2002 Toyota RAV4 POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PROPERLY ACCELERATE WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FRED ANDERSON TOYOTA (9101 GLENWOOD AVENUE, RALEIGH, NC) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE AND TRANSMISSION WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000. *TT CONSUMER STATED TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE IN TRAFFIC, CAR WAS ABLE TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY AND WAS LONGER SHIFTING GEARS.*JB

CAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE NEGOTIATING AN INTERSECTION ON SEVERAL OCCATIONS. HAS BUCKED STALLED PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, AND FAILED TO SHIFT WHILE PASSING, IM TOLD ITS A KNOW PROBLEM WITH ECU, BUT TOYOTA CUT A DEAL AND DID NOT HAVE TO NOTIFY OWNERS! BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW NOW THERE TELLING ME 6000 TO 9000$

WE BOUGHT THIS CAR OFF MY MOM (WHO WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAS TAKEN IMMACULATE CARE OF IT!) JUST TWO MONTHS AGO! OUT OF NOWHERE THE CAR STARTED TO EXPERIENCE "HARD SHIFTING". BECAUSE IT COULDN'T SHIFT LIKE IT SHOULD, IT WAS A ROAD HAZARD/SAFETY ISSUE! WE TOOK IT INTO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT VERY DAY. THEY TOLD US IT WAS THE ECM AND MAYBE EVEN THE TRANSMISSION! THE APPROX. COST WOULD BE $1,100 TO REPLACE THE ECM, AND THOUSANDS MORE IF IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE IT DONE BY TUESDAY (CHRISTMAS EVE.) I STARTED RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE THAT THIS CAR THAT HAD SUCH LOW MILES WOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM. WELL, I FOUND OUT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THE RAV4. TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT IT AND HAS NOT RECALLED THIS PART! THERE WAS EVEN A LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM, BUT THAT ONLY LED TO AN EXTENSION OF THE WARRANTY TO 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST! OUR CAR ONLY HAS 88,900 MILES BUT BECAUSE IT IS 11 YEARS OLD, IT WON'T BE COVERED BY A WARRANTY! WE ARE OUT $1,180 RIGHT AT CHRISTMAS TIME! AND THEY DID NOT GET THE CAR FIXED UNTIL DEC. 27TH! (KIND OF PUTS A DAMPER ON CHRISTMAS PLANS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR CAR!):( I CALLED TOYOTA IN HOPES THAT THEY WOULD HELP US BECAUSE THEY KNOW THIS PART IS FAULTY, BUT I WAS MET WITH AN UNSYMPATHETIC RESPONSE! BASICALLY, "ITS OUT OF WARRANTY SO IT WON'T BE COVERED!" TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECALL THIS PART, AND REIMBURSE THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD TO FIX IT, NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT IS THEIR MORAL OBLIGATION TO DO SO, BUT ALSO BECAUSE SOMEONE COULD BE KILLED IF THEY DON'T! PLEASE RECALL THIS PART, BE DECENT HUMAN BEINGS, INSTEAD OF BEING WORRIED ABOUT YOUR BOTTOM LINE! THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS THAN MONEY, TOYOTA! AS MAD AS I AM ABOUT BEING OUT THE MONEY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM (THAT TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT) I AM GLAD THAT I AM ONLY OUT THE MONEY, RATHER THAN MOURNING THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON HWY I85 AT 70MPH MY TOYOTA RAV4 SUDDENLY LOCKED UP AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO SKID OFF THE ROAD. THANKFULLY, NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT CAR WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC AND ESTIMATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE MAY BE CAUSE...SINCE THEN I HAVE LEARNED THAT TOYOTA HAD A RECALL ON THEIR ECM FOR RAV 4 CARS 2001-2003 THAT RESULTED IN TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEMS YET I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BECAUSE MY VIN NUMBER WAS N/A INDICATING THAT MY CAR WOULD NOT EXPERIENCE ANY OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEMS COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RECALL. UNFORTUNATELY, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING AND LOCK-UP PROBLEMS THAT I AM HAVING IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE COMPUTER FAULTY DESIGN OF TOYOTA'S ECM AND YET THEY ARE NOT TAKING ANY MORAL OR FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY REPAIRS. I'M FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE THERE HAS TO BE OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS THAT WERE NOT INFORMED ABOUT THE ECM RECALL SUCH AS MYSELF THAT ALSO LIKE ME, COULD BE DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD IN A WELL MAINTAINED CAR AND SUDDENLY SKID OUT OF CONTROL PERHAPS NEXT TIME CAUSING A FATALITY THAT COULD BE AVOIDED! PROPER NOTIFICATION REGARDLESS OF VIN NUMBERS SO CONSUMERS CAN HAVE CARS INSPECTED SPECIFICALLY FOR RECALL ISSUES WOULD HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND POTENTIALLY OFFSET THE CAR REPAIR ISSUES I CURRENTLY FACE. *TR

