2002 Toyota RAV4 Power Train

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, ENGINE RACING, HARD SHIFT WITH A LOUD NOISE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, THERE WAS A DELAY BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD ENGAGE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE AND LUNGE FORWARD ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ECM WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,600.

WE WERE JUST INFORMED FROM OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP (GATEWAY TOYOTA IN TOMS RIVER, NJ) THAT THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS (HIGH FAILURE RATE) AND WE WERE JUST INFORMED THAT OUR TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I BELIEVE NHTSA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE TOYOTA TO SEE IF A RECALL IS IN ORDER. *TR

THE DREADED 2001-2003 TOYOTA WELL KNOWN ECM SAFETY DEFECT BEGAN CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT HARSHLY, AND START IN HIGH GEAR INSTEAD OF FIRST GEAR, ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. SOMETIMES IT WOULD CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO SLIP, CAUSING HIGH RPMS. IF NOT FIXED THE ECM FAILURE WILL EVENTUALLY DESTROY THE TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA INCREASED THE WARRANTY AS A RESULT OF A CLASS ACTION SUIT TO 10 YRS OR 150,000 MILES INSTEAD OF HAVING A RECALL. I WAS OVER THE YEARS AND UNDER THE MILEAGE, SO TOYOTA DID NOT COVER THE COSTS FOR REPAIR OF THIS KNOWN DEFECT.. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND JERKED WHILE ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED THAT INDICATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,950. UPDATED 10/29/13*LJ

MY WIFE DRIVE A 2002 RAV4 TO WORK. ON APRIL 15 2013 WHILE ON HER WAY TO WORK LIKE ALWAYS SHE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT . AS THE LIGHT TURN GREEN SHE PRESSED THE GAS THE CAR STARTED MOVING AND SUDDENLY LOST ACCELERATION, THE DRIVER BEHIND HER DID NOT HAVE TIME TO REACTED AND REAR ENDED THEM. MY 2 YEAR SON AND MY WIFE SHOCKED MY SON CRIED FOR A LITTLE BIT AND MY WIFE HAD A SORE BACK . AN THE BEGINNING WHEN SHE TOLD ME THESE I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT . ONE WEEK AFTER THE INCIDENT SHE TOLD ME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON I TOLD HER MAYBE YOU DIDN'T CLOSE THE GAS CAP GOOD WHEN YOU PUT THE GAS IF IT STILL ON I WILL GET IT CHECK. SURE ENOUGH THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF ON ITS ON .SHORTLY AFTER SHE TOLD ME THE CAR IS NOT DRIVING NORMAL IF WE COULD SWAP CARS. I DROVE HER CAR FOR COUPLE DAYS AND OCCASIONALLY I START EXPERIENCING A LOW ACCELERATION AND SOMETIMES A HARD SHIFT. TOOK THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT TOYOTA HAS AN OPEN BULLETIN FOR THE ECM WITCH CONTROL THE GEAR OF THE TRANSITION BUT THE BAD NEWS THE SAID EVEN DO I HAD ONLY 80100 MILES THEY SAID THE WARRANTY IS OUT BY TIME. ONCE I READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON SEVERAL FORUM I REALIZE THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT MY WIFE TRY TO EXPLAIN ME. I CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT WHAT HAPPEN AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE ACCIDENT THEY GIVE ME A CASE NUMBER AND TOLD ME SOME ONE WILL CONTACTED YOU WITH IN 24 HOURS. *TR

THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) MALFUNCTIONING, CAUSING HARD SHIFT CONDITIONS, TRANSMISSION DAMAGE, POSSIBLE ACCIDENTS AND INJURY.THIS PROBLEM IS AFFECTING UP TO 235,500 TOYOTA RAV 4 MODELS BETWEEN 2001-2003. MY EXPERIENCE IS TYPICAL OF THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS THAT CAN BE SEEN POSTED HERE; HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/RAV4/2002/TRANSMISSION/PROBLEMS_SHIFTING.SHTML TOYOTA NEEDS TO ISSUE A COMPLETE RECALL ON THE DEFECTIVE ECM UNITS AND COMPENSATE FOR LOSSES INCURRED. *TR

MY CAR STARTED TO SHIFT GEARS ERRATICALLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY. I FOUND OUT THAT TOYOTA HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM FOR 2001 - 2003 RAV4 CARS AND HAVE EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 150,000 MILES. WHEN I CONTACTED TOYOTA THEY SAID MY VIN# IS NOT INCLUDED EVEN THOUGH MY DATE OF MANUFACTURE AND SYMPTOMS ARE THE SAME. MY MECHANIC SAYS THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS OTHER RAV4S. TOYOTA REFUSES TO EXPLAIN WHY THEY EXCLUDE CERTAIN VIN#S AND I THINK THEY SIMPLY TRYING TO REDUCE THEIR FINANCIAL EXPOSURE. NEED YOUR HELP TO DEAL WITH TOYOTA. I HAVE ALWAYS FOLLOWED UP WITH FACTORY COMMENDED SERVICED, MAINLY THROUGH TOYOTA. THE VIN# FOR MY CAR IS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO SHIFT GEARS. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND OR SHIFT GEARS. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WAS FOUND DEFECTIVE. IN ORDER TO REPAIR, THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE; HOWEVER NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 35,000.

MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS BEEN SLUGGISH SINCE DAY 1, ABOUT 2004. THIS PAST WEEKEND IT WAS MORE SLUGGISH THAN USUAL, AFTER TAKE-OFF. I DROVE IT A FEW MORE TIMES AND AFTER EVERY DRIVE, THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T SHIFT EASILY, AND WHEN IT DID SHIFT IT WAS VERY HARD. ALMOST A WHIPLASH HARD. IT IS GETTING WORSE, AND THIS IS ONLY THE 3RD DAY. I CALLED THE NATIONAL TOYOTA NUMBER, BECAUSE I FOUND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY POLICY BULLETIN ON-LINE, BUT I AM 9 MONTHS OVER THE 10 YEAR LIMIT, AND EVEN THOUGH IT DOES NOT SAY 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST, I WAS TOLD THAT THE WHICHEVER COMES FIRST IS AN AUTOMATIC...HMM SHOULD BE IN WRITING THAT WAY. AND I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING. I CALLED THE LOCAL TOYOTA CUSTOMER LINE, BUT WAS PUT THROUGH TO VOICE MAIL. REALLY 9 MONTHS...MY CAR HAS 130,000 MILES. I NEED HELP! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HARSH SHIFTING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN THE ENGINE RPMS BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ECM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID NEEDED TO BE DRAINED AND REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 122,000.

THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 TRANSMISSION IS NOW SLIPPING & MISSING GEARS HAD SOME SERVICE ON THE TRANSMISSION IN 2011 OCTOBER,BUT TO DO A FULL REBUILD STARTS AT $1700.THEN GOES $$$UP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE HARD SHIFTED INDEPENDENTLY INTO A DIFFERENT GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE TRANSMISSION NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER OFFERED TO COVER THE COST OF FIFTY PERCENT OF THE REPAIRS COSTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED.THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRYING TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE SHE ENCOUNTERED EXTREME DIFFICULTY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 71,300.

MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 BEGAN SHIFT ERRATICALLY 2 DAYS AGO. NOT SHIFTING TO 2ND GEAR THE FINALLY JUMPING INTO GEAR. 102,000 MILES. SOUNDS LIKE A COMMON PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA SHOULD OWN UP TO AND MAKE RIGHT. DEALER IS ASKING FOR $4000 TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. *TR

VERY UNSAFE TRANSMISSION TOYOTA 2002 RAV 4 SHAKES DOESN'T GO INTO GEAR.CALLED TOYOTA WILL PAY ONLY IF ONE OF THREE CODES COME UP ON DEALER ONLY TEST CHARGED 140 RIP OFF. DEALER SAYS TRANSMISSION BAD BUT NO CODE. TOYOTA WILL NOT COVER . DEALER AND TOYOTA ACT LIKE THEY NEVER HEARD OF THIS UNTIL YOU LET THEM KNOW YOU READ ABOUT IT. PROBLEM SHIFTING OUT OF THE BLUE. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION OF MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WAS DAMAGED DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE ELETRONIC CONTROL MODULE. THE ISSUE WAS FIRST DISCOVERED NOT BY A CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT, BUT BY NEARING BEING SMASHED BY ON COMING TRAFFIC WHEN THE CAR FAILED TO SHIFT AS I WAS CROSSING AN INTERSECTION. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION IS SUDDEN AND I WAS EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT IT DID NOT RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. THROUGH RESEARCH, I'VE COME TO LEARN THAT TOYOTA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE ISSUE SINCE MARCH 2006. I HAVE NOT BEEN INFORMED OF SITUATION BY TOYOTA TO DATE. I REALLY FEEL A RECALL IS IN ORDER. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT. *LN

SEVERAL MONTHS AGO MY TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SUBSEQUENTLY AS I DROVE THE CAR, IT BEGAN TO LURCH AND I LOST CONTROL OF IT SEVERAL TIMES. I TOOK THE CAR TO TOYOTA DEALER THEN AND THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM BUT SUGGESTED REPLACING THE ECM UNIT AS A "POSSIBLE FIX." THEY SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WANTED A SECOND OPINION AND TOOK THE CAR TO A SPECIALIST. HE COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM EITHER. AFTER A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT NOT ONLY WAS THIS IMMINENT PROBLEM WELL-DOCUMENTED, BUT TOYOTA DEALERS HAD BEEN MADE AWARE OF IT IN 2006! T WHEN I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO TOYOTA LAST WEEK, THEY ADMITTED THAT THEY HAD BEEN INFORMED, BUT COULD NOT REPAIR THE CAR FREE OF CHARGE AS I HAVE 180+K MILES ON IT. HAD TOYOTA NOTIFIED ME ABOUT THE ISSUE IN 2006, I WOULD HAVE REPLACED THE MODULE THEN. NOW THE CAR IS COMPLETELY UNDRIVABLE AND CANNOT EVEN BE SOLD. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 122,000.

