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: power train
213 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Feb 1, 2010
WE RECENTLY ENCOUNTERED A PROBLEM WITH OUR 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 WHERE THE TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY SEEMED TO SLIP WHEN ENGAGING FIRST GEAR FROM A STOPPED POSITION, SHIFTED HARSHLY BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS, OR AT TIMES SEEMED TO SLIP BETWEEN SHIFTING FROM FIRST AND SECOND GEAR. THE RESULT OF THE HESITATION TO SHIFT GEARS REPRESENTS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE IN TRAFFIC, AND WE FEARED THIS ISSUE WOULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. WE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP (APPLE VALLEY TOYOTA IN MARTINSBURG, WV) TO LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM. WE DROPPED OFF THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT, AND RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY INFORMING US THAT WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION (QUOTED $3800). RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET, WE FOUND THE KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE ECM FOR THIS MODEL YEAR VEHICLE, AND THE FACT THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE ISSUE SINCE AT LEAST 2006- ALTHOUGH THEY DID NOT INFORM THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES, NOR DID THE MECHANICS AT THE DEALERSHIP SEEM TO KNOW THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE- DESPITE A 2006 TSB ON THE SUBJECT. UNFORTUNATELY WE DID NOT FIND THIS OUT UNTIL AFTER WE HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER SHOP AND HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AND THE SOLENOID BOX REPLACED. NOW, AFTER ALMOST $4000, WE ARE STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHICH HAS LEFT THE VEHICLE UNDRIVABLE. WE FEEL THAT TOYOTA HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THAT THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT WARRANTS A RECALL. AND THAT EVEN IF A RECALL IS NOT ORDERED, THEY SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST ALERTED THEIR CUSTOMERS TO THIS ISSUE AND PREPARED THEIR DEALERSHIPS ON HOW TO IDENTIFY AND RESOLVE THE ISSUE CORRECTLY. PLEASE BE PROACTIVE AND INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST. THIS PROBLEM MAKES OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE UNSAFE! *TR
Power train, Jan 27, 2010
2003 TOYOTA RAV4 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION JERKING, STOPPING AND GOING BY ITSELF. *CN
Power train, Jan 27, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COMPUTER MODULE FOR THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING EXCESSIVELY. THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 80,000 MILES; ALTHOUGH, THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,000 THE MANUFACTURER AGREED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE.
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, Jan 17, 2010
I HAD A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. ON APRIL 24TH 2009 I PULLED OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND MY TRANSMISSION MADE MY CAR STALL ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT MY TRANSMISSION ACTED IT UP. THE TORQUE CONVERTER BURNED UP IN IT. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. TOYOTA NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT. A COMPANY ON EBAY REBUILDS THE DEFECTIVE ECMS TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA HAS A REAL BIG PROBLEM ON THEIR HANDS AND THAT THEY HAVE REBUILT TONS OF THE ECMS. *TR THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK 3 TIMES, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. UPDATED 03/24/10.*JB
Power train, Jan 17, 2010