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

I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 DOWN THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE RPM'S OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN ESCALATING FAR BEYOND WHERE THEY NORMALLY WOULD. AFTER TESTING THE VEHICLE AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, I DETERMINED THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM FOURTH TO FIFTH GEAR. TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY TRANSMISSION. WHAT'S WRONG IS THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) THAT CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. HE CONTACTED A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER TO SEE IF HE COULD SOURCE THE PART AND DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS A KNOWN FAILURE AND WE NEEDED TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. WE DID SO, WHERE WE WERE TOLD BECAUSE WE PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN MAY OF 2002 (TEN YEARS, FIVE MONTHS AGO) THAT THEY WERE REFUSING TO REPAIR THE CAR'S ECM AS IT FELL OUTSIDE OF THEIR 'ADJUSTED' WARRANTY PERIOD. I CONTACTED TOYOTA'S CORPORATE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE, WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT YES, TOYOTA KNOWS THAT THE PART IS GOING TO FAIL. THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO COVER MORE OF THE CARS THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED. HOWEVER, SINCE I PURCHASED MY CAR FIVE MONTHS LONGER THAN THEIR ARBITRARY TEN YEAR COVERAGE PERIOD REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT THE MILEAGE OF THE CAR FALLS FAR BELOW THE LISTED COVERAGE THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THE DEALERSHIP QUOTED $1400 FOR THE ECM REPAIR AND ANOTHER $4800 FOR THE TRANSMISSION - SAYING THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED, EVEN THOUGH THEY HADN'T INSPECTED IT (I ASKED!!) AND I HAD ALREADY HAD AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT AND SAID THAT IT WAS FINE. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW IT IS OKAY FOR TOYOTA TO SELL MILLIONS OF PEOPLE CARS WITH KNOWN SAFETY DEFECTS AND SAY THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR - KNOWING THAT IF THE REPAIR ISN'T MADE, THAT PEOPLE WILL BE KILLED DRIVING THESE CARS. *TR

I EXPERIENCED SPUTTERING AND HESITATION WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE FRIDAY BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY. THE CAR HAS AROUND 72,800 MILES ON IT. OVER THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND THE CAR WAS FINE. THE NEXT WEEK I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. ONCE I STOPPED THE CAR AT A LIGHT AND THEN ACCELERATED, THE CAR WOULD LURCH AND SPUTTER. I FEARED THE CAR WOULD SHUT OFF IN TRAFFIC OR I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. I STOPPED DRIVING IT. TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS (NON-TOYOTA) HAVE TOLD ME I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I THEN TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER AFTER CALLING THE NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER, MENTIONED IN A NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE FROM AUGUST 2009. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE ECM WHICH THE DEALER WHO I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM WAS UNCOOPERATIVE IN REPLACING. SO FAR THE CAR IS STILL AT A DIFFERENT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP UNDERGOING "DIAGNOSIS". *TR

