Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2003)

315 consumer complaints on file.

#10312284February 19, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
TRANSMISSION ON 2003 RAV 4 (TOYOTA) DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY IT HESITATES AND DOES NOT MOVE THE AUTO WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED IT ALSO JUMPS AND SHIFTS GEARS ROUGHLY WHEN ACCELERATING THIS COULD WELL LEAD TO PROBLEMS AND POSSIBLE CRASHES ON FREEWAY RAMPS AND AT STOP LIGHTS AND SIGNS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10311874February 18, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN DRIVING MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV4, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AT ABOUT 20MPH. I WAS ABOUT TO ENTER AN INTERCEPTION, AND A 18 WHEEL TRUCK, STARTED TO MAKE A TURN IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS UNABLE TO PROCEED, AND NARROWLY MISSED THE TRUCK HITTING ME HEAD-ON. COMPETITION TOYOTA OF MIDDLE ILAND, NY PUT A NEW ECM IN FOR $1400, BUT THE TRANS. CONTINUED TO SLIP. I SPENT $5,700+ ON A REBUILT TRANSMISSION FROM JASPER CORP., BUT I WAS WITH-OUT A VEHICLE FOR 7 WEEKS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10311537February 17, 2010
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH THE TOYOTA 2003 RAV4 ROLLING OVER AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS HAD OPENED FRONT OR SKIRT ABOVE THE HEAD FOR ROLL OVER. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310446February 15, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION & 4WD. TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ALLOW PROPER ACCELERATION FROM STANDING STOP, ROUGH SHIFTING RESULTING IN A "SLAM" INTO GEAR, HANGS BETWEEN GEARS WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT. FLUSH OF FLUID ALLEVIATED PROBLEM FOR 1 WEEK (APPROX 200 MILES 0 BUT IT HAS RETURNED. ECU ERROR CODE: P0755. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310610February 15, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WITH NO WARNING OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, CAR BEGAN BUCKING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS - BUT THEN SMOOTHED OUT IN THE HIGHER GEARS AND ALSO AS THE CAR WARMED UP. NO OTHER CARS AROUND SO NO DANGER TO MYSELF OR OTHERS. THOUGHT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED FLUID, SO I TRIED THAT. SEEMED TO IMPROVE SOMEWHAT FOR TWO DAYS - THEN THE SLIPPING BECAME VERY BAD AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THAT SAME AFTERNOON I BROUGHT CAR INTO MY MECHANIC, WHOSE COMPUTER DIAGNOSED A DEFECTIVE SOLONOID. AFTER REPLACEMENT ($117), TRANSMISSION WAS STILL SLIPPING. FOUND A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY DIAGNOSED A FAULTY ECM. COST FOR REPLACEMENT: $1450. DON'T KNOW AT THIS TIME WHETHER OR NOT TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN IRREPARABLY DAMAGED. COST TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION: $3500. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310322February 14, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 TOYOTA RAV 4 TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO FAULTY PCM- TECHNICAL BULLETIN #1046. TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED BIND UP AND HARSH SHIFTING JANUARY 2010. VEHICLE TRANSMISSION STARTED BINDING UP, CAR WOULD NOT RUN PROPERLY. TOWED TO TRANSMISSION SHOP. ENTIRE TRANSMISSION AND FAULTY PCM HAD TO BE REPLACED AT COST OF $4600.00. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF ISSUE, RELEASED A TSB REGARDING REPAIR ISSUES. TSB IS LIMITED TO 8 YEARS OR 80,000 MILES. TOYOTA AND DEALER HAVE REFUSED TO HELP IN ANY WAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310010February 12, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TOYOTA RAV4 WITH ONLY 80,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS AND HERE IS YET ANOTHER. TOTALLY RIDICULOUS THAT TOYOTA WON'T STAND BEHIND THIS KNOWN ISSUE. ALL I CAN SAY IS WHERE DO I SIGN ON THE LAWSUIT? QUOTED OVER 3,000 TO REPLACE AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. I'M SURE I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US WHEN I SAY, THERE IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW. CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION CAUSING A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10308147February 9, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
HOW MANY TIMES DOES A PERSON HAVE TO FILE A COMPLAINT?? MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4 HAS A MAJOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT FOR SEVERAL YEARS!! IT WASN'T UNTIL I PULLED OUT ON A HIGHWAY AND MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE (AND JUST MISSED GETTING PLOWED INTO BY AN ONCOMING VEHICLE) THAT I DISCOVERED THERE WAS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE WITH MY CAR!! I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST THAT INFORMED ME ABOUT A BULLETIN THAT WAS SENT OUT IN 2006 ABOUT A DEFECT IN THE COMPUTER COMPONENT THAT OPERATES THE TRANSMISSION!! WHAT GOOD IS A BULLETIN IF THE CONSUMER KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT IT?? OH THATS RIGHT...IT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY FOR TOYOTA TO GET OFF CHEAP!! A RECALL WOULD HAVE COST THEM MILLIONS!! I DID GET THE COMPONENT REPLACED (SINCE I ONLY HAVE 79,100 MILES ON MY CAR) AT NO CHARGE. HOWEVER, THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT!! TOYOTA DESERVES EVERYTHING THEY GET RIGHT NOW!! THEY ARE DISHONEST AND COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE CONSUMER!!!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10306542February 5, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
