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CarComplaints.com Notes: If you're looking for a vehicle with one of the most complained about transmission on the road, look no further than the 2001-2003 Toyota RAV4.
In 2001 Toyota completely redesigned the popular SUV. While some enjoyed the new look, they did not enjoy the harsh shifting, jumping from gear-to-gear and eventual transmission failure that cost owners well over $3,000 to fix. The problem stems from a malfunctioning Electronic Control Module (ECM).
Consumer outrage coupled with pressure from different agencies led Toyota to extend the warranty nationwide back in 2010. The previous power train warranty only covered 5 years/60,000 miles, while the extended warranty now covers the transmission and ECM for 10 years/150,000 miles. Toyota also pledged to reimburse any owners who had previously paid for repairs, if they had "proper proof". Good luck collecting on that one.
10.0
really awful- Typical Repair Cost:
- $3,960
- Average Mileage:
- 75,800 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 7 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
- replaced engine (5 reports)
- new engine (2 reports)
engine problem
Helpful websites
- No one has added a helpful site for this 2003 RAV4 problem yet. Be the first!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I have a 2003 Toyota RAV4. And I have owned my car for about 5 years. This car has been really reliable until yesterday. The reason why I bought a Toyota is because it's said the cars last a lot. Well, my car's engine broke down yesterday. We were driving it, and the red oil light turned on. We tried to stop within 1 minute, but then the engine making this noise. After we stopped, we went for some oil, and the car would not start up again. Now I'm looking into having to rebuild my Toyota's Engine. The car is only 8 years old. This should not be happening to this kind of cars. Or now Toyota is not reliable anymore!!
- Ivan T., Chula Vista, CA, US