Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2003)
315 consumer complaints on file.
- #10288751October 17, 2009POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10288719October 16, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I AM WRITING TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT MY 2003 RAV4 ECM/TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I BROUGHT OUR RAV4 INTO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TWO TIMES EARLIER THIS YEAR, COMPLAINING OF A LURCHING ISSUE. AFTER MY THIRD ATTEMPT TO BRING IT IN AT 68,827 MILES, MIND YOU I HAD THE PLATINUM WARRANTY WHICH COVERS UP TO 75,000 MILES, ON JUNE 9, 2009. AFTER ONLY BEING GONE FOR 20 MINUTES AFTER DROPPING IT OFF, I GOT A PHONE CALL STATING THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG, WHEN CLEARLY, IN THE TSB IT STATES IT WOULD TAKE ATLEAST 30 MIN TO DETECT. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT WAS DETECTED LATER THAT DAY. WHEN THE TECHNICIAN THAT FIXED IT, GAVE THE CAR BACK TO MY WIFE, HE TOLD HER THAT IF THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM THEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. SO FAR SO GOOD....UNTIL TODAY, OCTOBER 16. I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE IT WAS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AS BEFORE AND SLIPPING OF THE TRANSMISSION. I BROUGHT IT IN AND THEY FINALLY CAME TO THAT CONCLUSION AFTER HAVING TO TAKE IT OUT TWICE. WHEN I LEFT THE LAST TIME, IN JUNE, THEY GAVE ME THE IMPRESSION THAT ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS UNDER THIS ECM CHIP WOULD BE COVERED UNDER 80000 MILES. I WAS AT 79515 WHEN I TOOK IT IN. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY, INCLUDING MY PLATINUM WARRANTY THAT I HAD. I ASKED THEM IF THE ECM CHIP WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE DAMAGE, AND ATLEAST THREE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGERS TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO RELATION BETWEEN THE CHIP AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, TOYOTA STATED IN A NYTIMES ARTICLE THAT THE CHIP WOULD CAUSE TRANSMISSION DAMAGE. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM EXPECTED TO PAY $3700 DOLLARS FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION THAT HAS FAILED DUE TO THE LACK OF ATTENTION IN CHANGING THE ECM CHIP. YEAH!!!! *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10287413October 14, 2009POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10287314October 13, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TOYOTA 2003 RAV4 HAS A MALFUNCTIONING ECM. IT HAS CAUSED THE CAR TO SPEED UP AND SLOW DOWN ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENTS 2 TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD. PLEASE TAKE ACTION. I HAVE FOUND THAT TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THIS DEFECT IN 2006 AND WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I THINK THAT TOYOTA SHOULD GIVE A 100% REFUND TO EVERYONE WHO BOUGHT THIS CAR BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THIS DEFECT MIGHT KILL PEOPLE AND THEY DID NOTHING. SO I HAVE THIS CAR AND I AM AFRAID TO LET ANYONE DRIVE IT BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE SPEED. I HOPE THAT THIS CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF SOON BECAUSE WE NEED A CAR TO DRIVE THAT IS SAFE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10286725October 8, 2009POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10286022October 1, 2009VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE. THE CONTACT LIGHTLY ENGAGED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO HESITATE. THE CONTACT ALSO APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED IN REVERSE AT A HIGHER SPEED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A VEHICLE, A TREE, AND A POLE WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW TO SHATTER. THE SHATTERED GLASS WAS LODGED IN THE CONTACT'S NOSE AND HE WAS TAKEN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. THE CONTACT CANNOT CONFIRM IF THE FLOOR MATS CAUSED THE FAILURE TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 73,000. UPDATED 03/07/11*LJ UPDATED 11/17/11*CN
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10285617September 29, 2009POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10285481September 28, 2009POWER TRAIN
