Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2003)

315 consumer complaints on file.

#10429229October 9, 2011
POWER TRAIN
CAR WILL NOT MOVES VERY SLOWLY WHEN IT STOPS AND YOU TRY TO ACCELERATE, VERY DANGEROUS! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10424676September 11, 2011
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. HAD I NOT ALREADY HAD MY FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP, DAMAGE TO OTHER VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. WITNESS' SAID VEHICLE LURCHED UPWARD JUST BEFORE ACCELERATION. I SLAMMED IT INTO PARK AND CUT ENGINE TO MAKE IT STOP. AFTERWARDS, TRYING TO GET IT HOME, WHEN I TOOK FOOT OFF GAS PEDAL, THE CAR WOULD SHUTTER AND ALMOST DIE, CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL AND REV ENGINE TO KEEP IT FROM DYING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10419869August 17, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE STARTED TO BEGIN TAKEOFF REALLY SLOW AND HESITANT, AND THEN SHIFT REALLY HARD WITH A JERKING MOTION INTO SECOND. NOT SAFE FOR TAKING OFF WITH TRAFFIC OR CROSSING INTERSECTIONS. VERY SCARY TO OPERATE. COULD RUIN TRANSMISSION, SHAFTS, AND OTHER PARTS. QUOTE FROM DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE ECM IS AROUND 1500+. THEN TRANSMISSION AROUND 3000+. I AM CURRENTLY DEALING WITH TOYOTA BACK AND FORTH ON GETTING REPAIR APPROVED. PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. ALL NECESSARY CALLS HAVE BEEN DONE UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND. THEY ARE NOT WARRANTING THIS CLAIM AT THIS TIME. *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10419584August 15, 2011
POWER TRAIN
2003 TOYOTA RAV4 - TRANSMISSION SLIPPING; ENDS UP IT IS A COMPUTER (ECM) PROBLEM WHICH IS SKIPPING 2ND GEAR AND HESITATING ON ACCELERATION AND JERKING INTO 3RD GEAR FROM 1ST GEAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10419272August 13, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING TO THE GROCERY STORE WHEN HE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. SOON AFTER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. HE IMMEDIATELY TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. WE SOON DISCOVERED OUR 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4 HAS A DEFECTIVE ECM AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SEVERELY DAMAGED DUE TO THE ECM. IT COSTS OVER $5,000 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE ECM AND THE TRANSMISSION. WE ARE UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE WE FEEL IT IS DANGEROUS FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10420155August 12, 2011
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY CAR HAS A PROBLEM WELL KNOWN BY MANUFACTURERS,AS,HARSH SHIFT OF AUTOMATICTRANSAXLES , OR (ECM)CODE P0755.TOYOTA SENT SERVICE BULLETINS TO DEALERS BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED>NOW I HAVE TO REPAIR MY CAR AT A COST OF OVER $6000.TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS IN CALIFORNIA HAS REFUSED TO HONOUR MY REPAIR,EVEN THOUGH THEY HONOURED FOR CALIFORNIA.REASON BEING AM OUT OF WARRANTY BY THE MILES,WHICH I HAVE 175000,BUT IM STILL IN WARRANTY BY THE YEARS OF 10 YEARS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10418396August 10, 2011
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY CONDITIONS AT 35 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND SEIZED. AS A RESULT THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED HEAD ON INTO A TREE. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE CRASH. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE AIRBAG MIGHT NOT HAVE DEPLOYED BECAUSE THE AIRBAG SENSORS WERE LOCATED ON THE SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 50,000. THE VIN INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10417146August 5, 2011
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
HI ABOUT MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV4, ITS SEEMS TO STALL AND SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING. FOR EXAPLE IT HAPPEN MORE THEN 5 TIME ON ME THIS MONTH7/1/2011, AND ALMOST GETTING BUMP IN REAR END. I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA DEALER, AND PAYING $100 FOR WHAT THEY COULD FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THIS MODEL SHOULD BE RECALL OR ACCIDENT WILL HAPPEN. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10411725July 11, 2011
