2002 Toyota RAV4

A SAFETY PROBLEM OCCURRED ON OUR 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY STOPPED ENGAGED THE GEARS CORRECTLY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND OR TRYING TO TURN WHEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS APPROACHING AND NOT KNOWING IF OR WHEN THE CAR WOULD MOVE OR ENGAGE GEARS WAS FRIGHTENING. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED OVERNIGHT. WITH 47,717 MILES ON THE CAR, THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS BECAUSE TOYOTA HAS PUT A FAULTY COMPUTER INTO THE 2002 RAV4 THAT MAKES THE PARTS INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION PREMATURELY FAIL. TOYOTA WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIRS OR ISSUE A RECALL. PERHAPS TOYOTA WILL WHEN SOMEONE IS INJURED OR KILLED? TOYOTA CLAIMS THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER BUT TOYOTA REPLACED THE COMPUTER WHEN THE CAR WAS TAKEN THERE BY THE TRANSMISSION MECHANIC. WHY WOULD TOYOTA REPLACE THE COMPUTER IF THERE WAS NO PROBLEM? PLEASE HAVE TOYOTA RECALL THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE THEM BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NEEDED REPAIRS SO THAT THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WILL BE SAFE TO DRIVE! THANK YOU! *TR

MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WHICH CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO GO BAD WHICH RESULTS IN THE CAR HESITATING AND JERKING WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY WILL ONLY FIX THIS FAULTY ECM IF THE CAR IN UNDER 80,000 MILES, MINE HAD 80,800. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4. ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO, THE CAR BEGIN SHIFTING HARD INTO REVERSE AND SECOND GEAR. AT SOME TIMES THE SHIFTING WOULD STALL, I.E. IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR RIGHT AWAY AND WHEN IT WOULD, IT WOULD SHIFT HARD. I DID RESEARCH ONLINE AND LEARNED ABOUT THE ECM/ECU PROBLEM THAT IS CAUSING 01-04 TOYOTA RAV 4S TO HAVE TROUBLE WITH SHIFTING. I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA AND THEY FOLLOWED THE PROCEDURES ON THEIR SERVICE BULLETIN. THEY TESTED THE ECM AND SAID IT WAS FINE AND TOLD ME I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR $4,100. I TOOK THE CAR TO A TRANSMISSION CARE CENTER. I HAD THE SOLENOID B REPLACED FOR $560 BECAUSE THIS WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE CAR STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AFTER THE SOLENOID WAS REPLACED, SO I HAD THE TRANSMISSION OVERHAULED FOR A TOTAL OF $3,100. THE TECH STATED THERE WAS ABOUT 200,000 MILES WORTH OF WEAR ON THE TRANSMISSION, THE CAR ITSELF ONLY HAS 90,000. THERE WERE VARIOUS PIECES THAT WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY DUE TO WEAR ON THE TRANSMISSION; THESE WERE REPLACED. THE CAR IS STILL HAVING DIFFICULTY SHIFTING-THE SAME PROBLEMS ARE OCCURRING. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE ECM/ECU MALFUNCTIONING. MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM, WHERE THEY ARE TOLD THE ECM/ECU IS FINE, HAVE THEIR TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND THEN THE CAR STILL MALFUNCTIONS AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE ECM/ECU REPLACED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM AN IDLE POSITION, THE VEHICLE BEGAN HESITATING AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE ALSO HESISTATED 30 TO 45 SECONDS WHEN SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR AND ENGAGING THE ACCELERATOR TO IT'S FULL CAPACITY. THE DEALER FLUSHED OUT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND REPLACED IT; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MECHANIC LATER STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ASSUME THE REPAIR COSTS; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT SINCE THERE IS A DEFECT THE REPAIR SHOULD BE FREE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH THE VEHICLE DOWN-SHIFTED AND STALLED. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RESURFACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 74000. UPDATED 12/7/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED ERRATICALLY. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 12/08/09.

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4L. MY PROBLEMS STARTED YESTERDAY. THE CAR IS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. IT STALLS AS IF THE CAR WERE PUT INTO NEUTRAL AT 20MPH AND AGAIN AT ABOUT 40MPH. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER CAR BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN THE GAS WAS PUSHED IT JUST REVVED THE ENGINE. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. I PURCHASED IT IN DEC OF 2006 AND AM STILL PAYING FOR THIS CAR. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ I HAVE THE SAME TYPE ISSUE AS MOST OTHERS- THE ECM. THIS IS UNSAFE AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO FESS UP. THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN EARLY 2006 BECAUSE A TSB WAS SENT OUT TO ALL TOYOTA DEALERS. IF WE HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE OR IN 2006 THE 2002 WOULD HAVE MOST LIKELY STILL BEEN UNDER WARRANTY. THEY KEPT IT QUIET UNTIL NOW AND PEOPLE ARE CATCHING ON. I HAVE SENT A COMPLAINT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE MY CAR WAS PURCHASED AND AM WAITING TO HEAR BACK WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO IN THIS CASE. I AM WILLING TO TAKE IT AS FAR AS I NEED TO GO TO MAKE THEM REPAIR THE CAR AT NO COSTS TO ME. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ IT WOULD COST MORE TO REPAIR THE CAR THAT WHAT THE VALUE OF THE CAR ACTUALLY IS AT THIS POINT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED AND WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE DECEPTION AND THE INCONVENIENCE AND LACK OF CONCERN OF THE SAFETY OF THE CONSUMER FROM TOYOTA. *TR

AROUND THE 1ST OF JULY MY TOYOTA RAV 4 STARTING JERKING AND REFUSED TO GO INTO SECOND GEAR. THE RAV 4 HAS HAD ALL OF THE REGULAR REQUIRED MAINTENANCE AND SHOWED ABSOLUTELY NO SIGNS OF FAILURE. THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ECM WERE GOING OUT. I HAD MY 16 YEAR OLD GRANDSON IN THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I DID NOT REALIZED THAT TOYOTA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR AROUND 3 YEARS UNTIL I STARTED DOING SOME RESEARCH. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE TOYOTA COMPANY IMMEDIATELY. I AM JUST NOW LEARNING THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED TOYOTA CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE SAME ISSUE BUT OF COURSE THE TOYOTA COMPANY WILL NOT REMEDY THE SITUATION. IF MY GRANDSON AND I HAD BEEN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY I DO FEEL THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE DEVASTATING. *TR

I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. ON AUGUST 22ND, 2009 I NOTICED THAT WHEN I WOULD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, IT WOULD TAKE A WHILE FOR THE CAR TO ACCELERATE AND PICK UP SPEED. ONCE IT DID GET MOVING, THE CAR WOULD JERK FORWARD AND EVENTUALLY PICK UP SPEED. EVERYTIME I WOULD COME TO A STOPLIGHT, I WOULD BE DEATHLY AFRAID THAT MY CAR WOULDN'T START UP AGAIN AND THAT I WOULD BE HIT FROM BEHIND. WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, IT WOULD SLOW DOWN ALL OF A SUDDEN AND THEN JERK VIOLENTLY FORWARD. THIS HAPPENED EVERYTIME I DROVE. ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 28TH I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT IT WAS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE AND RECOMMENDED A SHOP. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE TRANSMISSION SHOP GETTING REBUILT AT A COST OF $3,000+ I CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT MY CAR AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION BUT WOULD SEND IT TO BE REMANUFACTURED AT A COST OF NO LESS THAN $5,000. FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE WEB INDICATES THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH 2002 RAV4 OWNERS AND THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN OF THIS FOR A WHILE BUT DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. APPARENTLY THE ISSUES IS WITH A FAULTY ECM THAT CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION ISSUES. UNFORTUNATELY, BY THE TIME THE TRANSMISSION GOES OUT, MOST OF THE CARS ARE OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND THE COST IS LEFT UP TO THE CONSUMER. MY FEAR IS THAT EVEN WITH THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED, IF THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE ECM, IT IS GOING TO RE-OCCUR AND I AM GOING TO INCUR ANOTHER STAGGERING REPAIR BILL. I CALLED TOYOTA'S CORPORATE NUMBER AND SPOKE TO A CUSTOMER CARE REP WHO ADVISED ME THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS AT THE TIME ON THIS MODEL YEAR AND THAT I COULD NOT SPEAK TO HIS MANAGER AS THEY DO NOT TALK TO CONSUMERS. I WANT TOYOTA TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ISSUE. HAD THEY NOTIFIED THEIR BUYERS TO REPLACE THEIR ECM'S AHEAD OF TIME, THIS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THESE COSTLY REPAIRS DOWN THE LINE. *TR

THE CAR JUST BEGAN JERKING AFTER I PUT GAS IN ONE DAY. I WAITED A WEEK TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM WOULD GO AWAY, BUT IT GOT WORSE. THE DAY I BROUGHT IT TO THE SHOP, THE CAR WOULD BARELY DRIVE. IT WOULD HESITATE SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO 2ND GEAR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH ONLY 150 MILES BEFORE THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY EXPIRED. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE ECU AND IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME THEY HEARD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP FIXED IT AND I ONLY HAD TO PAY A DEDUCTIBLE. HOWEVER, THIS PROBLEM MASKED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE O2 SENSOR, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AFTER 2 DAYS. SO I BROUGHT IT BACK AND THE DEALERSHIP FIXED IT UNDER THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IT HAD ALREADY EXPIRED. *TR