Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2002)

527 consumer complaints on file.

#10279111August 2, 2009
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), POWER TRAIN
MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 IS HAVING A HARD TIME SHIFTING AND SOMETIMES IT ALMOST DOESN'T WANT TO MOVE WITH AN A/C ON... BUT WHEN I TURN OFF THE A/C IT RUNS FINE... LIVING IN ARIZONA WE NEED AS MUCH A/C AS WE GET... AND TOYOTA WON'T MAKE ANY RECALL ABOUT THIS ISSUE. HOPE YOU GUYS WILL BE ABLE TO HELP US REGARDING THIS ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10279016August 1, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AFTER 30 MINS OF HWY/PKWY DRIVING, THE CAR SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE TRAVELING APPROX 45 MPH. NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE INCIDENT AND NO PREVIOUS ISSUE AT ALL. STEERING AND BRAKES BECAME SLUGGISH, AND WE LACKED BASIC ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE MEASURES. HAD WE BEEN TRAVELING FASTER AND/OR IN DENSER TRAFFIC THE CAR WOULD HAVE PRESENTED A MAJOR OBSTACLE TO ONCOMING VEHICLES, PLACING BOTH US AND OTHER DRIVERS ETC. IN DANGER. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND SO MADE NO REPAIR. THE CAR SHUT OFF AGAIN IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC 2 WEEKS LATER. THE DEALER EVENTUALLY REPLACED A TRANSMISSION CHIP. THE CAR THEN RAN WITH HESITATIONS AND SOME DELAY IN SHIFTING FOR SOME WEEKS. FINALLY, AT 60 MPH IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC THE CAR STARTED TO JERK, FAIL, AND BUCK. AGAIN THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO ADDRESS IT. WE DISCOVERED THROUGH RESEARCH ON LINE THAT THIS MODEL TOYOTA RAV4 2002 HAS A PROBLEM WITH ITS ONBOARD COMPUTER OR ECM, FOR WHICH TOYOTA EXTENDED ITS WARRANTY. OUR CAR IS WITHIN THE WARRANTY LIMITS BOTH AS TO YEARS AND MILEAGE. TOYOTA IS SUPPOSED TO REPLACE THE ECM IN THIS MODEL UNDER THIS WARRANTY. OUR DEALER HAS REFUSED TO DO SO AND HAS SENT US BACK OUT ON THE ROAD WITHOUT ANY SECURITY AGAINST ANOTHER FULL ENGINE STOP IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10279031August 1, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY NOT SHIFTING INTO GEAR. IT BALKS AND CLUNKS, AND EVENTUALLY SHIFTS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN ENTERING TRAFFIC, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW IF THE CAR WILL BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE TO THE SPEED OF TRAFFIC OR NOT. IT IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE AT STOP LIGHTS, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE IT ACROSS THE INTERSECTION BEFORE THE LIGHT CHANGES OR NOT. THIS STARTED IN JANUARY 2009, BUT WAS NOT CONSISTENT. IN JULY, IT FINALLY CREATED A "CHECK ENGINE" CONDITION. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPUTABLE MECHANIC, AND HE CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND REPLACED SOLENOIDS, WHICH THE ENGINE CODE SUGGESTED. I THEN TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE ECM, AT A COST OF $1500. THAT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM, AND THEY SAY I NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR $3500. TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE 2006, AND AT THAT TIME ISSUED A BULLETIN. HOWEVER, I FEEL THEY SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUES AND THE COST INVOLVED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10278384July 27, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) INCORRECTLY PROGRAMMED BY MANUFACTURER LEADING TO DIFFICULTY SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS, HARD SHIFTS, JERKING, MISFIRING, PROBLEMS ACCELERATING. CAN POSE A DEFINITE DANGER TO TRAFFIC DUE TO FAILURE TO ACCELERATE OR SHIFT AS NEEDED WHILE DRIVING. CAN ALSO LEAD TO SEVERE TRANSMISSION DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE FAILURE IF ECM PROBLEM IS NOT CAUGHT AND ECM REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OCCASIONALLY COMES ON AND THEN GOES OFF - REGISTERS A PROBLEM WITH SOLENOID A & B. TOYOTA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TC002-06 DETAILS THE PROBLEM AND RECOMMENDED REPAIR, INCLUDING REPLACEMENT OF ECM AND POSSIBLY OF TRANSMISSION. AFTER 3-4 WEEKS OF HARD SHIFTING, PROBLEMS ACCELERATING AND STUTTERING, DIAGNOSTICS IDENTIFIED PROBLEM. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY WAITING FOR REPLACEMENT ECM AND POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION FLUSH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10278439July 27, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I BEGAN NOTICING THAT MY AUTOMATIC 2002 RAV 4 WAS JERKING WHEN SHIFTING, WOULD REV AT HIGH RPMS BEFORE SHIFTING AND AT TIMES FELT LIKE IT WOULD NOT SHIFT AT ALL. LIKE OTHERS, I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND THAT IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ECM THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. MY CAR HAS 119K MILES ON IT AND IS OUT OF WARRANTY SO I AM EVALUATING MY OPTIONS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR IS UNDRIVABLE, AS IT IS A SAFETY RISK WHEN THE CAR IS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS PROBLEM WILL COST ABOUT A THOUSAND TO GET A NEW ECM, AND MUCH MORE IF THE DAMAGE IT HAS DONE TO THE TRANSMISSION NOW REQUIRES A TRANSMISSION REBUILD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10277689July 22, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FOUND FUEL LEAKS ON MY 2002 TOYOTA TRUCK RAV4. MY CAR WAS TOWED IN TO TOYOTA DEALER. THEY FIXED IT AND STATED "SECURE THE FITTING" ON THE INVOICE. THEY CHARGED ME $ 62.50. I ALWAYS SENT TO MY CAR TO THE DEALERS FOR MAINTENANCE. II DO NOT PERFORM ANY MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE ON MY CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10276492July 13, 2009
POWER TRAIN
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, TOYOTA BECAME AWARE OF AN ISSUE WITH THEIR ENGINE CONTROL MODULE THAT WERE USED IN 2001/2002 RAV4 VEHICLES. A QUICK SEARCH OF THE INTERNET UNCOVERS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE NOW EXPERIENCING THE RAMIFICATIONS. TOYOTA ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO THEIR DEALERSHIPS WHILE THESE CARS WERE STILL YOUNG; HOWEVER, FAILED IN ANY WAY TO MAKE THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS AWARE. THE FAULTY ENGINE CONTROL MODULE GENERALLY LASTS UNTIL CONSUMERS ARE JUST OUT OF WARRANTY, THUS TOYOTA REFUSES TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY AT ALL. IN MY CASE (AND AS DOCUMENTED BY MANY OTHERS), MY BAD ECM CAUSED MY CAR TO JERK VIOLENTLY WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. IT WAS ALSO HAZARDOUS THAT OFTEN THE CAR WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PICK UP ANY SPEED AT ALL AND THEN WHEN IT DID, IT WOULD ONCE AGAIN JERK AND ACCELERATE ALL AT ONCE. IN ESSENCE, THE FAILURE OF THE ECM CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO DIE. MY RAV4 FINALLY DIED ON JUNE 26, 2009. THE COST TO REPLACE THE ECM AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE ABOUT $3700; HOWEVER, MANY FOLKS OUT ON THE CONSUMER COMPLAINT WEBSITES HAVE PAID UP TO $5000. THIS SAFETY ISSUE IS HUGE, AS TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT IT LONG AGO AND WITH THE HUGE COST OF THE REPAIR, I'M CERTAIN THAT MANY PEOPLE WILL DRIVE THEIR CARS FAR TOO LONG WITH THIS DEFECT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10276335July 10, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE ECM IN 2002 TOYOTA RAV4S. THIS CONTROL UNIT CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO HAVE PROBLEMS SHIFTING AND CAN ALSO LEAD TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I STATE THAT THE PROBLEM IS KNOWN BECAUSE TOYOTA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY PERIOD FOR THE ECM, BUT ANY DAMAGE DONE TO THE TRANSMISSION BY THE MALFUNCTION OF THE ECM IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OWNER. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR RECALL BECAUSE A FAILING TRANSMISSION CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS OR EVEN DEADLY PROBLEMS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10276090July 8, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2002 TOYOTA RAV4 - ECM/TRANSMISSION FAILURE - AT 125,000 MILES, DRIVING LAST WEEK, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTED BUCKING. CAR SLOWED WITHOUT CAUSE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND I HAD TO PULL OFF ROAD IN ADVERSE CONDITIONS. DRIVING TO DEALER, THEN DRIVING TO TRANSMISSION SHOP WRECKED TRANSMISSION. AFTER PAYING $2700.00 TO GET TRANSMISSION FIXED, FOUND OUT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS REALLY A ECM FAILURE PROBLEM. FOUND 1000'S OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS. CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SVC., AND TOYOTA IS NOT RECOGNIZING AS A RECALL PROBLEM. I AM UNEMPLOYED AND THIS COST IS OVERWHELMING, AND SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10275511July 1, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, INTERIOR LIGHTING
IN THE BEGINNING OF JUNE I NOTICED MY RAV4 WOULD SLIGHTLY PAUSE WHEN I PRES THE GAS PEDAL AND WOULD JERK WHEN IT'S SUPPOSE TO AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT GEARS, MY REGISTRATION IS DUE & OF COURSE I NEED A SMOG CERTIFICATE. THE "TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP" ONLY SOMETIMES. I'M JUST GUESSING IT'S THE TRANSMISSION. NOT SURE YET... OF COURSE MY "EXTRA CARE" EXPIRED 05/30/08 MILEAGE 100,000 BUT MY MILEAGE IS ONLY 91,000. I FIGURE THIS IS GOING TO COST ME A LOAD OF MONEY THAT I DON'T HAVE AND THIS CAR HELPS ME GET TO WORK. WITH THE ECONOMY BEING SO BAD THIS DOESN'T HELP OUT MUCH AT ALL IT'S ALWAYS ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER ESPECIALLY WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS BUYING A CAR THAT IS ACTUALLY WORTH IT AND I THOUGHT SINCE I WAS BUYING IT BRAND NEW I WAS MAKING A GOOD CHOICE. MY FIANCE AND I WERE DRIVING HOME AND I WAS ON THE HWY 880 SB GOING ABOUT 65 MPH MY RPM SEEM A LITTLE HIGH BUT I WAS ON CRUISE CONTROL SO I THOUGHT IT WAS NORMAL. WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THAN MY CAR STARTING MAKING A NOISE, THAN MY OIL LIGHT CAME ON, BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND SOMETHING FROM UNDERNEATH MY CAR FLEW OFF AND AS I LOOK IN MY REAR MIRROR I SAW PIECES OF AN OBJECT WENT FLYING AND I NOTICE CARS SWERVING TO MOVE FROM THE FLYING OBJECTS THAT WERE BURNING AND I WAS SOOO SCARED AS MY FIANCE SAID TO PULL OVER SLOWLY. I CUT CARS OFF AND I COULDN'T PRESS THE GAS PEDAL NO LONGER THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND I STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SLOW LANE I CALLED AAA AND TOWED MY CAR TO MY HOUSE AND UNFORTUNATELY I CAN'T TAKE IT TO THE DEALER/MECHANIC YET B/C I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY. I FIND IT VERY STRANGE THAT I HAD NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE HAND OR NO SENSOR. FOR EXAMPLE THE OIL LIGHT COMES ON WHEN I NEED OIL/CHANGE, ETC. WHAT TYPE OF PAPERWORK DO I NEED TO SEND B/C I HAVEN'T TOOK IT TO THE SHOP YET AND MAY I ADD THAT THE LIGHTER DOESN'T WORK. ONCE I FIND OUT WHAT THE ACTUALLY PROBLEM IS THAN I WILL MAIL COPIES.I I TRULY BELIEVE IT'S A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10274434June 20, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2002 RAV4 WITH 95,000 MILES AND ROUTINE SERVICE. BEGAN JERKING AND HESITATING WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE, SEEMS LIKE SHIFTING PROBLEMS. THREE DIFFERENT SHOPS - TWO DEALERSHIPS - UNABLE TO DETERMINE EXACT PROBLEM. RECOMMENDED FLUSHING TRANSMISSION FLUIDS, REPLACING TRANSMISSION, REPLACING SOLENOID - NO ONE WAS ABLE TO GUARANTEE THESE FIXES WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS. MANY PEOPLE REPLACED TRANSMISSION WITH NO FIX. THE CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF STALLING DURING ACCELERATION. TSB #00206 ISSUED IN 2006 MENTIONS REPLACING ECM. MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE THIS HAVE HAD SUCCESS. TOYOTA SHOULD ENSURE ALL DEALERSHIPS KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND CORRECT IT BEFORE SUGGESTING COSTLY TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10274064June 16, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