I WAS GOING NORTH ON MOLLY LANE AND GOING TO TURN RIGHT ON US HWY 92 GOING EAST. I PULLED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN MY CAR STALLED AND IT ACTED LIKE THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. I DROVE AND PICKED UP A PIZZA ON TOWNLAKE PARKWAY AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHEN I PULLED OUT OF PAPA JOHNS. I KNEW THERE WAS A BAD PROBLEM AT THAT POINT. I WAS GOING TO DRIVE IT HOME AND HAVE IT TOWED TO TOYOTA. UPON TURNING ONTO THE ENTRANCE RAMP IT STALLED AGAIN AND HAD NO POWER. THE CARS BEHIND ME WERE BLOWING THEIR HORNS. AT THE TOP OF THE RAMP IT REVVED AND THEN SURGED. I DROVE IT HOME AND HAD IT TOWED. TOYOTA SAYS THAT THE ECM IS BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THEN THEY CAN CHECK THE TRANSMISSION. I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE 2001 - 2003 RAV4'S. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY RISK AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE MADE TO DO A RECALL TO FIX THE ECM BOARDS.

2002 TOYOTA RAV4 STARTED JERKING AND SHAKING,, THEN SLOWING DOWN AT 111K MILES AT IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC CONCERNED FOR SAFETY, HAD TO PULL OVER AND CALL FOR A TOW TRUCK TO TOW CAR HOME. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY SAID THAT IT COULD BE ECM, WHICH IS $1500, BUT NO GUARANTEES IT WOULD WORK. RESEARCHED ISSUE, AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS KNOWN ISSUE SINCE 2006, BUT TOYOTA DIDN'T NOTIFY OWNERS. *TR

2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT HAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT THAT CAUSE THE CAR'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO DISINTEGRATE WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 RAV4 I PURCHASED USED IN MAY 2010 FOR $9,000. A FEW DAYS AFTER PURCHASING IT, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING. ALMOST HAD NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS WHEN NEEDING TO ACCELERATE WHEN PULLING OUT INTO A BUSY ROAD AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO GET OUT OF 2ND GEAR INTO 3RD GEAR. HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED/REBUILT FOR $3,500, THE ECM FLASHED FOR $265, 3 NEW OXYGEN SENSORS PUT IN FOR $900. NOW THE CAR IS STILL DOING WHAT IT DID EVEN AFTER ALL THAT MONEY SPENT. LOOKING UP ON THE WEB, FOUND MANY OWNERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND ALMOST ALL HAD TO REPLACE THE ECM. I AM NOW TRYING TO GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH A TOYOTA DEALER TO GET THIS DONE. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA. *TR

ECM/TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON MY 2002 RAV 4. I ENDED UP CLEANING OUT MY SAVINGS OVER THIS CAR. AFTER RECENT BULLETIN FROM TOYOTA, I SUBMITTED NECESSARY PAPER WORK FOR SOME REIMBURSEMENT. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS NOT ELIGIBLE BECAUSE THE CAR WAS MADE IN PUERTO RICO, NOT US!!!!!! I BOUGHT IT USED FROM A TOYOTA DEALER IN VA. WHY DID TOYOTA SEND ME THE NOTICE????? *TR

2002 TOYOTA RAV4. AFTER STOPPING AT AN INTERSECTION I TOOK OFF AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO BE IN HIGH GEAR, THEN IT JERKED AND THE ENGINE RACED AND THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED. THIS HAPPENED TWO OTHER TIMES WITHIN 10 MILES. THE ECM UNIT HAD FAILED. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON-LINE AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. TOYOTA CLAIMS THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS FIXED IN 2008 ON THIS VEHICLE BUT WE HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE MAY OF 2007 AND DID NOT HAVE ANY REPAIRS DONE. *TR

