Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2003)

315 consumer complaints on file.

#10359856October 8, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 TOYOTA RAV4 AT 90,000 MILES THE VEHICLE SHOWED SIGNS OF AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION OR COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION, SYMPTOMS INCLUDE ROUGH SHIFTING AND DELAYED ENGAGEMENT (3-9 SECONDS) OF THE DRIVE TRAIN ON ACCELERATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10358927October 3, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY 2003 RAV4 HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY SLUGGISH FROM A DEAD START AND ANY KIND OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION BUT I KNEW THAT I WOULD EVENTUALLY REACH THE LEGAL SPEED LIMIT. DRIVING 1 1/2 WEEKS AGO, HOWEVER, BROUGHT MY ATTENTION TO ANOTHER, FAR MORE SERIOUS ACCELERATION PROBLEM, FAR WORSE THAN JUST SLUGGISHNESS. THE SUV WAS SHIFTING OUT OF GEAR AUTOMATICALLY AND I FEARED FOR MY SAFETY AS I WAS IN MOVING TRAFFIC AND I WAS HAVING TROUBLE MOVING. I IMMEDIATELY DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER. LUCKILY, THE DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSE TO WHERE I WAS. THEY KEPT MY CAR FROM APPROX. 3:30 PM THAT FRIDAY UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. AT FIRST, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION AND SAID THEY NEEDED UNTIL MONDAY TO KNOW FOR SURE. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE REP. TO NOT WORRY, THAT IT MAY BE FAR LESS EXPENSIVE THAN I THINK. THAT MONDAY, I GOT A CALL FROM THE SERVICED REP THAT HE HAD BOTH GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS. THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM - AN ECU PROBLEM BUT THAT I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I WOULD HAVE TO BUY A NEW ONE. I TOLD THEM TO GO AHEAD AND INSTALL IT AS I COULDN'T SEE ANY ALTERNATIVE. THE WORK WAS DONE AND THE FINAL COST FOR THE UNIT AND LABOR WAS $1,300.00. I TOLD THE SERVICE REP THAT I FELT SHAFTED BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AFTER 80,000 AND I HAD 84,000 MILES AT THE TIME. FURTHER, I HAD THE SUV FOR JUST 7 YEARS, NOT THE LIMIT OF 8 YEARS UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY FOR THE ECU. I WENT ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THE NY TIMES JULY, 2010 LETTER ANNOUNCING MANY PROBLEMS LIKE MINE WITH TRANSMISSION DAMAGE AS WELL AND TOYOTA WOULD NOW COVER IT ALL. ACCORDING TO THE LETTER, TOYOTA HAD EXTENDED ITS WARRANTY FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO 150,000 MILES AND 10 YEARS FOR THE ECU ! I CALLED THE SERVICE REP AND HE SAID TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS REP WAS THERE AND SAID I HAD NO EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE SERVICE MANAGER NEVER RETURNED MY CALL. I FINALLY CALLED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THEM. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM A TOYOTA MANAGER OFFERING ME $1,000 TO BUY A NEW TOYOTA VEHICLE. 11/03/10 *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10356880September 21, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY WIFE'S' 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 JUST STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WE TOOK IT IMMEDIATELY TO A REPAIR SHOP. ON THE WAY THERE WERE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING WHICH WAS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS DURING THE ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION IN INTERSECTIONS. THE DEALER REPAIR SHOP SAID THE COMPUTER AND TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME A SERVICE BULLETINS HAD GONE OUT, BUT THAT OUR PARTICULAR VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE BULLETIN, EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS HAS BEEN WIDELY NOTED AND RECOGNIZED BY TOYOTA. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355616September 14, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TOYOTA RAV4 2003 HAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS IS COMMON WITH THIS CAR SO I DID SOME RESEARCH AND QUICKLY FOUND THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER ASKING THE CAR TO SHIFT TO FIRST AND SECOND GEAR AT THE SAME TIME. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN THEN RAPIDLY ACCELERATE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10354643September 9, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS; THE GEARS WOULD SLIP AT TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS MOST LIKELY THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE; NO CODES WERE PRODUCED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 89,800.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10354644September 9, 2010
POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
COMPUTER FAILED THAT LED TO TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. AFTER FIXING IT STILL GLITCHESESES. IT IS OK ONE DAY AND GLITCHES ANOTHER VERY UNPREDICTABLE AND TRANSMISSION MECHANIC CAN NOT FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. COMPUTER WAS PUT IN NEW AND TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT COST ABOUT $ 4000. IT IS HARD TO EFFORT THIS DURING THESE ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS. NOT TO MENTION ALL THIS HAPPENED ONLY ON 88000 KMS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10348676August 11, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND THEN RAPIDLY ACCELERATE AFTER THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE ECU AND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 83,000. UPDATED 11/05/10. *LJ UPDATED 02/03/11*LJ UPDATED 02/04/11*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10348528August 10, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD OCCASIONALLY SURGE FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO SUDDENLY DECREASE IN SPEED WITHOUT THE CONTACT APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE COMPUTER SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 160000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10347771August 6, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. WHILE TRAVELING 10 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE YET THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT HAD THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 146,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10345366July 26, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
