Just bought a used 2013 RAV 4 and found out about the Torque Convertor Shudder a week after I purchased the car. I thought it was a rough road, but with newer tires and only 51k on the car I realized it was something else. Shudder happens at all different speeds and conditions. Worst part is the extended warranty has run out for me 10 months ago. So in an overpriced market I am forced to spend thousands more now to fix this issue.
Dealership is a bunch of liars, saying they didn't know, but with 500k vehicles on an extended warranty they knew. Also Toyota won't help. It seems we have become a non service state where everyone takes your money and they simply do not care. If you have the same problem, call Toyota, since you may still be able to get this work done?
The vehicle stutters/vibrates through all gear changes. Feels like it has shifted too soon. Does not matter which 'mode' is chosen (eco, sport, normal).
When the problem first occurred the vehicle stuttered just between 35-50 mph. The vehicle had approximately 70k miles on it. I reported to the dealer at my 70k oil change (free for life of vehicle) and they took it out to diagnose. They said everything was operating as it should. I was charged for this troubleshooting exercise. I have a 100k extended warranty.
Now the vehicle is at approximately 80k miles. The problem has worsened and now stutters/vibrates at every gear change. Not exactly a joyride.
Since I have 20k left on my warranty and I do not want to be charged for another ' all is fine' diagnosis, I will drive until catastrophic failure occurs.
I hate the way I am treated when I bring the car in for service. They are always trying to up-sell something.
My son is a diesel mechanic and my husband grew up a mechanic's son. They do all maintenance on our vehicles, with the exception of my free oil changes.
Vehicle from the start, vibrated between 30-45 mph. Discussed it each time I took it in for oil change with Toyota dealership service but never pushed it. I am very busy (awaiting my vehicle now at the dealer), so it got away from me (vehicle has 80,000 miles and the problem just got worse. Dealer is flushing the transmission to try a cheap alternative which will probably cost me another $200. We went Toyota years ago, I'll be looking for something else next time.
At about 50,000 mile point the car vibrated at between 40 to 50mph. I mentioned it when ever I brought the car in for oil change but they didn't find anything wrong. Then it started vibrating at 30mph and up, so I brought it to Toyota again just to diagnose.They and charged me $99 to diagnose that the problem was the torque converter, said it would be about $4000 and was not covered by warranty. I ended up going to a non-Toyota transmission place and paying about $4400 total. Ridiculous, I'll never buy a Rav4 again.
- billieblues99,
Oceanside, NY, US
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
Car would shudder at speeds from 20mph to 50mph. Toyota dealer, after telling once that this was normal, now has to replace the torque converter at my expense. Car was just past Drivetrain warranty when I first complained.
Very mad at the quality of this car. Will never recommend a Toyota to anyone.
The dealership flushed out the transmission in September and the problem reoccurred in February 2015. The head guy at McGee Toyota said it's the torque in the transmission, that this is happening to all cars not just Toyota because of government emissions and gas mileage requirements and I should just ignore the fact that it feels like I'm driving a stick shift 20 mph in 3rd gear. They don't think Toyota will replace the transmission because they consider it normal wear and tear.
I bought the vehicle at McGee Toyota in Hanover MA. Thankfully it's a lease because they can have this car back. I used to like the Toyota Rav4. I owned the last one for 10 years and put 228,000 miles on it. I won't buy another one and I will let as many people on social media and the like know how poorly Toyota is treating their customers.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Just bought a used 2013 RAV 4 and found out about the Torque Convertor Shudder a week after I purchased the car. I thought it was a rough road, but with newer tires and only 51k on the car I realized it was something else. Shudder happens at all different speeds and conditions. Worst part is the extended warranty has run out for me 10 months ago. So in an overpriced market I am forced to spend thousands more now to fix this issue.
Dealership is a bunch of liars, saying they didn't know, but with 500k vehicles on an extended warranty they knew. Also Toyota won't help. It seems we have become a non service state where everyone takes your money and they simply do not care. If you have the same problem, call Toyota, since you may still be able to get this work done?
- Robert M., Flanders, NJ, US