2002 Toyota RAV4 Power Train

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, she heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure had since become a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnostic result. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000.

The contact owned a 2002 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, an abnormal noise was heard. The brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle spun 360 degrees and stopped on the opposite side of the road. No warning light illuminated. The contact called the independent mechanic who advised her to turn off the vehicle. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and drove the vehicle approximately 3-feet before the rear wheels locked up. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic and diagnosed with rear differential failure. The contact was informed that the rear differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because the contact took the vehicle back to the used car dealer. The contact stated that the used car dealer stated that the mechanic did not diagnose the correct failure. The dealer's independent mechanic diagnosed the failure as a transmission transfer case failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 123,000.

2002 Toyota RAV4 AWD transmission problems and will be available upon request. Transmission caused vehicle to disengaged , jerks, stalls with severed engine braking while driving creating a safety performance and hazard on the roads to myself and other unexpected drivers. Upon reading similar complaints of other owners reported similar transmission problems. This was believed to be a reproduced problem and should be investigated for Safety-Related defects. The vehicle was inspected by manufacture according to previous owner. Manufacturer recently replaced transmission and updated ECM per previous owner. The vehicle appeared in working order for 3-4 months then the transmission problems occurred again as mentioned above. There was no warning lights while I experienced this transmission problem.

2002 TOYOTA RAV. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *LD *JS

ERRATIC SHIFTING ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEEDS. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. CAR MAY LOCK IN HIGH GEAR (4 SPEED AUTOMATIC) OR SEEM TO BE STUCK IN 2 GEARS AT ONCE AND REFUSE TO MOVE AT ALL. CAN BANG HARSHLY WHEN SHIFTING. LOCKED UP AT A BUSY INTERSECTION NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AT OTHER TIMES IT WORKS PERFECTLY. HAS NOT OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM JUST BEGAN A FEW DAYS AGO. BEFORE THAT THERE WAS NO HINT OF A PROBLEM.

VEHICLE STALLS AND JERKS CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING; UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AFTER STOPLIGHT. VERY UNPREDICTABLE.THIS IS DUE TO DEFECTIVE ECM WHICH TOYOTA HAS BEEN AWARE OF BUT REFUSES TO LIST AS A RECALL.I PURCHASED THE USED CAR 1 MONTH AGO --- HAD NO IDEA IT HAD THIS SERIOUS, DANGEROUS PROBLEM. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA DEALER WHICH IS SAYING IT WILL COST $5K TO FIX !! CAR ONLY HAS 77K MILES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT SWITCHED GEARS INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO ENGAGE AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT PROCEED FORWARD. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. *TT *TR

THE CAR MAKE NOISE,BY THE TRANSMISSION AREA AND THE 3 GEAR NOT WORKING WHEN THE CAR IS ALREADY HOT. I THINK MY CAR STILL UNDER GARANTY IS ONLY 128,000 MILES.

I NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE OR LETTER FROM TOYOTA ABOUT EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO THE TRANSMISSION FOR THE RAV4 SENT TO OWNERS. I EVEN WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER IN RAPID CITY FOR CAR MAINTENANCE AND THEY NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I DONATED THE CAR TO MY DAUGHTER WHO LIVES IN SEATTLE AND SHE IS HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE CAR TRANSMISSION. THE TOYOTA DEALER IN SEATTLE WANTS TO CHARGE $4500 FOR FIXING IT. WHAT DO I OR MY DAUGHTER DO? I WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY. PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU

TSB = TC002-06. KNOWN ECM ISSUES CAUSED TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT INCORRECTLY AND RUINED TRANSMISSION. ECM HAS TO BE REPLACE AND TRANSMISSION REBUILT. SEARCHING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR MY GENERATION RAV4. IF A FAULTY PRODUCT CAUSES SO MANY PEOPLE TO RISK DRIVING SAFELY AND BE OUT SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL PLACED TO FIX THE ISSUE. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AFFECTED. HTTPS://MBEACH1B.FILES.WORDPRESS.COM/2010/10/TC002-061.PDF HTTP://WWW.TOYOTAPROBLEMS.COM/TRENDS/RAV4-TRANSMISSION/