I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL TOYOTA OWNER WITH A 1995 CAMRY AND A 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4. I NOTICED THE TERRIBLE JERKING THAT STARTED WHILE DRIVING THE RAV4 ON MY WAY TO WORK. I COULD NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO SPEED UP WHEN NECESSARY AND ONCE I DID, THE CAR JERKED SO MUCH, I HAD TO PULL OVER AND EVENTUALLY GET THE CAR TOWED TO THE MECHANIC. THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS THE PROBLEM SO WE PAID TO REPLACE IT AND RESOLVE THAT ISSUE. NOT EVEN A WEEK LATER, I HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS GOING HOME FROM WORK. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC AND NOW IT'S THE ECM THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I CANNOT AFFORD TO GET IT REPLACED SINCE I JUST PAID FOR THE NEW TRANSMISSION. THE MECHANIC ATTEMPTED TO RESET THE ECM BUT THAT DID NOT HELP AT ALL. NOW WE ARE DOWN TO THE 95 CAMRY AND CROSSING OUR FINGERS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ISSUES WITH OUR "OLD RELIABLE". *TR

2002 TOYOTA RAV4 TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED EXCELLENTLY WITH ALL RECOMMENDED SERVICES PERFORMED AT TOYOTA DEALERS OR AUTHORIZED FACILITIES. IN 2009, TOYOTA SENT A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT A "FAULTY ECM" (ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE) AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN AND THE ECM WAS REPROGRAMMED. AFTER THIS SERVICE, THE CAR STARTED SHIFTING ERRATICALLY AND AS OF JUNE 26, 2010, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY FAILED WITH 118,000 MILES ON THE CAR. TOYOTA KNOWS THAT THE ECM CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND IS REFUSING TO MAKE THIS RIGHT. TOYOTA NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS LACK OF INTEGRITY AND FOR PUTTING CONSUMERS AT RISK OF DEATH OR INJURY, DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN 2002 RAV4'S, CAMRY'S AND COROLLAS. GOOGLE THIS INFORMATION TO SEE THAT THIS IS BECOMING MORE COMMON WITH THIS MODEL OF CAR, NOW THAT THEY ARE REACHING 100,000 MILES. *TR

STARTING THE END OF APRIL 2010 MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 STARTING GIVING ME PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTING GEARS AND WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR IT DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE AND REALLY SLUGGISH AND WOULD JERK. I WAS AFRAID THAT SOMEONE WOULD REAR END ME. I KEPT UP ALL MY MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE. I HAD A TRANSMISSION SERVICE DONE MARCH 2008. THE DEALER SAID I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. MY CAR HAS 90,000 MILES. I HAD ANOTHER TRANSMISSION SERVICE DONE, BUT IT JUST GOT WORSE. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A COMPUTER DEFECT AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS. *TR

