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
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
106,313 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.
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Rav4. On several occasions, while driving, the vehicle failed to shift into gear correctly. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally failed to shift into third gear. The rpms would rev; however, the vehicle would lose forward momentum. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was not available.
My transmission started raving up and shifting all crazy and taken to scan to show a shift selinoid B took to tranny shop who says it's computer and see several post about this happening to others. I am a grandma and I can't even drive him around don't feel safe. It was driving during this time in the city streets
I just bought a one owner used 2003 rava4 with only 58,000 miles on it right before christmas. I have driven it for almost 4months now and about 6 weeks ago it started shifting hard going into 2nd gear, sometimes it jumps/bounces. I looked it up and am seeing that alot of people have had the some problem and they are saying it's the emc. Wondering if anyone was able to get any help at all out Toyota. I do not know if the previous owner's where ever made aware of the situation & have no way to contact them. Think it's pretty crazy to have to pay a bunch of money when there is such low milage would think Toyota would fix it.
Takata recall" I was driving on a city street on my way home late afternoon...auto started to jerk and felt like something was pulling at it...it slowed up then jerked again...it continued on...I was driving at 45 speed limit...as I was turning the shifting was sounding like it was sticking...I parked it at home and next morning I had it checked and diagnosed as solenoid problem causing transmission burnout...also Toyota revealed problems with the ECM and transmission failure
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Rav4. While driving various speeds, it became difficult to shift gears and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission failed. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 187,000.
Long story short, bought the car "as is" from a Toyota dealership in October 2017, did not know of the transmission/ECM problem until November 2017 (yes that fast). Got a diagnostic test, the code said the transmission needed to be replaced. We are now in January 2018, I got the transmission replaced for 2,714 right" okay, today January 16th 2018, I picked up my car, drove it around, brought it right back within 45 minutes. My car was still doing a hard shift. I got in the car with the mechanic to drive up the highway, he felt the shift immediately and informed me he was the one that put the part in. Okay, at this point we had to leave because all the managers were in a meeting. I get a call around 3:30pm saying that the ECM is not a problem and they quoted me a price! I just spent 5,000 so far buying the car and 2,700 dollars to fix the car. She told me that an ECM would cost from 1,500 dollars to 2,000 to replace, are you serious right now" of course the warranty that Toyota "extended" is no longer in affect, so all of this money has to come out of pocket. To say I haven't had my car or driven my car for long at all I have experienced a nightmare. I am a senior in college now, I only bought this car because my other vehicle was totaled by a driver who ran a stop sign and state farm awarded me only 2,800 for my previous car. This is a nightmare, no one but god will help you in the end this is sad and ridiculous. It's not right to get over on people in this way.
March the vehicle started jerking and was no pulling out correctly at stop sign and red lights. The transmission wouldn't down shift so you were trying to pull out in 3rd or 4th gear. It felt like you were pulling a house. I was pulling out onto a highway and the vehicle would hardly go... it caused three vehicles to bow up and stop in the middle of the highway because my vehicle was out in the roadway moving at less than 1 mile per hour. I never pulled out on to the highway after that. I always pull out onto the should of the road in case the vehicle done that again. So the transmission was rebuilt March 2017. After about 36 miles was driven on it started acting up again. I puled out fine on the shoulder of the highway as eased over into the South bound lane when the vehicle changed to first it felt like someone hit me in the rear-end of the vehicle. I looked to make surer. Then it switched to 2nd gear and jerked me do hard that I pulled over turning the vehicle off and having it towed to the transmission shop. So, back to get the transmission looked at I have a one year warranty on the transmission. They took it apart and looked at it again. They said there wasn't anything wrong with the transmission it was the ec module. So it stayed parked until I could save some money to get that fixed. Took it to Toyota June 7th 2017 they replaced the ec module and I took it home the following Wednesday. It drove fine all the way home. The next day it started doing the exact same thing again. So I took it back to the Toyota dealership that repaired the ec module. No they tell me that the transmission is bad and I need a new one. $2958 plus tax. Toyota corporation will not help you out on the fix. Due to the recall being 10 years or 150,000 mile. My vehicle was a low mileage vehicle with 105,894 on it and I miss the recall because of the mileage.
