Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2002)
527 consumer complaints on file.
- #10315127March 1, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL*THE CONTACT 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES HAVE MADE A NOISE WHEN APPLIED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE SPEED VARIES WHENEVER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED HE FAILURE SEVERAL TIMES AND THERE WAS NEVER A RESOLUTION. THE CONTACT HAS SERVICE RECORDS FOR THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE. THE VEHICLE HAD 112 MILES AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 63,530. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES CONTINUE TO SQUEAK. UPDATED 04/30/10
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10315211March 1, 2010POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4, WHICH I BOUGHT 2.5 YEARS AGO. I RECENTLY HAD TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION REBUILT AND CLUTCH REPLACED AFTER IT SUDDENLY BEGAN SLIPPING GEARS. I HAD NO PRIOR WARNING LIGHT ALERTING ME THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM OCCURRING WITH MY CARS ENGINE. THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP HAD DONE EXTENSIVE REPAIR AND ULTIMATELY HAD TO KEEP MY CAR FOR THREE WEEKS TRYING TO DETERMINE WHY IT STILL WOULDN'T RUN PROPERLY. IT WAS FINALLY TAKEN TO FREEMAN TOYOTA IN PETALUMA CA TO HAVE THE COMPUTER "FLASHED". MY MECHANIC WAS TOLD THE COMPUTER WAS DEAD AND WOULD NEED REPLACING FOR JUST OVER $1,000.00. I HAD ALREADY BEEN QUOTED $3,300.00 FOR PRIOR REPAIRS TO THE TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH. HAD I BEEN ALERTED BY AN A WARNING THAT THE ENGINE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS, I COULD HAVE AVOIDED NEEDING TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT TOYOTA HAD A "DEALER" RECALL FOR THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE FREEMAN TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAS DENIED THIS. I AM OUT $4,300.00 AND AM A SINGLE MOM WITH MS. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10314046February 25, 2010POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION STICKS FROM 1ST TO 2ND. HAS DONE IT SINCE I BOUGHT IT NEW IN 2002. TOOK TO DEALER WAY BACK THEN THEY TOLD ME I HAD "SPECIAL TRANSMISSION FLUID AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT FIXED". I NEVER HAD IT FIXED AND IT STILL STICKS. TAKES ABOUT 1/4 MILE TO SHIFT. PURCHASED FROM KISSIMMEE TOYOTA WHICH IS NOW TOYOTA OF ORLANDO(?) ADDING COMPLAINT FOR ENGINE SEIZE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10314050February 25, 2010ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE SEIZE AT 162K MILES. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE. OIL CHANGES EVERY 3-5K MILES. APPARENTLY OIL PUMP WENT OUT AND TOOK THE ENGINE WITH IT. OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE IT HAD 7 MILES ON IT. IT LEFT ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. PUT IN REMAN. JASPER ENGINE. AFTER ABOUT $7,000.00 THE ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON. THE MECHANIC SAID I COULD TAKE IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY'D "FLASH" IT TO GET IT TO GO OFF, BUT IT WOULD COST ME A FEW HUNDRED. THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE ABOUT 28K MILES. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR THAT AND THEY JUST UNDO THE BATTERY AND PUT IT BACK ON. THAT "RESETS" IT. WITHIN 100 MILES IT GOES BACK ON. I JUST LEAVE IT AND IF THE CAR BLOWS UP I'LL LEAVE IT WHERE IT DIES THIS TIME. I PAID 28K FOR THE CAR IN 2002, 8 YRS AGO. 28K+7K(ENGINE)=$35,000.00 $35,000.00/8(YRS)=4375(PER YEAR TO OWN.MINIMUM) 4375.00/12(MOS)=364.58 PER MONTH. VERY EXPENSIVE TO OWN AND REGULAR MAINTENANCE ISN'T EVEN INCLUDED..... TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10313525February 24, 2010POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING SO WE DECIDED TO ADD SOME ATF. THAT SEEMED TO WORK FOR A DAY BUT THE SHIFTS BECAME HARDER AFTER THAT. AT TIMES THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY AND WOULD BOG DOWN. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STARTED GIVING US THE RUNAROUND. THEY SAID THE TRANNY NEEDS FIXING (THE CAR WAS SOMETHING LIKE 500 MILES OUT OF THE WARRANTY), THEN THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL REPLACE THE COMPUTER TO SEE IF THAT FIXES THE PROBLEM. IT DIDN'T, SINCE AS WE ALL KNOW THE ORIGINAL COMPUTER HAS ALREADY CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO BREAK AND THE NEW ONE WOULD NOT HELP. AT THIS POINT I STARTED RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM AND FOUND MANY MORE PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. I CALLED TOYOTA TO COMPLAIN AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING EVEN THOUGH: A) THE CAR WAS JUST OUT OF THE WARRANTY, B) THEY PROVIDED A TSB TO THE DEALERSHIP WHICH IGNORED IT AND DID NOT DO THE UPDATE TO THE COMPUTER BEFORE THE PROBLEM SHOWED UP, C) ALL MAINTENANCE WORK WAS DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP. IN THE END WE PAID TO GET THE TRANSMISSION FIXED OUT OF POCKET WHICH WAS NOT CHEAP. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10313861February 24, 2010POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WOULD SHIFT DOWN A GEAR CAUSING THE CAR TO SUDDENLY REDUCE SPEED. THIS OCCURRED A NUMBER OF TIMES AND UPON BRINGING IT TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER FOR THE VEHICLE. BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY (APPROX. 90,000 MILES) THE REPAIR IS NOT COVERED, HOWEVER, IF I HAD LET THE PROBLEM CONTINUE WITHOUT REPAIR I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10313127February 23, 2010POWER TRAIN
VERY SUDDENLY MY TRANSMISSION FELT LIKE IT WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. IT WOULD FREE SPIN, THEN FORCE INTO GEAR. TOYOTA REPLACED ECM, APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM REFERRED TO IN A 2006 TSB. UNKNOWN IF MY TRANSMISSION WAS DAMAGED. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10312819February 22, 2010ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 35-45 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, PROCEEDING TO A TRAFFIC STOP SIGNAL. THE ENGINE REVED EXCESSIVELY HIGH. THE TRANSMISSION EXHIBITED A HARSH SHIFT AS A RESULT OF AN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE IN OPERATION WITH CAUTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM). THE VEHICLE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000. UPDATED 11/16/10. *LJ
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10312887February 22, 2010POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. I'VE BEEN THE SOLE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND PURCHASED IT BAND NEW IN 2002 FROM A LOCAL HONOLULU TOYOTA DEALER. IN MID/LATE 2009, THE VEHICLE STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS: HARD SHIFTING IN LOWER GEARS 1, 2 & 3, HARD SHIFTING WHEN PLACING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE SHAKING AND VIBRATING WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND SUDDEN ACCELERATION FROM THE STOPPED POSITION WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS SLOWLY PRESSED.. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT TOYOTA ISSUED MEMO OUTLINING THE PROBLEMS I DESCRIBED ABOVE POSSIBLY DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND/OR THE ECU (COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION). A TOYOTA SERVICING MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT MY 2002 RAV4 WAS NO LONGER UNDER DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY, SO REPAIR COST ARE MY RESPONSIBILITY. A QUICK WEB SEARCH OF "RAV4 TRANSMISSIONS" SHOWS THAT MANY OTHER RAV4 OWNERS SUFFER FROM SIMILAR PROBLEMS, RESULTING IN VERY HIGH REPAIR COSTS, ANYWHERE FROM $3,000 UP TO $8,000. THE VEHICLE STILL SUFFERS FROM THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROBLEMS, BUT DUE TO THE HIGH REPAIR ESTIMATES I AM UNABLE TO FIX THE VEHICLE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10312559February 21, 2010POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I AM THE OWNER OF A 2002 TOYOTA RAV-4 WITH 60,000 MILES AND HAVE A TRANSMISSION ISSUE. I READ ONLINE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING ISSUE WITH 2001-2003 TOYOTA RAV-4S AND THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT IT SINCE 2006, YET THEY CONTINUE TO SELL THEM. MY ISSUE STARTED IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND SHIFT. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT JERKED AND MOVED FORWARD, SOMETIMES DOING THIS SEVERAL TIMES CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL REACHING ABOUT 35 MILES/HR. IT WAS HARD GOING UP HILL AND AT TIMES FELT UNSAFE WITH VEHICLES TRAVELING VERY CLOSE BEHIND ME. I BROUGHT IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE ECM SENSOR THAT WENT. THEY ALSO MENTIONED THAT THEY HAD SEEN THIS ISSUE WITH MANY OTHER RAV-4S AND TOYOTA ISSUED NO RECALL. SO THIS WAS FIXED AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS MY CAR WAS BAD AGAIN. I CONTACTED TOYOTA, AND THEY CHARGED ME AGAIN TO LOOK AT IT AND THEM TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WENT DUE TO THIS SENSOR ISSUE AND I NEEDED A NEW ONE. ALSO THAT ALTHOUGH IT WAS TOYOTA'S PROBLEM, THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE OVER $6000 AND WHEN CALLING OTHER TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS THEY WANTED ANYWHERE FROM 3000-5000. THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE FOR NOT JUST MYSELF BUT I'M SURE MANY OTHER CONSUMERS WHO ARE LEFT FEELING UNSAFE DRIVING THESE VEHICLES AND WITHOUT THE CASH TO FIX IT. I HAVEN'T DRIVEN IT IN WEEKS, SINCE THE LAST TIME I DROVE IT I WAS PULLING OUT ONTO A BUSY STREET AND I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO MAKE IT ONTO THE ROAD BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY TURN MY CAR FELT AS IF IT WOULD STALL AND TOOK A WHILE BEFORE IT GOT INTO 2ND GEAR TO DRIVE OFF. IN THE MEANTIME A CAR THAT WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 30-40MILES/HR WAS COMING AT ME AND I BARELY MADE IT ONTO THE RODE AND DROVE OFF IN TIME. HAD THE CAR BEEN ANY CLOSER, AND HE WAS PRETTY FAR INITIALLY, HE MAY HAVE HIT ME. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE READ OF OTHERS FAILING ON THE FREEWAY. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. I HOPE THAT AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN DEATH DOESN'T RESULT. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10311964February 19, 2010POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. AT EVERY STOP LIGHT, IN DRIVE, CAR WOULD REV UP AS IF IN NEUTRAL, THEN SLAM INTO GEAR. DEALERSHIP REPLACED ECM AT COST OF $1200 TO ME. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10312290February 19, 2010POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2002 RAV4 FAULTY ECM DAMAGED MY TRANSMISSION. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY DAUGHTER FOR COLLEGE AND IT RAN FINE FOR 3 YEARS UNTIL NOW. THE CAR STARTED JERKING (PULLING) WHEN ACCELERATING THE CAR. I DID MY RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE ECM. I FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER RAV4 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I DECIDED TO CALL TOYOTA AND OPENED A CASE NUMBER. A WEEK LATER I CALLED THEM BACK AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE WARRANTY NO LONGER COVER THIS. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT TOYOTA NEVER NOTIFIED CUSTOMERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM REPORTED ON BULLETIN TC002-06 DATED 3/3/06. I RECEIVED A RECALL FOR "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" BUT NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL TO REPLACE THE ECM. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID I HAVE TO REPLACE BOTH THE ECM AND THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WILL COST ME ABOUT $3000, WHICH I THINK THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF TOYOTA WOULD HAVE REPLACED THE ECM EARLIER. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10311612February 18, 2010POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP, THE TRANSMISSION ACTED LIKE IT WAS SLIPPING AND WOULD NOT SPEED UP. I DROVE THE VEHICLE 1 MILE HOME, WITH SIMILAR SLIP/SHIFT ISSUES. IN ADDITION, WHEN I SHIFTED BETWEEN DRIVE AND REVERSE IN MY DRIVEWAY, THE TRANSMISSION HAS A HARD CLUNK. I HAD THE ECM REFURBISHED AT MY OWN EXPENSE, AND THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE MOSTLY GONE. I AM STILL CONCERNED ABOUT SLIGHTLY ERRATIC SHIFTING BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD, AND AM CONCERNED THAT THE TRANSMISSION MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. IF THIS PROBLEM WOULD HAVE OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHICH I DRIVE ROUTINELY, THERE WOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AT THE 75MPH SPEEDS THAT ARE NORMAL ON I15. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10311656February 18, 2010POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 THAT IS HAVING ACCELERATION SHIFTING PROBLEMS. READING ONLINE IT IS FROM A FAULTY ECU IN THE CAR WHICH IS CAUSING THE CAR TO SHIFT AT IMPROPER TIMES WHICH IS RUINING THE TRANSMISSION. THE PROBLEM COMES AND GOES- WHEN I BRING IT TO TOYOTA THEY CLAIM NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. ALSO LOOKING ON LINE THERE ARE MANY MORE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUE WITH THEIR RAV 4'S AS WELL. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10311821February 18, 2010ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ECU BOARD FAILED ON THE VEHICLE AND THAT THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ECU BOARD NORMALLY FAILED AT 75 MILES ON HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. AFTER THE ECU FAILED THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LUNGE FORWARD WHEN IT SHIFTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000. UPDATED 05/10/10 *BF UPDATED 05/11/10. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10311248February 17, 2010POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 THAT HAD TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN LATE NOVEMBER/EARLY DECEMBER 2009. ODOMETER AT 91,304 MILES. IN TRAFFIC, CAR STARTED BUCKING (LURCHING) FORWARD WITHOUT PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL. TOOK CAR FOR REPAIR WHERE IT NEEDED TO HAVE NEW COMPUTER INSTALLED AND VALVE BODY TRANSMISSION COMPONENT REPLACED AT COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2000. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10311367February 17, 2010POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AN INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE CONDUCTED INTO THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE PROBLEM OF THE TOYOTA RAV4 2002 AND LATER MODELS. MINE RAV4 HAD A PROBLEM WITH THIS ISSUE AND I REPORTED TO TOYOTA COMPANY ABOUT THE ISSUE, BUT NO RECALL HAS TAKEN. I HAD DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT MANY OWNERS OF THIS TYPE OF VEHICLES HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. AS I HAVE EXPERIENCED, THE SLIPPAGE CAN CREATE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE TRAVELING ON THE ROAD. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10310775February 16, 2010POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