MY TOYOTA 2002 RAV 4 SUDDENLY WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN MORE GAS IS GIVEN THEREBY BEING MORE DANGEROUS ON HIGHWAY FOR POSSIBLY BEING HIT BY TRAFFIC BEHIND. SUCH A SUDDEN CHANGE IN SHIFTING POSSIBLY TRANSMISSION MAL-FUNCTIONING HAPPENS ALSO WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGHER SPEED. *TR

2002 TOYOTA RAV4. STARTED A MONTH AGO HARSH SHIFTING FROM LOWEST GEAR TO THE NEXT, HESITATION THEN ABRUPT SHIFTING OR NO SHIFTING AT ALL BY TRANSMISSION, EITHER WITH OR WITHOUT OVERDRIVE APPLIED. REPLACED OXYGEN SENSORS AND ECM, OKAY FOR A WEEK BUT BACK AGAIN. REPEATS THE SAME PROBLEM FROM COMPLETE STOP THEN SLOW ACCELERATION, GEAR SHIFTING IS NOT TIMELY AND SUDDEN UNEXPECTEDLY CREATING A JERKY MOTION. *TR

MY TOYOTA RAV4, 2002, BEGAN SHIFTING HARD, CLUNKING INTO GEAR, AND ACCELERATING PRIOR TO SHIFTING ON ITS OWN. I TOOK THE CAR TO A TOYOTA DEALER WHO HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT COVERED FOR ALL VIN NUMBERS OF RAV4'S SOLD. WE SHALL SEE IF HE IS CORRECT AS I TOLD HIM THAT THE ARTICLE FROM THE NY TIMES SURE LOOKS LIKE IT COVERS ALL RAV4'S BETWEEN 2001 AND 2003. *TR

I WAS CLIMBING A STEEP HILL WHEN MY TOYOTA RAV4 JUST SEEMED TO JUMP OUT OF GEAR. I HAD TO UNDERTAKE SPECIAL MEASURES TO TURN AROUND WITHOUT ENGINE POWER AND COAST DOWN THE HILL. IT WAS TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER WHO TOLD ME THE ECU HAD DAMAGED THE TRANSMISSION. THEY ADVISED ME IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WOULD COST $4500 TO REPAIR. I HAD IT TOWED BACK HOME. I SINCE FOUND THAT MANY ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE TOYOTA RAV4. SOMEONE NEEDS TO MAKE TOYOTA ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT. SO MUCH FOR BEING A LOYAL TOYOTA CUSTOMER. HELP! PLEASE. ITS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. *TR

DURING A SNOW STORM, MY VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION STARTED REVVING UP TO 5000 RPMS WITHOUT SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR. I THOUGHT MY TIRES WERE SLIPPING BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, BUT OVER THE NEXT 2 DAYS AS MY CAR WOULD HEAT UP, IT WOULD CONTINUE. I HAD A REPAIR SHOP LOOK AT IT AND THEY ADVISED ME TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA SUGGESTED I BRING IT TO A DEALER. THE DEALER SAID THAT I NEED TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION FLUSHED AND TO REPLACE THE ECM/ECU - WHICH COSTS $900 AND THERE'S NO GUARANTEE IT'LL FIX MY PROBLEM. I'M NOT RECEIVING ANY ASSISTANCE FROM TOYOTA HQ OR THE DEALERSHIP AS FAR AS RECEIVING A GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL FIX MY ISSUE, AND THEY WON'T PROVIDE INFORMATION ON WHAT TO DO IF THE ISSUE STILL PERSISTS. *TR

EITHER THE ECU OR THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT WORKING RIGHT. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CAN USUALLY CHANGE BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR BUT IT USUALLY CANNOT CHANGE BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD. THE ENGINE USUALLY REVS AS THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS. IF WE EASE UP ON THE ACCELERATOR OR SOMETIMES WE TO PUMP IT A LITTLE, THEN THE TRANSMISSION CHANGES GEARS. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW OCCASIONS WHERE THE ENGINE REVS AND THE TRANSMISSION CATCHES ON ITS OWN BUT THIS IS CAUSES THE CAR TO ACCELERATE WHEN WE DO NOT EXPECT IT TO. THIS JUST STARTED HAPPENING RECENTLY. WE HAD NOTICED FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD CHANGE A LITTLE HARDER THAN NORMAL, BUT NOT THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE DUE TO SAFETY REASON. *TR