9.1
really awfulTypical Repair Cost:
$1,761.00
Average Mileage:
103,499 miles
Total Complaints:
37 complaints
Most common solutions:
- replace transmission and computer (13 reports)
- replace the computer system (8 reports)
- not sure (7 reports)
- replace ecm only! (5 reports)
- problem repaired at no cost to me (2 reports)
- recall (2 reports)
transmission problem
Search for Problems, Recalls & Defects
Find a good Toyota mechanic
A free service from MechanicAdvisor.comHelpful websites
- Toyota Extends Warranty on Troubled 2001-3 RAV4 - Toyota is extending the warranty on automatic transmissions and electronic control modules on almost one quarter of a million 2001–2003 RAV4s and offering to reimburse owners who had already paid for repairs.
- Toyota Rav4 ECM Settlement - Settlement for ECM Case
2011Apr 12
RAV4 L
- Automatic transmission
- 128,000 miles
Thanks to the people who posted here. You help my potential car repair of $3,000 cost me literally nothing! I had delays in shifting and sluggish starting and jerking when excellerating. All were inconsistent and I could find zero pattern. I was trying to decide if the repair bill was worth it, since I love my car -- when I read a post here to contact my dealership. As I read off my VIN number and they told me I was covered, I felt as if I won the lottery!!! $3,000 dollars of repairs plus a rental all for free. Now my car works great again.
Thanks!
2011Jul 06
RAV4 2.0L
- Automatic transmission
- 93,206 miles
my transmission started to jerk and parked my RAV4 and searched in google for reasons and found your amazing website where i discovered that most ofr 2003 RAV4 had the same transmission issues which was caused by defective ECM,and this problem was covered by the extended warranty of toyota. so, i got an appointment with toyota dealer ,the finally changed the ECM with no cost.
i was very lucky that the transmission was not affected.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2011Aug 26
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 88,000 miles
It was really scary, I almost had an accident when I tried to accelerate to merge with traffic and suddenly my car began like haggling,sluggish and holding me backwards.!
I thought it was something wrong with the gas that I had put, I went out of the Freeway and stopped my car, waited around 15 minutes thinking that maybe the heat caused this problem, going back to the freeway and almost arrived to my destination the car was feeling better, but before this incident my car was feeling weird and sometimes was making noises.
I took the car to the Toyota Dealer and they said that the computer burned the transmission and if we wanted this to be fixed it would be around $5000.00!!!
Out of work and without a car I feel miserable!
But I began my research in the Internet about Toyota cars and unfortunately found all these problems but never received any letter from any dealer.
Now we are going to complain to CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY or do whatever it takes to make Toyota pay for the repair of our car.
Thanks for this magnificent forum you have to warn other people about this type of problem.
2011Jan 10
RAV4 2.0L
- Automatic transmission
- 130,000 miles
On January 10, 2011 I took my car to Aamco after having it diagnosed at Autozone. Their computer diagnostics were the same and it was the transmission. My car had been slowing down on its own and lunging forward at a seemingly random rate. Because this seemed to be a serious issue I took it in right away. NO DELAY.
Aamco wanted my first born child to fix the issue. I just didn't have the funds... so I went to Mr. Transmission.... They too wanted my life and I could not afford the charges. I called around and found a place-That Transmission Guy Inc. to take care of the problem. They told me they could fix it for less than 2k.
TTGI did a full transmission rebuild on the car and did it for less than 2k. HOWEVER, when I got the car back it did the same exact thing as before. Slow down and lunge forward totally randomly. I took the car back of course and now I'm waiting for Toyota to get back with them about the E.C.M. piece. We've been waiting on that call for roughly 2 weeks now.
After reading up on the issue it seems that I'm going to be out of pocket another 2k to have this component replaced on my car since it's not a recalled piece. I'm still paying for this vehicle and nothing is under warranty now. I am a pizza delivery driver and need my car to make a living. Currently all these costly repairs are being paid for through my student loans, which I would rather be using for school related expenses. I've shelled out 2k and it's been 2 months and I still have no car to drive. Lovely.
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2011Jan 31
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 134,000 miles
This problem began very suddenly... one day all was well the next, the car would jerk between 1st, 2nd and 2nd and 3rd gears. I starting to look on the internet for information about transmission issues and resolutions for Rav4 and I found this complaint site and started reading and found that many people experience the same issue. All of a sudden I remembered a notice I received from Toyota regarding Hard Shifting problems, I went hunting for this notice and found it to be related to the problem that I thought was my transmission. The notice indicated that Toyota extended the warranty for this issue to 10 years or 150000 miles and if anyone has already had service on their vehicle to correct this issue they would reimburse the cost within guidelines. I hope this helps someone who may experience this same problem. I will be at the dealership in the morning and hope the process of getting my vehicle fix goes smoothly.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2010Sep 08
RAV4 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 185,000 miles
I have a 2003 Toyota Rav4 it has 185,000 miles on it I bought it new hoping to have a car for a long time, Out of the blue it seemed like the transmission was going bad, slipping, rpm racing, not shifting into 1 to 2nd, or 3rd, 4th gear, reverse started goin in hard. Took it for a tranny flush cost 100.00, the problem continued.
Went on the website for toyota car problems to discover that this is a common problem in this car. A internal memo was sent to all the dealerships in 2006 but the consumers did not know. Then they extended the warranty without telling the consumer, I had no idea and now my car is out of warranty. Took it to a toyota dealer prestige in Kingston ny and they said it was my transmission a code of EVAP was coming up, no other codes. They said it would cost 2800. I was not convinced it was the tranny so I found a guy in Brooklyn, NY that would fix my ECM unit for 250.00 so I gave it a chance and I am so happy to say my car is running better than ever. He said it had a crack in it and that all the computers get cracks they get to hot, and Toyota knows the problem it should be a recall.
