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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

Unknown Or Other complaints

12 reports
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137,255 miles · Aug 15, 2017
Unknown Or Other

ECM UNIT WENT BAD CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY TRANSMISSION

NHTSA ODI #11015579

68,000 miles · Jun 12, 2017
Unknown Or Other

DRIVING CAR AND IT STARTED JERKING AND THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON TESTER SHOWED IT WAS RELATED TO ECM AND TRANSMISSION

NHTSA ODI #10994360

150,000 miles · Apr 28, 2017
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

THE CAR STARTED TO HAVE SHIFTING PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI #10981299

Mileage unknown · Sep 19, 2016
Unknown Or Other

AQUIRED MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO. AND NOW I AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THE ECM AS THE OTHERS. IN FACT MY TOYOTA IS CURRENTLY IN A AUTOMOBILE REPAIR SHOP. AFTER NEARLY 3 WEEKS THE SHOP FINALLY DETERMINED THE ECM NEEDS REPLACING AND POSSIBLY TRANSMISSION ALSO. THE REPAIR SHOP INFORMED ME THAT TOYOTA ISSUED A RECAL…

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AQUIRED MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO. AND NOW I AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THE ECM AS THE OTHERS. IN FACT MY TOYOTA IS CURRENTLY IN A AUTOMOBILE REPAIR SHOP. AFTER NEARLY 3 WEEKS THE SHOP FINALLY DETERMINED THE ECM NEEDS REPLACING AND POSSIBLY TRANSMISSION ALSO. THE REPAIR SHOP INFORMED ME THAT TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE ECM BUT THE RECALL HAS SINCE EXPIRED. WITH THIS IMFORMATION I CALLED TOYOTA MOTOR CORP AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO ASSIST PEOPLE THAT ARE PURCHASING THESE CARS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. THIS ISSUES I AM DEALING WITH INCLUDE THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND REVVING HIGHER, OR THE LOSS OF POWER WHEN GOING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. TOYOTA HELPED THE OWNERS, WITH AN " EXTENDED WARRANTY" 10 YEARS / 150000 MILES. THAT IS ALL GOOD BUT THE WARRANTY WAS FROM THE FIRST DATE. BASICALLY FROM DAY 1. THAT IS NOT FAIR TO THE PEOPLE WHO PURCHASE THESE CARS SECOND HAND WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUES. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND COULD CASE AN ACCIDENT CAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. IT IS MY OPINION THAT ANY AND ALL RECALLS SHOULD NOT HAVE LIMITATIONS AND SHOULD NEVER EXPIRE!!! IF A TOYOTA IS "ON THE ROAD" (LICENSING IS UP TO DATE), THEN IT SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY FOR ALL WARRANTED RECALLS!!!

NHTSA ODI #10907657

114,000 miles · Jan 17, 2013
Unknown Or Other

DEFECTIVE ECM CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT HARSHLY. MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP RIGHT NOW GETTING FIXED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. NOT ONLY AM I PAYING OVER $1,000.00 FOR THE NEW ECM FROM THE DEALER I AM HAVING TO GET A REBUILT TRANSMISSION PUT IN. THAT IS COSTING ME OVER $2500.00. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS TOYOTA'S PROBLEM. I SHOUL…

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DEFECTIVE ECM CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT HARSHLY. MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP RIGHT NOW GETTING FIXED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. NOT ONLY AM I PAYING OVER $1,000.00 FOR THE NEW ECM FROM THE DEALER I AM HAVING TO GET A REBUILT TRANSMISSION PUT IN. THAT IS COSTING ME OVER $2500.00. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS TOYOTA'S PROBLEM. I SHOULDNT HAVE TO PUT OUT OVER $4000.00 TO GET IT FIXED. WHY DOESNT TOYOTA OWN UP TO THIS AND PAY ME AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT HAS HAD TO GET THESE VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS DONE?

NHTSA ODI #10494161

84,717 miles · Feb 21, 2011
Unknown Or Other

ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) FIRST FAILED & WAS REPLACED 6/6/06. ECM REPLACED 2ND TIME UNDER OPEN RECALL 10/25/07. UNDER ENHANCED WARRANTY PROGRAM, ECM & TRANSMISSION REPLACED 3RD TIME AFTER 3 MONTH REPAIR TIME 12/21/10. VEHICLE TRAVELED 300 MILES WHEN ECM & TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN. VEHICLE RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP FOR 4TH RE…

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ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) FIRST FAILED & WAS REPLACED 6/6/06. ECM REPLACED 2ND TIME UNDER OPEN RECALL 10/25/07. UNDER ENHANCED WARRANTY PROGRAM, ECM & TRANSMISSION REPLACED 3RD TIME AFTER 3 MONTH REPAIR TIME 12/21/10. VEHICLE TRAVELED 300 MILES WHEN ECM & TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN. VEHICLE RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP FOR 4TH REPAIR TO ECM & TRANSMISSION ON 12/21/10. TO DATE (2/22/11) VEHICLE IS STILL AT DEALERSHIP AWAITING PARTS TO REPAIR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN OUR OF SERVICE APPROACHING 5 MONTHS. WE HAVE NO CONFIDENCE TOYOTA CAN SUCCESSFULLY REPAIR VEHICLE. SAFETY ISSUE ARISES WHEN HARSH SHIFT CONDITION OCCURS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN AS IT SHIFTS FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR, CREATING POSSIBILITY OF REAR-END COLLISION.

