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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.

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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
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Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 2011
Power Train

FAILED TO SPEED UP WHEN I WAS MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10435081

132,000 miles · Oct 18, 2011
Power Train

TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE/FAILURE DID NOT ALLOW ME TO ACCELERATE TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON AN ON-RAMP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10430642

130,000 miles · Oct 10, 2011
Power Train

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES HESITATES WHEN SHIFTING AND SOMETIMES STARTS IN 3RD GEAR INSTEAD OF 1ST. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON A WEEK AGO, SIMILAR TO WHEN SHIFTING PROBLEMS BEGAN. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10429382

151,000 miles · Aug 29, 2011
Power Train

I HAVE A 2011 RAV 4 WITH 151,000 MILES ON IT. I HAD MY TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHED WHEN I GOT MY OIL CHANGED IN EARLY JUNE OF 2011. MY TRANSMISSION STARTING "JUMPING" IN EARLY AUGUST OF 2011 WHEN IN ALMOST ANY GEAR. THE PROBLEM CAME ON VERY SUDDENLY WITH NO WARNING SIGNS. THE DAY IT HAPPENED, I CALLED MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSH…

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I HAVE A 2011 RAV 4 WITH 151,000 MILES ON IT. I HAD MY TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHED WHEN I GOT MY OIL CHANGED IN EARLY JUNE OF 2011. MY TRANSMISSION STARTING "JUMPING" IN EARLY AUGUST OF 2011 WHEN IN ALMOST ANY GEAR. THE PROBLEM CAME ON VERY SUDDENLY WITH NO WARNING SIGNS. THE DAY IT HAPPENED, I CALLED MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHO HAS DONE ALL OF MY SERVICING AND ASKED IF IT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY HAD TO DO WITH THE FLUSHING OF THE SYSTEM TWO MONTHS PRIOR AND IF THERE HAD BEEN ANY RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE FOR THIS SORT OF PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS UNLIKELY TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE FLUSHING AND NO, THERE HAD BEEN NO RECALLS THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF. I WAS REFERRED OVER TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT REBUILDS TRANSMISSIONS AND GOT IT INTO THE SHOP THAT VERY NEXT MORNING. THE SHOP REBUILT MY TRANSMISSION AND CHARGED ME OVER $3000 TO DO SO. WHEN I PICKED MY VEHICLE UP AND DROVE IT, IT JUMPED WHEN ONLY DRIVEN HALF OF A BLOCK. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP OWNER SUGGESTED I DRIVE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND TAKE IT FROM ZERO TO 60 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. I DID SO BUT TWO DAYS LATER, MY TRANSMISSION FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN I PULLED OUT INTO TRAFFIC, WHICH WAS EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING SEEING THAT I AM FIVE MONTHS PREGNANT, AND IT ALSO BEGAN TO JUMP AGAIN, IN ALMOST ANY GEAR AFTER IT FINALLY ACCELERATED. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE TRANSMISSION SHOP AND AFTER THREE DAYS, THEY DETERMINED THAT IT MUST BE THE ECM. THEY REPLACED THIS FOR ME AND CHARGED ME ANOTHER $600 TO DO SO. ONCE AGAIN, WHEN I PICKED MY VEHICLE UP AND DROVE IT, IT JUMPED WHEN ONLY DRIVEN HALF A BLOCK. I AM BEYOND BROKE AND FRUSTRATED THAT A) TOYOTA SENT OUT NO NOTIFICATIONS TO OWNERS OF THIS YEAR AND MODEL WARNING OWNERS OF THE POTENTIAL DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH A FAILED ECM AND B) THAT EVEN WITH A NEW ECM AND REBUILT TRANSMISSION, THAT MY TRANSMISSION IS STILL NOT OPERATING AS IT SHOULD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10422529

60,000 miles · Aug 11, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FAILED TO RESPOND AND A LOUD POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE IDENTICAL FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TA…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FAILED TO RESPOND AND A LOUD POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE IDENTICAL FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THEY STATED THAT THE COMPUTER MODULE AND TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. ..UPDATED 09/19/11 *BF THERE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS AN ONGOING HARSH SHIFT. AT TIMES, THE TRANSMISSION HAD AN ONGOING SLUGGISH/SLIP. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE INVOICE FROM THE DEALER, THE TRANSMISSION HAD AN INTERNAL WEAR AND TEAR MALFUNCTION. THE FLUID WAS VERY DIRTY. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. UPDATED 12/30/11