My car has no more codes and the transmission is running great no problems. Check engine ETC Stillwell ave Brooklyn ny 718-449-7763 or 718-449-1734 he saved me alot of money and he gives a 1 yr warranty I highly recommend his work.
TOYOTA CORPORATION SUX you screw your customers and I will never own another Toyota ever again.
2010Apr 11
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 60,000 miles
We bought a used 2003 Toyota Rav4 with 60,000 miles on it two days ago. The very next day we started having problems with it. We did a quick search on the car before we bought it and did not find any complaints so we thought we were making a good purchase. Toyotas are supposed to be reliable cars, right? WRONG! The car would not respond when we pushed the accelerator and then would lurch forward. It felt like the car didn't know what to do (I know that sounds anthropomorphic, but that's the best description I can give). This happened as I was merging and I almost got hit by another car. After more extensive research specifically geared towards transmissions on this car we found an unacceptable amount of complaints! We called the dealership and told them to come tow the car....we did not feel safe driving it anywhere. We're not sure what our options are but we're hoping to cancel the purchase. I will NEVER purchase a Toyota again. If a company can't stand behind their product after numerous, similar complaints they do not deserve business and we will not be supporting them.
2008Jul 15
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 110,000 miles
My car started to not shift out of first gear... Took it to the dealership, which said I needed a new transmission due to a solenoid problem. $4000. Took it to the local transmission dude who said the same thing, but scratched his head because it wasn't a common Toyota problem. After 3 weeks, I googled Rav4 transmission problems, and found an internal memo from Toyota saying the problem was often with the computer, not the transmission. I gambled and told the local guy to replace the computer only... problem solved for less than $1500. Guess the dealership guys didn't get the memo.
2010Feb 04
RAV4 LX
- Automatic transmission
- 76,766 miles
I was told there was a problem with my solenoid in the transmission. I called another garage and was asked which solenoid it was...didn't know there were multiples in cars. Said the problem was automatic transmission shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. Was told that there is a separate solenoid for that, that I would probably have to have the transmission taken apart and that I was looking at a hefty repair cost, but that the car was worth saving. I don't have the money for this as I am unemployed!
I decided to go on the Internet and found out my complaint was a common one. My concern: I am currently visiting family out of state (from NH to NJ). The problem popped up here. Can I approach a local dealer on this? I bought the car used (a 2003 in 2007). It's warranty is expired. What should I tell the dealer if I go to a local one?
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009May 13
RAV4 Sport 4.0L
- Automatic transmission
- 50,000 miles
I had the same problem that has been mentioned several times in these posts. I was astounded by the fact that at approximately 50,000 miles I was having such difficulties with my RAV4. I had purchased a Toyota to specifically avoid such problems. On the advice of a mechanic, I researched the 'symptoms' on-line' prior to bringing my car into the dealer. I described the problem thoroughly - with the appropriate terms, when I brought it in - yet, even after keeping the car for several hours - they found nothing, and sent me away with the advice of trying 'different gas'. When I returned a second time, they kept the car overnight - the mechanic did experience the jerking, skipping, slowing, etc - and I was told that "I had trained my vehicle incorrectly", thus the missed gears, slowness in changing gears, etc. I told him I wasn't stupid, and if this was the case, why wasn't I experiencing the problem within the first 25,000 miles? He had no answer, but did 'reset' my computer. On my way home, my vehicle jerked and slipped so much I nearly hit a bus! I phoned the head mechanic immediately and demanded service - I didn't pay for an extended warranty for such shoddy service. Upon returning to the dealer again, they replaced the computer. Again I complained that this did not correct the problem! They again took my RAV4 for several days, and it was returned to me with a new transmission. I asked him why this wasn't done in the first place - when what I had described was what occurring exactly in other RAV4 models/years? He had no response. My RAV4 runs fine now, although I'm not convinced it runs as well as it should. I can not say if I would ever buy another Toyota.
2009Jul 23
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 121,000 miles
I am having the same problems as the 100+ other people on this page. In July 2009 I noticed that my 2003 Rav4 would jerk when switching from 1st to 2nd gear and would not shift past third gear at all! The next week I took my truck to a mechanic who told me that the transmission was shot and quoted me over $3000. I am a single mom and live paycheck to paycheck so I parked the vehicle in my driveway and told myself that I'd use my income tax return to buy a replacement transmission. Now, after reading all of the reviews, I don't know if replacing the transmission will even fix the problem. I bought this vehicle brand new because I was told that Toyotas were solid, dependable cars and now I feel duped...Toyota needs to be held responsible for this obvious manufacturer defect and replace the ECMs and the transmissions free of charge!!
2009Dec 23
RAV4 2.0L 4
- Automatic transmission
- 85,000 miles
Just as others have written, my car suddenly went from shifting normally one day to jerking, hesitating and almost getting us wiped out in an intersection due to an inconvenient 3-4 second PAUSE while making a left turn. Scary way to find out the extent of my new car problem. I recently got the thing paid off, of course it is off warranty and I cannot afford to bring it to a mechanic. Thank goodness for the internet. I was able to find out what the problem was and send the ecm to checkengine.com for repair. They were fast and the car is running great. I like my rav4, but I won't ever buy another Toyota--I bought the car new in '03--Toyota knew about the problem since '06 but never notified owners just their rip-off dealer shops.
2009Nov 04
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 111,700 miles
A few days ago I started on my way in to work. Within the first half mile, my car started "acting up." When pulling away from a stop sign, for example, my car would just take off--skipping first gear altogether and going right into second gear.
Of course, I had to keep going, and thought maybe it was doing this because it was a cold morning and the car hadn't warmed up enough. But even while traveling at higher speeds, out of nowhere, the transmission would just kick in and jump up to 4-6,000 RPM without me even trying to accelerate. This problem literally appeared overnight--I never had the check engine light come on or anything.
