Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2002)

527 consumer complaints on file.

#10229966June 4, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION ON MY CAR BECAUSE THE CAR WAS SHIFTING ERRATICALLY. AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED I STILL HAD THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN FROM TOYOTA TC002-6 WHICH SAID THAT A FAULTY ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) WILL CAUSE HARSH SHIFTING. TOYOTA DID NOT COMMUNICATE THIS PROBLEM TO ME BACK IN MARCH 2006. IF TOYOTA WOULD HAVE COMMUNICATED THIS DEFECT, I COULD HAVE HAD THE ECM CHECKED AND PROBABLY SAVED MY TRANSMISSION. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10229679June 2, 2008
POWER TRAIN
CES LIGHT CAME ON. TRANS STARTED SLIPPING. TOOK TO DEALER. DIAGNOSED KNOWN ECM PROBLEM. PERFORMED TOYOTA RECOMMENDED ECM UPDATE, BUT SAID TRANS WOULD HAVE TO BE REBUILT DUE TO DAMAGED ALREADY CAUSED. HAD TRANS REBUILT. DEVELOPED SAME SLIPPING PROBLEM. SAID IT WOULD RUIN TRANS AGAIN UNLESS ECM WAS REPLACED. THIS IS A TOYOTA PROBLEM THAT THEY NEED TO FIX. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10229462June 1, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NEAR ACCIDENT DUE TO ERRATIC SHIFTING PROBLEM OF RAV4 2002. APPARENTLY RELATED TO THE ECM. THE VEHICLE HAS A VERY SLUGGISH START FROM A STANDSTILL AS IF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS ON. ATTEMPTING TO TURN ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE AND ALMOST HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. VEHICLE ALSO SHIFTS ERRATICALLY WHEN DRIVING. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. TOYOTA DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE AWARE OF THIS VERY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10229239May 29, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I BOUGHT IN 2002 A TOYOTA RAV 4 BRAND NEW, I HAVE BEEN THE SOLE OWNER, JUST ABOUT 3 TO 4 WEEKS AGO (MAY 2008) AND WITH 87,000 MILES IT STARTED TO HAUL WHILE DRIVING, I TOOK IT TO A CERTIFIED TOYOTA MECHANIC WHO RAN A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC GIVING A SIGNAL THAT THE TRANSMISSION COULD BE DAMAGE, WHEN HE TOOK IT APART THE TRANSMISSION FILTER WAS FILLED WITH METAL PARTICLES AND WHEN HE DISMANTLE IT THE PLANETARIUM WAS BROKEN. I WAS IN SHOCK TO FIND OUT THAT A 6 YEAR OLD CAR AND SPECIALLY A TOYOTA COULD HAVE A BAD TRANSMISSION, THE MECHANIC SPOKE TO TOYOTA TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY WARRANTY AND THEY TOLD HIM THE CAR WAS COVERED UP TO 80,000 AND SINCE MINE WAS 87,000 IT IS NOT UNDER THE WARRANTY AND NOW I HAVE TO PAY WELL OVER $2,000.00 UNBELIEVABLE, COULD YOU TELL ME IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HAVE TOYOTA COVER FOR THE DAMAGE BECAUSE I DEFINITELY BELIEVE IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10228935May 27, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 L; AUTO TRANSMISSION; ODI 82,200 MILES. THE CAR BEGAN HAVING HARD SHIFTING PROBLEM. SHIFTS ERRATICALLY FROM 1ST TO 2ND, SLUGGISH FROM START. I FEEL IT'S BECOME VERY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY WHEN I AM ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR DIDN'T WANT TO ACCELERATED, AND THEN WOULD SHIFT VERY HARD. SO I TOOK MY CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD NEED AT THE LEAST A NEW ECM, AND POSSIBLY EVEN A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE COST FOR THE ECM $1300, AND PERHAPS THE TRANSMISSION $4000. THAT'S $5,300!!!! HOW COULD I EVEN FIND THAT KINDA MONEY. I AM JUST A STUDENT WHO TRIES TO MAKE IT THROUGH DAY BY DAY, SUPPORTING MYSELF THROUGH SCHOOL WHILE WORKING FULL-TIME. I CAN BARELY PAY MY RENTS OR EVEN TUITION. AND I AM SOLELY DEEPENING ON MY CAR TO MAKE IT TO WORK AND SCHOOL; WITHOUT IT I WOULD BE IN A BIG MESS. CERTAINLY, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FIX IT AND I REALLY HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO. IF TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, THEY SHOULD REPAIR OR RECALL ALL ECM'S BEFORE MORE PEOPLE END UP SPENDING THIS KIND OF MONEY. I'D LIKE TO ALSO REFER TO MY OTHER FOLLOWING RAV4 DRIVERS LIKE ME WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE LINK BELOW. HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/RAV4/2002/TRANSMISSION/PROBLEMS_SHIFTING.SHTML. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10228922May 26, 2008
