY IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THE DIAGNOSIS INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ECU AND THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,236. UPDATED 03/30/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE MADE A STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR AND THE ENGINE REVVED, THEN SLIPPED INTO GEAR AND LURCHED FORWARD. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WAS A COMPUTER PROBLEM AND SENDING FAULTY SIGNALS TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE HAVE BEEN NO OTHER PROBLEMS SINCE. UPDATED 07/15/10*JB
Power train, Electrical system, Jan 19, 2010
ECM AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IN 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 CREATE A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION - SEVERE HESITATION AND DELAY/DISRUPTION IN SHIFTING WHEN OTHER VEHICLES ARE BEHIND YOU OR WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO CROSS LANES OF TRAFFIC IN LOW GEARS. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Jan 11, 2010
CAR WAS HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING. IT FELT LIKE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON. I PULLED OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. I HAD TO PULL OVER. I CALLED MY MECHANIC WHO SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE THE TRANSMISSION AND RECOMMENDED A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. THEY ALSO REPLACED THE COMPUTER. THEY TOLD ME THE COMPUTER FAILURE IS WHAT CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE PARTS LISTED ARE THE COMPUTER, CONVERTER, OVERHAUL KIT FOR AWD, AND TRANSAXLE OIL FILTER. *TR
Electrical system, Dec 28, 2009
LONG HESITATION IN CHANGING GEARS. JERKING WHEN ACCELERATING. LACK OF ACCELERATION. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Dec 1, 2009
I BOUGHT A BRANDNEW 2003 RAV4 6 YEARS AGO AND ALREADY HAVE 95,000 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION STARTS TO SLIPPED AND DRAG A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO. IT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON MY WAY HOME BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION SLOWLY SHIFTS GEAR ON 2ND AND 3RD WITH A HIGH IDLING. I HAVE READ SOME FORUMS ABOUT THE RAV4 2001-2003 ECM ISSUES. I WOULD LIKE TO COMPLAINT THAT TOYOTA WOULD NOT DO A RECALL TO THE FAULTY PART THAT CAN CAUSE DEATH AND SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING A RAV4 (2001-2003) MODEL WITH A DEFECTIVE ECM. THERE ARE OVER 488 COMPLAINTS THAT I'VE READ IN ONE FORUM ALONE. I HOPE YOU WILL FIND A WAY TO HAVE TOYOTA ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS ECM FAILURE TO MY 2003 RAV4 AND HOPE TO HAVE THEM REPLACE ALL THE RAV4 (2001-2003) ECM MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. *TR
Electrical system, Oct 16, 2009
I AM WRITING TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT MY 2003 RAV4 ECM/TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I BROUGHT OUR RAV4 INTO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TWO TIMES EARLIER THIS YEAR, COMPLAINING OF A LURCHING ISSUE. AFTER MY THIRD ATTEMPT TO BRING IT IN AT 68,827 MILES, MIND YOU I HAD THE PLATINUM WARRANTY WHICH COVERS UP TO 75,000 MILES, ON JUNE 9, 2009. AFTER ONLY BEING GONE FOR 20 MINUTES AFTER DROPPING IT OFF, I GOT A PHONE CALL STATING THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG, WHEN CLEARLY, IN THE TSB IT STATES IT WOULD TAKE ATLEAST 30 MIN TO DETECT. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT WAS DETECTED LATER THAT DAY. WHEN THE TECHNICIAN THAT FIXED IT, GAVE THE CAR BACK TO MY WIFE, HE TOLD HER THAT IF THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM THEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. SO FAR SO GOOD....UNTIL TODAY, OCTOBER 16. I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE IT WAS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AS BEFORE AND SLIPPING OF THE TRANSMISSION. I BROUGHT IT IN AND THEY FINALLY CAME TO THAT CONCLUSION AFTER HAVING TO TAKE IT OUT TWICE. WHEN I LEFT THE LAST TIME, IN JUNE, THEY GAVE ME THE IMPRESSION THAT ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS UNDER THIS ECM CHIP WOULD BE COVERED UNDER 80000 MILES. I WAS AT 79515 WHEN I TOOK IT IN. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY, INCLUDING MY PLATINUM WARRANTY THAT I HAD. I ASKED THEM IF THE ECM CHIP WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE DAMAGE, AND ATLEAST THREE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGERS TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO RELATION BETWEEN THE CHIP AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, TOYOTA STATED IN A NYTIMES ARTICLE THAT THE CHIP WOULD CAUSE TRANSMISSION DAMAGE. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM EXPECTED TO PAY $3700 DOLLARS FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION THAT HAS FAILED DUE TO THE LACK OF ATTENTION IN CHANGING THE ECM CHIP. YEAH!!!! *TR
Electrical system, Oct 13, 2009
TOYOTA 2003 RAV4 HAS A MALFUNCTIONING ECM. IT HAS CAUSED THE CAR TO SPEED UP AND SLOW DOWN ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENTS 2 TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD. PLEASE TAKE ACTION. I HAVE FOUND THAT TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THIS DEFECT IN 2006 AND WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I THINK THAT TOYOTA SHOULD GIVE A 100% REFUND TO EVERYONE WHO BOUGHT THIS CAR BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THIS DEFECT MIGHT KILL PEOPLE AND THEY DID NOTHING. SO I HAVE THIS CAR AND I AM AFRAID TO LET ANYONE DRIVE IT BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE SPEED. I HOPE THAT THIS CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF SOON BECAUSE WE NEED A CAR TO DRIVE THAT IS SAFE. *TR
Electrical system, Sep 11, 2009
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RESISTS APPLICATION, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,700 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 142,882. UPDATED 10/22/09 *BF
Electrical system, Feb 4, 2009
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE MAIN BRAIN OF THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNAVAILABLE.
Power train, Electrical system, Jun 16, 2008
I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4- SEEMS TO BE EXACT SAME PROBLEM EVERYONE ELSE IS HAVING--NO PROBLEMS UNTIL EARLY THIS YEAR 2008, TRANSMISSION WAS SKIPPING GEAR 2 TO 3, TOOK TO MECHANIC THEN TO TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST, WHERE THE SAME PROCEDURE OCCURRED. COMPUTER CHIP REPLACED, FEW DAYS LATER, SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 89,000 MILES, 3400 DOLLARS TOTAL. OTHERWISE, THE CAR IS GREAT. NO ACCIDENT, JUST TOO MUCH HASSLE, MONEY, AND SEVERAL STRESSFUL, SCARY RIDES HOME. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Jun 4, 2008
I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4, AT 86600 MILES IT APPEARED MY TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING, WHEN I WOULD PULL OUT IN FRONT OF ANYONE IT WAS STALL AND SLIP WHILE GOING INTO 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION), THE DEALERSHIP (TOYOTA) SAID IT WAS INTERNAL IN THE TRANSMISSION SO I TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION PLACE, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. AFTER REVIEW THE COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING WITH TOYOTA'S 2001 THRU 2003 AND IT IS THE ECM THAT GOES BAD AND IF YOU DRIVE YOUR CAR IT WILL TARE UP THE TRANSMISSION. I WENT BACK TO TOYOTA AND SHOWED THEM THE BULLETIN PUT OUT BY TOYOTA AND AFTER SOME BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM THEY INSTALLED ME A NEW ECM, THIS WAS JUST 2 DAYS AGO, THEY ARE NOT SURE IF THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM OR NOT, BUT I BELIEVE TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES BEFORE SOMEONE GET KILLED, THIS IS A REAL EXPENSE TO THE CAR OWNERS. *TR
Electrical system, Mar 21, 2007
AFTER SITTING IN GARAGE FOR A FEW DAYS, RAV4 WOULD NOT START. CHECKED BATTERY, BUT IT WAS WORKING. ALSO TRIED TO JUMP-START CAR, BUT THIS DID NOT WORK. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT A COMPUTER FAILED.*AK
Electrical system, Mar 21, 2007