THE TOYOTA RAV4 (YEAR 2002) INDISCRIMINATELY SPEEDS UP AND MAXES OUT THE RPMS (6000) FOR NOT REASON. I WAS GOING 65 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE RPMS WENT UP TO 6000 FROM 3000 AND THE CAR SPED UP TO 85 AND THEN WENT INTO NEUTRAL WITH ME TOUCHING ANY GEARS OR ANY PEDALS. LUCKILY I WAS ALLOWING ENOUGH DISTANCE BETWEEN ME AND THE OTHER VEHICLES TO SAFELY GET IT PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO WAY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE TO KEEP IT FROM CRASHING INTO SOMEONE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME AND BOTH SIDES AND THE REAR HAD VEHICLES IN THEM. THE ECM, TRANSMISSION AND VSS (VARIABLE SPEED SENSOR) WERE REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. TOYOTA DISAVOWS ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THESE TYPES OF ISSUES; HOWEVER, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUES AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEING SPENT TO SOLVE THEM AND IT'S NOT BEING SOLVED. THERE ARE LIVES AT STAKE HERE. TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE PROBLEMS. THE MODELS EFFECTED ARE THE TOYOTA RAV4'S FROM 1999 TO 2009. AND IT APPEARS THAT IT'S STILL AN ISSUE AND STILL BEING PUSHED UNDER THE RUG SO TO SPEAK. ACTION OR LIVES....THAT'S WHAT IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO NOW. INCIDENT DATE IS MOST CURRENT. NUMEROUS PAST DATES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10272909June 4, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
COMING FROM A FULL-STOP, THE CAR JERKED WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS. RPM WAS INCREASING HOWEVER THE CAR WAS BARELY MOVING ONCE IT STARTED MOVING IT JERKED A FEW MORE TIME. TOYOTA DID A RECALL PREVIOUSLY ON THE ECU, IT WAS REPROGRAMMED HOWEVER THE SAME PROBLEM RESURFACED AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10270229May 28, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TOYOTA RAV 4 2002. A MONTH AGO, MY CAR STARTED JERKING AND BUCKING AND STALLING MID INTERSECTION. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER FOR SERVICING. THE SERVICE DEPT. COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM SO THEY CHANGED TRANSMISSION FLUID (CHARGE ALMOST $200.00) AND SENT ME ON MY WAY WITH NOTICE THAT IF THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON I SHOULD RETURN. TWO WEEKS LATER, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY APPROACHING A DOUBLE MERGE DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTED INTO FIRST GEAR CAUSING ME TO LURCH AND LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHILE ONE TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK WAS MERGING TO MY RIGHT AND ANOTHER DIRECTLY BEHIND ME CAUSING TRUCK BEHIND ME TO LAY ON BRAKES AND VEER OFF THE ROAD...I MANAGED TO GET MYSELF OFF THE ROAD...NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED BUT THE THREAT TO MY LIFE WAS SERIOUS. I DID INVESTIGATION ON LINE CARCOMPLANTS.COM AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED TO ALL DEALERS IN 2006. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF DEFECT THEREFORE WAS ENDANGERING MYSELF AND MY FAMILY EVERY TIME I DROVE THE CAR WITHOUT ANY KNOWLEDGE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DIFFERENT LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND PAID $150.00 FOR DIAGNOSTIC: FAULTY ECM (SEE CARCOMPLAINTS.COM). QUOTED A COST OF REPLACEMENT AT ($1,200.00) THAT MIGHT SOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT THEY WOULD NOT KNOW CONDITION OF TRANSMISSION UNTIL AFTER THEY REPLACED THE ECM. I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS ANSWER AND FELT I MIGHT HAVE BETTER SERVICE WITH ORIGINAL DEALER SO I PAID FOR CAR