NHTSA ODI #10383869

177,700 miles · Sep 29, 2009
Unknown Or Other

MY 2001 RAV4 HAD BEEN EXHIBITING A HARSH SHIFT WHEN PUT IN REVERSE,VERY POOR ACCELERATION FROM A STOPPED POSITION,LOSS OF POWER,UNUSUAL SOUNDS AND FINALLY A P0758 TROUBLE CODE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO STONECREST TOYOTA 3 TIMES AND WAS TOLD ON 9/28/09 THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE SOLVE…

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MY 2001 RAV4 HAD BEEN EXHIBITING A HARSH SHIFT WHEN PUT IN REVERSE,VERY POOR ACCELERATION FROM A STOPPED POSITION,LOSS OF POWER,UNUSUAL SOUNDS AND FINALLY A P0758 TROUBLE CODE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO STONECREST TOYOTA 3 TIMES AND WAS TOLD ON 9/28/09 THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE SOLVED. BEFORE TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, I'VE HAD A TUNE UP,OIL CHANGE,A NEW BATTERY AND A COMPUTERIZED ENGINE DIAGNOSIS. THE PROBLEMS OCCUR QUITE OFTEN AND IN HEAVY TRAFFIC POSES AN INJURY RISK AS THEY ARE UNPREDICTABLE,CANNOT BE CONTROLLED AND OTHER MOTORISTS ARE UNAWARE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM VEHICLE BESIDE,IN BACK OF OR IN FRONT OF THEM. SINCE THE REQUIRED REPAIRS ARE SO EXPENSIVE, I HAVE STOPPED DRIVING THIS VEHICLE UNTIL I CAN HAVE IT FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10285623

120,000 miles · Jun 20, 2008
Unknown Or Other

MY 2001 RAV4 BEGAN HAVING TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE ISSUES. I RESEARCHED IT ONLINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS ISSUES REGARDING A DEFECTIVE ECM BEING THE CAUSE OF THE SLIPPAGE. ALL THE SYMPTOMS THAT WERE DESCRIBED IN THE FORUM MATCHED MINE EXACTLY. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THE ONLY THING HE CAN DO IS DISCOUNT THE NEW ECM…

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MY 2001 RAV4 BEGAN HAVING TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE ISSUES. I RESEARCHED IT ONLINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS ISSUES REGARDING A DEFECTIVE ECM BEING THE CAUSE OF THE SLIPPAGE. ALL THE SYMPTOMS THAT WERE DESCRIBED IN THE FORUM MATCHED MINE EXACTLY. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THE ONLY THING HE CAN DO IS DISCOUNT THE NEW ECM BY 10%. I NEED TO USE MY CAR SO I RELUCTANTLY AGREED TO THE REPAIRS. ONCE THE ECM IS REPLACED I AM HOPING THIS WILL FIX THE ISSUE. IF NOT I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR A REBUILT OR NEW TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA KNEW OF THIS ISSUE IN 2006 BUT DECIDED NOT TO INFORM THEIR CUSTOMERS OF THE ISSUE BUT INSTEAD ONLY ISSUE A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON HOW TO FIX THE ISSUE. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA PRODUCT AGAIN! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10231858

17 miles · Feb 19, 2004
Unknown Or Other

ON MANY OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WANDERED WHEN THE WIND WAS BLOWING. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE WIND PUSHING THE VEHICLE AROUND. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HANDLING PERFECTLY. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10059368

30,749 miles · Jan 5, 2004
Unknown Or Other

I HAVE A 2001 TOYOTA RAV 4 THAT CHUGS AND SINCE THE CHANGING OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR IS GETTING BETWEEN 12 AND 14 MPG. IT IS GOING IN TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON 010504 FOR THE 4TH TIME. IN NOV. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THAT IS WHEN THEY REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR AND SOME SENSORS. SINCE THE REPLACING OF THE I…

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I HAVE A 2001 TOYOTA RAV 4 THAT CHUGS AND SINCE THE CHANGING OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR IS GETTING BETWEEN 12 AND 14 MPG. IT IS GOING IN TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON 010504 FOR THE 4TH TIME. IN NOV. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THAT IS WHEN THEY REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR AND SOME SENSORS. SINCE THE REPLACING OF THE ITEMS IS WHEN THE GAS MILEAGE HAS DECREASED. THE PREVIOUS OWNER ALSO HAD THE CHUGGING PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10052375

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.

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