A NORMAL DRIVING DAY FOR OUR 2002 TOYOTA RAV4, MAYBE 30 MILES OF ERRANDS. THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE IN THE MORNING BUT WE WERE BARELY ABLE TO LIMP IT HOME BY THAT SAME AFTERNOON. OUR MECHANIC SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT, WHICH I FOUND HARD TO BELIEVE, SINCE THE CAR WAS ASYMPTOMATIC THAT MORNING. THE TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM MANY TIME BEFORE AND KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (PART # 89661-42820) CAN MALFUNCTION WITHOUT WARNING AND IN THE PROCESS DESTROY THE TRANSMISSION. HE HAD RECEIVED TSB# TC002-06 FROM TOYOTA DETAILING THE ISSUE, AND HAS REBUILT SEVERAL TRANSMISSION FOR THE SAME REASON. WE WERE STRONGLY ADVISED TO REPLACE THE ECM, A $1300 PART, OR OUR NEW TRANSMISSION WOULD LAST FOR ABOUT 30-50 MILES BEFORE COMING APART AGAIN. AFTER REBUILDING THE 2ND AND 3RD CLUTCHES AND REPLACING THE ECM, OUR BILL CAME TO ABOUT $3500. I REPORTED ALL OF THIS TO TOYOTA AND AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS TIME AND MUCH NEGOTIATION, THEY OFFERED ME A $1500 CUSTOMER RETENTION INCENTIVE, GOOD IF I BUY A NEW OR CERTIFIED USED TOYOTA IN THE NEXT 2 YEARS. THE ENTIRE PROCESS HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED WITH TOYOTA NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS UNDER FILE #0906113635. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10311076February 16, 2010POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTING WAS DOING IT SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK - JERKED REAL HARD WHEN SHIFTING & WAS SLIPPING - WAS INITIALLY TOLD IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION AND/OR THE ECM NOW THEY TELL ME THE PROBLEM IS SUPPOSEDLY THE ECM. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT CAR NOW FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. INITIALLY AS I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED & I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY. FOUND ANOTHER MECHANIC & HAVE HAD SEVERAL OPINIONS. MY MECHANIC HAS SENT THE ECM TO A PLACE IN TEXAS THAT CAN REBUILD THE ECM FOR ABOUT HALF THE COST OF A NEW ONE HOWEVER NOW, THEY CAN'T GET PARTS FOR THE LAST MONTH TO REPAIR THE ECM BECAUSE OF THE RECALLS. THIS SHOULD ALSO BE A RECALL AS THERE ARE OVER 200 COMPLAINTS ON MY YEAR, MAKE & MODEL FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED ON JUST ONE WEBSITE. I AM SO FRUSTRATED - WHERE CAN I GO TO GET HELP FROM TOYOTA??? CAN YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THE ECM & TRANSMISSION ON THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4? THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10311123February 16, 2010ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AFTER HAVING AN OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM OF MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 ON 02/02/10, I NOTICED THAT MY CAR BEGAN ACCELERATING SLUGGISHLY. APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES AFTER THE SERVICE WAS PERFORMED, I NOTICED MY CAR JERKED WHEN SHIFTING THROUGH GEARS 1-3 AND THE TACHOMETER WOULD REV TO 3000 RPMS. THE CAR THEN RAN FINE FOR APP. 4 DAYS WITH NO GEAR SLIPPAGE. A WEEK LATER THE GEARS STARTED SLIPPING AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING AND THE CAR SEEMED TO HAVE NO POWER WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS FULLY ENGAGED DURING A RIGHT HAND TURN TO MERGE WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CAR THEN BUCKED VIOLENTLY. THIS RESULTED WITH MY PASSENGER AND I BECOMING ANXIOUS/SCARED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THE TRAFFIC COMING TOWARD US WOULD HAVE HIT US IF WE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE MY CAR HOME WHERE IT HAS REMAINED PARKED AND SET AN APPOINTMENT WITH A TOYOTA DEALER EXPLAINING THE PROBLEMS. ACCORDING TO SIMILAR STORIES FROM FELLOW RAV4 OWNERS, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE CAUSING IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. I AM TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT 'OFFICIALLY' DIAGNOSED ALTHOUGH IT ONLY CODES TO HAVE THE O2 SENSOR REPLACED, WHICH I DID. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0