Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2003)

315 consumer complaints on file.

#10299019January 11, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10298812January 9, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TOYOTA ISSUED A TECHNICAL ALERT IN 2006 FOR A DEFECTIVE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE IN THEIR 2201-2003 RAV4'S. THE ALERT WAS ONLY SENT TO THE DEALERSHIPS, NOT TO THE CONSUMERS. THIS DEFECT SLOWLY DESTROYS THE TRANSMISSION AND WITHOUT WARNING YOUR CAR STALLS LIKE YOUR RUNNING OUT OF GAS. A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED BUT TOYOTA REFUSES. I NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIX THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE THAT COSTS $1300 NOW I HAVE TO REPLACE THAT AND MY TRANSMISSION FOR A TOTAL COST OF $4400. PLEASE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297819January 2, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297752January 1, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297225December 28, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
LONG HESITATION IN CHANGING GEARS. JERKING WHEN ACCELERATING. LACK OF ACCELERATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297244December 28, 2009
POWER TRAIN
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297065December 27, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10296467December 19, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10295669December 14, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN THE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS WHICH CAUSED A VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE REAR END OF THE CONTACTS VEHICLE. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ECM ON THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE AND THAT THEY WILL NOT HELP HER WITH THE REPAIRS. THEY ESTIMATED REPAIR COST WAS APPROXIMATELY $1227. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED AND WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10295405December 11, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. WHILE ENTERING A HIGHWAY BETWEEN 25-30 MPH THE TRANSMISSION DOWN-SHIFTED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. A MECHANIC WAS IN THE PROCESS OF REPAIRING THE ECM. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10294590December 5, 2009
POWER TRAIN
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10294353December 3, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
TL*THE CONTACT 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF RUST AND CRACKS ON THE ROTORS OF THE FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKES. A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT ROTORS. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THE FAILURE WITH AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000. UPDATED 01/12/10 *BF THE FRONT ROTORS HAD SEPARATED AT THE HUBS. UPDATED 01/15/10.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10294204December 1, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10293130November 21, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10292871November 19, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10291799November 10, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10291448November 9, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TOYOTA RAV 4 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY FAILED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10291253November 6, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST REVEALED CODE PO755S (SOLENOID B FAULT). THE MECHANIC COULD NOT INTERPRET THE ERROR CODE. A TECHNICIAN FROM THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO BE RE-INSPECTED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 49,998.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10290703November 2, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10289252October 21, 2009
POWER TRAIN
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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