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL TOYOTA VEHICLES ACCELERATOR PEDALS WERE STICKING. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO ADVISED THAT ACCELERATOR PEDAL, ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND THROTTLE BODY WERE DEFECTIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 165,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10400820May 13, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE 2003 RAV4 WITH 70000 MILES, ALL OF SUDDEN THE GEAR STARTED JUMP AND JERK, I ASKED A DEALER HOW TO FIX IT, THE DEALER TOLD ME TO PAY $4000, THIS IS VERY BAD I HOPE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE EVERYBODY WITH RAV 4 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM..THIS IS SO BAD.. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10397925April 26, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 TOYOTA RAV4. STARTED HAVING VAGUE PROBLEMS LAST YEAR WITH THE CAR NOT WANTING TO SHIFT AT THE APPROPRIATE TIMES. ON DEC 22, 2010 WE TOOK IT TO GREENTREE TOYOTA IN DANBURY CT AND THEY REPLACED AN ECU UNIT. IT SEEMED TO BE WORKING BETTER BUT NOT OPTIMAL. IT STARTED SHIFTING BAD AGAIN AND AT TIMES NOT WANTING TO SHIFT AT ALL SO WE RETURNED THE CAR TO MILTON RUBEN TOYOTA IN AUGUSTA GA ON 4/25/11. THESE SYMPTOMS ARE SPORADIC AND SOME DAYS IT RUNS BETTER THAN OTHERS. UPON DRIVING THE CAR THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS NOT ON AND THE CODES ARE FINE, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT THEY CAN NOT GET IT TO REPRODUCE ANY OF THE SYMPTOMS I AM COMPLAINING OF I.E. DIFFICULTY MERGING INTO TRAFFIC B/C IT WILL HARDLEY GO AT TIMES, UPON TAKING OFF ON AN INCLINE, AT TIMES, IT WILL NOT GO OVER 30 MPH WITH THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, AT TIMES IT WILL GO OVER 4.5 RPM BEFORE IT DECIDES TO SHIFT, I WILL NOT LET MY DAUGHTER DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE I AM AFRAID SHE WILL PULL OUT AND NOT BE ABLE TO GO IN TIME. THE SYMPTOMS ARE VERY OBVIOUS BUT I AM BEING TOLD THAT THEY DON'T SEE ANY SYMPTOMS AT ALL AND THE CAR IS RUNNING BEAUTIFULLY AND THAT THEY CAN NOT PUT FORTH A CLAIM TO TOYOTA FOR THIS ISSUE WITHOUT A SET CRITERIA. THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING AND NOW I WILL HAVE TO PAY THEM MONEY TO TELL ME THAT THE CAR IS FINE WHEN IT IS NOT. I SO WISH I HAD NOT BOUGHT THIS TOYOTA AND WILL NEVER BUY A TOYOTA AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10392839March 25, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
HI, I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV-4. I HAVE EXPERIENCE SOME TROUBLES WITH WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE ECM AND TRANSMISSION. I HAVE BEEN IN EXTREMELY CLOSE CALLS FOR A MAJOR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONING WHILE ACCELERATING. THE ECM/TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTS OR ACCELERATES OUT OF SEQUENCE AND IT CAUSES THE ENTIRE VEHICLE TO ABRUPTLY JERK IN A FORWARD/BACKWARD MOTION. THE ESTIMATED COST FOR REPAIRS IS WELL ABOVE $4,000 DOLLARS FOR WHAT DOES NOT SEEM NORMAL FOR A VEHICLE THAT ONLY HAS 100K MILES. IN AN ECONOMY LIKE THIS, IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO OBTAIN THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR REPAIRS. I TRUSTED TOYOTA FOR ITS RELIABILITY BUT AFTER THIS MY THOUGHTS HAVE CHANGED. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED TO BE DEALING WITH THIS FRUSTRATING ISSUE. I HAVE READ MANY MORE COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE ON EDMUNDS.COM UNDER COSTUMER REVIEWS. I WISH THAT TOYOTA RECALLS THIS PROBLEM LIKE THEY HAVE FOR OTHER MODELS SINCE THIS PROBLEM CAN BE LIFE THREATENING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10388868March 7, 2011
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON. THE CAR BEGAN HESITATING UPON ACCELERATION. I TOOK THE CAR TO AUTO ZONE SO THEY COULD GIVE ME A QUICK DIAGNOSIS. THEY SAID ONE OF THE CODES THAT CAME UP HAD TO DO WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THAT WOULD BE CAUSING THE STALLING. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO ONE OF THE DMV'S G2 REPAIR STATIONS AND HAD THE CATALYTIC REPLACED AND WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD TO TAKE MY CAR TO TOYOTA TO HAVE THE ECM REFLASHED. THE CAR WORKED FINE FOR A FEW DAYS AND NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS TURNED BACK ON AND THE CAR BEGAN TO STALL AGAIN. I WAS NEARLY IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE STALLING. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE ECM REFLASHED BUT THE VERY RUDE SERVICE ADVISOR AT TOYOTA LET ME KNOW THAT MIGHT NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. HE LET ME KNOW THAT MY PREVIOUS REPAIR STATION SENT ME THERE TO COVER THEMSELVES WHEN IN FACT THEY SENT ME THERE DUE TO TOYOTA'S SERVICE BULLETIN. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE A FAULTY ECM REFLASHED. TOYOTA SHOULD PROVIDE THAT SERVICES FOR FREE. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT A FAULTY ECM CAN RUIN THE TRANSMISSION SO I MAY HAVE SOME COSTLY REPAIRS IN THE FUTURE DUE TO A FAULTY PART BY TOYOTA. TOYOTA SHOULD REPLACE THE ECMS ON ALL 2001-2003 TOYOTA RAV4S SINCE THEY KNOW THEY ARE FAULTY AND COVER THE COST OF THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR CAUSED BY THEIR FAULTY ECM. TOYOTA IS BEING VERY UNDERHANDED BY SENDING OUT THE SERVICES BULLETIN TO CERTAIN REPAIR SHOPS AND NOT TO ACTUAL TOYOTA OWNERS. THEY SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE. ARE THEY GOING TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE DIES? THE UNEXPECTED STALLING CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND TOYOTA OWNERS SHOULD BE INFORMED. IF I HAD KNOWN THIS I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED A TOYOTA FOR MY TEENAGER. THE STALLING ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHILE I WAS DRIVING BUT IT WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY CAUSED ONE FOR SOMEONE WITH LESS DRIVING EXPERIENCE. IT'S A SHAME THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL SOMEONE GETS HURT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10380138February 3, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