My rave4 starting having problem with shifting about 5 years ago but we park it because my mom passed away and I received her car, but I want to get it fix and have been driving it again with only shift problems in first gear!
What I have a 2003 Rav4 that doesn't shift properly as a slow acceleration and between first and second it'll slip and rev high on the RPM then talk into gear and same between 2nd and 3rd and 3rd to drive
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Rav4. While driving 40 mph, the vehicle hard shifted and would not accelerate. The vehicle was diagnosed as needing a new transmission. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 119,000.
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Rav4. While driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle suddenly decelerated when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine warning indicator illuminated. The contact attempted to accelerate again and the vehicle responded very slowly to approximately 15 mph. The vehicle was driven to the contact's residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine control unit failed or there was possible transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,650.
We were on a family vacation on labor day weekend, when we merged on the freeway and my Toyota rav 4 would not shift over. We almost were hit by oncoming cars from the freeway. I swerved to avoid a crash and crashed into the ditch. I checked on line to get Toyota phone number when I noticed there was a recall and extended warranty on this part on Toyota rav 4 2001 2002 and 2003. I purchased the car in Oct 2010 from dealership carmax, they told me they were not aware of the problem. If I was aware I would have taken it to get it fixed. This is a safety issue with this problem. I might have lost my family and myself. I contacted Toyota, they stated to me they had contacted you guys and it's not under a safety issue on these cars, it was a problematic issues. My question to you is somebody has to die first to be considered safety" Toyota will not honor any repairs because it's passed the 10 year and 150 thousand mile mark. Are you kidding me? ! my car acted up at 163 miles, so my family and any other Rav4 are not safe do to a expired extension" ! that is not good. I'm very upset about this situation. My priority is my family like every ones else's family. The gov should make it a lifetime extended warranty so if we didn't hear about it after the fact, it should be honored and have Toyota and gov fixed this issue. Thank you [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving 5 mph, the transmission failed. The vehicle was taken to be diagnosed and the technician informed that the ECM needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 92,000.
I was driving my 2003 Toyota Rav4 and attempted to merge into another lane when I experienced a very hard shift from the transmission causing the vehicle to stall with a reving engine noise and avoided being rear ended by a truck. I purchased my Rav4 brand new in 2003 to accomodate my disability needs and only have 82,000 miles.I checked with my mechanic today and he looked up the Toyota recall on these Rav4 transmission failures and not once did Toyota inform me about the recall. How is disabled individual on fixed income to afford $3000 for a transmission on a well maintained Toyota with only 82,000 miles. I wish Toyota would show some empathy to accommodate an individual whose sole purpose of a brand new Rav4 would fulfill his daily physical challenges in life and now left with a Toyota with 82,000 miles in need of a transmission. This Rav4 is no longer safe to be driven given its nature of safety concerns.
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at 50 mph, the vehicle began to experience a harsh shift while the vehicle began to reduce in speed. The contact stated that a burning odor was present. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the automatic transaxle failed and the transmission would need to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.
My 2003 rav 4 starting shifting gears erratically, starting in 3rd intead of 1st gear, very sluggish to get moving after stopping. Toyota issued a warning regarding a faulty ECM in this model and extended the warranty to 10 years/150000miles. Unfortuantetly my car is 13 years old and 95,000 miles and Toyota would not fix. On the way to the dealership to have this fixed my car was turning left into 2 lanes of traffic and stalled and would not go into gear, a car nearly T-boned me but he was able to swerve into another lane. I could have been killed because of this problem. Toyota needs to take responsibility for this issue and correct all cars on the road today.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- San Diego, CA, USA