When I got into work, I asked our garage mechanic to take a look at it. He took it for a drive and said the transmission was definitely slipping. Someone suggested I do an online search to see if anyone was having that problem and, sure enough, it seemed as though every RAV4 owner was experiencing this.
I took it in to a local transmission shop, where they hooked up a computer and found absolutely nothing wrong--although they, too, drove it and knew there was obviously a problem.
To cut a long story short, I saw that quite a few people had recommended a shop out of Brooklyn, NY called Check Engine. They said they could rebuild the Engine Control Module (ECM) which is the real problem...not the actual transmission. (However, they do add that if you continue to drive the car with this problem, the faulty ECM will eventually fry the transmission and then you will have to replace both the ECM and the transmission to fix the problem). I had called Toyota and they wanted $1121 to order a new ECM, plus $95 an hour for labor. But of course wanted to "look at it" before replacing it.
No, thanks. The part was no longer covered under warranty so I decided to take my chances with the NY shop. Following instructions from their website, I removed the ECM and shipped it out overnight on Thursday evening. (Both removal and re-installation took about 30 minutes total).
Amazingly, the shop had the rebuilt ECM back to me on Saturday morning around 11 AM. Talk about quick service. Since installing it, there have been no problems at all. I am fortunate that I caught it early and seemed to have saved myself a blown transmission.
For all of you who experience this, stop driving the car right away and look into getting the ECM rebuilt. It will save you a ton of money. And considering that Toyota has been too greedy to issue a recall on a potentially life-threatening ECM malfunction, I prefer to give my money to someone else to fix this. I would recommend the place I used, but I am sure there are other places that will rebuild these ECM's. Good luck--and keep me posted on any class action lawsuits out there.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009Oct 10
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 118,000 miles
Have owned several Toyotas in the past, with no problems. Toyota needs to issue a recall with so many people having the same problem. Can't afford to have it fixed.
Update from Sep 22, 2011: Toyota is now saying that my vehicle doesn't fall into the settlement because it has over 150,000 miles on it, even though the trouble started over 2 years ago. Said if I had fixed it back then ($4900.00 worth), they would reimburse me but since I couldn't afford to have it fixed, I am out of luck. Said my only options are to contact the BBB or seek legal counsel. With they would just do what is right and fix the car.
2009Sep 03
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 99,922 miles
Everything was going well with my Rav4, I was keeping up with it, doing all the right things as a responsible owner, oil changes, check ups etc. My first car was a Toyota Corrola 1977 and it was a great car. I decided to buy a Toyota again based on my first experience with a new car, what a mistake that was. Last Saturday my car started acting scary hesitating and jerking. I was hoping for the best until my engine light when on and then I had it checked out. They say that I need a new computer $1,180.00. I started asking a lot of questions and found out that if my light goes on again I will probably need a new transmission at $3,500.00.
I haven't made any decision yet it is the Labor day weekend and I am borrowing a car. I want to know if anyone out there actually went through the process of replacing the transmission and how long did it last after that?
2009Aug 03
RAV4 LX 2.0L
- Automatic transmission
- 170,000 miles
Ok, lets see where should I begin. I have a Toyota, RAV4 and my car begin to decrease speed and then about two weeks later it begin to start jerking and driving in a lower shift. My check engine light was on so I stopped by Auto Zone and had them to do a quick check. I was told my shift solenoid is going bad. So then I took my car to my mechanic who told me again after he checked it came up with the same code. My shift solenoid is going bad. So he told be I could just have the shift solenoid replaced which may resolved my problems but if not then I would probably need a new transmission. Until I stumble on this site, I am not sure what to do. I am trying to see if I should pay $170.00 to replace the bad solenoid or should I just look into having the EMC reset? I am highly upset and I just don't want to lose my money. I am going to contact and file a complaint to the Toyota headquarters and to some of the numbers I jotted down from this site. What should I do now?
2009Jun 01
RAV4 Limited 2.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 103,000 miles
When the trans first started slipping and I looked for help on internet and found this site! What a great find. I took the car to dealer for ECU check, they wanted 1,395.00 to replace, no recall or $$ help was available from Toyota unless your under warranty? Next I went on e-bay and found a place to send the ECU in Tenn for rebuild, it was 325.00 but now only 275.00, just type in rav4 ecu and the site will come up, you can read the feed back, they even have directions on how to remove ECU. 3 weeks later the car is still shifting and running great. It,s not hard to remove the ECU and they will have it back to you in a week. Other then this problem my rav4 has never had problems runs great and is still very tight. Hope this helps someone save some $$$.
2009Apr 29
RAV4 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 96,000 miles
My husband and I have been buying Toyota's for almost 14 yrs. When I finally bought my 2003 Rav4, I was very happy with it and this year I would have been even more happier because I would no longer have a car payment. No car payment now..but now I have issues that is costing me more then what my monthly payments. I had to replace the catalytic converter which ran me $750.00 after feeling the car jerk on me on several occasions when I would come to a stop then continue on. I really can not afford to purchase a new car. What I can not understand, if there has been so many complaints, why do the car dealers not say anything? When I called to report this issue, the dealer rep informed me to bring it in to see what the status is, but I would need to pay for the diagnosis. Why? If you know there issues with the transmission/P0755..Is there a real recall on these models? What can we do?