IN OCTOBER, 2010 MY 2003 RAV4 STARTED ACTING SLUGGISH AND SHIFTING POORLY. IT WOULD ALMOST STALL OUT IN TRAFFIC AND SEVERAL TIMES I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD BALK SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. I TOOK IT TO ARLINGTON TOYOTA IN PALATINE, ILLINOIS. THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. IN JANUARY, 2011 THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE. THE DEALER REFLASHED THE ECM MODULE WHICH CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION. THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE. THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD NEED A NEW ECM .COST $1400. MILEAGE OUT OF WARRANTY SO IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED. THEY CONTACTED TOYOTA REGIONAL WHO ALSO SAID THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER RELATIONS BUT THEY ALSO SAID EVEN THOUGH I HAD RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE, THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE COST. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10372436December 26, 2010
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CHECK OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD GO OUT, AFTER CHECKING THE OIL LEVEL ALL APPEAR FINE, THE CAR WOULD BURN 1 QUART EVERY TWO MONTHS. AFTER DRIVING ALONG THE EXPRESS WAY FOR 30 MILES AND USING A TWO LANE ROAD FOR ABOUT 3 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL LIGHT ALL CAME ON AT A STOP LIGHT AND THEN THE ENGINE MAKE NOISE AND QUIT RUNNING, AFTER TOWING THE CAR TO A AUTO REPAIR SHOP WE WERE TOLD THE CAR NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THE CAR IS A RAV 4 2003 WITH ABOUT 89,000 MILES ON IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10365264November 10, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH HE ENGAGED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND IT TOOK A FEW SECONDS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE ECM CARD NEEDED REPROGRAMMING. THE FAILURE STARTED IN JUNE 2009. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 73,000. UPDATED 2/28/11 *CN UPDATED 03/07/11
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10365137November 9, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I WAS RECENTLY WARNED THAT MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 HAD MANY, MANY TRANSMISSION COMPLAINTS. NOT 2 DAYS LATER, MY RAV BEGAN SHOWING SIGNS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ON THE INTERNET TO FIND THAT THERE WERE AN UNUSUALLY LARGE NUMBER OF OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS, BUT FOUND NO RELIEF WITH TOYOTA. AFTER TAKING MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYZING, I WAS INFORMED IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION TO THE TUNE OF ALMOST $4,000. THIS IS ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY ONLY ME AND HAD PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE DONE REGULARLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10364270November 6, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TOYOTA RAV4 2003, TRANSMISSION ISSUE, DURING DRIVING, THE CAR SOMETIMES SLOWDOWN, IN HIGHWAY, DURING DRIVING TIME, THE CAR SUDDEN SLOWDOWN, JUST LIKE DEEP STEP ON THE BRAKE PAD. IT IS HAPPEN ALL THE TIME DURING DRIVING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10363776November 2, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING, MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV4'S ENGINE LIGHT STARTS FLICKERING. THE CAR STARTS HESITATING, EVEN WITH APPLYING MORE GAS. THE CAR THEN LOSES POWER AND CUTS OUT. THE CAR WILL THEN RESTART, BUT CONTINUE TO HESITATE AND CUT OUT THE ISSUE HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES OVER THE PAST MONTH. THE DEALER COULD NOT ISOLATE THE PROBLEM AND SIMPLY RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE SPARK PLUGS. MY WIFE HAPPENED TO BE DRIVING THE CAR ON THE INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR YESTERDAY WITH MY TWO TODDLERS IN THE CAR WHEN IT CUT OUT AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10362508October 26, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP LIGHT THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 115000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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