← New search

2001 Toyota RAV4

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2001 Toyota RAV4 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 258.5.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

236 reports with mileage · 73 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 190 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

18 crash reports2 fire reports9 injury reports

Power Train complaints

190 reports
Clear category filter
4,000 miles · Nov 12, 2009
Power Train

NOT EASY TO EXPLAIN, I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM ON GOING MILDLY FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS BUT EVERY TIME I WOULD BRING IT IN NOBODY COULD SEE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM MOSTLY STARTING THE CAR AND THEN AFTER BRAKING IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE A CLOG. I WAS TOLD ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO IT WAS THE CAT CONVERTER, HAD IT REP…

Read full complaint

NOT EASY TO EXPLAIN, I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM ON GOING MILDLY FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS BUT EVERY TIME I WOULD BRING IT IN NOBODY COULD SEE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM MOSTLY STARTING THE CAR AND THEN AFTER BRAKING IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE A CLOG. I WAS TOLD ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO IT WAS THE CAT CONVERTER, HAD IT REPAIRED FOR $1000 AND IT DID NOT CURE THE PROBLEM. I JUST BROUGHT IT IN BECAUSE IT IS GETTING SO MUCH WORSE, I WAS TOLD IT WAS MY SPARK PLUGS AND CYLINDERS SO I HAD THAT REPAIRED AND AFTER DRIVING FOR 5 MINUTES EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WAS TOLD IT WAS THE COMPUTER AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR $1300 DOLLARS. (WAS TOLD THAT THIS PROBLEM DID NOT SHOW BEFORE I HAD THE CYLINDERS REPAIRED.) I LIVE IN THE NORTHEAST AND AM TERRIFIED WHEN THE SNOW AND ICE BEGIN BECAUSE WHEN IN CLOGS OR BUCKS I AM OPEN TO LOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10291999

60,700 miles · Nov 6, 2009
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. ALSO WHEN THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, THE VEHICLE WOULD LURCH FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. HOWEVER A MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT TH…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. ALSO WHEN THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, THE VEHICLE WOULD LURCH FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. HOWEVER A MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WAS SENDING THE WRONG MESSAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE COMPUTER MONITOR WAS REPAIRED .HOWEVER BECAUSE OF COLLATERAL DAMAGE THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,700.

NHTSA ODI #10291245

106,000 miles · Nov 4, 2009
Power Train

2001 RAV4 TRANSMISSION JUST FAILED TODAY. READ ANYTIMES ARTICLE ABOUT ECM PROBLEM. WHEN I CALLED TOYOTA, I WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW THAT ECM PROBLEM WOULD CAUSE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED OR AT THE VERY LEAST NOTIFY OWNERS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED BEFORE …

Read full complaint

2001 RAV4 TRANSMISSION JUST FAILED TODAY. READ ANYTIMES ARTICLE ABOUT ECM PROBLEM. WHEN I CALLED TOYOTA, I WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW THAT ECM PROBLEM WOULD CAUSE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED OR AT THE VERY LEAST NOTIFY OWNERS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED BEFORE TRULY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS NEED TO BE MADE. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST ISSUE I HAVE HAD WITH MY CAR THAT TOYOTA FAILED TO NOTIFY ME OF IN TIME TO CORRECT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10290980

68,000 miles · Nov 2, 2009
Power Train

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN I STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT WHEN IT TURNED GREEN I TRIED TOACCELARATE BUT MY WAS STUCK AND THERE WAS A HEAVY TRAFFIC I TOOK THIS CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION I TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION PLACE I CHANGED IT BUT TWO DAY AFTER IT GAVE ME THE SAME PROBLEM ONLY THIS TIME ON …

Read full complaint

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN I STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT WHEN IT TURNED GREEN I TRIED TOACCELARATE BUT MY WAS STUCK AND THERE WAS A HEAVY TRAFFIC I TOOK THIS CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION I TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION PLACE I CHANGED IT BUT TWO DAY AFTER IT GAVE ME THE SAME PROBLEM ONLY THIS TIME ON THE HIGHWAY I STARTED LOOKING FOR ANSWER AND FOUND OUT THAT MOST OF THE 2001 RAV 4 ECU CAME OUT WITH A PROBLEM BUT NEVER GOT A RECALL NOW THE TOYOTA COMPANY ARE NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS IS THERE ANYONE THAT CAN HELP ME WITH THIS PRO THANK YOU THERE IS A WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN SEE ALL THE PEOPLE COMPLAINING BOUT THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD IT SEEMS THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT NEVER DID ANYTHING ABOUT ITHTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/RAV4/2001/TRANSMISSION/PROBLEMS_SHIFTING.SHTML. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10290589

