Automatic Transmission problems of the 2001 Toyota RAV4 - part 1

The contact owns a 2001 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the electronic control module malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to stall in the middle of the road. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, where a diagnostic test was performed and the dealer stated that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The contact also stated that the faulty transmission was a known issue with this year, make and model. The failure mileage was unknown.

I noticed vehicle was not accelerating or going into proper gear. I was alarmed when I couldn't pick up speed turning left. Engine light lit when I got home. I spoke to Toyota today about the known ecu issue with 2001-2003 Rav4s. My car was served in 2007 when there was a recall but they will not address the issue now since the warranty expired. I am very disappointed with Toyota not addressing the ecu/ecm issue to a satisfactory manner. This is a safety issue that Toyota should show more concern over.

Tl-the contact owns a 2001 Toyota Rav4. While the contact was driving 35 mph, the engine warning light illuminated, and the transmission began to exhibit severe hesitation in a jerking motion. The vehicle was to an authorized dealer for diagnosis who stated the transmission and ecm module would need to be replaced. In addition, the faulty trans axle required replacement. The contact discovered there was a prior voluntary recall issued by the manufacturer pertaining to the ecm module; however the contact did not receive notification of the recall. The manufacturer was notified whom informed the recall expired in January 2011 and was unable to provide further assistance. The vehicle had not been repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 136,000. Js.

My 18 year old has a 2001 rave 4 the mechanic says that the ecu has trashed the transmission so now she needs both to be replaced. I have found many complaints on line about this problem and most likely not many people know to contact this agency or this would have been addressed by now. Please refer to the Toyota service bulletin March 3, 2006. Toyota is aware of the issue! this problem has the potential to cause an accident due to lose of power or stalling of the vehicle. My daughter has been very fortunate not to be in an accident due to this ecu /transmission problem.

2001 Toyota Rav4 transmission is shifting hard and into inappropriate gears. While accelerating, the transmission is not shifting into a higher gear as it normally did. Now it hesitates between gears (neutral) and then randomly shifts into a lower or higher gear often jumping from gear to gear until settling into the proper gear. This behavior just began with 112k miles.

Faulty shifting in 2001 Toyota Rav4 related to the ecm causes the vehicle to slow down and almost come to a stop when trying to accelerate or pull out into traffic. Ecm was replaced but the faulty shifting still occurs. According to the dealership this means that the vehicle now needs a new transmission. While the vehicle is 10 years old, it has less than 130,000 miles on it. This should not be occurring. Toyota customer service refuses to acknowledge that this issue is due to the ecm and its poor design despite extending the warranty for exactly this issue. There are multiple reports on the internet from Rav4 owners who have experienced the same problem.

The contact owns a 2001 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the vehicle was unable to shift between gears properly. The vehicle was no longer under warranty and was not repaired. The manufacturer did not offer the contact any assistance. The current mileage was 193,000 and the failure mileage was 183,000.

Toyota Rav4 2001 sudden acceleration, and throttle surge. . . No way to stop car with brake pedal.

2001 Rav4- automatic transmission the car started shifting gears and having problems taking off from a stop position a week ago. There was no "check engine" light blinking to let me know what the issue was. I took it to the Toyota dealership where they couldn't find any problems and "think it might be the computer". When it first happened I almost got into a accident with another vehicle in front of me. After I left the dealership, sure enough the car starts jerking back and forth. I called Toyota customer service where they told me they recognize the problem as the ecm (seems to be the problem with other complaints I have looked into), but nothing can be done about it as it is not on the recall list and the car came from japan to canada then to the united states (seriously?). I guess Toyota will not do anything until someone is killed in an accident.

Driving my Toyota 2001 Rav4 and it decides not to shift in to gear, leaving me to pull over barely on the side of the road with 2 small children.

My Rav4 2001 motor 2. 0 has harsh shift of automatic transaxle for almost one month is park. I do not use because almost cause an accident while I was driving with mi two kids and mi wife, please help me I need to repair and it cost 1200 dollars. Is dangerous to drive. Please stop before will be to late.