I BOUGHT MY FRIENDS 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 AND FROM THE TIME I BOUGHT IT BACK IN MARCH HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN I GO TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC IT HAS NO POWER AND PULLS OUT TOOOO SLOW AND BUCKS! I HAVE TO WAIT TILL THERE IS NO TRAFFIC TO SAFELY PULL OUT! I READ WHERE THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM AND IT WAS EXTENDED TO 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAD 136,000 MILES ON IT! I THINK THIS WAS HAPPENING TO HER BEFORE SHE SOLD IT TO ME AND SHE WAS GOING TO TRADE IT IN BUT DECIDED TO SELL IT PRIVATE! DON'T KNOW IF SHE EVER GOT THE RECALL LETTER OR NOT BUT I'M SURE SHE WOULD HAVE HAD IT REPAIRED IF SHE DID. ANYWAY I AM ON A LIMITED INCOME AND CAN'T AFFORD THE PART IT SAYS IT NEEDS AND THINK THAT SINCE TOYOTA HAD A MILEAGE OF UP TO 150,000 THEY SHOULD HAVE TO FIX IT! I DID PAY 700 DOLLARS TO HAVE 2 OF THE SOLENOIDS REPLACED BUT THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM! THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF AS FAR AS CHANGING THE OIL AND UPKEEP BUT AM REALLY UPSET! I ACTUALLY BOUGHT THE CAR FOR MY SON TO TAKE HIS DRIVING TEST IN BUT HE CAN'T EVEN DRIVE IT WITH THIS HAPPENING! MY CONCERN IS I THINK TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE TO FIX ALL RECALLS IF IT IS UNDER THE MILAGE AND THEY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM! ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED! THANK-YOU

I PURCHASED THE RAV IN 2007 WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. SOON AFTER THE PURCHASE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OFF. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE MULTIPLE TIMES TO BE SERVICED THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD NOT BE ON AND THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT DID NOT CHECK FOR CODES BECAUSE DEALER POLICY IS IF ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ON, CODES WOULD NOT BE CHECK. THIS VEHICLE WAS SUBJECT TO A 2007 RECALL ON ECU AND THE ECU WAS RESET PER RECALL INSTRUCTIONS PER THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MULTIPLE COMPONENTS WITH THE MOST RECENT REPAIR OF $3,600 FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. I BELIEVE THAT IF COMPUTER WOULD HAVE BEEN CHECKED BACK IN 2007 THESE REPAIRS (REPLACEMENT OF MULTIPLE SOLENOID, OXYGEN SENSORS AND VALVE SWITCH) WOULD NOT HAVE NOT TAKEN, INCLUDING THE RECENT FAILURE AND REPLACED OF THE TRANSMISSION AND I WOULD NOT BE IN THIS SITUATION NOW. PER MULTIPLE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT STAFF, I WAS TOLD THIS MODEL HAS A HISTORY OF ECU PROBLEMS CAUSING TRANSMISSION FAILURES. RESETTING THE ECU ONLY MASKED OR PUT A BAND AIDE ON THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM.

MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND IT DOESN'T SHIFT EASILY. I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS A 4 CYLINDER, BUT RECENTLY IT HAS GOTTEN A LOT WORSE. WHAT IT'S DOING NOW IS A MAGNIFICATION OF WHAT IT HAS BEEN DOING FOR A LONG TIME, STRUGGLING TO SHIFT FROM THE LOWER GEAR TO A HIGHER GEAR. I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN 2002 AND THEY SAID THAT MY CAR HAS A 'WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT' NOTICE ON IT, AND THAT IT NEEDS A NEW ECU, BUT THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE DONE THIS WITHIN 10 YEARS FROM MY PURCHASE DATE. A NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE FROM JULY 13, 2010 ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE AND TOYOTA'S WARRANTY EXTENSION, AND POINTED OUT THAT TOYOTA NOTIFIED DEALERSHIPS. HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE A CUSTOMER OF YOUR DEALERSHIP TO HAVE TO HAVE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE ECU, AND I AM NOT BECAUSE I DON'T LIVE NEAR THE DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT I FALL OUTSIDE THE 10 YEAR WARRANTY AND WOULD HAVE TO PAY $1200-1600 TO REPLACE THE ECU. TOYOTA MOTOR CORP TOLD ME THE SAME THING WHEN I CALLED. IT SEEMS PATENTLY UNFAIR THAT TOYOTA WOULD ONLY INFORM ME THAT MY CAR HAS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED BY THEM IF I'M A CUSTOMER OF THEIR SERVICE STATION AT MY DEALERSHIP! I'M JUST GUESSING THAT IF THEY CALL IT A 'WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT' INSTEAD OF A RECALL, THEY'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO NOTIFY PEOPLE WHO DON'T FREQUENT THEIR SERVICE STATIONS. BECAUSE OF THE SHIFTING PROBLEM MY CAR SEEMS VERY UNSAFE. I HAVE HAD TO PARK IT. WHEN I SAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR ANOTHER CAR, YOU CAN BET IT WON'T BE A TOYOTA!

PURCHASED THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 FOR $6000 FROM A 'REPUTABLE' MECHANIC. HIS NEPHEW OWNED IT. MECHANIC DID ALL THE WORK ON IT WHILE IT WAS OWNED BY NEPHEW. NEPHEW OWNED IT FOR 2 YEARS. I PURCHASED IT IN MAY 2014. FEBRUARY 2015 THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THROUGH MUCH RESEARCH & DIGGING FOUND A RECALL ON IT. TOYOTA STATED THEY FIXED IT IN 2007. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOW 2001 - 2003 RAV4'S ARE A PIECES OF JUNK. THIS CAR WAS TAKEN IN FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER TO HAVE THE 'SHIFTING ISSUES' LOOKED AT IN MARCH 2012. SAID NEPHEW OWNED IT AT THAT TIME. NOONE CAN TELL ME THE MECHANIC & THE NEPHEW DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS GOING TO BE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. FEBRUARY 16, 2015 THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. HAD TOWED TO MY MECHANIC, WE WILL CALL HIM [XXX]. [XXX] SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION, HE COULD TAKE THE TRANNY OUT & SEND IT TO HIS TRANSMISSION GUY FOR REPAIRS. TOTAL ESTIMATE: $ 3800. CALLED THE PREVIOUS OWNER, HE 'OH, I'M SORRY'. FAST FORWARD TO TODAY, APRIL 27, 2015. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE MECHANICS FOR 2 1/2 MONTHS. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT. HAD TO REPROGRAM THE ECM. HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 ECM'S, THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL SLIPPING BETWEEN 2ND & 3RD GEARS. [XXX] & THE TRANNY GUY TELLS ME IT IS THE COMPUTER. COMPUTER COMPANY SAYS IT IS THE TRANNY. SO MY CAR JUST SITS AT MY MECHANICS SHOP. IT CAN RUN BUT IF I RUN IT I RISK RUINING THE TRANSMISSION & IT NOT BEING COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. UP UNTIL THIS POINT I HAVE FORKED OUT $4100 FOR THE REPAIRS. (DOESN'T INCLUDE THE LOAN I HAD TO TAKE OUT FOR THE CAR). TODAY I AM GOING TO TAKE THE CAR IN & DEMAND IT GETS FIXED BY THIS WEEKEND, IF IT DOESN'T I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THEM TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT TO GET MY MONEY BACK SO I CAN HAVE IT REPAIRED PROPERLY. THE TWO PEOPLE I AM DOING BUSINESS WITH ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THEM TO COURT BUT THEY ARE FORCING MY HAND. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TRANSMISSION SLIPS BETWEEN GEAR 3 AND 4. *TR