WHIPLASH AND CERVICAL DISC HERNIATION DUE TO NEGLIGENCE OF TOYOTA RAV 4 2002 TRANSMISSION AND ECM PROBLEMS. AROUND 4/20/10 I TOOK MY TOYOTA TO THIS DEALERSHIP DUE TO ONGOING JERKING AND FORWARD THRUST WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP POSITION, ALSO THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THEY KEPT MY TOYOTA FROM 4/19/10 TILL 4/21/10. RESET THE ENGINE STATING THAT IT IS O2 SENSOR PROBLEM AND REPLACED IT. ALSO DIAGNOSED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS BUT I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP PERSONA,L" I DON'T WANT TO STAMP YOUR CAR AS CONDEMNED, TAKE IT BACK AND WHEN PROBLEM GETS WORSE BRING IT BACK" HE DID NOT WARN ME THAT IF I DID NOT GET IT CORRECTED RIGHT AWAY, I CAN BE JEOPARDIZING MY SAFETY AND SAFETY OF PEOPLE ON THE ROAD. IT IS APPARENT FROM THE PAPERWORK THEY HANDED ME THAT THEY HAD DIAGNOSED A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND SHOULD HAVE CORRECTED IT RIGHT AWAY. AROUND MIDDLE OF MAY THE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION GOT WORSE, ON 2 OCCASIONS THE CAR STALLED COMPLETELY WHILE GOING AT 30 MPH AND THEN SEVERELY THRUST FORWARD AGAIN. IN ANOTHER 3-4 DAYS I STARTED EXPERIENCING SEVERE MUSCLE SPASMS AND HEADACHES. SINCE THEN I HAD BEEN TO ER, RECEIVED CT AND MRI SHOWING DISC PROLAPSE AND TEAR OF MY 2 VERTEBRAL DISCS. I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING PHYSICAL THERAPY, CERVICAL TRACTION, PAIN MEDICATION, CERVICAL COLLAR, AND AM SCHEDULED TO RECEIVE AN EPIDURAL INJECTION IN 2 WEEKS. I HAVE SEEN MY PCP TWICE, A NEUROLOGIST, 2 NEURO SURGEONS AND HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS MEDICATION, SOME WITH SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS AND HAVE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THESE VISITS. I AM A PHYSICIAN AND DUE TO THIS PROBLEM HAVE MISSED DAYS AT WORK JEOPARDIZING MY CLINICAL CARE. YESTERDAY ALMOST GOT IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN MY CAR SLOWED DOWN INSTEAD OF ACCELERATING AND I ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR, THIS INCIDENT MADE ME REALIZE I CAN HURT OTHER PEOPLE IF I CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS CAR. I TOOK IT IN TO DEALER TODAY AND THEY ARE GOING TO RUN A DIAGNOSIS ON IT AGAIN, AND IT MIGHT COST ME 6,000 DOLLARS. PLEASE HELP.*TR

TOYOTA ISSUED A SECRET BULLETIN ON 3/3/2006 (TC006-02), BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF 2001-2003 RAV4 VEHICLES REGARDING THEIR HARD SHIFTING, ECM PROBLEMS, AND TRANSMISSION FAILURES. DESPITE MY REPORTING THIS PROBLEM WITHIN WARRANTY PERIOD AT 54,000 MILES IN 2006, AND AGAIN IN 2007, TOYOTA CLAIMED UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. THEY ARE NOW CHARGING ME 1/2 THE COST OF A NEW TRANSMISSION AT APPROXIMATELY $2,000 INCLUDING THE COST OF FLUSHING THE OLD ONE AND DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM. *TR

2002 TOYOTA RAV4: ECM COMPUTER PROBLEM CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO BURN OUT. THE ECM HAS A DESIGN BLUNDER WHICH CAUSES IT TO LOSE ITS ABILITY TO CONTROL THE SOLENOIDS. THE TRANSMISSION IS DAMAGED QUITE SUDDENLY. *TR

I PURCHASED MY USED 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 ON 12/10/05 FROM SOUTH COAST TOYOTA OF COSTA MESA. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING IT, I RECEIVED SOME KIND OF "ADJUSTMENT NOTICE" ASKING ME TO BRING THE CAR IN, WHICH I DID. I ASKED WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO TO THE CAR, THEY WOULD NOT DIRECTLY ANSWER MY QUESTION AND SAID IT "WAS NOTHING, JUST A MINOR ADJUSTMENT." IN SEPTEMBER OF 2008, SHORTLY AFTER MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND MY CAR WAS JUST OVER 83,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING COMPLETELY OUT OF GEAR WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT, AND THEN IT WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR, AND I WOULD SUDDENLY HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR SO I HAD TO STOP, AND THEN TRY TO GET IT IN GEAR, OR DRIVE HOME IN 1ST. I HAD TO DRIVE FROM 1ST GEAR OR 4TH. I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE IT ON THE FREEWAY TO GET TO WORK, AND HAD TO STOP DRIVING IT ALL TOGETHER ON THE STREET. THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE PRICE HE QUOTED ME TO "REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND ECU" WAS AROUND $4,500. I WAS FURIOUS, AS THE REASON I PURCHASED TOYOTAS WAS BECAUSE THEY DROVE 200,000 MILES AS LONG AS YOU PROPERLY MAINTAINED THEM, WHICH I ALWAYS DID. I WENT AND HAD TO PAY $2,593.00 AT IRVINE TRANSMISSION CENTER IN IRVINE, CA ON 9/24/08. AFTER REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION AND TEST DRIVING IT, IT WAS READY FOR PICKUP. WHEN THEY GOT IN THE CAR TO DRIVE IT UP TO ME, SUDDENLY THE NEW TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T SHIFT. SO, THEY RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME THE COMPUTER (ECU) APPARENTLY HAD TO BE REPLACED ALSO, AND THEY HAD DISCOVERED THROUGH ONLINE SITES THAT TOYOTA WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE DEALER CHARGED ME $500 TO REPLACE THE ECU. THE DEALER SOLD ME A RAV4 THEY KNEW WAS HAVING TRANSMISSION AND ECU FAILURE. I WROTE TOYOTA A COMPLAINT. I BELIEVE I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED THE MONEY I AM OUT, AND THIS CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED WITH THE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED. I REQUEST YOU TAKE ACTION! *TR

PURCHASED 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 NEW FROM TOYOTA DEALER IN OCTOBER 2001. EXPERIENCED HARD SHIFTING SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN TRAVELING UPHILL AND A HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS SHIFTING FINE. NOW THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND POSSIBLY THE COMPLETE TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA ISSUED A TSB IN 2008 BUT I WAS NEVER INFORMED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE THE CAR CAN STOP AT ANY TIME. *TR

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I PURCHASED MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 FROM MY DEALER, RICH TOYOTA OF HUNTINGTON, WV IN SPRING 2002'IT WAS HIS DEMO CAR, VIN#[XXX] ; MODEL #4416A. AT 107,00 MILES, OUT OF THE CLEAR-BLUE, THE RAV4 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS, THEN WENT OUT, BUT THEN SHIFTING BECAME ERRATIC. I HAVE SERVICED THIS VEHICLE FAITHFULLY SINCE I PURCHASED IT AND EXPECTED TO GET ANOTHER 100,000 MORE MILES, BUT, MY DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT HAS BEEN SERVICED SINCE PURCHASE, SAID IT WAS GOING TO COST OVER $1,200 FOR THE ECC/ECM (ENGINE CONTROL COMPUTER/ENGINE CONTROL MODULE), AND EVEN IF I REPLACE JUST THE ECC/ECM, IT STILL MAY NOT WORK WITH THE OLD TRANSMISSION, SO IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT I REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION TOO FOR ANOTHER $3,500 BECAUSE THE DEFECTIVE ECC MAY HAVE DESTROYED THE TRANSMISSION. THEY ALSO SUGGESTED REPLACEMENT OF THE AIR-FUEL SENSOR FOR A TOTAL OF $5,189.00 IN REPAIRS BEFORE TAXES. I HAD NEVER REALIZED THAT THERE WERE EVER ANY SERIOUS PROBLEMS LIKE THIS WITH THE TOYOTA PRODUCT LINE UNTIL I WENT ONLINE TO RESEARCH THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WHAT AN EYE-OPENER!!! THERE WERE MANY, MANY PROBLEMS DOCUMENTED WITH MANY OF TOYOTA'S PRODUCTS! CONSIDERING THAT THIS RAV4 WAS A $22,000 VEHICLE WHEN I PURCHASED IT, DOESN'T IT SEEM STRANGE THAT AFTER JUST 6 YEARS IT IS INOPERABLE AND EVEN DANGEROUS! AFTER E-MAILING AND SENDING A LETTER TO TOYOTA USA IN TORRENCE CALIFORNIA ABOUT THIS ISSUE, I CALLED THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-331-4331 AND TALKED WITH A REAL PERSON. PLUS, I HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER, WHICH GOES INTO THEIR DATABASE AND LOGS THE ISSUE SHOULD THEY HAVE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO WARRANT A RECALL OR OTHER REMEDY. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND DEFECTIVE ECU AT A COST OF ABOUT $4,500. AFTER RESEARCHING YOUR COMPLAINT FILES ON THIS RAV4 ISSUE, WHY HASN'T NHTSA DONE SOMETHING ABOUT IT WITH TOYOTA!!!!???? *TR