2009Jun 01
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 92,250 miles
Drove to work one morning no problem. Time to got home stared the car pulled off then the car started jerking engine raced then back to normal. made it home to in to toyota for service. After several hours was taken into the GET IN YOUR POCKET ROOM as was told i need a transmission and ecu for the car at a cost of $6000. I told him hell no how can the trans just go with no warning. Thats when i was told i could take it up front and trade it in because it is in good shape. I vetoed that also.He then said i could just replace the ecu at a cost of $1000. I said i would thick about it. went back home got online and discovered that there are many 2001-2004 rav4 with the same problem which Toyota doesn't seem to want to acknowledge. The tech that told me the outrageous cost of repairs. I said that the ecu is just the computer that has to be replaced and you drive he did not want to answer Now i see that Toyota send out a letter fo dealer tech about the ecu failure without a recall.Does greed overshadow safety with Toyota? Are they still in our pocket if we pay for the ecu and trans that we don't need if you don't continue to drive the car with the bad ecu. Is that the way to become the # one automaker? NO RECALL THERE IS NO PROBLEM IN RAV LAND.Sell them anyway
Update from Jun 21, 2009: Sent my ecm to check engine etc in NY on a Thurs got it back Sat around noon put it back in low and behold no transmission problem. The car rides and shifts just fine.No thanks to the folks at toyota whom won't fix a defect that they are aware of. I was going to purhase a new truck from the but this incident has changed my mind. For anyone that needs it # for check engine etc 718-449-1734. they saved me big time.
2009May 02
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 110,000 miles
I was horrified to read the complaints about the awful shifting issue and the check engine code p0755. I took it to a local mechanic who said it need to go to a Toyota dealer for an ECM (computer) so I did. When my mechanic said it was a "known issue" with the vehicle I decided to call Toyota Headquarters to ask about this "known issue" they say that the mechanic was incorrect. They suggested I ask the dealer for some "out of warranty assistance". I prayed the whole way to the dealer that I get there safely. I was so scared because I was stuck in stop and go traffic on RT I93 and this makes the "issue" bad when you have to stop and go. You can feel the RPM's going up but the car feels sluggish and does not want accelerate. Once it gets going it drives like new. I brought it to Woburn Foreign Motors in Woburn, MA where I purchased the vehicle and after diagnosing the problem they told me it needed an ECM and a new Transmission price $5k. I was now faced with a decision either to fix which is not worth it or buy a new car which I was not planning on having to do for a long time since I purchased what I believed was a reliable vehicle. When I asked about the out of warranty assistance they said because you are not a loyal Toyota customer and do not get my scheduled maintenance done by them that they where not able to assist me. I was so upset because where I do my oil changes should not matter, My husband and own a 2001 Corolla and the 2003 Rav-4 that is my Toyota loyalty which to them meant nothing! The dealership sales guy offered to trade in my car for $4k if I bought a new car with them and of course they are not willing to budge on the MSRP price. I began doing some intensive research online and discovered that this was in fact a "known issue" and came across the official Toyota Service Bulletin #TC002-06 dated March 3, 2006 which explain the problems we are all having! I called Toyota Headquarters very upset after my discovery, they are currently looking into this. I hope after all I have read that Toyota recalls these vehicles. Read the Bulletin it explains EVERYTHING!
Update from Jun 18, 2009: Toyota unable to assist with any out of warranty assistance. Took the vehicle for a second opinion to Toyota of Nashua. Toyota of Nashua was very helpful and knew exactly what the problem was before they even looked at it. They told me it was a 50/50 chance I may need a new transmission but they could not say for sure until they replaced the ECM. I authorized them to replace the ECM and it fixed the problem! I did not need a transmission in fact they said my car was in great condition. When I told Toyota of Nashua what Woburn Toyota said about needing a new transmission they said they should have never jumped to conclusions on this issue. Toyota of Nashua keeps extra ECM on hand and my car was fixed in one day. My car drives great and am thankful I took it for a second opinion! If I've learned anything is that I should always get a second opinion, I would have spent $4k in a new transmission that I did not need. I recommnend Toyota of Nashua and appreciate their honesty.
2009May 25
RAV4 2.0L
- Automatic transmission
- 127,774 miles
i started having the same problem with the transmission as the others, the feeling of slipping, the jerking, etc. my 2003 rav4 has 127,774 miles on it. and of course its paid for. im just sick about this as i don't make a whole lot of money, im checking to see how much the pcm computer will be and hope that i can borrow the money. i have someone who can take out the computer and replace the new one, thanks GOD!!!, i intend on calling toyota in the morning and voicing my complain, i would suggest if any one buys a rav4 to get this checked out before the truck runs out of warranty. i love my toyota rav4 and have done but praised it, but toyota needs to replace this problem. if i thought i could collect pain and suffering, from all this i would defiantly go for it because this has put me into a big pickle, all the way around. i have to try to find transportation to and from work now, and still be able to get this thing fixed. i will keep u posted
Update from Jul 2, 2009: WHOO-HOO!!!!!! I FOUND A PLACE THAT IS BBB CERTIFIED, THAT WILL REBUILD THESE STUPID ECMS, AND GIVE LIFETIME WARRANTY. I JUST RECIEVED MINE BACK TODAY AND ITS NOW INSTALLED AND IM ON THE ROAD AGAIN!!!! I HAD PLACES TELL ME IT WOULD COST ABOUT $150.00 TO REMOVED AND PUT ANOTHER ONE IN,
IF U CAN HELP IT DONT LET THEM, ITS SO SIMPLE. ITS ON THE FIREWALL UNDER THE GLOVE BOX, UNPLUG AND U R DONE. THIS PLACE CHARGED ME $325.00 TO REBUILD MINE. U PAY THE SHIPPING TO THEM AND PAY SHIPPING BACK. I SHIPPED MINE ON A THURS NITE, 2 DAY PIROTY, THEY GOT IT ON MONDAY, IT WAS SHIPPED BACK OUT EITHER THAT FRI OR THAT MONDAY, I GOT MINE BACK YESTERDAY. ITS SIMPLE TO INSTALL BACK IN AS WELL!!!
