2003 Toyota RAV4

EXPERIENCE A HARD SHIFT JERKING MOTION WHEN DRIVING MY CAR AND ALMOST GOT HIT TWICE DUE TO THE CAR JERKING AND IMMEDIATELY SLOWING DOWN. I TOOK IT IN TO KENDALL TOYOTA OF ANCHORAGE RIGHT AWAY AND THEN READ ONLINE THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AND ENHANCED WARRANTY OF 2001-2003 TOYOTAS BECAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION OF THE ECM AND TRANSMISSION. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE! TOYOTA KENDALL SAID IT WOULD BE $6,000 TO REPLACE BOTH THE ECM AND TRANSMISSION AND THAT TOYOTA WOULD ONLY PAY HALF BECAUSE THE CAR WAS 10 YEARS OLD. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT AND THE ENHANCED WARRANTY HAS BEEN EXTENDED TWICE DUE TO COMPLAINTS WITH THE COURT. I DID NOT GET MY CAR FIXED BECAUSE I COULD NOT AFFORD IT AND I THINK TOYOTA SHOULD PAY THE FULL 6K TO FIX IT. I'M AMAZED AT HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE AND TOYOTA FIRST ISSUED A RECALL AND WAS SUED IN COURT BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SERIOUS MALFUNCTION OF THEIR VEHICLES. *TR

2003 RAV4 WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTED HAVING TROUBLE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THERE SEEMED TO BE HARDLY ANY POWER WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED, AND THEN ABOUT 5-8 SECONDS LATER THE CAR WOULD JOLT INTO GEAR. THIS PROBLEM WOULD HAPPEN ALSO WHEN INCREASING SPEED, OR ANY TIME THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED DOWN. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO SHOP WHERE THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION WAS BROKEN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I AM A VERY CONSERVATIVE DRIVER (I NEVER TRY TO ACCELERATE TOO QUICKLY), AND THIS TRUSTY TOYOTA HASN'T EVER HAD ANY ENGINE PROBLEMS... EVER! THERE ARE LESS THAN 77,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. *TR

I PURCHASED THE RAV4 IN LATE JULY, 2013. THE RAV4 HAD 78,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I PAID $9,000+ FOR THE RAV4. AT 80,000 MILES THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEGAN HAVING SHIFTING PROBLEMS SUCH AS JERKING BETWEEN GEARS, VERY SLUGGISH RESPONSE DURING ACCELERATION AND HORRENDOUS GAS MILEAGE. I GET ABOUT 8 MILES PER GALLON. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY RAN DIAGNOSTICS ON MY CAR AND DISCOVERED THAT THE PROBLEMS FALL "WITHIN THE PARAMETERS" OF THE SERVICE BULLETIN NO.: TC-10-034 EXCEPT THE "IN SERVICE" DATE OF MY VEHICLE WAS MARCH 8, 2003 THEREBY MAKING ME INELIGIBLE FOR THE 10 YEAR WARRANTY BY 4 MONTHS. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!! THIS IS A TOYOTA SCREWUP AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ROAD CONDITIONS OR OWNER NEGLECT. I BOUGHT THIS CAR SO MY DAUGHTER CAN CONTINUE HER DAYCARE. SHE SHUTTLES PRE-SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN TO VARIOUS RECREATION FACILITIES AND MY WIFE, WHO HAS TERMINAL CANCER, OFTEN ACCOMPANIES HER SO SHE CAN SPEND AS MUCH QUALITY TIME WITH HER BEFORE THE EVENTUALITY. NOW I'M READING THAT THIS PARTICULAR RAV4 PROBLEM CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. IF TOYOTA "CARES FOR IT'S CUSTOMERS", HOW CAN THIS BE A SERVICE BULLETIN AND NOT A RECALL. THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE OR DATE OF SERVICE. I JUST SPENT OVER $9,000 FOR A 10 YEAR OLD CAR BECAUSE IT WAS A TOYOTA. "IT'LL LAST FOREVER". I CALLED THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER COMPLAINT PHONE NUMBER AND ALL I GOT WAS CONTEMPT. HER NAME WAS [XXX] AND HER ARGUMENT WAS "TOYOTA WAS VERY KIND IN EXTENDING THE WARRANTY FOR YOU", IT'S YOUR FAULT FOR NOT READING IT". YEAH RIGHT, IT'S MY FAULT FOR NOT FOLLOWING YOUR SCREWUPS FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS. I WANT MY CAR FIXED!! I CAN'T AFFORD $5,000 FOR A TRANSMISSION, ECM AND COMPUTER REBOOT. THIS IS A TOYOTA PROBLEM AND I, THE CUSTOMER, DEMAND TO BE HEARD. IF TOYOTA TRULY "CARES FOR ITS CUSTOMERS", THEY HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DO THE RIGHT THING. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS JERKING VIOLENTLY AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMPUTER AND THE POWER TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,900.