I BOUGHT A USED 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 IN 2006. SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I NOTICED IT DID NOT STOP VERY EASILY WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON EVEN MILDLY SLIPPER ROADS. IT ALSO MAKES A HORRIFIC CHATTERING NOISE WHEN I DEPRESS THE BRAKES (ONLY WITH SLIPPERY CONDITIONS). I CONTACTED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP BACK IN 2006 OR 2007 WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL AND THAT WAS HOW THE BRAKES WERE DESIGNED. THIS BRAKING ISSUE HAS CONTINUED. I HAVE EVEN CHECKED IN TO BUYING NEW TIRES (LAST FALL AND AGAIN THIS WINTER) AND THE MECHANIC SAID MY TIRES WERE FINE. I HAVE SORT OF LEARNED TO LIVE WITH THIS BRAKING ISSUE BY MAKING SURE WHENEVER THERE IS EVEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF SNOW THAT I SLOW DOWN BY DOWNSHIFTING TO 2ND OR 1ST RATHER THAN USING THE BRAKES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10306704February 5, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AROUND 12/1/2009, I NOTICED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO HAVE PROBLEMS SHIFTING, FOR EXAMPLE WHEN YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE CAR WOULD SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, IT WOULD NOT, OR WHEN YOU WERE AT A STOP LIGHT AND TRIED TO ACCELERATE, CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. IT WAS AS IF THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL SO STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR DID NOTHING BUT CAUSE A LOUD "REVVING" SOUND. IN MOST CASES WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, IT DID GET INTO GEAR AND THE CAR DID ACCELERATE HOWEVER WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE CAR WOULD JERK SHARPLY. WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING ALOT (AT EVERY STOP, EVERY TIME THE CAR NEEDED TO SHIFT BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR OR 2ND AND 3RD) SO I STOPPED DRIVING IT SINCE I DID NOT FEEL IT WAS SAFE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE CAR WAS MOVING IN TRAFFIC BUT THEN WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, I COULD NOT ACCELERATE AND GO THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND SPOKE TO MY MECHANIC AND WE AGREED THE CAR SEEMED TO BE EXHIBITING PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN A TOYOTA SERVICE BULLETIN TC002-06 (A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE). AS MY CAR HAD JUST OVER 100000 MILES, TOYOTA REFUSED TO CONSIDER THIS AS COVERED BY WARRANTY SO I HAD TO PAY TO GET IT DONE (ENDED UP GOING TO A PRIVATE SHOP). CAR IS BETTER NOW, THOUGH IT MAY ALSO NEED GET THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AS THERE ARE STILL SOME ISSUES WHEN THE CAR SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR OR 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10304403February 3, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS A HARD SHIFT INTO REVERSE. LIKE A LURCH. ABOUT 2 DAYS LATER I NOTICED THE SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD WAS TAKING LONGER THAN IT SHOULD. ON ABOUT THE 4TH DAY, AT A LIGHT WHEN STOPPED, I HIT THE GAS AND DIDN'T MOVE. THERE WAS A NOTABLE HESITATION AND I NEARLY WAS REARENDED. FINALLY ON ABOUT THE 5TH DAY, I HAD THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND WAS CRAWLING ALONG THE ROAD BASICALLY. WE TURNED AROUND AND PARKED IT, AND IT HAS SAT EVER SINCE, FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS NOW. WE CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT AND WE ONLY HALF OWN IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10304492February 3, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I OWN A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4, APPROX. TWO MONTHS AGO THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON IT. AS I HAVE LEARNED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2001-2004 TOYOTA RAV 4'S. IT SEEMS MANY OF THE ABOVE NOTED YEAR RAV'S HAVE A FAULTY ECU IN THEM, THIS ECU TELLS THE TRANSMISSION TO DO THE WRONG THING, THEREFORE CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. I HAVE BEEN QUOTED A PRICE TO REPAIR MY RAV4 IT WILL COST ME WELL OVER $5,000.00, REALLY? I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS NOT A RECALL SITUATION SINCE SO MANY RAV 4 OWNERS ARE SUFFERING FROM THE SAME SITUATION. I BELIEVE THE COMPANY SHOULD TAKE CARE OF ITS CUSTOMERS, AT LEAST THEY SHOULD HAVE WARNED US ABOUT THE FAULTY ECU. I HAD ALWAYS LOVED MY RAV4, I AM SO DISAPPOINTED IN THE TOYOTA CORPORATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10304022February 2, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV-4. WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE FLOOR MAT THINKING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONSUMERS WIFE WENT UP HILL AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING. THE CONSUMER STATED HE DROVE UP THE SAME HILL ABOUT AN HOUR LATER, AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. 3/12/2010 UPDATE*CW UPDATED 06/28/10*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10303655February 1, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10302497January 27, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10302872January 27, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 TOYOTA RAV4 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION JERKING, STOPPING AND GOING BY ITSELF. *CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10300313January 19, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10300033January 17, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10300106January 17, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10299769January 14, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Toyota RAV4