TOYOTA 2003 RAV4- CAR STARTED BUCKING WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER TRAFFIC LIGHT. DID NOT ACCELERATE EVENLY INTO TRAFFIC. HAD TO PULL OVER AND LET CARS PASS. ONBOARD COMPUTER (ECM) HAD FAILED AND WAS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA HAD NOT INFORMED CONSUMERS OF THIS KNOWN DEFECT. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10284600September 19, 2009POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY TOYOTA RAV4 2003 HAD THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT I KNOW YOU HAVE RECEIVED COMPLAINTS ABOUT. TOYOTA NEVER RECALLED OR INFORMED ANY OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES AND NOW WHAT I'M READING HAS HAPPENED TO MY CAR. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE MADE TO NOTIFY ALL OWNERS. ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR STARTED TO NOT ACCELERATE AND BUCK FORWARD. I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT, ALMOST REAR ENDED BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NOT ACCELERATING. WE TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC AND WERE TOLD WE NEEDED A TRANSMISSION, HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND THEN IT WAS DOING THE SAME THING. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION THE MECHANIC FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS THE ECM AND THAT WAS REPLACED AND NOW IS FINE. TOYOTA SHOULD BE NOTIFYING ALL CUSTOMERS, IF YOU WERE ON THE HIGHWAY YOU WOULD BE KILLED IF THIS STARTED TO ACT UP!!! THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST EVERYONE HAS ENCOUNTERED. IF NOTIFIED I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THIS AND PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ONLY HAD TO PAY FOR THE ECM. I WAS WITHOUT MY CAR FOR OVER 3 WEEKS. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10284263September 17, 2009VISIBILITY
I HAVE A 2003 TOY RAV 4 AND THE DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR LOST ALL OF ITS ELASTICITY AND NO LONGER STAYS IN THE UP POSITION. I WAS DRIVING WEST ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AROUND SUN SET WHEN TRAFFIC CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. MY VISOR SLAMMED DOWN AND I NEARLY HIT THE VEH IN FRONT OF ME AS I COULD NOT SEE. I HAVE TRIED VELCRO OF ALL KINDS AND GLUE. I HAVE A FRIEND WITH A 2003 RAV 4 AND THE EXACT SAME THING HAS HAPPENED TO HER CAR. (WILL PROVIDE HER INFO UPON REQUEST). I TRIED COMPLAINING TO TOYOTA AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME 125.00 FOR A NEW VISOR WHEN IT IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE. 2 RAV 4'S THAT I KNOW OF HAVE FAULTY VISORS. I WILL KEEP TAPING IT BUT I AM AFRAID IT IS GOING TO KEEP COMING DOWN AT THE MOST INAPPROPRIATE TIMES. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME, AS A CONSUMER, FIND OUT IF THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED. THANK YOU *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10284182September 16, 2009POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT INTERMITTENTLY THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNINGS. AS A CONSEQUENCE, HER RISK FOR A VEHICLE CRASH WAS INCREASED. AN AUTHORIZED TECHNICIAN ADVISED HER THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE TRANSMISSION. SINCE THE CONTACT WAS INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 91,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10283866September 14, 2009POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4 WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND HESITATED AND THE CAR SPUTTERED LOSING SPEED AND NEARLY CAUSING ME TO BE REAR ENDED BY A TRACTOR TRAILER. I AM BEING TOLD THAT IT IS A ECM MODULE CONTROL PROBLEM THAT YOU MAY BE AWARE OF. I SPOKE TO A REPRESENTATIVE AT TOYOTA AND THE TOLD BASICALLY "TO BAD FOR ME". I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10283714September 11, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RESISTS APPLICATION, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,700 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 142,882. UPDATED 10/22/09 *BF
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10283675September 11, 2009POWER TRAIN
I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4 THAT BEGAN SHIFTING HARD IN THE LOWER GEARS AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS SKIPPING. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE SHOP THAT I NORMALLY USE AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP SINCE THERE WAS A BULLETIN OUT ABOUT A POSSIBLE COMPUTER PROBLEM. A MONTH BEFORE THE PROBLEM, MY CAR WAS SERVICED AT MY NORMAL SHOP AND A TRANSMISSION FLUSH WAS PERFORMED. I PICKED MY CAR UP FROM THE SHOP AND TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN DULUTH, GA THE FOLLOWING MORNING FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. WITHIN 2 HOURS THE DEALERSHIP CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT I WOULD NEED A TRANSMISSION FLUSH BUT NO COMPUTER PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. I WAS TOLD VARIOUS OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE AS WELL, SUCH AS CHANGING THE BELT, 90K SERVICE, AND A FEW BULB REPLACEMENTS. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP THAT I HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUSHED A MONTH PRIOR AND THEY SAID THAT THE WRONG FLUID WAS PROBABLY USED SINCE I DID NOT HAVE IT DONE AT A DEALER. I OPTED FOR ONLY THE TRANSMISSION FLUSH AND BULB REPLACEMENT AT THIS TIME. A COUPLE HOURS LATER, THE DEALERSHIP CALLED ME BACK AND TOLD ME THAT I DID NEED TO HAVE THE COMPUTER REPLACED AND POSSIBLY A NEW TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A BULLETIN OUT CONCERNING THE COMPUTER BUT I AM OVER THE WARRANTY AND THE COST WOULD BE $1,286. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. HAD I KNOWN ABOUT THE BULLETIN, I COULD HAVE HAD THE COMPUTER REPLACED WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10283423September 9, 2009POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SKIPPED GEARS WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT FROM 1 TO 2 OR 3 TO 4. THE GEAR SLIPPAGE INCREASED THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 98800.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10281839August 26, 2009POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I BECAME AWARE OF YOUR SITE AFTER A READING A NY TIMES ARTICLE ABOUT RAV4 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. HARD SHIFTING AND LURCHING BEGAN IN MY 2003 RAV 4 WHEN IT WAS AT AROUND 93,000 MILES. WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE, MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE COMPUTER CODE THAT WAS DIAGNOSED INDICATED SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I RESEARCHED IT ON THE WEB AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM FOR MANY RAV OWNERS. SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, I HAD THE WORK DONE BY A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST THAT MY MECHANIC RECOMMENDED. I PAID $1100 FOR THE NEW ECU AND $2400 FOR A TRANSMISSION REBUILD. TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO COMPENSATE ME FOR ANY OF THE REPAIR WORK THAT WAS DONE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10279429August 5, 2009POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION IS HESITATING, JERKING, STALLING, LOSS OF POWER, AND RPM'S RACING IN LOWER GEARS OF MY 2003 RAV4 - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10278627July 29, 2009POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FROM A COMPLETE STOP, HARSH SHIFT/JERK FROM PARK TO REVERSE, HESITATION AND JERKING CHANGING GEARS, MOST TIMES CONSISTENT DURING ENTIRE RIDE, THEN OK FOR A WHILE AFTER ADDING FLUID OR FLUSHING TRANNY FLUID. STARTS ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES INTO RIDE. STARTED WHEN GETTING OFF HIGHWAY RAMP DURING RUSH HOUR. CAME TO A STOP, AND GEARS WERE NOT ENGAGING PROPERLY ON TAKE OFF, LOTS OF JERKING. CAR SHAKING AND FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL AND WOULD NOT SWITCH GEARS WITHOUT HITTING GAS PEDAL HARD. CAR TESTED WITH 3 COMPUTERS AND NO CODES. TRANSMISSION FLUSHED 2X, PAN DROPPED, NO EVIDENCE OF METAL OR GUNK. AFTER RESEARCH FOUND BULLETINS HAD BEEN POSTED (BY TOYOTA) FOR THESE CONCERNS SEVERAL TIMES. ECM/TRANSMISSION WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. COST WILL BE BETWEEN $3K-5K! *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10278211July 24, 2009POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS, THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO THE CORRECT GEAR, FOLLOWED BY A LOUD BANGING SOUND. THE VEHICLE ALSO JERKED DURING THIS TIME. THERE WERE NO FAILURES OR WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND TCM FAILED, AND STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST $6,500. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE COMPENSATION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE CONTACT WAS LATER INFORMED THAT IF SHE HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $6,500, THE MANUFACTURER WOULD REIMBURSE HER IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,500. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE FAILURE WITH THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH STATED THAT A WARRANTY WAS OFFERED THAT WOULD COVER THE EMISSION FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION FOR UP TO 80,000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WILL INVESTIGATE AND CALL THE CONTACT BACK. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,548 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,270.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10273541June 11, 2009POWER TRAIN
I HAVE A 2003 RAV4 BROUGHT NEW AT 0 MILES WITH 92,000 MILES NEVER A PROBLEM OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT UNTIL MAY 31 09 ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT WANT TO ENGAGE PROPERLY. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERS TECH THE NEXT MORNING. THEY HAVE ALWAYS SERVICED THIS CAR THEY INFORMED ME THAT I NEEDED A REMANUFACTURED 3122.24 TRANS AND A 1145.89 ECU.I WAS NEVER TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ECU IN THIS MODEL OR THAT A TSB HAD BEEN ISSUED. THEY WAS NEVER A ISSUE WITH THE CAR BEFORE THAT ONE DAY YET THESE REPAIRS ARE WHAT I'M TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR AN ISSUE THAT TOYOTA AS IT TURNS OUT IS WELL AWARE OF TO THE POINT OF MAKING AND UPGRADE FOR THE ECU BUT ARE NOT RECALLING. THIS IS A SAFETY IS YOUR TRANS JUST GOES IN TRAFFIC. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0