I STARTED EXPERIENCING A TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEM ON 7/2/13. IT HAS BEEN INTERMITTENT SINCE THAT DATE. ON 7/10/13 THE PROBLEM BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED AND FREQUENT. WHEN PROCEEDING FORWARD FROM A STOP THE VEHICLE WOULD START TO ADVANCE, THEN SHIFT OUT OF GEAR. IT HAS RESULTED IN NEAR MISS REAREND AND SIDE CRASHES. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY MECHANIC FOR 7/15/13. DIAGNOSTIC TESTING SHOWED THE PROBLEM TO BE A FAULTY ENGINE CONTROL COMPUTER. RESEARCH TURNED UP A TOYOTA SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB 015610) DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM I WAS HAVING. EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE AWARE OF A SAFETY ISSUE, THEY CHOSE NOT TO DO REPAIRS UNTIL THE PROBLEM MANIFESTED ITSELF. *TR

I WAS AT A STOP SIGN NO GAS, TURNED DOWN HILL IN SNOW CAR ACCELERATED GOING STRAIGHT INTO DOWNED TREE. MY VEHICLE IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST AND HAS HAD STICKING ACCELERATOR, REAR END CLUNKING NOISE AND POWER STEERING HAS MADE IT WHERE I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE VEHICLE. MY SERVICE ANIMAL HIT THE WINDSHIELD THAT SHATTERED WHEN VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND HAD TO SLAM ON BRAKES AT ANOTHER TIME. I'VE HAD OTHER NEAR MISSES AND TWO LEFT OF CENTER TICKETS WITH POWER STEERING ISSUES. I HAVE TAKEN INTO TOYOTA FOR STEERING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THEY WILL NOT EVEN WRITE SERVICE TICKET. THEY FILLED POWER STEERING FLUID SAID NO PROBLEM. THEY KEEP RESETTING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STATING ITS GAS CAP. THIS CAR IS A LEMON, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, COMPUTER. THIS IS THE FIRST NEW VEHICLE I EVER BOUGHT AND WISH I WOULD HAVE STUCK WITH USED. *TR

THE CAR WOULD ENGAGE 2ND AND 3RD GEARS AT THE SAME TIME CAUSING TEMPORARY LOCK UP OF THE REAR WHEELS AND LOSS OF CONTROL. FOUND OUT ABOUT A TSB AND CLASS ACTION SUITE REGARDING THIS ISSUE AFFECTING THE ECU WHILE RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM. CONTACTED TOYOTA REGARDING THE ISSUE AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY 2003 RAV4 WAS NOT COVERED BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN PUT IN SERVICE JUNE OF 2003. I AM APPALLED THIS IS NOT A RECALL AS IT IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE IF LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IS POSSIBLE. THIS COULD BE FATAL IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN TO ON A SLIPPERY ROAD OR GOING AROUND A CORNER. *TR

ON OR ABOUT MAY 5, 2013 I NOTICED MY CAR STARTED TO HARD SHIFT, THOUGH I WAS DRIVING AS USUAL. THE PROBLEM HAPPENS OFF AND ON AND IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN WAITING AT A STOP SIGN, RED LIGHT OR DRIVE THRU AT A RESTAURANT. THE SHIFT JOLT IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN NEEDING TO ACCELERATE OR SHIFTING INTO DRIVE--IT DOESN'T HAPPEN WHEN I GO INTO REVERSE. THE SHIFT JOLT SOMETIMES IS ACCOMPANIED BY A THUD NOISE. ON MAY 7, 2013 I CONTACTED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS AND DISCUSS THIS WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT 1-800-331-4331. SHE TRANSFERRED ME TO A RUDE AND CANTANKEROUS WOMAN WHO SEEMED TO HAVE HEARD THE STORY BEFORE. SHE STATED I NEED TO GO TO A DEALERSHIP AND GET A DIAGNOSTIC, WHICH COSTS $100 IN MY AREA. SHE THEN STATED THAT IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING CODES APPEAR: CODES: P0750, P0753, P0755, P0758 OR P0760 THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE ECM MODULE FIRST, IF STILL PROBLEM THE FAULTY MODULE COULD'VE MESSED UP THE TRANSMISSION. SHE CONCEDED THAT TOYOTA ISSUED A BULLETIN TO THE DEALERSHIPS AND APPARENTLY IT IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. AT SOME POINT I RECEIVED A TOYOTA INTERNAL CASE NUMBER. SHE SAID THERE WAS NOTHING SHE COULD DO FOR ME AS I AM NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE 188,000+ MILES ON MY CAR AND APPARENTLY IF IT IS NOT UNDER 150,000 MILE WARRANTY. I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF MY CAR AND IT IS NOT MY FAULT THE PROBLEM DID NOT APPEAR WITHIN A RANDOMLY SELECTED MILEAGE THEY CHOSE. TOYOTA ADMITTED THEY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE LIABLE FOR ANY MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT OF THE ECM/TRANSMISSION. I REQUEST YOUR ASSISTANCE IN GETTING MY CAR REPAIRED FOR FREE AS IT IS TOYOTA'S FAULTY/DEFECTIVE PART THAT IS NOW CAUSING MY CAR PROBLEMS. *TR THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER GETTING THE REPAIRS DONE, TOYOTA REFUSED TO REIMBURSE HER FOR THE REPAIRS. THEY WOULDN'T EVEN CONSIDER PARTIAL PAYMENT. EVEN THOUGH, A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INITIALLY TOLD HER SHE WOULD NEED TO GET THE REPAIRS DONE AND TEN TOYOTA WOULD REIMBURSE HER. UPDATED 12/16/13