FOR THOES LIKE ME WHO DONT HAVE ANY MONEY(I BORROWED THIS) AND CANT AFFORD A NEW ONE, THIS IS THE WAY TO GO. WARNING, THE LONGER U DRIVE UR CAR WITH THIS PROBLEM U R GONNA END UP HAVEING ANOTHER TRANSMISSION OR REBUILT ONE, IF U NEED THE INFO ON WHERE TO SEND YOURS SEND ME AN E-MAIL I WILL GIVE U THE INFO.....TCHRIS1645@AOL.COM,
2009Mar 20
RAV4 L 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 95,000 miles
The situation is the same as what's been described here on many other occassions. Hard shifting, lurching and missed shifts. I bought the RAV used in 06 and was very happy with it until a few months ago. Of course, my extended warranty ended back in November. As I began to research the problem, I was very disappointed to find out that this is all too common yet Toyota refuses to do anything about it other than issue a TSB.
I was not surprised when the mechanic called me to inform me that the ECM was bad and that it had fried the transmission. So now I'm out $700 for the new ECM and $2,400 for the transmission rebuild.
If Toyota went so far as to develop an upgraded ECM for this problem, why the hell didn't they recall it? With that in mind, I did not have the repairs done by a local Toyota dealer. My regular mechanic recommended a transmission guy that was very helpful. A small gesture, that they will never feel, but it made me feel a little better.
Update from Jun 29, 2009: The final bill for all the repairs was $3,500. $1,100 for the new ECM and $2,400 for a transmission rebuild. I sent a letter to Toyota requesting reimbursement and followed up with a phone call. The representative that I spoke to put me on hold to "research" the issue. He informed me that since there were no recalls there was nothing that they can do. When I brought up the TSB regarding this specific issue, he seemed a bit put off and told me that he could be of no further help. I'm now waiting for a call back from his supervisor. I'm not going to let this drop.
Update from Aug 25, 2009: I finally spoke with a supervisor (Reginald) who informed me that since my car was out of warranty and that I wasn't eligible for any loyalty compensation, I was SOL as far as Toyota was concerned. After a few minutes of complaining about their lack of accountability I ended the call. Reginald was the perfect corporate drone and refused to even acknowledge that the TSB was applicable to my situation. He suggested that if I was still unhappy, I should seek relief "outside of Toyota" which means "get a lawyer". I've already spent enough money on this and now I have to lawyer up to get restitution?
I've got a bad ECU in a box and $3,500 less in my checking account. This has totally soured me on Toyotas and I will never buy another one.
Update from Oct 14, 2009: After paying out of pocket to have the repairs done and the ECM replaced, and getting no satisfaction from Toyota, I decided that enough was enough. Yesterday I traded it in for a Honda CR-V. I will never buy another Toyota again.
Update from Jul 15, 2010: VICTORY IS OURS!!!!!
Toyota has announced that it will voluntarily repair a number of issues that have arisen with 2001-2003 RAV4 crossovers as well as certain 2009-2010 Matrix and Corolla vehicles. According to Reuters, around 235,500 RAV4 models will be repaired outside of a recall for a "hard shift" problem. Owners have complained that under certain circumstances, the vehicle's transmission would either abruptly shift or otherwise fail to change gears properly. The culprit is typically a faulty engine control module, though in some cases, damage to the transmission may lead to outright replacement. Owners who have previously had to pay for this work out of pocket can apply for reimbursement.
Update from Sep 22, 2010: After sending in tons of documentation, I was informed by Toyota Customer Care on 9/21 that my reimbursement had been sent on 9/20. After nearly 1 1/2 years, I'm finally satisfied.
2009Jan 01
RAV4 S
- Automatic transmission
- 103,000 miles
As with the hundreds of once-loyal Toyota owners I too am having problems with my vehicle. It is a 2003 Rav4 S model and problems occurred last year in the middle of 2008. I was at a stop light and my car completely shut off. No noise or jerk, just silently turned off. I then took my car to my cousin who is a mechanic and he did a tune up on my car. Then the car drove normally until November 2008. My transmission started mis-shifting and would start off in second gear, then lurch forward. The two mechanics I've seen call this a "lazy transmission". When both mechanics (I saw two total, but one for a second opinion) hooked my car up to a diagnostic machine, it gave the same error code. The error code was saying that I have an ECM problem. Which is the cars main computer. Basically the ECM tells the transmission when to shift gears. So i did a little research and Toyota is "aware" of the problem (which is complete b*******) and will only compensate owners who are still under the 80,000 mi mark. My problem occurred after, even my extended warranty expired shortly before my transmission problem. So you're pretty much screwed in the situation. Why doesn't Toyota assist all who are having this problem? Why pawn the problem off to the consumer when this is bad PR and a manufacturer problem?! I feel for all of the rav4 owners out there because we are getting screwed over. Now it is our responsibility to pay for this out of our pocket. SO I CALLED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS to see if they actually care and this is how the conversation went:
I spoke to a woman and I asked her if there were other people complaining about this rav4 ECM/transmission problem. She responded by saying that she hasn't heard of any complaints today besides mine. I also asked her how toyota is compensating people affected by this and she went on with this long schpiel about "if your past 80,000 miles we can't help you." She kept saying how she was sorry about the situation, but how can you be sorry about the situation when you sound like an unhelpful robot reading off of a cue card? I also asked about how many complaints are needed in order for toyota to do a recall of some sort and she said that the situation "wouldn't be considered a recall." What? Not considered a recall? Just like you and I and the people in the many forums complaining about this problem, there are people spending money and even people getting in accidents because of this. So this wouldn't be considered a recall?! This is a joke. So here I am now stuck between a rock and a hard place saving to fix my car (about $3000-$4000) which I was quoted by transmission shop. Also, here's the kicker: When I told the toyota rep about the hundreds of people complaining about this i asked her "How about the hundreds of people complaining about this problem online and in forums? They don't count? It's obvious this is a huge issue." I couldn't believe the answer she gave me. She said "The people complaining for all you know may have not taken care of their cars. Plus, they aren't complaining on credible websites, like toyota websites." Very cold response. So basically she is saying that you and I and all of the Rav4 owners are responsible because we probably don't properly take care of our cars. What an insult. How can we complain on the toyota website? They won't show the complaints openly. Why would they? I am just frustrated at the whole situation because I have put so much money into the car. Taking care of it, never abusing it, and now I can't drive it until its fixed. It breaks my heart because out of all of the cars I had wanted I wanted a toyota because of their great reputation. I am a student and I worked really hard to save to purchase this car, and now this is how Toyota treats us? If I had a time machine I would have taken my business and hard earned dollars elsewhere and bought a different car from a different manufacturer.