TO BE TOWED ($100.00) AND RENTED A CAR. ORIGINAL DEALER DETERMINED ECM NEEDS REPLACEMENT NO GUARANTEE THAT TRANSMISSION WOULD BE OKAY. I ASKED THAT DEALER SPEAK ON MY BEHALF TO TOYOTA TO SEE IF THEY WERE WILLING TO SHARE SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITY AND COST OF REPLACEMENT OF FAULTY ECM. TOYOTA REFUSED. AFTER BEING WITHOUT FAMILY'S ONLY CAR FOR 2 WEEKS,PAYING FOR RENTAL (OVER $200.00) THE ECM WAS REPLACED ($1,000.00) CAR SEEMED TO BE OKAY FOR ONE WEEK. 4 DAYS AGO ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. RETURNING TO YET ANOTHER DEALER TOMORROW. DO YOU VALUE MY SAFETY? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10270129May 27, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 START TO HAVE GEAR CHANGING PROBLEMS IN FIRST AND/OR SECOND. I THINK TOYOTA SHOULD DO A RECALL ON THIS MAKE & MODEL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10269861May 25, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
AT 84,000 MILES THE CAR STARTED SURGING FOR NO REASON, STALLING WHILE MOVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AND STALLING WHILE APPROACHING INTERSECTIONS. HAPPENED TWO TO THREE TIMES DAILY, CAUSING A NUMBER NEAR MISS ACCIDENTS, REAR ENDS. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE COMPUTER. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND EASILY COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. UPDATED 07/26/10.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10269272May 18, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I PURCHASED A NEW 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 IN 2002. LAST YEAR, A FEW YEARS AFTER THE PURCHASE DATE, TOYOTA HAD A RECALL FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE LIGHT WAS FIXED. MAYBE A YEAR OR TWO AFTER, THE LIGHT BEGAN TO COME ON AND HAS STAYED OFF AND ON FOR YEARS. LAST YEAR, MY TRUCK BEGAN TO "HESITATE" WHILE DRIVING AND FINALLY IT BEGAN TO STOP ALL TOGETHER. I TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND AN AIR CONDITIONER BELT WAS REPLACED AND THE AGENT TOLD ME THAT HE COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH IT. FOR A DAY OR TWO, I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE TRUCK. BUT SHORTLY AFTER, THE PROBLEM CAME BACK AND I WAS STUCK WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A $2,500 COMPUTER ENGINE PROBLEM. I DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY. SO, I HAD TO RENT A CAR. MY INSURANCE WOULD NOT PAY RENTALS. EXTERNALLY, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL TRUCK, EVEN TODAY. BUT, INTERNALLY, IT COMPLETELY LET ME DOWN. WHEN I PURCHASED MY TRUCK, I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING A DEPENDABLE TRUCK THAT WOULD LAST FOR YEARS AFTER IT WAS PAID OFF. I PAID OFF THE CAR IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR AND IT IS SITTING IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. HOW BAD CAN THIS GET? MY TRUCK HAS OVER 140,000 MILES WHICH ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH, EXCEEDS WARRANTY DATES. IF THE REPAIR COST IS HIGH, I WILL HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO TRY TO SELL THE TRUCK. I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT AN AMERICAN MADE USED CAR THE OTHER DAY. IT CANNOT COMPARE WITH MY TOYOTA WHEN IT WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. NOW I AM BACK IN DEBT AGAIN. THIS TIME I GOT A THREE YEAR WARRANTY. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I AM SO DISAPPOINTED IN THE TOYOTA RAV4 TRUCKS. ACCORDING TO THE WEB, A LOT OF US ARE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10268466May 12, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2002 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS DEFECTIVE ECU WHICH HAS IN TURN FRIED TRANSMISSION...MY WIFE NOTICED PROBLEMS WHEN THE SHIFTING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON A MERGE AND WAS ALMOST RUN OVER BY A SEMI-TRUCK. WE THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD US THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ON SO THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE AND ADVISED US TO DRAIN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. 