I PURCHASED MY VEH IN JAN 2003.NEXT DAY, I NOTICED MY VEH WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE UPHILL. AT 50K MILES IN 2010, I WENT TO DEALER WITH A RECALL LETTER. MY COMPLAINT:CUST HAVING DIFFICULTY DRIVING UPHILL-WON'T ACCEL-GET STUCK AT 45-50 MPH. VEH IS SHIFTING HARSH & CUST STATED THAT SHE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TRANS.CUST THINKS THAT THIS IS PART OF THE ZTL LETTER SHE GOT IN MAIL. THEIR RESPONSE WAS:TEST DROVE VEH & DUPLICATED THE LACK OF POWER FOUND VEH HAD 3 FLOOR MATS UNDER THE ACCEL PEDAL NOT ALLOWING FULL TRAVEL REMOVED MATS & VEH RAN & SHIFTED FINE. I LEFT DISAPPOINTED & THEY CHARGED ME. PROBLEM GREW & MY CAR STARTED ACTING STRANGE EVEN THOUGH I WAS KEEPING UP WITH MAINTANENCE. IN MARCH 2013, MY CAR WOULDN'T EVEN START & I THOUGHT IT MUST BE THE BATTERY, & GOT IT TOWED & HAD BATTERY REPLACED.WHEN I WAS DRIVING, IT STARTED SHAKING. IT WAS STRANGE BUT I DIDN'T READ INTO IT UNTIL LATE APRIL 2013, I WAS WAITING FOR GREEN LIGHT TO MAKE L TURN & MY CAR RESISTED & PULLED BACK HARSHLY. SINCE THEN I WAS SCARED OF DRIVING MY VEH. ONE DAY IT WAS FINE MOSTLY BUT ANOTHER DAY SIMILAR ISSUE, STOPPING & DRIVING WAS SCARY & IT COULDN'T GO HIGHER THAN 20 MPH. THE LAST TIME I DROVE, I COULD HARDLY PUT MY CAR IN THE GARAGE. I HAD IT TOWED AGAIN TO TOYOTA FOR SERVICE. MY CAR HAS 65K MILES & THEY TOLD ME ECU HAS TO BE REPLACED & IF DOESN'T WORK, I SHOULD PAY FOR A NEW TRANS. I CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, THEY SAID THEY WILL PAY FOR THE ECU BUT NOT FOR TRANSMISSION (IF NECESSARY) NOR FOR LABOR COST. I'M FRUSTRATED WITH THIS ISSUE, THEY SHOULD REPLACE MY TRANS EVEN IF NEW ECU MAKES IT LOOK LIKE MY CAR IS REPAIRED BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT. THE DEFECT SHORTENED THE TRANSMISSION'S LIFE.I WILL NEVER FEEL SAFE AGAIN IN MY CAR WITH THE EXISTING TRANS. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY, PAY FOR DAMAGES, NOT DEMAND ON WARRANTY, INFORM CUSTOMERS & APOLOGIZE FOR ACTING LIKE NOTHING IS WRONG. *TR

2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER LEARNED TOYOTA KNEW THERE WAS AN ISSUE AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE TRANSMISSION TO 10 YEARS/150,000 MILES IN 2006. THE CONSUMER HAD A 110,000 MILES ON HIS VEHICLE, BUT WAS FIVE MONTHS OVER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER STATED IT COST $800 PLUS TAX, TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM AND WOULD COST $4,000 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION.