Transmission Failure Problems of Toyota RAV4 - part 2

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at 5 mph, the vehicle began to hesitate and the transmission failed. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership to have the transmission replaced. While returning to pick up the vehicle from the dealership, the dealer stated that the computer that controlled the transmission also needed to be replaced; the computer was also replaced by the dealer. The contact did not feel that the transmission should have to be replaced after seven years. The failure mileage was 116,911.

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Computer failed that led to transmission to fail. After fixing it still glitcheseses. It is ok one day and glitches another very unpredictable and transmission mechanic can not figure out the problem. Computer was put in new and transmission was rebuilt cost about $ 4000. It is hard to effort this during these economic hardships. Not to mention all this happened only on 88000 kms.

Toyota 2001 Rav4: check engine light has been on since at least August, 2004 (documented). Toyota claimed to fix per a recall notice. From February 2002 to date, there has been intermittent groaning beneath car, whining in first gear, and what felt like clunking. Could not pass smog tests because of check engine light code. In October, 2009, car died. Could not restart, had to wait for tow (midnight on a dark road). Had work done in oct, 2009, and I requested the parts. They replaced my coils, plugs and air filter for $1,330. I have had brakes replaced , fluids changed, O2 sensors replaced ( since then, the car is mis-shifting, clunking or groaning, rough engine. On 3/25/2010, I took it in and Toyota service recommended that I "let it go" and buy another car. They told me to just come and get the car without any work done, because it would cost me between $6,000-$7,000 for repairs. I was never told that I had ecm and transmission problems throughout all of these visits to Toyota service. I believe that Toyota "waited me out" so that they could just sell me another car instead of revealing the true cause of my problems. The ecm and transmission for this car is no longer available as a new item, so I would have to get a rebuilt transmission, which the defective ecm would end up destroying. I am afraid to drive the car because of the possibility that the transmission will fail.

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My 2002 Toyota Rav4 had tc002-06 performed on it in January 2007. The recall was to address issues with the ecm and transmission shifting issues. My vehicle is out of warranty and has 85,000. I contacted Toyota and they informed me that a logic update was performed to resolve this issue. From what I have read online, the ecm should have been replaced and not updated. I also found that the ecm carries an 80,000 mile warranty. The problem I am having is now the transmission has failed and I was informed that the problem was due to the ecm not being replaced. All major service work on this vehicle has been performed at a Toyota dealership. The independent service agent has informed me that the transmission needs to be rebuilt and the ecm replaced at a total cost of over $4200. I contacted a Toyota dealership and a rough estiamte for this repair is $5000-$6000. When I contacted Toyota and asked about this TSB, they informed me that it is simply a manual addendum and nothing else. They refuse to help with this issue at all. It is serious because the vehicle begin to fail and would not accerlerate when I was trying to drive onto a major road from being stopped at a red light. I have researched this issue on the internet and I have found that many people have had this same issue around the same mileage with this model year vehicle. Please help!.

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The automatic transmission in my 2002 Toyota rav 4 failed suddenly and unexpectedly. Engine power was lost as the vehicle's shifting became erratic; starting from stop in 3rd gear, then downshifting to second. Merging with traffic difficult and dangerous at best. I took the car to a transmission shop. They diagnosed that the ecm caused the transmission to fail. Their estimate to replace the computer and repair the transmission was over $4000. I have since found numerous similar complaints online from other Toyota rav owners. And I found that Toyota knew about this design flaw over 7 years ago, which I believe is a safety issue as well as a major consumer product issue. Now out of warranty (97k miles) the costs to repair my car are almost equal to its value. I don't know at this date if I will fix it as loan payments remain. Considering the number of similar complaints over Toyota rav 4 transmission failures I wholeheartedly request your agency review this situation closely. I don't know where else to go for help.

Computer failure on my 2002 Toyota Rav4. Transmission failure.

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Toyota Rav4 with only 80,000 miles, the transmission has failed. There are thousands of complaints and here is yet another. Totally ridiculous that Toyota won't stand behind this known issue. All I can say is where do I sign on the lawsuit? quoted over 3,000 to replace and that's not going to happen. I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say, there is something that needs to be done now. Car would not accelerate in the middle of an intersection causing a major safety hazard.

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.

Transmission failure/ecm failure on 2002 Toyota rav 4, almost causing me to be in an accident. I had to spend over $4700 to have the transmission rebuilt and a new controller installed. Toyota dealer told me they were not aware of any problems with the ecm causing transmission damage. Then I research it on the internet to find multiple complaints. Toyota should have warned owners of the problem and allow owners to change the ecm before ruining the transmission and almost having an accident.

