Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2002)

527 consumer complaints on file.

#10405888June 10, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
I EXPERIENCED SPUTTERING AND HESITATION WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE FRIDAY BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY. THE CAR HAS AROUND 72,800 MILES ON IT. OVER THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND THE CAR WAS FINE. THE NEXT WEEK I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. ONCE I STOPPED THE CAR AT A LIGHT AND THEN ACCELERATED, THE CAR WOULD LURCH AND SPUTTER. I FEARED THE CAR WOULD SHUT OFF IN TRAFFIC OR I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. I STOPPED DRIVING IT. TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS (NON-TOYOTA) HAVE TOLD ME I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I THEN TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER AFTER CALLING THE NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER, MENTIONED IN A NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE FROM AUGUST 2009. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE ECM WHICH THE DEALER WHO I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM WAS UNCOOPERATIVE IN REPLACING. SO FAR THE CAR IS STILL AT A DIFFERENT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP UNDERGOING "DIAGNOSIS". *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10404416June 4, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY TOYOTA 2002 RAV 4 SUDDENLY WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN MORE GAS IS GIVEN THEREBY BEING MORE DANGEROUS ON HIGHWAY FOR POSSIBLY BEING HIT BY TRAFFIC BEHIND. SUCH A SUDDEN CHANGE IN SHIFTING POSSIBLY TRANSMISSION MAL-FUNCTIONING HAPPENS ALSO WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGHER SPEED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10398367April 30, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SEVERAL MONTHS AGO MY TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SUBSEQUENTLY AS I DROVE THE CAR, IT BEGAN TO LURCH AND I LOST CONTROL OF IT SEVERAL TIMES. I TOOK THE CAR TO TOYOTA DEALER THEN AND THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM BUT SUGGESTED REPLACING THE ECM UNIT AS A "POSSIBLE FIX." THEY SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WANTED A SECOND OPINION AND TOOK THE CAR TO A SPECIALIST. HE COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM EITHER. AFTER A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT NOT ONLY WAS THIS IMMINENT PROBLEM WELL-DOCUMENTED, BUT TOYOTA DEALERS HAD BEEN MADE AWARE OF IT IN 2006! T WHEN I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO TOYOTA LAST WEEK, THEY ADMITTED THAT THEY HAD BEEN INFORMED, BUT COULD NOT REPAIR THE CAR FREE OF CHARGE AS I HAVE 180+K MILES ON IT. HAD TOYOTA NOTIFIED ME ABOUT THE ISSUE IN 2006, I WOULD HAVE REPLACED THE MODULE THEN. NOW THE CAR IS COMPLETELY UNDRIVABLE AND CANNOT EVEN BE SOLD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10398126April 28, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 122,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10395653April 12, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 BEGAN SHIFT ERRATICALLY 2 DAYS AGO. NOT SHIFTING TO 2ND GEAR THE FINALLY JUMPING INTO GEAR. 102,000 MILES. SOUNDS LIKE A COMMON PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA SHOULD OWN UP TO AND MAKE RIGHT. DEALER IS ASKING FOR $4000 TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10384227February 23, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2002 TOYOTA RAV4. STARTED A MONTH AGO HARSH SHIFTING FROM LOWEST GEAR TO THE NEXT, HESITATION THEN ABRUPT SHIFTING OR NO SHIFTING AT ALL BY TRANSMISSION, EITHER WITH OR WITHOUT OVERDRIVE APPLIED. REPLACED OXYGEN SENSORS AND ECM, OKAY FOR A WEEK BUT BACK AGAIN. REPEATS THE SAME PROBLEM FROM COMPLETE STOP THEN SLOW ACCELERATION, GEAR SHIFTING IS NOT TIMELY AND SUDDEN UNEXPECTEDLY CREATING A JERKY MOTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10383457February 21, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY TOYOTA RAV4, 2002, BEGAN SHIFTING HARD, CLUNKING INTO GEAR, AND ACCELERATING PRIOR TO SHIFTING ON ITS OWN. I TOOK THE CAR TO A TOYOTA DEALER WHO HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT COVERED FOR ALL VIN NUMBERS OF RAV4'S SOLD. WE SHALL SEE IF HE IS CORRECT AS I TOLD HIM THAT THE ARTICLE FROM THE NY TIMES SURE LOOKS LIKE IT COVERS ALL RAV4'S BETWEEN 2001 AND 2003. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10380949February 7, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION OF MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WAS DAMAGED DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE ELETRONIC CONTROL MODULE. THE ISSUE WAS FIRST DISCOVERED NOT BY A CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT, BUT BY NEARING BEING SMASHED BY ON COMING TRAFFIC WHEN THE CAR FAILED TO SHIFT AS I WAS CROSSING AN INTERSECTION. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION IS SUDDEN AND I WAS EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT IT DID NOT RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. THROUGH RESEARCH, I'VE COME TO LEARN THAT TOYOTA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE ISSUE SINCE MARCH 2006. I HAVE NOT BEEN INFORMED OF SITUATION BY TOYOTA TO DATE. I REALLY FEEL A RECALL IS IN ORDER. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT. *LN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10378187January 21, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I WAS CLIMBING A STEEP HILL WHEN MY TOYOTA RAV4 JUST SEEMED TO JUMP OUT OF GEAR. I HAD TO UNDERTAKE SPECIAL MEASURES TO TURN AROUND WITHOUT ENGINE POWER AND COAST DOWN THE HILL. IT WAS TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER WHO TOLD ME THE ECU HAD DAMAGED THE TRANSMISSION. THEY ADVISED ME IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WOULD COST $4500 TO REPAIR. I HAD IT TOWED BACK HOME. I SINCE FOUND THAT MANY ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE TOYOTA RAV4. SOMEONE NEEDS TO MAKE TOYOTA ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT. SO MUCH FOR BEING A LOYAL TOYOTA CUSTOMER. HELP! PLEASE. ITS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10377972January 20, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DURING A SNOW STORM, MY VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION STARTED REVVING UP TO 5000 RPMS WITHOUT SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR. I THOUGHT MY TIRES WERE SLIPPING BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, BUT OVER THE NEXT 2 DAYS AS MY CAR WOULD HEAT UP, IT WOULD CONTINUE. I HAD A REPAIR SHOP LOOK AT IT AND THEY ADVISED ME TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA SUGGESTED I BRING IT TO A DEALER. THE DEALER SAID THAT I NEED TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION FLUSHED AND TO REPLACE THE ECM/ECU - WHICH COSTS $900 AND THERE'S NO GUARANTEE IT'LL FIX MY PROBLEM. I'M NOT RECEIVING ANY ASSISTANCE FROM TOYOTA HQ OR THE DEALERSHIP AS FAR AS RECEIVING A GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL FIX MY ISSUE, AND THEY WON'T PROVIDE INFORMATION ON WHAT TO DO IF THE ISSUE STILL PERSISTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10373573December 30, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
I HAVE TAKEN MY 2002 RAV4 TO TOYOTA ON A FEW OCCASIONS. EVERY TIME IT HAS BEEN AN OXYGEN SENSOR OR FUEL SENSOR. WE HAD THESE REPLACED AND NOW TOYOTA IS TELLING US WE NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ($1000). THE TRANSMISSION, ACCORDING TO THEM, IS NOT FULLY FUNCTIONAL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10372454December 26, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
EITHER THE ECU OR THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT WORKING RIGHT. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CAN USUALLY CHANGE BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR BUT IT USUALLY CANNOT CHANGE BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD. THE ENGINE USUALLY REVS AS THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS. IF WE EASE UP ON THE ACCELERATOR OR SOMETIMES WE TO PUMP IT A LITTLE, THEN THE TRANSMISSION CHANGES GEARS. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW OCCASIONS WHERE THE ENGINE REVS AND THE TRANSMISSION CATCHES ON ITS OWN BUT THIS IS CAUSES THE CAR TO ACCELERATE WHEN WE DO NOT EXPECT IT TO. THIS JUST STARTED HAPPENING RECENTLY. WE HAD NOTICED FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD CHANGE A LITTLE HARDER THAN NORMAL, BUT NOT THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE DUE TO SAFETY REASON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10371854December 20, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR UNCONTROLLABLY AND CAUSES A SUDDEN SURGE IN THE VEHICLE THAT MAKES DRIVING IT NOT ONLY DANGEROUS BUT A LIABILITY TO ME. TOYOTA SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH THIS, CONSIDERING THEIR RECENT PROBLEMS WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND BRAKING. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT THROUGH A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, WHICH MAKES IT ALL THE WORSE BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THEY KNOWINGLY PASSED THIS CAR THROUGH THEIR INSPECTION PROCESS AND DID NOT DO A [XXX] THING. TELL TOYOTA TO FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR THE SAFETY OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ON THE ROAD. *TR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10368463December 1, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AUTO: 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 ISSUE: ECU OR ECM COMPLAINT: TOYOTA REFUSES TO REPAIR ANY TRANSMISSION DAMAGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAULTY COMPUTER PART. DESCRIPTION: WHEN PRESSING THE GAS WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. JERKY MOVEMENTS IN THE LOWEST GEARS AND REVERSE; SLUGGISH WHEN PEDAL FULLY PRESSED. CURRENT RESOLVE: TOYOTA WILL REPLACE THE ECM, THOUGH THE PART WILL TAKE 2-3 WEEKS DUE TO HIGH DEMANDS. TOYOTA WILL NOT REPAIR ANY OTHER TRANSMISSION DAMAGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAULTY PART. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10367297November 23, 2010
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