WHILE DRIVING THE RAV 4 ON COUNTRY ROADS, THE CAR STALLED AT A STOP. AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS, WE WERE ABLE TO RE-START THE CAR AND DRIVE IT HOME ALTHOUGH IT RAN VERY ROUGH. TOWED CAR TO DEALER WHO EVENTUALLY DETERMINED IT WAS CAUSED BY A INTERMITTENT GROUND-WIRE CONNECTION BETWEEN COMPUTERS. CAR HAD ABOUT 50,000 MILES ON IT.*AK
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jul 11, 2006
WE HAVE A TOYOTA RAV4 ELECTRIC VEHICLE. CAR ROLLED AWAY FROM CHARGING STATION WHILE PLUGGED IN - PERSON IN CAR SHIFTED INTO 'NEUTRAL' BY MISTAKE. RIPPED OUT CHARGING PADDLE DOWN TO THE ELECTRICAL WIRES - POTENTIAL ELECTRICAL HAZARD. COULD BE AVOIDED BY A SIMPLE RELAY THAT WILL PREVENT PEOPLE FROM SHIFTING OUT OF 'PARK' WHEN CAR IS PLUGGED IN. HAPPENS TO MANY TOYOTA ELECTRIC VEHICLES - I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED. PICTURE (JPEG) AVAILABLE IF NEEDED PLEASE DO PASS ON THIS COMPLAINT TO TOYOTA. *JB
Electrical system, Dec 14, 2005, fire
THE CONSUMER 2004 TOYOTA RAV4 BURST INTO FLAMES AFTER HAVING OIL CHANGED, DESTROYING VEHICLE. *TS THE CONSUMER HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE DEALER'S SERVICE PRIOR TO THIS FIRE. SHE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE TOLD THE THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER SPOKE TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT SEVERAL RAV4'S WERE CATCHING ON FIR DUE TO A FAULTY REMOTE START AND ALARM, WHICH THE CONSUMER HAD INSTALLED IN HER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE DAMAGE. *NM
Electrical system, Feb 19, 2005
IN THE LAST WEEK AFTER SOME HEAVY RAINS IN SAN DIEGO, CA, I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT FLOOR BOARDS ON BOTH SIDES OF MY 2003 RAV 4 WERE VERY WET. THERE WASN'T ANY WATER ON THE GROUND, THE SEATS NOR WERE THE WINDOWS OR MOON ROOF LEFT OPEN. WHEN THE CAR WAS GOING AROUND A CURVE, THERE WAS A SWOOSHING SOUND OF RUNNING WATER SOMEWHERE UNDER THE DASHBOARD (IT SOUNDED LIKE). I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN NOV 2002 BRAND NEW WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I CURRENTLY HAVE 52,000 MILES ON THE CAR. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PREVIOUS PROBLEMS. I CALLED SEVERAL TOYOTA CAR DEALERSHIPS ABOUT WHAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE AND NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN THIS. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS WITH ANY CAR WHETHER OLD OR NEW SINCE 1966 NOR HAVE I HEARD OF ANYONE HAVING A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I STATED THIS WAS NOT A NORMAL PROBLEM OF WEAR AND TEAR, OTHERWISE MECHANICS WOULD BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS AND BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE IT WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. I WAS TOLD THAT MY CARPETING WAS TOTALLY RUINED (ITS MOLDY) AND ALL OF IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. I AM ASTHMATIC AND VERY ALLERGIC TO MOLD, THEREFORE ITS A HEALTH HAZARD. SINCE THIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY MY NEGLIGENCE, NOR IS IT A PART THAT IS EXPECTED TO WEAR WITH NORMAL USE IF EVER, I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR PARTS AND LABOR, EVEN MORE SO THAT THE MECHANICS ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME FINDING THE SOURCE. THIS PART OR PARTS ARE DEFECTIVE. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY WILL TRY TO SPEAK WITH THE FACTORY TO GET SOME ASSISTANCE BUT AT THIS POINT ITS UNKNOWN. THERE HAS BEEN PROPER MAINTENANCE ON THE CAR AS REQUIRED AND THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS.*AK
Electrical system, Oct 8, 2004, fire
AS MY HUSBAND AND I DROVE WE SMELLED A STRANGE ODOR WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE AIR OUTSIDE. MY HUSBAND NOTICED THERE WAS SMOKE RISING FROM THE HOOD. HE DROVE TO THE SHOULDER AND GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE. SPARKS BEGAN TO APPEAR AND VERY QUICKLY THE ENTIRE CAR BECAME ENGULFED. WE WERE VERY LUCKILY NOT TO BE INJURED. WE LOST A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OUR BELONGINGS. WE WERE GOING AWAY FOR THE WEEKEND TO OUR HOME IN PA. AND WERE CARRYING CLOTHING, LUGGAGE,ETC. TO STORE. *NM