I have 2001 Toyota Rav4. I brought this vehicle in 2001 at molle Toyota, kansas city, mo 64114. I am the first owner of this vehicle. Transmission suddenly failed while driving this vehicle, and it is snowing on that day. Luckily there are no vehicles behind my SUV. This vehicle only has 61000 miles. This is the first time I had any problem on this vehicle and it's a big one. I use this vehicle daily to drop my kid at school. I am filing this complaint as a safety concern. Reported this problem to Toyota. They told be to file a complaint here as well.

Car was having trouble shifting. It felt like the emergency brake was on. I pulled out into traffic and the car would not shift from 1st to 2nd gear. I had to pull over. I called my mechanic who said it sounded like the transmission and recommended a transmission specialist. The transmission was rebuilt. They also replaced the computer. They told me the computer failure is what caused the transmission failure. The parts listed are the computer, converter, overhaul kit for awd, and transaxle oil filter.

1. Transmission failed despite Toyota dealer having replaced the ecm on the 2001 Rav4. 2. Car not shifting correctly between 1st and 2nd gears with new transmission and replaced (in 2007) ecm. Could be dangerous in certain situations. 3. Toyota replaced the part in 2007, but the problem was not fixed. Have since discovered that they retooled this part 3 times since 2007, which tells me that the new part was just as faulty as the original. Toyota will not replace the part for free because it was replaced once already and the new part only had a 12 month warranty.

I own a 2003 Toyota rav 4, approx. Two months ago the transmission went out on it. As I have learned this is a common problem with 2001-2004 Toyota rav 4's. It seems many of the above noted year rav's have a faulty ecu in them, this ecu tells the transmission to do the wrong thing, therefore causing the transmission to fail. I have been quoted a price to repair my Rav4 it will cost me well over $5,000. 00, really? I cannot believe this is not a recall situation since so many rav 4 owners are suffering from the same situation. I believe the company should take care of its customers, at least they should have warned us about the faulty ecu. I had always loved my Rav4, I am so disappointed in the Toyota corporation.

Transmission failure.

Have a 2002 Toyota Rav4 that had transmission failure in late November/early December 2009. Odometer at 91,304 miles. In traffic, car started bucking (lurching) forward without pressure on the gas pedal. Took car for repair where it needed to have new computer installed and valve body transmission component replaced at cost of approximately $2000.

We have a 2003 Toyota Rav4 that obviously has a defective part and safety issues. We bought this vehicle for our teenage daughter approximately 1 1/2 yrs ago from a dealer and it had 74,000 miles. Thankfully we did get a extended warranty, but not one that will cover this problem. This last November our daughter was driving the car and was stuck going up a hill as the car would not shift into the right gear. She was stranded on the mountain highway until we could come get her. Thankfully she did get off the road, but it scared us to think that this car could of done this if she was at a high speed or couldn't have got off the road in the dark mountain terrain. We had the vehicle towed to a local shop and they concluded that it needed a new transmission. We had only put maybe 10,000 miles on it since purchase. The warranty covered the $4000 replacement cost of a new transmission. After picking up the vehicle it seemed to run ok but still had shifting problems at the speed of 20-30. A harsh jerking. Our daughter was driving the car and again it stopped working in a business district. So back to the shop. Well now we are stumped on what could be wrong. Even had 2 sensors replaced and still the same problem. So we have a Toyota, which we bought for our teenage daughters because of their reputation of being a great vehicle, but now worried what it will do as they are driving it. So the latest is I did some of my own research on this year vehicle. Came across a website called Rav4world. There are pages off complaints on transmission failures for Rav4 2001-2003. I guess Toyota didn't do a recall for a supposedly defective ecm that is the main computer in car and it is leading to transmission failure. Toyota did put out an extended warranty on replacement which is 96months or 80,000 miles. Our car is at 84k. The problem with this is how many people are driving this car and have no idea that this defective ecm is destroying the transmission??? also it is a safety issue!.

I have a 2001 Toyota Rav4 and have a problem with the transmission. The car lost its ability to drive because the ecm for the transmission broke. It cost about 1,000 dollars to fix and the car still doesn't sound or drive like it used to. I am afraid the transmission will fail in bad weather or on a hill and I will hurt people. The mechanic told me that other cars with this ecm problem later do have transmission problems and calls to Toyota are not fruitful. There is approximately 69,000 miles on this car and I am the original owner of this car. The power train should not be a problem to a relatively young car like this it should be under warranty to 100,000 miles not 60,000 miles. This car and the other Toyotas I am reading about should be recalled they are dangerous.

2001 Rav4 transmission just failed today. Read anytimes article about ecm problem. When I called Toyota, I was told that nothing could be done even though they knew that ecm problem would cause transmission to fail. This should have been recalled or at the very least notify owners so that we could have the problem fixed before truly expensive repairs need to be made. This is not the first issue I have had with my car that Toyota failed to notify me of in time to correct.

Toyota rav 4 automatic transmission suddenly failed.