NHTSA ODI #10418587

Mileage unknown · Aug 10, 2011
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAULTY TRANSMISSION WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #10418371

102,000 miles · Jul 21, 2011
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ACCELERATE AND THEN SOMETHING SUDDENLY "KICKS IN" AND THE TRUCK WILL GO- NEARLY BEEN REAR-ENDED NUMEROUS TIMES- THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE- TOLD IT'S GOING TO BE A $4,000 TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT- ONLY 102K MILES, LIKE NEW. ALSO, AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS, WON'T ACCELERATE AND PEOPLE GET TICKED AND NEED TO PAS…

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THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ACCELERATE AND THEN SOMETHING SUDDENLY "KICKS IN" AND THE TRUCK WILL GO- NEARLY BEEN REAR-ENDED NUMEROUS TIMES- THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE- TOLD IT'S GOING TO BE A $4,000 TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT- ONLY 102K MILES, LIKE NEW. ALSO, AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS, WON'T ACCELERATE AND PEOPLE GET TICKED AND NEED TO PASS AND CAN'T- NUMEROUS ONLINE COMPLAINTS- ADD THIS. UNACCEPTABLE FOR TOYOTA. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10414020

169,000 miles · Jul 5, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

I NOTICED VEHICLE WAS NOT ACCELERATING OR GOING INTO PROPER GEAR. I WAS ALARMED WHEN I COULDN'T PICK UP SPEED TURNING LEFT. ENGINE LIGHT LIT WHEN I GOT HOME. I SPOKE TO TOYOTA TODAY ABOUT THE KNOWN ECU ISSUE WITH 2001-2003 RAV4S. MY CAR WAS SERVICED IN 2007 WHEN THERE WAS A RECALL BUT THEY WILL NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE NOW SINC…

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I NOTICED VEHICLE WAS NOT ACCELERATING OR GOING INTO PROPER GEAR. I WAS ALARMED WHEN I COULDN'T PICK UP SPEED TURNING LEFT. ENGINE LIGHT LIT WHEN I GOT HOME. I SPOKE TO TOYOTA TODAY ABOUT THE KNOWN ECU ISSUE WITH 2001-2003 RAV4S. MY CAR WAS SERVICED IN 2007 WHEN THERE WAS A RECALL BUT THEY WILL NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE NOW SINCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH TOYOTA NOT ADDRESSING THE ECU/ECM ISSUE TO A SATISFACTORY MANNER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA SHOULD SHOW MORE CONCERN OVER. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10410538

160,000 miles · Jul 3, 2011
Electrical SystemPower Train

STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOSTLY AFTER I HAVE COME TO COMPLETE STOP AND TRY TO ACCELERATE. IT WILL START TO MOVE AND THEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT AND IT STOPS ACCELERATING. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND SEVERAL TIMES. ALSO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR TWO YEARS.…

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STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV4. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOSTLY AFTER I HAVE COME TO COMPLETE STOP AND TRY TO ACCELERATE. IT WILL START TO MOVE AND THEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT AND IT STOPS ACCELERATING. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND SEVERAL TIMES. ALSO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR TWO YEARS. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WAS DUE TO NEEDING NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER, WHICH I FOUND OUT LATER HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE IN 2005. AFTER SEARCHING FOR INFO ONLINE I FOUND OUT ABOUT SAFETY RECALL FOR THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM), THIS HAS BEEN REPLACED, AND ENGINE LIGHT IS NOW OFF, BUT TRANSMISSION IS BAD. AND TOYOTA IS NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR RUINED TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10410340

Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 2011
Power Train

MY 18 YEAR OLD HAS A 2001 RAVE 4 THE MECHANIC SAYS THAT THE ECU HAS TRASHED THE TRANSMISSION SO NOW SHE NEEDS BOTH TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS ON LINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND MOST LIKELY NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW TO CONTACT THIS AGENCY OR THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY NOW. PLEASE REFER TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE BULLET…

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MY 18 YEAR OLD HAS A 2001 RAVE 4 THE MECHANIC SAYS THAT THE ECU HAS TRASHED THE TRANSMISSION SO NOW SHE NEEDS BOTH TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS ON LINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND MOST LIKELY NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW TO CONTACT THIS AGENCY OR THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY NOW. PLEASE REFER TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE BULLETIN MARCH 3, 2006. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE! THIS PROBLEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO LOSE OF POWER OR STALLING OF THE VEHICLE. MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN VERY FORTUNATE NOT TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS ECU /TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10405572

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