MY TOYOTA RAV4 AUTOMATIC SUDDENLY BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY, AND CLUNK WHEN SHIFTING. I ATTEMPTED A LEFT TURN AT A LIGHT INTO A PARKING LOT TO CHECK THE CAR WHEN IT HESITATED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUSY INTERSECTION. THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS ALERT ENOUGH TO AVOID ME BUT IT WAS CLOSE. I WOULD NOT HAVE ATTEMPTED THAT TURN IF I HAD KNOWN THE EXTENT OF THE CAR'S PROBLEM. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME AND THE HARD SHIFTING, HESITATING AND SKIPPING GEARS CONTINUED. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH '01-03 RAV4'S. WELL KNOWN TO THE OWNERS AS WELL TOYOTA SINCE 2006. I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN '03 AND THIS IS THE FIRST I HAVE HEARD OF IT. I HAD THE ECM REBUILT-NOT BY TOYOTA-AND THE CAR SEEMS TO BE RUNNING FINE NOW. *TR
Power train, Jan 14, 2010
CAR HAS BEEN REVVING AT HIGH RPM LEVELS PERIODICALLY. JUST RECENTLY THE TRANSMISSION WENT INTO LOW GEAR WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS LIKE THE BRAKES WERE PUT ON ME, WENT FROM GOING 45 MPH TO 1 MPH ON A BUSY HIGHWAY HEADING TOWARDS THE OFF RAMP. VERY SCARY. *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
Power train, Jan 2, 2010
I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP, SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD I WOULD NEED A RE-MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION. I WENT ONLINE TO LOOK UP COSTS AND SAW A TON OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM EITHER GOING TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FIXED OR BUY A NEW CAR BECAUSE MY CAR IS WORTH THE SAME AS THE FIX. APPARENTLY FROM WHAT I AM READING IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT IT FOR SOME TIME AND HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL TO FIX IT. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Jan 1, 2010
2003 TOYOTA RAV WAS STOP INSTEAD OF ACCELERATING ON HIGHWAY STARTING 12/17, BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP ON 12/22/09 AND THEY CHANGED SPARK PLUGS; BROUGHT BACK 12/29 THEY CHANGED WATER PUMP AND THEN TEST DROVE AND CALLED ME TO TELL ME IT COULD BE TRANSMISSION BUT TO REPLACE THE ECM FIRST SINCE THEY KNEW IT COULD CAUSE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *TR
Power train, Dec 28, 2009
THIS IS A WELL KNOWN SAFETY HAZARD TOYOTA WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE WITH 2001-04 RAV4S. MY WELL MAINTAINED 2003 RAV4 WITH 135K MILES SUDDENLY HESITATES/JERKS ON ACCELERATION. NEVER HAD ISSUES WITH CAR UNTIL FEW DAYS AGO WITH MILD HESITATION INTERMITTENTLY. NOW CAR BUCKS VIOLENTLY, SHAKES, SKIPS GEARS AND LURCHES AHEAD WHEN ACCELERATING AND BEFORE COMING TO FULL STOP. CAR IS AT DEALERSHIP AND NO DEFECTS FOUND. THEY ARE NOW TESTING FOR ENGINE CONTROL MODULE FAILURE AT MY REQUEST BASED ON WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM READING SCORES OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. PART IS ESTIMATED AT $1500 BUT TOYOTA WILL NOT COVER AS IT HAS OVER 80000 MILES - THEY KNEW OF THIS DEFECT SINCE AT LEAST 2006 AND ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN BUT DID NOT ALERT ME AND OTHER OWNERS TO GET THIS ISSUE REPAIRED. IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
Power train, Dec 27, 2009
I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 THAT I BOUGHT USED AND LUCKILY HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH UNTIL NOW. 2 DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS I WAS IN TOWN RUNNING ERRANDS AND HAD STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED AND I PRESSED ON THE GAS, THE VEHICLES ENGINE REVVED UP BUT THE TRUCK HARDLY MOVED. THEN IT JERKED AS IF SOMEONE HAD REAR ENDED ME. I THOUGHT IT WAS WEIRD BUT WENT ON. STOPPED AT ANOTHER LIGHT AND SAME THING. ONLY THIS TIME I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED TWICE BEFORE I COULD GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE. SO I DROVE STRAIGHT HOME AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. I TOOK IT IN ON CHRISTMAS EVE (ALMOST GETTING REAR ENDED AT EVERY INTERSECTION I WENT THROUGH BETWEEN MY HOUSE AND THE DEALER SHIP 32 MILES AWAY) ONLY TO BE TOLD IT WAS THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT AND WOULD COST ME $1350.00 TO REPAIR. SINCE THEN I HAVE GONE ONLINE AND REALIZED THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. HOW CAN THERE BE A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE OR NOT. ANY VEHICLE THAT STALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION IS A SAFETY HAZARD. MY VEHICLE IS READILY AVAILABLE FOR NHTSA TO TEST AND DETERMINE THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