MY TOYOTA RAV4 (2002) WITH LESS THAN 90,000 MILES HAS BEEN SLIPPING AND IT HAS CAUSED ME TO BE IN SOME PRETTY RISKY SITUATIONS, SUCH AS NEARLY GETTING INTO A FATAL CAR ACCIDENT WHEN STOPPING AND TRYING TO PROCEED AGAIN AT STOP LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. APPARENTLY THE ECM IS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND INSTEAD OF THEM TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM AS A COMPANY, THEY ARE RECOMMENDING ME TO SPEND OVER 4,000 TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE FELL TO RESOLVE. IT HAS BECOME A FINANCIAL NIGHTMARE AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN MY HOUSE AND MY CAR BECAUSE I NEED BOTH! *TR

NO PROBLEMS WERE APPARENT UNTIL OVERNIGHT THE TRANSMISSION APPEARED TO BE SLIPPING. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CITED FAILING TRANSMISSION AS PROBABLE ISSUE. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP STATED THE ECM/ECU WAS FAILING. TURNS OUT ECM WAS DEFECTIVE IN THE MODEL YEAR OF THIS VEHICLE. TOYOTA' RESPONSE WAS TO "REPROGRAM/REFLASH" DEFECTIVE ECM. THIS ONLY POSTPONEDTHE FAILURE OF THE ECM. THE DEFECTIVE ECM WOULD SEND INCORRECT CODES TO THE TRANSMISSION STUTTERING OR HALTING SHIFTS THUS LEAVING THE VEHICLE EFFECTIVELY IN NEUTRAL. THIS STUTTERING/SLIPPING QUICKLY DESTROYS THE TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE OF THE ECM WOULD NOT ALLOW THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT WHICH PUT US IN DANGER OF BEING IN A REAR END COLLISION WHILE TRYING TO GET ONTO BUSY HIGHWAYS OR STALLING IN AN INTERSECTION. THIS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE TRIP TO THE DEALERSHIP ALONE (THE VEHICLE WENT IN THE NEXT OPEN BUSINESS DAY AFTER THE FIRST OCCURRENCE). THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE FIRST THREE GEARS. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHICH WAS GIVEN AN INEFFECTIVE SOLUTION. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ECM AT A SIGNIFICANT COST TO THE CONSUMER. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE ECM, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ECM, ALTHOUGH AGREED TO BE DEFECTIVE, WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONSUMER AND NOT TOYOTA. *TR

2002 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS DEFECTIVE ECU WHICH HAS IN TURN FRIED TRANSMISSION...MY WIFE NOTICED PROBLEMS WHEN THE SHIFTING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON A MERGE AND WAS ALMOST RUN OVER BY A SEMI-TRUCK. WE THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD US THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ON SO THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE AND ADVISED US TO DRAIN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. 2 WEEKS LATER, MY WIFE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE TRANSMISSION SPONTANEOUSLY SHIFTED INTO LOW GEAR CAUSING HER TO SWERVE OFF ROAD. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE THE ECU AND TRANSMISSION AT $5,000. I HAVE GONE ONLINE AND READ THAT TOYOTA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR OVER 2 YEARS AND WILL NOT ISSUE RECALL AS NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED...THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE MY WIFE WAS ALMOST KILLED!!! PLEASE ADDRESS WITH TOYOTA!! *TR UPDATED 03/22/10.*JB