MY RAV4 STARTED HAVING ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I BROUGHT IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER IN ESCANABA, MICHIGAN AND THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A TRANSMISSION AND A BRAIN AND THE COST WAS OVER $4,000. I COULD NOT AFFORD AT THE TIME SO I WAITED A SHORT TIME BEFORE I COULD GET A LOAN TO REPAIR. AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED, IT STARTED ACTING UP AGAIN AND I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER IN ESCANABA AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE MOTOR THIS TIME AND I HAD DONE SOMETHING. IT WASN'T THE MOTOR. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED, THEY BROKE THE FLYWHEEL, BENT THE CRANKSHAFT AND THE TRANSMISSION PUMP WAS WELDED TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER REPAIRED FOR FREE THIS TIME. NOW, THE TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING IN TWO DIFFERENT AREAS. I HAVE HAD MONTHS WITHOUT A VEHICLE AND LOTS OF EXPENSES INCURRED. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN MY RAV4 AND THE DEALERSHIP IN ESCANABA. *TR

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

GOING FROM A VERY SLOW SPEED OR FROM STOP IT HAS A HARD TIME GETTING OUT OF FIRST AND OR SECOND. I WILL JERK OR SHIFT VERY HARSHLY. SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE I'VE BEEN REARENDED. AS IT'S PICKING UP SPEED IN THE 15-25 MPH RANGE IT WILL START TO SLOW ON IT'S OWN WHEN I'M STILL GIVING IT GAS. IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S A RUBBERBAND IN THE TRANSMISSION STRETCHING AND AS IT GETS TIGHT IT'S SLOWING DOWN THEN IT WILL JUST RELEASE AND THEN COMES THE HARSH OR VIOLENT SHIFT. IF I CAN CATCH IT AT THE RIGHT TIME AND LET OFF THE GAS, THAT WILL MOST OF THE TIME NEGATE THE HARSHNESS. IT IS PROBABLY NOT SAFE TO BE DRIVING IT BUT I DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE AT THIS POINT. TOYOTA TOLD ME IT MAY NEED A NEW CHIP AT ABOUT $900 AND IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, IT WILL NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION!! I'LL JUST BE AS CAREFUL AS I CAN AND NOT PULL OUT IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC. *TR

TRANSMISSION PARTIALLY AND ALSO COMPLETELY SLIPS IN REVERSE. ECM AND TRANSMISSION REPLACED FOR SAME ISSUE IN 2010. CONTACTED TOYOTA - CUSTOMER SERVICE REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM DESPITE BEING GIVEN INFORMATION ON THEIR CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT THAT WAS GRANTED FINAL APPROVAL ON JANUARY 6, 2012. I FEEL THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE IF THE MANUFACTURER (TOYOTA) IS NOT FOLLOWING THEIR AGREEMENT (MILLIGAN V. TOYOTA MOTOR SALES U.S.A., INC.). WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA OF THE ISSUE. *TR

TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN REVERSE - BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP - ECM AND TRANSMISSION REPLACED - SPENT $4,997.42 TO REPLACE. INVESTIGATION DONE NOW ON RECURRENCE SHOWED THIS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE AND TOYOTA WAS SUPPOSED TO NOTIFY US (WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED), AND REIMBURSE. THEY NOW REFUSE TO REIMBURSE NOR ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN. JULY 2014 SAME ISSUE -BUT WORSE RECURRING WITH REPLACEMENT ECM AND TRANSMISSION FROM DEALER. TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM WHEN CONTACTED. CONCERN THIS IS APPEARING VERY COMMON IN INTERNET SEARCHES THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

I WAS BEGINNING TO PULL ONTO THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 75 IN VENICE, FLORIDA, WHEN THE CAR STARTED BUCKING UNCONTROLLABLY AND I COULD NOT GET UP TO SPEED TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. IT THEN JERKED INTO GEAR AND I WENT ON. IT SEEMED TO HAVE A PROBLEM SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR. IT SEEMED TO HAPPEN WHEN PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP LIGHT AS WELL. I TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP, WHO PUT HIS COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC ON IT. HE SAID THE COMPUTER WAS NOT SHOWING AS BAD, SO HE REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. I GOT THE CAR BACK AND IT STARTED DOING THE EXACT SAME THING! I TOOK IT BACK, HE REBUILT IT AGAIN, STILL WITH NO BAD COMPUTER CODES SHOWING. STILL NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY, EVEN THOUGH HE HAD REPLACED THE BURNED 3RD GEAR. I PAID $2200 FOR THIS. NOW IT NEEDS A $950 COMPUTER! IT IS A 2002 AND I READ ONLINE THAT THESE VEHICLES HAD A TRANSMISSION ISSUE AND OWNERS WERE REIMBURSED FOR THIS. MINE DID NOT ACT UP UNTIL THIS POINT. HTTP://WHEELS.BLOGS.NYTIMES.COM/2010/07/13/TOYOTA-EXTENDS-WARRANTY-ON-TROUBLED-2001-3-RAV4/. I AM A SINGLE FATHER RAISING A YOUNG DAUGHTER. I NEED THIS CAR TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL SAFELY AND TO GET TO MY JOB. HOW CAN I GET REIMBURSED FOR THIS PROBLEM? I LOVE MY RAV4 AND WANT TO KEEP IT. I BOUGHT THE TOYOTA BECAUSE EVERYONE SAYS THEY WILL RUN FOREVER, BUT I CAN'T AFFORD ISSUES LIKE THIS. I TAKE GOOD CARE OF THIS CAR. I HAVE HAD JEEPS AND OTHER CARS UP TO 300,000 MILES AND NEVER HAD TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT TO REVERSE. THE CONTACT HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AND WAS ABLE TO CHANGE GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ECM AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 216,000.

I WAS DRIVING WEST ON NORTHGATE WAY TOWARD MERIDIAN AVENUE. THE CAR (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS AND ALMOST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION NEAR I5 NORTHBOUND ENTRANCE. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO MERIDIAN WAY AND TURN LEFT. I PULLED OVER TO THE CURB ON MERIDIAN WAY AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. I THEN RESTARTED THE CAR AND DROVE HOME TO WALLINGFORD (3 MILES) BY PACING THE CAR SO THAT I DID NOT HAVE TO INTERACT WITH OTHER VEHICLES. (THIS OCCURRED EARLY ON A SUNDAY MORNING SO TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT.) I WAS BARELY ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR UP MY DRIVEWAY - SHIFTING CONTINUED TO BE A PROBLEM SO THAT THE CAR STALLED AND DID NOT RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR. TOYOTA HAS A DOCUMENT THAT DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER I CANNOT ACCESS ANY ASSISTANCE FROM TOYOTA BECAUSE THE CAR HAS BEEN IN SERVICE GREATER THAN 10 YEARS. THE EXPERIENCE WAS VERY FRIGHTENING. THE FAILURE IS EPISODIC AND UNPREDICTABLE. I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD REPLACE THE ECM IN ANY CAR THAT FAILS IN THIS MANNER. THERE ARE TECHNICAL SERVICE REPORTS ON THE WEBSITE. THE WARRANTY IS LIMITED TO 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST.

WHEN I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40MPH THE CAR WOULD LURCH, NOT ALL THE TIME, BUT EVERY SO OFTEN. WHEN I WAS BACKING UP THE CAR WOULD MAKE A CLUNKING NOISE. I TOOK MY CAR TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED WITH MY MECHANIC, IT WAS REPAIRED BUT THE LOCAL BUT HE SAID THAT IF THE COMPUTER PART OF THE TRANSMISSION ISN'T DEALT WITH, IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. I WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WITH THE RECALL PAPERWORK THAT MY MECHANIC PRINTED OUT FOR ME AND THEY SAID THAT 10 YEARS HAVE PASSED AND THEY WOULDN'T HONOR THE RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY DECELERATED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND THE COMPUTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.