2004 Toyota RAV4

10 days ago transmission on 2004 Rav started to act funny. Slow/jerky to engage in lower gears. Check engine lights came on. Checked out by mechanic who said it looked like a transmission problem and should have it looked at by transmission specialist who said it was not safe to drive as is since it could simply die at any time, and it needed a new transmission. When replacing trans, the trans man found the ECM had to be replaced. He said this often happened with 2003 thru 2005 RAV4s. On looking through your site, discovered others had similar issues with their 2004 Ravs. I also found out that the electronic control module for these vehicles is defective and must be repaired to correct the transmission issues. What did Toyota have to say when you looked into this, or do you not think it’s a safety issue?

The TRAC system which brakes the car when it senses the wheel loosing traction hits the breaks on curves, even when turned off. It is random. It is not part of the inspection. When the streets are rain slick it has caused my car to skid out of the lane I was in. It has not been reproduced by anyone as I have not turned the car in to an independent dealer or mechanic. This vehicle has not been inspected by manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. The TRAC light comes on and beeps when the car breaks.

I HAVE EXPERIENCED HARD SHIFTING, GEAR SLIPPAGE, AND SOLENOID CODE WARNINGS ON MY 2004 RAV4 BEGINNING IN APRIL 2018. I HAVE HAD MY TRANSMISSION REBUILT BY AN ASE CERTIFIED TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST THAT ASSURES ME THE PROBLEM IS A FAULTY ECM. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM OF A DEFECTIVE ECM (PER KEITH PIERSON TOYOTA JACKSONVILLE, FL) THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT REPLACE. I CAN NO LONGER DRIVE MY VEHICLE AS IT POSES A RISK TO MYSELF AND MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN DUE TO ABRUPT, UNANTICIPATED TRANSMISSION FAILURE.

MY CARS CHECK ENGINE AND VSC TRAC LIGHTS CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. I THEN PUT IT IN DRIVE AND PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING HAPPENED, BUT SOMETIMES THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATES. MY HUSBAND HAD TO DRIVE MY CAR AND I HAD TO FOLLOW HIM HOME B/C THE CAR WAS SO UNPREDICTABLE. HE WOULD HAVE TO PUSH DOWN HARD ON THE GAS PEDAL AND IT WOULD HESITATE BUT THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WOULD THEN JERK FORWARD. HE WAS TERRIFIED THAT HE WOULD GET STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION! I FOUND AN ARTICLE ONLINE ABOUT HOW TOYOTA PROVIDED EXTENDED WARRANTYS TO 2001-2003 RAV4 VEHICLE OWNERS FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. PLEASE SEE ARTICLE: HTTP://WHEELS.BLOGS.NYTIMES.COM/2010/02/18/TOYOTA-OWNERS-COMPLAIN-THIS-TIME-ABOUT-THE-RAV4/?_PHP=TRUE&_TYPE=BLOGS&_R=0 PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS! ITS NOT FAIR THAT PEOPLE WITH A 2004 OR LATER CAN'T BENEFIT FROM THIS! I ALSO CALLED TOYOTA AND LEFT A COMPLAINT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A CLANKING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND LOOSE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE ECM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 35-40 MPH, THE ANTI-SKID AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED AND WOULD REMAIN ON UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO SET ANY SPEED DURING THE ILLUMINATION OF THE WARNING INDICATORS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THE TECHNICIAN RESET THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CONTINUOUSLY. ALSO, THE DEAD BATTERY FAILED TWICE AND REQUIRED A JUMP START. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I PURCHASED THE 2004 RAV4 THE LAST WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2003. - AFTER MY 1ST INITIAL OIL CHANGE, I NOTICED AFTER GETTING MY CAR BACK FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT ALL OF MY PANEL LIGHTS WERE ON. I.E., TIRE GAUGE, VCS, TRAC OFF, MAINT REQ., & CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THE DAY AFTER HOPING IT WOULD JUST TURN OFF DURING THE DAY & THEY SAID THAT I NEEDED TO RESET MY CAR. LIKE I'M SUPPOSE TO KNOW THIS & WHY DOES MY CAR HAVE TO BE RESET IF ITS BRAND NEW? - AFTER THE SECOND OIL CHANGE EVERYTHING WAS OKAY, AND NOW I'M UP TO MY 3RD OIL CHANGE AND THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED ALL OVER AGAIN A FEW DAYS AFTER I WENT ON A TRIP.. THIS TIME THE LIGHTS KEEP COMING BACK OVER AND OVER.. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT MY AIR FUEL RATIO SENSOR HAD BLEW & THAT I NEEDED TO LEAVE IT.. THE DEALERSHIP KEPT MY CAR THERE ALL DAY WHEN THEY SAID IT WOULD ONLY TAKE 3 HOURS.. I HAD TO FINALLY CALL AND ASK WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, AND COME TO FIND OUT, THAT THEY ORDERED THE WRONG PART.. SO NOW I HAVE TO WAIT AN EXTRA 2 WEEKS FOR THE PART TO ARRIVE. WHY AM I HAVING PROBLEMS LIKE THIS AND MY CAR ISN'T EVEN A YEAR OLD YET? - *AK