2009Apr 19
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 47,224 miles
This seems to be the same issue that countless 2002 RAV4 2002 drivers have reported. I just wanted to weigh in for the 2003 owners who are also prone this problem. The TSB that Toyota issued mentions 2001 - 2003. They refer to the issue as a "hard shift condition" with the recommendation is replacement of the ECU. I've also seen mention that because this part is involved in emission control, it should be replace for free if the car is less than 8 years old and under a certain number of kilometers.
I'm having the car taken in today. I have let the dealership know that I've done my homework on the "problem" and have even printed out the TSB and put it right in the car. I hope it goes smoothly.
Update from Jun 3, 2009: Well, thanks to this forum, and a link I found on another site that allowed me to print out the TSB related to this issue - I had the EMC replaced (parts and labour) AT NO CHARGE. There was no argument - nothing.
Before having the vehicle towed in (because I had read that continuing to drive it in this condition could damage the transmission) - I informed the dealership that that I knew there was a TSB out on the RAV and included a copy of it, AND every single complaint from this forum that cited that exact same problem.
This should absolutely be a recall - and if people are unknowingly damaging their transmissions because Toyota isn't informing them of the issue - then ALL repairs should be absolutely free.
2008May 01
RAV4 2.0L 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 78,000 miles
Similar problem to what everyone else was seeing with the 2.0L RAV4 transmission. Shifting became harder and harder. At first it just seemed to be an issue with the weather; if it was cold it would take a while to warm up, if it was warm it wouldn't shift as hard at first. Then my wife started complaining more and more about the shifting so I had her bring it to the local Toyota dealer and sure enough, the transmission was shot. Opting to not take out a second mortgage to get the transmission replaced by the dealer, we brought it to a local shop. While they were able to rebuild the transmission for a reasonable price, ~$1,500, the next day when we got it back the check engine light was still on and after talking to the shop they said it "might" be the ECU. We now did not trust the bunch of hillbillies that just fixed our transmission and now claimed it "might" be another $1,200. We were in the process of relocating back to the Twin Cities so we opted to just get a trailer and tow it behind the moving truck.
Upon arriving in the TC we contacted the local Toyota dealer (thanks to Maplewood Toyota!!) and after giving them the symptoms and my VIN number they said the ECU has a TSB against it and is currently able to be covered under the emissions warranty which ran until 80K...we had 79,250 miles at the time. The Twin Cities dealer took great care of our problem and saved us over $1,200 for the computer. I just wish I would've found this site prior to buying the RAV4 so we would've been up-to-date on possible issues and things to watch for so we could have got the ECU replaced and saved the transmission.
Thanks Autobeef!!
2009Mar 02
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 95,000 miles
I loved my Toyota RAV4 up until the last 3 months. In 3 months time, I have had an engine coil repair, which then ruined my catalytic converter, had to have the spark plug wires replaced and now the ECM. Can I just say that my check engine light NEVER came on to alert of me of the engine coil problem. I am a single parent and cannot afford these repairs. After the engine coil repair they told me the converter was breaking down but as long as the car drove fine it was not an emergency.
So in early March, the car starts driving horribly, hard to accelerate, then lurches you forward, right side of the car starts shaking, a HUGE safety issue! I immediately called my service adviser and he told me he thought it was the catalytic converter. So I took it to a mad hatter, they check the codes and it is converter codes; they were about $150 cheaper so I had the converter replaced. I drive the car for two days and by the 3rd day the issues started again so bad the car had to be towed out to Toyota. I barely made it home from work, almost getting rear ended in the process because of the poor acceleration.
Thank god I researched Toyota and problems with RAV4's and came along this site and others. I was shocked at how many complaints there are out there. I immediately called both my service adviser and filed a complaint, as suggested, with Toyota. Told them I knew about all the complaints and that people are trying to get together a class action suit for 2001-2004 RAV's and also discussed the technical bulletin Toyota had put out a couple years ago about this. I was very nice but assertive and I told her I expected Toyota to pay for this full repair if it indeed was the ECM. I also told my service adviser that I felt they knew about this issue and surely I am not the first one. He said they had another used RAV in with the same issue.
Well, to make a long story short, it was the ECM $1,300. Five days later, Toyota called and agreed to pay for the full $1,300 repair. The catch, I have to pay for it in advance and submit the paperwork and they will reimburse me 5-10 weeks later. So I scraped together the money (two weeks) and finally was able to pick up my car on Saturday. 10 miles later my check engine light is on....car is driving fine though and has been for almost 5 days now.
On Monday I faxed in my paperwork and the rep was very nice and said he was getting it in in time for a May reimbursement. So back to Toyota I go to have the code checked out. I pray it is not the transmission this time. I want to thank this site for all the helpful experiences and suggestions, it was a life saver for me and my children.
2009Feb 01
RAV4 2.0L 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 86,500 miles
Well, once finding out the rather large repair bill and knowing the warranty expired four months ago. I called Toyota's corporate office which contacted the local dealer. The dealer was were I took my vehicle for all of its routine maintenance. The dealer called the back to the corporate office to see if a discount was available. Well none was available (go figure) and I am left on my own to finance 5200.00 worth of work on a vehicle that has a loan of 12000.00 left on it. I find it very frustrating that Toyota could care less about its reputation and won't even remotely try to satisfy a customer that evidently is not alone with this problem and bought the Toyota brand for the longevity of their vehicles. What a joke that turned out to be. So here I sit with a car that have four new tires on it and just has an over $500.00 brake and router repair on it two weeks prior to knowing about the transmission. This is such a horrible situation and Toyota should just find out what is causing this problem and recall those transmissions or offer some type of assistance on the repair cost. Afterall a Toyota is supposed to last a lot longer than 86,000 miles. Yea Right!!???!!!
2008Apr 16
RAV4 LS 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 50,000 miles
It seems as though this problem is getting worse. My transmission when stopped or in park sounds like its racing. When manually switching into a gear, it is a hard shift. When driving the transition of gears on my automatic transmission is not smooth. This is to the point where I have been called a crazy driver because my car is jerking the passenger around. This can not be safe and there should be a mandatory recall of all of the transmissions suspected of having this issue.
2008Dec 02
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 109,000 miles
I am glad to know that I'm not the only one experiencing this problem. I too have driven my Rav4 mainly to get to school and work, and have never abused it in any way. Problems started months ago when my car would jerk, then once in awhile (every other month or so) would just shut off when I am at a complete stop. This terrified me! :( I thought to myself, I must need a tune-up. I went to my local Toyota mechanic and had a full tune up done, then the problem ceased for about 2 months. Then about 3 days ago, I started getting the loud "thud" when switching from park to reverse! Oh no! I just got a tune up, now what?! I am your typical student, working part-time, barely getting by so I chose a car with a great "reputation". Now I may need a new transmission. If Toyota knows about this why isn't anyone getting compensation for it. I mean, I just need my car fixed. We need OUR Rav4's fixed and none of us should have to pay for it because this is Toyota's DEFECT! Now I am frustrated because of a quote that I got to fix it. I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place because 1) you guessed it, my warranty expired, 2) My car is not paid off yet. I'm still paying for it monthly. :( and 3) I don't have the extra finances to pay for all of the repairs! If anyone is really pushing for action in resolving this, please count me in and I'd be happy to join you guys in having Toyota do something about this!
2008Dec 06
RAV4 Sport
- Automatic transmission
- 117,000 miles
Based on the complaints that I've seen about Rav4's i believe that we should all call for a recall.....does anybody know how to go about doing that?
Update from May 8, 2009: I finally got my RAV4 back from the mechanic, after two months of having the guy work on it. He rebuilt the transmission and got a brand new ECU from Toyota. It cost me about $2500.00 so far i've had it for two days and it runs really good. Knock on wood and it'll stay this way......I will save my receipts for when the Class Action Suit happens.
2008Oct 24
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 125,000 miles
I'm as disgusted as the rest of the complainers on this site and will be writing a letter to the Toyota corporation about my experience.
My transmission is being rebuilt and a new brain unit installed as I write. The problem started in October, I called the dealership and told them what was going on with the shifting. At this time the transmission had only acted up once and I was told that it would have to be consistent in what it was doing for them to be able to diagnose the problem. I gave the service manager the vin number and he told me that there were no recalls on the car. I feel that the car should have had the brain replaced at this time. In my opinion, driving the car until it was consistently having the shifting problem cost me a transmission rebuild. At no time did a check engine light come on. I believe that it was a known problem (as evidenced by the complaints from 2002 owners) and it should have been listed as a recall.
I bought a Toyota because of their reputation. Right now I'm thinking that deviating from Pontiacs was a mistake of large proportion. We have owned four Pontiacs and have driven them three hundred to four hundred thousand plus miles without a major problem. I thought that if I could get that kind of mileage from a Pontiac who knows what I could do with a Toyota.
Thank-you for letting me vent.
2008Aug 01
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 96,934 miles
After reading this forum and the forum from 2002 Rav4, this is exactly what I've experienced.
http://www.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/RAV4/2002/transmission/problems_shifting.shtml
Sometime in August 2008, we've experience the jerking mentioned in 2002 Rav4. Exactly the same for my model 2003 Rav4. I'm guessing that the early 2003 Model had the same ECU as 2002 Models. There were occasions where me and my wife almost got hit due to the jerking. Basically, the jerking slows you down and unable to pickup speed in time. When we were about to turn, we went so slow that almost got hit by another car.
So, knowing that not to trust the dealers first, I went to Canadian Tire to get it fixed. Turns out that the solenoid is giving some error code. After calling Toyota to buy the solenoid so that my mechanic dad could fix it, Toyota needs to take a look to determine which solenoid is broken since there's 4 kinds. So I brought it in on August 2008 and they've found out that ECU needs to be replaced. So I paid almost $1000 for the parts/labor and was assured that the problem will go away. I didn't register the car until 2 weeks ago and found out that the problem is still there. So I came back to Toyota and complained. They've diagnosed it but found no problem. Test drove it and found out the poor acceleration and later determined that the floor mat was on the way of the gas pedal. As I went to pick it up, I was billed for $120 for the diagnostics. So I was so angry and wanting to complain but the service department is already closed and I'm unable to bring out my car without paying. So, I paid and wanting to complain the following day thinking that all I have to deal with is getting my money back. BUT as I drive it the following morning, problem re-occurs. Therefore, it's not the stupid floor mat that's causing my grief. So I came back and complained again. This time, I was really angry. I felt like I'm being fooled.