On oct 2009 I had a total transmission failure of my 2007 Toyota rav 4 while driving on the highway the vehicle seized completely . The transmission has been replaced but I continue to having major problems with shifting gears and braking problems .

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There were no events leading up to failure. My transmission on my 2002 Toyota Rav4 started slipping and pulling out of the blue. It had 87,280 miles and had been regularly serviced and inspected. It failed to accelerate at intersections and on take off , making driving very dangerous. I took it in and was told by the repair shop the engine control module was defective and had caused the transmission to fail , leaving me driving with only 3rd gear. It is believed that the Toyota was aware of the defective engine control module. My husband and I had to spend $3715. 30 to repair the transmission and replace the defective ecm. This is a clear and present danger as there is no warning. Failure could happen at any time and any place causing bodily harm to the driver , passengers, and other vehicles and occupants on the road. I feel a recall is needed and reimbursement of all repair costs should be made to victims of this negligence.

The ecm computer on my 2001 Rav4 is failing, causing the transmission to stall during automatic shift change. This occurs each time you start in 1st, moving to second gear and is very dangerous. This lasts several seconds and can repeat in second gear. Traffic behind you can easily run into you and if you are entering a freeway, you can be seriously injured by transmission failing or stalling as a result. Toyota issued a TSB in 2006 to dealers yet did not notify owners. This is a serious safety issue and an immediate recall should be issued to repair this problem. My mechanic and one dealer I talked to indicate that the ecm computer and transmission need to be replaced at an estimated cost of $5000. My mechanic indicated he has seen over 100 vehicles on this at his business alone. This is not an isolated problem. Since my vehicle is over 8 yrs old and 115k mileage, there is no extended warranty. Why did Toyota notify its dealers in March 2006 of the problem and not notify the customers. Why have you not addressed this issue by asking Toyota to issue a recall to correct this very serious issue. If the computer fails completely, the car will more than likely stop in traffic. My mechanic indicates that a new computer must be put in and the transmission must be re built. This started on Friday, sept 18th, about 4pm as I was driving home on the freeway. I had the vehicle immediately checked and this was the determination. I have parked the car since and cannot drive it until repaired. Please advise on this before someone is seriously injured or killed. Thank you.

Transmission started to "roughly" shift. Almost lost power on freeway. This happened suddenly. No warning of transmission failure. Was working perfectly earlier in the day. Drove home in slow lane with hazards on. Afraid engine would shut down on freeway.

Erratic transmission operation, e. G. Severe slipping and improper downshifting which causes rapid deceleration of the vehicle with no warning or indication to following drivers. According to the dealer, the transmission failure resulted from failure of the engine control unit (ecu). This car's ecu was recently reprogrammed by Toyota in accordance with TSB eg010-02. This TSB addresses spurious catalytic converter error codes.

A safety problem occurred on our 2002 Toyota Rav4 when the transmission suddenly stopped engaged the gears correctly. This is a safety issue because when driving in traffic and or trying to turn when oncoming traffic was approaching and not knowing if or when the car would move or engage gears was frightening. This problem occurred overnight. With 47,717 miles on the car, the transmission had to be rebuilt. This problem occurs because Toyota has put a faulty computer into the 2002 Rav4 that makes the parts inside the transmission prematurely fail. Toyota will not pay for the repairs or issue a recall. Perhaps Toyota will when someone is injured or killed? Toyota claims there is not a problem with the computer but Toyota replaced the computer when the car was taken there by the transmission mechanic. Why would Toyota replace the computer if there was no problem? please have Toyota recall this vehicle and have them be responsible for the needed repairs so that the 2002 Toyota Rav4 will be safe to drive! thank you!.

2002 Toyota Rav4 - at approximately 56,000 miles, this vehicle's transmission began erratic behavior, I. E, stalling in traffic, hesitating and unpredictable shifting. Safety was a main concern as the vehicle was stalling during merging with fast-moving traffic. Transmission failure was diagnosed by a technician and a factory rebuilt transmission was installed to correct the failure. The ecm was replaced as well.

Sudden transmission failure in 2002 Toyota Rav4. This is a well known and well documented issue both with the thousands of consumers who have had it happen to and with the Toyota company. Toyota is refusing to be of any assistance whatsoever and this is known to be a $6,000 problem to repair.

Faulty computer. I am the original owner. The computer caused the transmission to engage into wrong gears,resulting in transmission failure. Cost to me of $4,847. 00. I was never notified by Toyota of this problem. Technical bulletin #1046.

There is a known problem with the ecm in 2002 Toyota Rav4s. This control unit causes the transmission to have problems shifting and can also lead to transmission failure. I state that the problem is known because Toyota extended the warranty period for the ecm, but any damage done to the transmission by the malfunction of the ecm is the responsibility of the owner. This issue should be considered for recall because a failing transmission can lead to serious or even deadly problems.