Power train, Dec 19, 2009
UPON A RECENT TRIP TO TENNESSEE, I STARTED NOTICING THE SLIPPING OF THE TRANSMISSION DURING ACCELERATE . AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP I WAS INFORMED THAT TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS NO PLANS TO HELP REMEDY THE SITUATION. WHEN EVER YOU TRY TO ACCELERATE IT DOES NOT WANT TO STAY IN GEAR LEAVING THE DRIVER IN DOUBT OF WEATHER OR NOT THE CAR STAY IN GEAR. IT SEEMS THE ECM MODULE IS DEFECTIVE AND IS NOT UNDER ANY RECALL EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE FULLY AWARE OF IT. *TR
Power train, Dec 5, 2009
MY WIFE'S 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 2 WHEEL DRIVE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY STOPPED DRIVING IN TRAFFIC WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. IT REVVED UP BUT WOULDN'T MOVE. THEN IT FINALLY TOOK HOLD AND DROVE OFF IN A HIGHER GEAR. THEN WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD IN TRAFFIC IT DID IT AGAIN (VERY DANGEROUS-SHE COULD OF BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. APPARENTLY AFTER READING UP ON IT, TOYOTA ISSUED IN MARCH 06' A REPORT TO TOYOTA SERVICE CENTERS ABOUT THEIR ECM CAUSING THIS PROBLEM, BUT HASN'T WARNED CONSUMERS, OR DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *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
Power train, Nov 21, 2009
I OWN A 2003 RAV 4 AND RECENTLY WITHIN THE LAST 4 DAYS THE CAR JERKS AND DOES NOT SHIFT RIGHT BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD AND WHEN IN FIRST GOING TO SECOND IT HAS A SHORT JERK TO THE SHIFT. THEN THE RPMS REV UP TO 5 NEARLY GETTING ME HIT BY A DIESEL ON THE FREEWAY. I AM AWARE THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING FOR MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS CAR AND IS A MODEL DEFECT TOYOTA NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THIS PROBLEM AND FIX IT. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT UNDER WARRANTY LIKE MYSELF IT COMES OUT OF POCKET HOW CAN YOU GUYS AKA TOYOTA FEEL RIGHT ROBBING PEOPLE LIKE THIS IN A TIME LIKE NOW. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO ANSWER THESE COMPLAINTS! *TR
Power train, Nov 19, 2009
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. *TR
Power train, Nov 10, 2009
I OWN A 2003 RAV4, AFTER 100K MILES THE CAR STALKS AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE IN TRAFFIC. HAD IT CHECKED BY A MECHANIC AND THE ECM IS BAD. CALLED TOYOTA DEALER ABOUT THE ECM RECALL AND THEY REFUSED TO COVER FOR IT SINCE IT'S OVER THE 80K MILES. *TR
Power train, Nov 9, 2009
TOYOTA RAV 4 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY FAILED. *TR
Power train, Nov 2, 2009
I OWN A RAV4 TOYOTA. LAST THURSDAY MY AR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION, WAS ROUGH SHIFTING AND STALLING FROM IN FIRST AND SECOND. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP, 45 KM FROM HOME, CROSSING A MAJOR HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE "KANGAROO JUMPED" OVER THE INTERSECTION. THE DEALERSHIP HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 3 HOURS AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT SO I RETURNING HOME THE PROBLEM STARTED HAPPENING AGAIN. WHEN I PHONED THE DEALERSHIP BACK THEY SAID THEY HAD BEEN CALLING ME TO SAY THEY HAD FOUND INFORMATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM ETC. AND THEY HAD ORDERED THE PART WHICH WOULD TAKE 2/3 DAYS, THEN I WILL HAVE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE BACK OUT THERE ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY CONCERNS TO THE MAY YOU HAVE RECEIVED REGARDING THE 2003 RAV4. I FEEL THAT THE RAV4 SHOULD BE RECALLED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ON READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON THE E-MAIL I WAS SURPRISED THAT THE DEALERSHIP WERE NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAD TO RESEARCH IT. *TR
Power train, Oct 21, 2009