So, I went to the internet for answers. I feel so bad for service department clerks/managers to put up with complaining customers regarding this issue. But then it's their job. The result of my research was an eye opener and made me angry at Toyota as a company instead. This problem should have initiated a recall - causing a very dangerous vehicle to drive on the road. What I don't understand is why are the customers shouldering the expense if the ECU was defective in the first place? As per the other posts, this defective ECU would result the transmission to be replaced if not fixed right away.
So now, I'm stuck with the bill of ECU replacement ($1000), Transmission replacement($6000), diagnostics charge for checking the engine and moving the floor mat ($120), and lastly the frustration ($priceless).
So far, the dealership has treated me okay but would like for them to shoulder the costs for the ECU ($1000) and refund my $120 for moving the floor mat/doing diagnostics. As per the transmission replacement, I think it's something I have to accept but would really have been prevented if the ECU was recalled.
I'm going to file a complain through the Better Business Bureau and Toyota Corporate just to make Toyota aware that they should recall the damn thing. I need this car to be fixed so I could upgrade to another one i.e. Highlander. But it will all depend on how my issue with Toyota is going to be resolved. If it's not reasonable, I will send a mass email to everyone I know NOT to buy TOYOTA!!!
2008May 05
RAV4 2.0L
- Automatic transmission
- 115,000 miles
Called Toyota and the 1st rep was very rude! Lia Toyota of Wilbraham, Ma was a joke the General Manager would not return my call- I would NEVER BUY another TOYOTA...per my mechanic Toyota is aware of the problem and a lot of people have made complaints.
2008May 27
RAV4 EX V4
- Automatic transmission
- 102,000 miles
Like everyone else my Toyota Rav-4 has major transmission problems. I had my car in for the expensive 90k tune up and told the "certified Toyota tech" about the violent shaking, jerking and difficulty shifting. They finished the tune up and said they found nothing wrong. Two days later it was back and worse than ever-I was barely able to get the car to a local shop-the dealership is 70 miles away. Now I owe the mechanic $650 for his time ripping the transmission apart with the only solution being another $3000.00 just to repair the transmission. I am paralyzed at this point not sure what to do. Do I cut my losses? Sink thousands more into the car in an attempt to fix it? Sell it as is? I am afraid the real issue is the electrical system-can't imagine what that will cost...I feel very bad for all of the people on this site having this problem-shame on Toyota! Where is their concern for quality? For their customers? Check out the 2002 complaints-same thing. All we can do fight them-make phone calls, file complaints. I would love to be involved in a class action lawsuit. Also, be prepared when I told Toyota about this website they said "oh you can't trust anything you read on the internet" nice...
2008May 22
RAV4
- Automatic transmission
- 93,000 miles
My wife was coming home from work when she said it had no power when accelerating from a stop light. Towed the car to AAMCO and they said the transmission was bad. We spent over $2800.00 to have trans rebuilt. When we went to pick it up from AAMCO they said there is a TSB from Toyota addressing this problem and the ECM would have to be replaced. Took it to the dealer and they said they could not find anything wrong except that it was shifting hard into 3rd gear. They recommended we take it back to AAMCO to get it checked. They had another RAV4 in the shop with same problem which had the ECM replaced so they took our trans out and put it in that one and trans worked fine. Now they are saying that we need to take it back to the dealer for $1200.00 ECM replacement. All this time my wife has been using my F150 truck for her work and the price of gas is really hurting our pocket book since she is a Nanny and a County Health care specialist so she drives many miles throughout the day to different job locations. I am using my companies vehicle to go back and forth to work since we both need transportation. Yes it would have cost me about $900.00 more at the dealer for them to do the trans but I think they would have researched it and determined that the trans went bad because the computer was bad and then fixed the whole problem. Now I am towing our car to our house from the trans shop because if I drive it the warranty on the trans may be voided. Now we have to save up for a computer. My question is why is there a limit of time and mileage that Toyota established for a computer problem that they have acknowledged that there is something wrong. It was there fault the trans went bad. That's all I have to say for now.
2007Jul 26
(reported on)RAV4 4WD 4
- Automatic transmission
- 103,000 miles
My RAv4 would delay in shifting. The shift, hard and lurches forward with a loud bang. This went on for weeks. I took it in and they said I needed a transmission flush. Paid $150.00 The next week, I was back to the same problem, but worse. On way to work, it just could not make the hill. The engine light never came on. They checked the code, and said I needed a new transmission. The repair took another week, and costs $3,150. They told me it would not be more than $3,000. I had also received a coupon in the mail ( a mass market type from Toyota headquarters) for 10 percent off on repairs. The dealership would not honor it and said we already took 10 percent off your bill. I pay the bill, I drove 30 miles away, the "check engine light" comes on, with the "re manufactured transmission! I bring it back to the dealership, a few days later, its now the computer system, and they want another $1200. I have read on other sites that Toyota has a "transmission defects in design", and "chip" problems with the computers.. I told them that I want to meet with their general manager tomorrow. I will also be filing a complaint with the Secretary of State, regarding the coupon, and the verbal agreement for the repair of no more than $3,000. I also called the Toyota headquarter in California, 800 number and filed a verbal complaint about the transmission problem. The got back to me in three days, verified that I did do the repair, asked me to send them a copy of my bill, proof of payment and the work order. And approved a $750.00 one time "Good Will assistance" for the repair. I was shocked to get that! But the same week as my problem, I heard from two other RAv owners with the exact same problem, their transmission went on their car and they had to replace it.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2011Dec 30
RAV4 Limited 2.0L
I have loved my car, up until now. Transmission all of a sudden started slipping and I do not know what to do. I had a severe car accident in 2010 and my Toyota is the only good thing that came out of that. Was there a recall on my car?
Jeannie F.
West Point, MS, USA
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