2 WEEKS LATER, MY WIFE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE TRANSMISSION SPONTANEOUSLY SHIFTED INTO LOW GEAR CAUSING HER TO SWERVE OFF ROAD. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE THE ECU AND TRANSMISSION AT $5,000. I HAVE GONE ONLINE AND READ THAT TOYOTA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR OVER 2 YEARS AND WILL NOT ISSUE RECALL AS NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED...THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE MY WIFE WAS ALMOST KILLED!!! PLEASE ADDRESS WITH TOYOTA!! *TR UPDATED 03/22/10.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10268441May 11, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2002 TOYOTA RAV4 BEGAN JERKING AND STALLING. CAR WOULDN'T ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. WAS TURNING LEFT INTO TRAFFIC WHEN THIS FIRST OCCURRED AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC HAD TO STOP. WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAJOR INTERSECTION FOR FIVE MINUTES, UNTIL AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS AT PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DID THE CAR BEGIN TO CRAWL IN A JERKY MOTION. DROVE 2 MILES WITH THE JERKING AND STALLING ON STOP AND WITH NO ACCELERATION. LITERALLY ROLLED INTO LOCAL MECHANIC'S SHOP. FOUND OUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS TOTALLY FAILED AND MUST BE REPLACED. THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM INDICATIONS, NO WARNING LIGHTS, ENGINE LIGHTS OR AN OTHER PREVIOUS PROBLEMS. THE CAR HAS ONLY 65,000 MILES ON IT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED AND DISHEARTEN AT THE RESPONSE FROM THE TOYOTA MANUFACTURER. THE 2002 RAV4 TRANSMISSION REPORT IN CONSUMER REPORTS STICKS OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB. MY DAUGHTER WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHEN THE CAR STALLED IN THE INTERSECTION. I THANK GOD SHE WASN'T HURT. WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO HAVE THESE AUTOMOBILES RECALLED? A SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10268211May 8, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED ON MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 FWD AUTOTRANSMISSION WITH LESS THAN 52000 MILES. NO ENGINE LIGHTS EVER APPEARED TO ALERT ME OF PROBLEM. FIRST SIGN WAS WHILE DRIVING 65MPH ON INTERSTATE 80 HEADING TO ERIE, PA FROM YOUNGSTOWN, OH. CAR TAKEN IN TO NEAREST TRANSMISSION SHOP, AAMCO WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT CLUTCHES WERE COMPLETELY DAMAGED/BURNT AND NEEDED TO BE COMPLETELY REBUILT AT A COST OF $3000. NOW BEING TOLD THAT THE ECM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF VOLTAGE PROBLEMS AND GEARS STILL MISSING WITH REBUILT TRANS. REPLACEMENT ECM COVERED UNDER TOYOTA'S TSB TC002-06 IF UNDER 8 YEARS/80,000 BUT LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP STATING THAT CURRENT PART NUMBER IS THE REPLACEMENT PART. I CONTACTED MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP BACK HOME WHO DID A REPROGRAMMING RECALL BUT DID NOT REPLACE ECM. REPROGRAMMING / RECODING / FLASHING ECM WAS NOT THE PROCEDURE TO RESOLVE ON ABOVE TSB AND I BELIEVE THE DEALERSHIP BACK HOME SIMPLY RELABELED ECM WITH NEW PART NUMBER SINCE THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS NOT REPLACED WITH NEW ECM. A NEW ECM WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE FROM HAPPENING. AAMCO DEALERSHIP FIGHTING TO GET ME AN ECM COVERED UNDER THE TC002-06 TSB. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS AND NO END IN SIGHT. CANNOT TAKE VEHICLE BACK HOME EVEN WITH REBUILT TRANS BECAUSE IT IS NOT ROADWORTHY WITHOUT ECM AND TESTING. NEED TO RENT VEHICLE TO GET MYSELF BACK HOME UNTIL CONTACTED BY AAMCO REGARDING RESOLUTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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