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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.

2.1

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
75,000 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2001 Toyota RAV4 suspension problems

suspension problem

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2001 Toyota RAV4 Owner Comments

problem #2

Dec 062019

RAV4

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The straps that hold the gas tank up rotted out and off.

- Denville, NJ, USA

problem #1

Apr 232012

RAV4 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 150,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that he heard noises coming from the tires when driving through curves. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the front end of the vehicle, near the engine and wheels, started to rust. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The failure and current mileages were 150,000. Updated 6/4/12 the consumer stated the engine cradle rusted, which caused the steering to fail

- Shelton, CT, USA

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