Erratic shifting of gears in Toyota Rav4. Shifts hard or slowly, causing safety issue while driving. Had to replace the transmission and computer.

2001 Toyota rav 4 transmission suddenly started slipping, shifting hard at low speeds. Has 144,480 miles. Aamco shop diagnosed it as a known computer defect, sent faulty information that fried the clutches in the transmission. The repair is underway, takes 4 days and costs $3,900 for new computer and transmission repair.

Toyota rav 4 transmission shifting problems after several thousand miles, shifting from 1-2 will hesitate and cause engine rev, will also jerk while shifting hesitation could be hazardous and cause accidents. And sometimes the vehicle will not accelerate properly due to this problem.

I was driving my 2001 Toyota Rav4 (71k miles) with my daughter in the backseat and as I attempted to accelerate to get onto the freeway onramp the vehicle would not accelerate and the cars in back of me almost rearended me. The cars behind me begin honking and the vehicle continued to lunge, buck, and hesitate the whole way home(fortunately I was only one exit away); my daughter and I were very shaken up. I immediately took it in to my mechanic, who did a transmission service. The car drove fine for a couple days then again out of nowhere began hesitating and lunging/thudding. My mechanic recommended I take it to aamco, who rebuilt the transmission for $3129. A few days later, it displayed the same symptoms. Aamco drove it around but said it drove fine and gave it back to me. A week later, the vehicle lost acceleration again in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears, and I took it back to aamco. They opened the transmission up and said the same parts they replaced are bad again, and now I have to pay for another rebuild plus a valve body and ecm. I don't have additional $ for this so my vehicle has been sitting (not in running condition) for 3 months. I have researched this issue and found that hundreds if not thousands of 2001-2003 ravs are having similar transmission/ecm failures. This poses a serious safety issue and Toyota needs to take responsibility for this alarming defect.

I drove my car to work and it was driving and shifting just fine (automatic). I parked, turned the car off, and went inside to punch in. Not 10 minutes later I returned to start the vehicle and it immediately shifted hard out of park into reverse. When it shifted into first gear I could tell there was a problem, the car basically sputtered into the gear and could barely shift out of it into second. Once it did the car jerked forward and I felt like I did not have good control of it due to the way it was jerking in and out of gear. During this time the rpms would go way up and suddenly down again, and it seemed like every time I applied the gas (and thus engaged the transmission) the vehicle started reacting in an unpredictable manner. There didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for when this happened, sometimes it was ok but in general the car had a great deal of trouble shifting out of 1st and 2nd gear. Once I was going over roughly 30mph the car was generally ok, but would occasionally sputter. As far as events leading up to the failure, the engine control module has been recalled I believe twice on this particular vehicle and it has always had check engine light problems. The check engine light had been on for roughly 12k miles previous to this happening with no incident; the diagnostic read that I needed a new catalytic converter but 1) the computer, in my opinion, isn't reliable because it's been recalled/reprogrammed and clearly has a defect and 2) the catalytic converter dying should be a slow death with a gradual decrease in gas mileage and eventual "choking" of the engine at up to 40k miles after the diagnosis. This happened immediately and from one engine start to the next.

My 2001 rav 4 bagan having trouble with the transmission. I have trouble getting started and the car shifts very hard. When the car finally shifts, it often lurches forward. I have trouble getting on the highway and am fearful to drive in traffic. Very scary!.

My 2001 Toyota Rav4, 98,000 miles, has a problem. Transmission shift around 30miles and engaging shift 2nd to 3rd, rpm gauge jumping up 5,000~6,000 rpm on every driving and finally check engine light came up. Dealer ship said it was out of warranty and needed reprogram ecm. After fixed it happened again they said it needs new ecm and reprogram. And had same problem. Now they say it needs transmission rebuild too. They already knew these problem through their bulletin some years ago and didn't noticed owners. It would be very dangerous if shift was changed when rpm gauge jumped up. It should be a recall issue. Also I read some article for class action lawsuit was filed for this.

2001 Toyota Rav4, transmission has started to jerk us around, lurch in traffic and feels like it comes out of gear while driving/accelerating in traffic or pulling out into traffic. Then all of a sudden you are not moving.