STRUCTURE
PURCHASED USED 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 IN OCT 2004. BOTH VISORS WERE ALREADY SAGGING A BIT AND WERE A HAZARD TO DRIVING WITHIN 8 MONTHS. I PURCHASED THE REPLACEMENT VISORS FROM THE DEALER IN JULY 2005 FOR A TOTAL OF $131.27. THEY TOLD ME THE ORIGINAL OWNER MUST NOT HAVE BEEN CAREFUL AND I NEEDED TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN USING THE VISORS. I TOOK THEIR WORD AND WAS GENTLE WHEN I PUT THE VISORS UP AND DOWN. LESS THAN 3 YEARS LATER AND I ALREADY NEED TO REPLACE THEM AGAIN!! I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN WHO ONLY SIT IN THE BACK SEAT, SO THE PASSENGER VISOR DOESN'T GET USED VERY OFTEN AND IT IS JUST AS BAD AS THE DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR THAT GETS USED EVERY DAY. I HAD MY LAST VEHICLE FOR 13 YEARS AND BOTH VISORS WERE STILL IN PERFECT CONDITION WHEN I TRADED THE VEHICLE IN FOR THIS ONE. BASED ON MY RESEARCH, THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT TOYOTA MODELS. I CAN'T FIND ANY SOLUTIONS AND THE DEALER HAS TOLD ME THAT ALL I CAN DO IS PURCHASE ANOTHER SET - WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THEY WON'T BREAK AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227836May 14, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OF MY RV4 FAILED AT 111,649 MILEAGE. HOWEVER, THE MILEAGE IS THE PROBLEM, AAMCO TECHNICIAN REPORTED THAT THE FOLLOWING VEHICLES ; LEXUS EX 300, LEXUS RX300, RV4, TOYOTA CAMRY AND TOYOTA HIGHLANDER ARE ALL EQUIPPED WITH BAD TRANSMISSIONS U140F AND U140E. THOSE TRANSMISSIONS ARE MADE FOR FAILURE. TOYOTA COMPANY IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO EITHER REPAIR IT OR REIMBURSE CUSTOMERS. IT COST ME 2,760.58 DOLLARS TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION REBUILT. ALSO WITHIN TWO MONTHS, THE COMPUTER ENGINE FAILED AND WAS REPLACED FOR 1,403.53 DOLLARS. ONCE AGAIN, THAT WAS ANOTHER MATTER TOYOTA HAD TO BE ACCOUNTABLE. THE SAME MODEL HAD A RECALL IN MARCH 2007 AND NOTHING WAS DONE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227421May 12, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE FROM A STOP CREATING A POTENTIAL HAZARD. BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER WHO CLAIMED NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH CAR, CHANGED TRANSMISSION OIL AS PART OF 75,000 MAINTENANCE. NEXT DAY CAR BROKE DOWN COMPLETELY WITH MY SIX YEAR OLD GRANDSON IN CAR. DEALER SAID I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR $4000. IT WAS NOT UNTIL I STARTED READING ON-LINE COMPLAINTS THAT I LEARNED THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2002 RAV-4 AND CAN BE FIXED WITH A NEW ECM FOR $$1,200. THEY DO HOWEVER HAVE A TECHNICAL BULLETIN THAT ADDRESSED THE TRANSMISSION HESITATION TO THE FAULTY ECM? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10226513May 2, 2008
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A DEFECT IN THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 THAT I FEEL COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. I JUST FINISHED HAVING MY CAR REPAIRED, AND I KNOW THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, YET REFUSES TO RECALL THE MODEL. THE ECM IS DEFECTIVE, WHICH IS CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL OUT WHEN ACCELERATING AND THEN SHIFT VERY HARD. I MYSELF, WITH TWO CHILDREN IN THE CAR, WENT TO PULL INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN MY RAV4 DECIDED TO PRESENT THIS PROBLEM. I WAS ALMOST HIT. UPON RESEARCHING THIS, I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET WITH THIS MAKE OF CAR, AND TOYOTA HAS EVEN PUT OUT A MECHANICS STATEMENT WHICH SHOWS THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MY CONCERN: OTHERS WHO DO NOT KNOW THEY ARE DRIVING A TICKING TIME BOMB, AND PULL OUT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN THEIR TOYOTA DECIDES TO MALFUNCTION. JUST AS AN FYI--EVEN THOUGH TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS SITUATION, I HAD TO PAY $1300 FOR A NEW ECM, AND IF MY TRANSMISSION WAS ULTIMATELY DAMAGED WILL HAVE TO PAY TO REPAIR THAT AS WELL FOR A COST OF ANOTHER $3,600. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10225896April 28, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4, I HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT BECAUSE FROM WHAT I HAVE READ TOYOTA FOUND THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ECM. BUT THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THE WARRANTY WAS FOR 80,000 MINE WHEN AT 88,000. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT BUT THE VEHICLE IS EXHIBITING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THE ECM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND CAN DAMAGE A NEW TRANSMISSION IF NOT DONE. NO NOTICE FROM TOYOTA ABOUT THIS I HAD TO FIND THIS OUT ON THE WEB. I ALSO LEARNED THAT THE ECM COST $1200 AND TOYOTA IS NOT OFFERING ANY DISCOUNTS EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND DAMAGES THAT MAY OCCUR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223405April 4, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE FROM A STOP CREATING A POTENTIAL HAZARD. INDEPENDENT GARAGE TOLD US THAT IT WAS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE. TRANSMISSION WAS COVERED UNDER OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY SO WE TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALER. THEY ADVISED US THAT ISSUE WAS ECM (ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE) ISSUE AND NOT COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. WHEN I ASKED IF TOYOTA WOULD COVER I WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD NOT AS THIS ISSUE WAS NOT SUBJECT TO ANY RECALL? THEY DID HOWEVER HAVE A TECHNICAL BULLETIN THAT ADDRESSED THE TRANSMISSION HESITATION TO THE FAULTY ECM? I REPLACED THE ECM ($1612) AND IT APPEARS THAT IT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. MY RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON TO THE 2002 RAV4 MODEL ONLY IN THE TOYOTA FAMILY OF SUVS. IS THIS A DESIGN DEFECT? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223032April 1, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAR STARTED TO HESITATE AND JERK INTO 2ND GEAR WHEN ACCELERATING. THIS CREATED DANGEROUS SITUATIONS AT INTERSECTIONS , GOING AROUND CORNERS AND TRYING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER SAID NEEDED TO REPLACE AN ECM MODULE IN THE TRANSMISSION HOPING THIS WILL FIX IT (COST 1350) IF IT DOESN'T I WILL NEED A TRANSMISSION (3500). FOUND 38 SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON EXACT SAME THING ON INTERNET. WHY AREN'T WE MADE AWARE AND WHY NOT A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10219294February 27, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR A RECALL REGARDING THE ENGINE LIGHT. A NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS NOT FOUND. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RETRIEVED FROM THE DEALER, THE VEHICLE SHOOK WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 2-50 MPH. THERE WERE NO PRIOR FAILURES OR WARNING INDICATORS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 144,411.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10219087February 25, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS (SHIFTING) WITH MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV-4, ALTHOUGH IT HAS AUTO TRANSMISSION IT WONT GO INTO GEAR AFTER A STOP AND I HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS SINCE I DRIVE MOSTLY ON THE FREEWAY AND FOR LONG DISTANCES AND TRAFFIC IS ALWAYS AND ISSUE TO AND FROM WORK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10217728February 11, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CAR TRIES TO STALLS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214275January 9, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH IN REVERSE AND WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT APPLIED MORE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE AND WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 70,000. UPDATED 3/5/08 *CN