I OWN A TOYOTA RAV 4 2003. IN A MATTER OF DAYS, MY CAR STARTED SLIPPING GEARS WHILE ACCELERATING. MY CAR WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE SAFELY IN 45 MPH BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALER TO FIND OUT THAT THERE IS A FAULTY ECM THAT AFFECTS TRANSMISSIONS THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT. I THINK IT IS UNETHICAL PRACTICE FOR A CAR MAKER TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A FAULTY DESIGN IN A CAR THAT CAN AFFECT SOMETHING AS AN IMPORTANT AND AS EXPENSIVE AS A TRANSMISSION. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WAS MERGING ON TO THE HIGHWAY, AND IT DID NOT ACCELERATE? *TR
Power train, Oct 17, 2009
MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4 HAS HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT TWICE, THE COMPUTER REPLACED, AND THE SOLENOIDS REPLACED TWICE. MY MECHANIC ONCE THOUGHT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS BURNING UP THE SOLENOIDS. I AM AT MY WITS END. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE SHOP SIX TIMES BETWEEN JUNE 2009 AND OCTOBER 2009 FOR THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. IT SHIFTS FINE FOR ABOUT A WEEK, AND THEN THE SAME THING: IT BECOMES UNRELIABLE AS TO WHETHER IT WILL SHIFT INTO 2ND OR 3RD GEAR PROPERLY. IT JERKS, IT SLIPS, AT OTHER TIMES IT REVS UP TO 4000 RPMS BEFORE IT GOES INTO GEAR AND THEN IT LURCHES FORWARD LIKE A ROCKET. SOMETIMES THE REAR WHEELS SKIP OFF THE PAVEMENT. I HAVEN'T BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT YET, BUT IT'S A MATTER OF TIME. I CANNOT MERGE INTO TRAFFIC LIKE NORMAL VEHICLES AND I FEAR BEING REAR-ENDED FROM A STOPPED POSITION. I FEEL LIKE PUTTING A SIGN ON THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE EXPLAINING WHY I'M NOT MOVING. I JUST GOT THE VEHICLE BACK FROM THE TRANSMISSION SHOP THURSDAY. BY FRIDAY, THE TRANSMISSION WAS ALREADY SLIPPING AGAIN. I WANTED TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY AND CRY. I PAID $2400 TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AND FORTUNATELY, ALL OF MY RETURN TRIPS WERE COVERED BY THE TRANSMISSION WARRANTY. BUT I HAVE ALSO PAID $1300 IN RENTAL VEHICLES FOR ALL THE TIME THE RAV 4 WAS IN THE SHOP. I DID FIND THE TOYOTA SERVICE BULLETIN, BUT THE CODES FROM MY VEHICLE DID NOT MATCH THE CODES IN THE BULLETIN. TOYOTA, PLEASE HELP US! WE JUST WANT OUR CARS FIXED! WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH THEM? ARE THEY ALL LEMONS? MY RAV4 HAS 93,000 MILES ON IT. I AM THE 2ND OWNER, IT HAS A CLEAN TITLE, AND WAS MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN. *TR
Power train, Oct 14, 2009
NO PRIOR NOTICE OF ANY PROBLEMS. ALL OF A SUDDEN VEHICLE WILL BARELY START FROM STOPPED POSITION. I DRIVE A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. ALL INDICATION IS THAT THE ECM IS FAULTY CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION NOT TO SHIFT CORRECTLY. PULLING INTO OR OUT OF TRAFFIC WITH THE SAID VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. *TR
Power train, Oct 8, 2009
MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 HAD A VERY HARSH SHIFT INTO REVERSE, HESITANT SHIFT OR NO SHIFT INTO 1ST. IF IT DID SHIFT INTO 1ST, THERE WAS A RAMP UP IN RPM TO 4000+ AND SHAKING TO GET FROM 2ND TO 3RD. I TOOK IT TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DID A FULL DIAGNOSTIC AND INFORMED ME THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEM CODES, HOWEVER I SHOULD FLUSH THE TRANNY FLUIDS TO BEGIN WITH. AFTER A COMPLETE FLUSH, THE PROBLEMS DIDN'T GO AWAY SO I DID SOME RESEARCH ON RAV4 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND DISCOVERED THE ECM ISSUE WITH MY MODEL. I HAD THE ECM SERVICED AND A VAST MAJORITY OF THE ISSUED WERE SOLVED, HOWEVER THE FAULTY ECU HAD ALREADY DONE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION WHERE IT HAD A HORRIBLE SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD (A HORRIBLY HARSH SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR WITH RPM RAMP UP TO 5000+ RPS) REQUIRING ADDITIONAL WORK FROM A CERTIFIED MECHANIC TO REPLACE SOLENOIDS AND TRANSMISSION WORK. *TR
Power train, Sep 29, 2009
MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 SOMETIMES STALLS IN TRAFFIC, DUE TO WHAT SEEMS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. THE ENGINE RACES FOR A WHILE, THEN THE TRANSMISSION WILL CATCH AND THE CAR WILL SURGE FORWARD. THERE IS NO PATTERN TO WHEN THIS HAPPENS. *TR