142,000 miles · Oct 29, 2009
Power Train

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 2WD 4 CYLINDER. THE TRANSMISSION IS STALLS AT TAKE OFF, I WAS TOLD I HAVE TO REPLACE THE ECM AND TRANSMISSION. MY CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, LEAVING OUR CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION WHILE THERE WAS ON GOING TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10290191

120,000 miles · Oct 21, 2009
Power Train

MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV 4 WOULD NOT SHIFT WHEN I PULLED INTO TRAFFIC AND ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS AS I PULLED ONTO THE INTERSTATE, IT SEEMS THAT SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND I NEVER GOT IT AND NOW TOYOTA WONT FIX IT, I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR DAILY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10289301

170,098 miles · Oct 15, 2009
Power Train

I OWN A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING FUNNY THIS MORNING. IN REVERSE IT STARTED JERKING. I ALSO NOTICED SOME HESITATION IN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS. I DECIDED TO LEAVE THE CAR AT HOME AND TOOK A RIDE TO WORK. MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO SCHOOL TO PICK UP THE KIDS AND IT WAS DRIVING FINE. WHEN SHE PICKED UP THE KIDS F…

Read full complaint

I OWN A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING FUNNY THIS MORNING. IN REVERSE IT STARTED JERKING. I ALSO NOTICED SOME HESITATION IN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS. I DECIDED TO LEAVE THE CAR AT HOME AND TOOK A RIDE TO WORK. MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO SCHOOL TO PICK UP THE KIDS AND IT WAS DRIVING FINE. WHEN SHE PICKED UP THE KIDS FROM SCHOOL AND SHE GOT ON THE FREEWAY ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED JERKING MY WIFE ALMOST GOT HIT BY A SUV. SHE MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE CAR OFF. WHEN SHE TURNED IT BACK ON AFTER 2 MINUTES AND STARTED DRIVING IT WAS FINE. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND COME TO FIND OUT THIS IS BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK. I JUST LIKE TO KNOW HOW COME SOME ONE NEVER TOOK ANY ACTION INCLUDING TOYOTA. WHEN I CALLED THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER THEY ADVISE ME TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED AND THE ECU NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE APPARENTLY THERE HAS BEEN 14 CARS IN THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHICH HAD THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10288601

11,600 miles · Oct 8, 2009
Power Train

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 STALLS AT STOP LIGHTS, DOES NOT WANT TO SHIFT INTO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR, VERY DANGEROUS FOR OUR DRIVER AT COLLEGE IN ST. LOUIS. IN RESEARCH, HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS RE 2002 RAV4S AND IT APPEARS IT IS FAULTY ENGINEERING. DIAGNOSTICS INDICATED INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10286824

98,000 miles · Oct 8, 2009
Power Train

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN RAPIDLY IN TRAFFIC CAUSING SERIOUS HEALTH RISKS TO ALL PERSONS NEARBY. TOYOTA ISSUED A BULLETIN TO ALL SERVICE INSTRUCTING THEM TO REPLACE THE TCM TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM FROM TAKING PLACE. TOYOTA DOES NOT WARN THEIR CUSTOMERS ABOUT …

Read full complaint

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN RAPIDLY IN TRAFFIC CAUSING SERIOUS HEALTH RISKS TO ALL PERSONS NEARBY. TOYOTA ISSUED A BULLETIN TO ALL SERVICE INSTRUCTING THEM TO REPLACE THE TCM TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM FROM TAKING PLACE. TOYOTA DOES NOT WARN THEIR CUSTOMERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND SIMPLY WAITS FOR THE PROBLEM TO HAPPEN AND BY THEN THE TCM CAUSES DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF CONSUMERS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEMS AND TOYOTA WILL NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLES UNDER WARRANTY. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A COMPANY LIKE TOYOTA WOULD OPERATE THIS WAY AFTER BUILDING A REPUTATION OF BEING A QUALITY AUTO MAKER. I HAVE BEEN QUOTED A DISCOUNTED RATE OF $ 3500.00 TO REPAIR MY CAR BY THE DEALERSHIP. THIS IS ROBBERY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10286782

85,000 miles · Oct 1, 2009
Power Train

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, HE EXPERIENCED GEAR FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97335.

NHTSA ODI #10285926

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Toyota RAV4 problems