MY 2002 RAV 4 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT 96,000 MILES; WHEN THE CODE WAS CHECKED IT RELATED IT TO THE CATALYST SYSTEM, BUT I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE ECM HAD TO BE UPDATED AS PART OF A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE AND I NEEDED TO TAKE IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER; DOING THIS WOULD CAUSE THE FAULTY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO BE RESET. THEY PERFORMED THE SERVICE, AND NOW 3 WEEKS LATER THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY POPS OUT OF 5TH GEAR, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DRAMATICALLY DECREASE UNPREDICTABLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DANGEROUS!!! ALTHOUGH AFTER LOOKING ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERING COUNTLESS OTHERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM, TOYOTA HAS NOT YET ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS; THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THIS DANGEROUS AND COSTLY-TO-FIX PROBLEM. SUPPOSEDLY IN 2006 TOYOTA REALIZED THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE ECM, (WHICH COULD APPARENTLY DAMAGE THE TRANSMISSION). INSTEAD OF LETTING CONSUMERS KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS SOON AS THEY REALIZED, THEY SENT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO DEALERSHIPS AND SERVICE AREAS, BUT FAILED TO LET THEIR OWN CUSTOMERS KNOW. ACCORDING TO INTERNET RESEARCH, THIS PROBLEM GENERALLY STARTS AROUND 90,000 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10366747November 18, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS WITHIN THE ELECTRIC CONTROL UNIT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A FOREIGN GARAGE SPECIALIST WHO REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER CONCERNING A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT FOR THE ECU FAILURE, BUT THE MANUFACTURER DENIED REIMBURSEMENT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OVER THE 150,000 MILE WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 188,000. UPDATED 03/07/11*LJ UPDATED 11/28/11 *CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10362436October 26, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A TOYOTA RAV4 AND ITS COMPUTER BROKE. WE TOOK IT TO MANUFACTURE AND THEY SAID THE COMPUTER IS FREE TO REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY, HOWEVER, THEY CHARGE US REPAIR COST AROUND $700. IS IT LEGAL TO CHARGE FOR THE REPAIR FOR ANYTHING UNDER WARRANTY? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10361645October 21, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A 2002 RAV4 I PURCHASED USED IN MAY 2010 FOR $9,000. A FEW DAYS AFTER PURCHASING IT, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING. ALMOST HAD NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS WHEN NEEDING TO ACCELERATE WHEN PULLING OUT INTO A BUSY ROAD AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO GET OUT OF 2ND GEAR INTO 3RD GEAR. HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED/REBUILT FOR $3,500, THE ECM FLASHED FOR $265, 3 NEW OXYGEN SENSORS PUT IN FOR $900. NOW THE CAR IS STILL DOING WHAT IT DID EVEN AFTER ALL THAT MONEY SPENT. LOOKING UP ON THE WEB, FOUND MANY OWNERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND ALMOST ALL HAD TO REPLACE THE ECM. I AM NOW TRYING TO GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH A TOYOTA DEALER TO GET THIS DONE. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10360172October 12, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2002 TOYOTA RAV4 - WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, MY CAR MAY AUTOMATICALLY GO FROM 60 TO 40 MPR IN MATTER OF SECONDS. OR MY CAR WILL GET STUCK ON 60MPR & VIOLENTLY JERK. TWICE HAVE I TAKEN IT IN FOR AN ECM RECALL. MY ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON EVER SINCE 60,000 MILES AND NOW IT'S AT 150,000. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS BEEN ISSUED BUT MY CAR IS OVER THE LIMIT (154,000 MILES). THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED "YEARS AGO" NOW IT'S TOO LATE. MY CAR HAS HAD PROBLEMS EVER SINCE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS TURNED ON AT 60K. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10358940October 3, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR RAV 4 WITH MY SON ABOARD. THE CAR BEGAN EXPERIENCING TROUBLE ACCELERATING, CAR WOULD HESITATE, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WOULD LURCH FORWARD. IT WAS TOTALLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT THAT POINT. I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS IS DUE TO A FAULTY ECM WHICH HAS CAUSED THIS VEHICLE TO BE EXTREMELY UNSAFE. II TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND SURE ENOUGH THE CAR SHOWED THE P0755 OBD II CODE WHICH INDICATES THAT THE ISSUE IS WITH THE ECM. F LEFT UNATTENDED, THE TRANSMISSION WILL REQUIRE REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $4000 - $5000. I TALKED TO TOYOTA ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID A REPAIR WAS COVERED UNDER A CUSTOMER SUPPORT WARRANTY EXTENSION PROGRAM (*CASE # 1010011845). HOWEVER, NOW I TALK TO FITZGERALD TOYOTA IN GAITHERSBURG (JUDITH) AND THEY INDICATE THAT THEY HAVEN'T EVEN HEARD OF THIS PROGRAM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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