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10212956December 27, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DAMAGED BECAUSE THE ECM TOYOTA INSTALLED IN 2002 RAV 4 HAD PROGRAMMING LOGIC ISSUES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10211987December 15, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY 2002 RAV4 HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS HAVING ENGINE OIL SLUDGE AND NEEDS TOTAL REPLACEMENT. OIL CHANGES HAVE BEEN PERFORMED BETWEEN 3,000 - 4,000 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10209498November 20, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM), ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
FAULTY ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. IT HAS FAILED AND CAUSED TRANSMISSION TO FAIL AS WELL. AFTER $4K REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION IS SHOT AGAIN. TRANSMISSION MISSES GEARS AND HAS STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION. NOTHING WAS DONE TO CORRECT. DEALERSHIP IS STATING TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION FIRST THEN COME BACK TO FIX COMPUTER. FOR OTHER COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR NATURE SEE: WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/RAV4/2002/TRANSMISSION/PROBLEMS_SHIFITING.SHTML *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10209187November 16, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
HARD SHIFT PROB FROM 2/3RD GEAR WITH TOYOTA 2002 RAV4 TOOK CAR TO DEALER ON 9-17-2007. RECALL FOR EMISSION PROBLEM CAUSED THE ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. I DESCRIBED PROBLEM TO THE DEALER AND ASKED THEM TO LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM. DEALER SAID ANY OTHER PROBLEMS SHOULD SHOW ON COMPUTER. PICKED CAR UP ASKED ABOUT SHIFT PROB. THEY SAID NOTHING CAME UP ON THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC ( I LATER LEARNED THAT THEY TEST DROVE THE CAR AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM) AND IT SOUNDED LIKE IT COULD BE A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THEY SAID TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION LOOKED AT. I ASKED FOR COST AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NO IDEA IT WOULD DEPEND ON HOW LONG IT TOOK TO FIND PROBLEM. I TOOK CAR TO TRANSMISSION SHOP. THEY HOOKED CAR UP TO COMPUTER AND SAID INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND NEED TRANSMISSION REBUILT. I HAD THIS REPAR DONE AT COST OF 2,639.81. CALLED ME AFTER TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT THERE IS A PROBLEM. THEY RESEARCHED DATABASE AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A BULLETIN PUT OUT BY TOYOTA ON MARCH 3, 2006. POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE THAT CAUSES A SHIFT PROBLEM IN 2001-2003 TOYOTA RAV4'S. IT EXPLAINS THE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR FOR THIS PROBLEM IN DETAIL AND STATES THAT THE ECM MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED. I AM INFORMED THAT IN ORDER FOR MY TRANSMISSION TO WORK NEED TO HAVE ECM REPLACED. TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WHEN I TOOK MY CAR TO THEM THEY COULD HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM THEN AND SAVED ME $2,639.81. I PAID DEALER TO HAVE THE ECM REPLACED FOR $1003.81. PART TO ME FOR A WHOLESALE PRICE. THE CAR IS NOW FINALLY RUNNING FINE. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT SEARCH FOR BULLETINS ON CARS THAT ARE IN FOR SERVICE. THEY SAID THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY OF THEM FOR THEM TO KEEP UP WITH. I SAW TIME IT TOOK FOR THE TECH TO LOOK UP THE BULLETIN ON LAPTOP INFO CAME UP IMMEDIATELY. MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT OTHER 2002 RAV4'S HAVE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE FAILED ECM THAT WAS REMOVED FROM CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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