2001 Rav4 transmission did not want to change gears. Took to dealer, denied problem. Took to another shop, changed to new ecm in transmission. Problem fixed. Toyota needs to own up to bad parts.

My spouse has a Toyota Rav4, 2001 and it experienced major stalling problems while driving, almost like the transmission was going out. We took it to the Toyota service team in berkeley, CA three times for a potential fix. First it was the engine control monitor (ecm at $1,040), then it was the transmission fluid at $266, then it was a bend pipe/tube leading to the transmission. The bottom line is we're still experiencing the same problem one month later.

My Toyota Rav4 2001 model, 125000 miles on it. I stopped at a stop sign, when turned green tried to move , but the car wouldn't move. It just did a little, then I some how parked in the road side. Took it to different garages, mieneke said 6000 dollar repair on the transmission, another said 4800 dollar for refurbished transmission, aamco did a transmission repair for 2800 dollar. . . . All these places they are not sure whether it is transmission or ecm problem. I just choose to get it done with the cheapest one. I feel like it is a problem with ecm and the transmission of Toyota. Being a customer I have no way knowing who says the right thing? now I hear that Toyota rav 4 has defective ecm that can cause transmission problems? now I am worried is it safe to drive that car any further?.

The contact owns a 2001 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that when pulling from a light and trying to depress the accelerator pedal, it did not respond. All of a sudden, the vehicle jerked forward as if someone had stomped on the gas pedal. She noticed the problem several times prior to the failure to a smaller degree. She took the vehicle to a repair shop and the mechanic stated that the transmission was the cause for failure and most likely needed to be rebuilt. The contact called the manufacturer and filed a complaint with a representative. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The current and failure mileages were approximately 92,000.

My complaint is about my 2001 Toyota Rav4. About three weeks ago I started having problems with my transmission. The transmission started to shift as if it were going to stop. It started to jerk, slow down so much until I thought that I was going to get hit from behind. I had to put my flashers on so the other drivers would slow down and go around me. I do not feel safe in my car anymore. I have had the transmission checked but no error code appears. I was told without a code they don't know what was wrong. The transmission will shift o. K. For a while and then it will start, jerking, losing power, and failing to accelerate. I am afraid to go very far in my car for fear of being stranded. I see that other people are having the same kind of problem with their Toyota. Please help! thank you.

In our 2001 Toyota Rav4 we recently began experiencing difficulty transitioning between gears. The car jerks and takes a moment to shift. We took it into the dealership and were told that the computer and transmission needed to be replace. Upon researching this I have found hundreds on cases of the same thing happening to 2001-2003 Rav4 owners.

The transmission on my daughter's 2001 toyata rav started slipping two weeks ago. My daughter still is a college student and still resides at home commuting to school (15 miles one way) everyday. I am a mechanical engineer and have religiously maintained all our vehicles and know that the transmission should not give any problems with just over 100,000 miles. I have driven all my vehicles way past over 160k miles and never have had any problems. I have researched the internet and there are alot of complaints with this same problem. Toyota should be made to recall and fix the problems.

My transmission needs to be replaced on my 2001 Rav4 due to a faulty computer.

Harsh shifting in 2001 Rav4.

The ecm is Toyotas 2001-2003 Rav4 causes rough shifting in the transmission and it eventually causes the transmission to stop functioning. This means the car can and will come to an abrupt halt. This has happened to my family several times and now the tranny is no good at all. This is all after receiving a few letters from Toyota regarding this problem and bringing it in for service on the ecm after I'd already paid $1400 to Toyota for the same service. They never changed anything , just "reprogrammed " it. Now , even with Toyota saying publicly that they will stand by the vehicle ,after catching so much heat from the public , they still deny me coverage as well as reimbursement and they even charged me a storage and diagnostic fee! this ecm problem has been a well known defect since 2006 and Toyota was and fully aware of the issue. Your car suddenly stopping on the highway is one of the greatest dangers one can face while operating a motor vehicle. Just to be clear , the first time the car stopped on me was in 2006. I contacted Toyota and they acted as if I was out of my mind. I paid , the $1400 to the dealer for a new ecm. 2 weeks later the car stopped again. The said it was my fault. 6 weeks after that , ( still in 2006) Toyota sent a service letter describing the exact problem I'd paid for but I got no refund. A month later , yup you guessed it. I paid again and everything was ok at best until January 2009 when it stopped yet again. I can't afford to keep spending money like this for a problem that is entirely Toyotas fault and of which they are aware. Please protect the american people.

My 2001 Toyota rav-4 began having gear shift problems about January 10, 2010. It bumped, lurched, burped going into 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears. I took it to my regular service dealer and they checked it over, they drained and replaced the fluid, pan gasket & filter. While driving it home it began the gear problem again. I then took it to a recommended transmission shop. They reconditioned the transmission. It was ok for a few days; took it back; more work done as part of transmission warranty. Still not fixed. Big problems shifting into second and third gears most of the time.

I have an automatic 2001 Rav4. While driving we noticed the hard shifting into different gears. Then it started to lurch and stall. It happened sporadically. Then within a week's time every instance you drove it this happened. It took two times before my mechanic saw that it needed a new transmission, and a new computer that talks to the transmission(ecm engine control module) which they installed.

Beginning in Jan. 2010 the transmission in my 2001 Toyota Rav4 suddenly began shifting erratically. Just after entering I-35 it downshifted from overdrive to I'm guessing second gear. This sudden deceleration nearly got me rear ended by a semi truck. It also destroyed the transmission. I am advised that the transmission and the ecm that caused it must now be replaced, @ a cost of $4200. The car is currently inoperable as the transmission shifting is so erratic you don't know if it will go into gear and if it does, what gear and it shifts so erratically it's like riding a bucking horse. Just getting it the three miles to the shop was taking my life in my hands. This problem is going to get someone killed, if it hasn't already. Being of limited means, I have not repaired the car yet.

2001 Toyota rav 4 with faulty ecm causing jerky and unresponsive shifting, leading to dangerous highway situations when vehicle is not responsive and forward motion is unsure necessitating pulling over onto the shoulder. Toyota response is replacing the ecm for $1135 and possibly replacing transmission for $4032. This is the same complaint as many other Rav4 owners. Please investigate this situation. Pauline olson salinas, CA.

Experiencing transmission problems (jerking & slipping) with my 2001 Toyota Rav4. Took it the northway Toyota dealership in latham, NY. Was told that ecm needs to be replaced ($1300) and potentially a transmission ($3400). Taxes and labor are to be added. Googled dct (error code) p0755 obtained during the checkup and found Toyota's technical service bulletin tc002-06 from March 3rd, 2006 describing this problem and indicating the need to replace ecm. This repair would have been covered under Toyota federal emissions warranty (96 months or 80,000 miles). Why Toyota did not contacted me to let me know about this problem in almost 4 years making me to pay almost $5000 for their mistake?.

During a trip to the los angeles area from our home in fremont, CA. Our 2001 Toyota Rav4 refused to enter 1st gear, then would slam into gear suddenly, causing a bucking effect. After about 2 hours and some attempts at adding trans fluid it started running ok. Two days later on the freeway home it suddenly started in again, leaving us with no power to drive on the road to get out of the way of traffic until it slammed into gear again. We made it back home by remaining on the freeway and not stopping as much as possible. I took the car to my mechanic who informed me that the transmission was ruined and needed replacing. He showed me the chipped-up gears on the unit. After repairing the transmission I drove it for a day and a half and the slipping and bucking started in again. I immediately returned it to the shop and they spent a lot of time checking it because it was working just fine for them. Computer diagnostic came out normal. I told them to keep it and drive it for a day. Sure enough it went bad after about 5 hours. After having the actuators replaced they returned the car to me. It lasted 1 day. At that time I checked online and discovered the problems with the ecm. I printed it and gave it to my mechanic. They replaced the ecm with a new one ($1200) since no rebuilder would re-program the old one because of the recurring problems with it. The car now runs fine but only after about $4000 because of a faulty ecm that no one seems to want to admit is the real problem.