MY SON WAS DRIVING HIS CAR, A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 -L WHEN HE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THERE WERE NO FLOOR MATS IN THE CAR AT THE TIME. HE WAS ABLE TO GET CONTROL OF THE CAR BY SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES AND PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THE CAR WAS SCHEDULED TO BE BROUGHT IN THE NEXT DAY AFTER THIS EVENT OCCURRED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10343362July 14, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I WAS ABOUT TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THE CAR DID NOT ACCELERATE. IT TERRIFIED ME BECAUSE THERE WAS A TRACTOR TRAILER TO MY LEFT THAT ALMOST HIT ME. AS I PRESSED HARDER ON THE PEDAL TO ACCELERATE THE CAR, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD REVVING SOUND, AND THE CAR STARTED TO JERK FORWARD, IN THE SENSE THAT THERE SEEMED TO BE TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE: SOMETIMES THE CAR ACCELERATED HARSHLY WHILE AT OTHER TIMES IT WAS LIKE IT WAS ON NEUTRAL. THIS OCCURRED WITH NO WARNING AT ALL, AS SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE, NOR WAS THERE ANY HINT THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD HAPPEN. THIS TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE OCCURS AT LOW SPEED, RIGHT AT THOSE CRUCIAL MOMENTS WHEN YOU NEED THE CAR TO ACCELERATE BECAUSE YOU ARE MERGING WITH TRAFFIC, OR ARE CROSSING AN INTERSECTION AFTER HAVING STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE, I FOUND MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. PEOPLE REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM), SO I HAD THAT FIXED, AND NOW THE CAR SEEMS TO BE RUNNING FINE. THE WORST THING IS THAT ONLINE PEOPLE DISCOVERED THAT TOYOTA ISSUED AN INTERNAL MEMO IN 2006 NOTIFYING DEALERS OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT DID NOT NOTIFY THE OWNER, LET ALONE RECALL THE CARS AND HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED. APPARENTLY, TOYOTA DID NOT FEEL THE PROBLEM WAS SERIOUS ENOUGH, THOUGH I AM CONVINCED THAT IT WAS ONLY LUCK THAT I SURVIVED THAT DAY ON THE HIGHWAY! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10342384July 10, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I OWN A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH ONLY 63K MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR. WE TOOK IT TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP TO HAVE IT FIXED. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS TRYING TO INSTALL A REBUILT TRANSMISSION THAT THEY CONTACTED A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE YEAR AND MODEL TOYOTA I HAVE WAS KNOW TO HAVE A FAULTY COMPUTER THAT CAUSED TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IT WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DEEMED THE COMPUTER FAULTY AND FIXED THE CAR FREE OF CHARGE. ONCE THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP PUT IN THE NEW COMPUTER, THE TRANSMISSION STILL WOULDN'T WORK. IT IS BACK AT THE TRANSMISSION SHOP. I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR FOR OVER FOUR WEEKS. I AM NOW IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING TOYOTA TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10341850July 7, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THERE WAS RESISTANCE WHEN HE TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND RPMS INCREASED INSTEAD OF THE VEHICLE RESPONDING TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 58000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10341612July 6, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. WHEN THE CONTACT DROVE OUT OF HER DRIVEWAY AT A SLOW SPEED THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING. THE DEALER CHANGED THE OIL, THE FUEL FILTER AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTED. THE DEALER LATER STATED THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT HER EXPENSE AND THAT IF THE ECM DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED FOR $5500.00. TOYOTA WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND STATED THAT SINCE THE WARRANTY WAS NOT VALID THEY COULD NOT OFFER HER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 123,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 124,600.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10340937July 1, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. WHEN THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO REVERSE GEAR, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS NO LONGER VALID; THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR REPAIR COST. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10340731June 30, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION PROBLEM ON A 2003 RAV4 4 WHEEL DRIVE. IT STARTED AT 100,456 MILES. NEVER HAD PROBLEM WITH THE CAR BEFORE. IT STARTED TO OCCUR ONCE IN A WHILE IN FIRST GEAR, THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, GOT IT CHECK. CAME UP CODE PO755. NOW IS OCCURRING MORE OFTEN. LIGHT GOES OFF AND AFTER A COUPLE OF DAY GOES ON AGAIN. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA. THEY SAID IT NEEDS A REMANUFACTURE TRANSMISSION AND THEY NEED TO CHANGE THE ECM. COST 5,995 THEY TOLD ME I'M BETTER OFF TRADING THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10340844June 30, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAR JERKS, HARSH SHIFTING, STAYS STUCK IN GEAR, WILL NOT GO BACK INTO FIRST GEAR. HAVE DONE OIL CHANGE, TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSH, LEFT AND RIGHT 02 SENSORS, STILL SHIFTING HARSH CONDITIONS, FEELS VERY UNSAFE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339642June 23, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO WARNING WHEN TRANSMISSION SLIPPED FROM STOPPED TO FIRST. WOULD JERK THEN BE FINE. DROVE APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING WITH HAZARD LIGHTS ON. TOOK TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP & WAS QUOTED $3,200 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. NO MENTION OF THE ECM BEING THE CAUSE OR NEEDING REPAIRED. WILL HAVE TO TRADE IN. FAILURE 110,000. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10336948June 18, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAR SUDDENLY STARTED HAVING SHIFTING PROBLEM, HESITATES FROM A START, VERY JERKY, THEN DIFFICULTY SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10336789June 17, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND AFTER TWENTY SECONDS OF THE VEHICLE MAINTAINING 25 MPH, IT ACCELERATED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONNECTION FROM THE ENGINE BLOCK TO THE BODY EXHIBITED A BROKEN ELECTRICAL GROUND CONNECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT NO COST TO THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE DEALER THEN ADVISED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 68,000. UPDATED 10/27/10. *LJ
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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