2002 Toyota Rav4 - ecm/transmission failure - at 125,000 miles, driving last week, automatic transmission started bucking. Car slowed without cause in heavy traffic, and I had to pull off road in adverse conditions. Driving to dealer, then driving to transmission shop wrecked transmission. After paying $2700. 00 to get transmission fixed, found out the transmission problem is really a ecm failure problem. Found 1000's of complaints online about this. Called Toyota customer svc. , and Toyota is not recognizing as a recall problem. I am unemployed and this cost is overwhelming, and should be a recall.

Faulty ecu in 2001 Rav4 automatic causes internal transmission failure. Slipping & double-shifting between 2nd & 3rd gear, longer ecu is used the worse the slipping occurs. Resetting ecu fixes problem for several hours and tranny will work perfect, then it starts acting up again.

2001 Toyota Rav4 ecm and transmission replaced in may of 2009. Paid out of pocket. Replacement was a rebuilt transmission installed by dealer (victory Toyota in canton, mi) second transmission failed after 17,000 miles. Paid out of pocket again. No help from dealer or Toyota corporate. Found out that dealer just swapped trans, did not actually rebuild trans. Took it to an independent trans shop. Independent discovered a washer missing that caused third gear to strip (defect in second trans). Trans repaired, but then got a hard downshift into first gear when stopping, check engine light and p0420 p0430 codes. Independent trans shop cleared codes, and told me that if it happened again to have dealer re-flash ecm. Worked ok for about five days, then got the hard downshift into 1st gear again. Took it to dealer. Now they say the charcoal cannister needs to be replaced. I will submit for re-imbursement under extended warranty, but am seeking reimbursement for second transmission which was a direct result of the first ecm and trans failing.

Engine control module and auto transmission failure. Bought rav used July 2007 with 109,230 mi. Check engine light was on (has remained on) but was diagnosed as O2 sensor & rav operated perfectly (live where emissions check not required). May 2009 tranny started alternating between working good, shifting rough, slipping between gears, and not downshifting at slow down or stop. Had mechanic with over 15 yrs experience at Toyota dealership check it (after hours). He was unaware of connection to faulty ecm so we thought trany was bad & he flushed tranny. That reduced frequency of symptoms but did not stop them. We still thought problem was mechanical & tranny rebuild/replace was inevitable & I drove it longer to save up money for repairs. I live on a semi-rural ohio state route with 55mph posted limit & 65mph average speed. I had numerous near misses when the vehicle would not accelerate properly or began to accelerate normally then slipped, hesitated, or refused to shift. My 18yr old son drove the rav in Dec & pulled out of our driveway in front of a semi tractor trailer rig with what would have been safe distance except that the rav decided not to accelerate. The truck was able to pass, but had there been oncoming traffic, it would not have been able to slow enough in time. Intermittent symptoms continued until 12/14/09 when 2nd & 3rd gear burned out & I drove home 20 miles in 1st. Just parts thru Toyota will cost $2000 for rebuilt tranny plus $1000 for ecm. Independent repairmen can fix the ecm for $65. Had I at least known root cause of the symptoms was ecm not tranny (Toyota's known since 2006 or before) I could have saved $4-5k & avoided 7 months of risky driving. I challenge anyone who thinks this is not a safety issue to drive one of these and rely on it when it fails in 65mph traffic. Or we can wait until someone is killed where there is enough evidence to show this problem was the cause of the accident and not poor driver judgment.

Transmission failed on my 2002 Toyota rav 4 fwd autotransmission with less than 52000 miles. No engine lights ever appeared to alert me of problem. First sign was while driving 65mph on interstate 80 heading to erie, PA from youngstown, OH. Car taken in to nearest transmission shop, aamco where it was determined that clutches were completely damaged/burnt and needed to be completely rebuilt at a cost of $3000. Now being told that the ecm needs to be replaced because of voltage problems and gears still missing with rebuilt trans. Replacement ecm covered under Toyota's TSB tc002-06 if under 8 years/80,000 but local Toyota dealership stating that current part number is the replacement part. I contacted my Toyota dealership back home who did a reprogramming recall but did not replace ecm. Reprogramming / recoding / flashing ecm was not the procedure to resolve on above TSB and I believe the dealership back home simply relabeled ecm with new part number since they confirmed that it was not replaced with new ecm. A new ecm would have prevented the transmission failure from happening. Aamco dealership fighting to get me an ecm covered under the tc002-06 TSB. Vehicle has been in shop for almost 3 weeks and no end in sight. Cannot take vehicle back home even with rebuilt trans because it is not roadworthy without ecm and testing. Need to rent vehicle to get myself back home until contacted by aamco regarding resolution.

Toyota rav 4, 2003, failed to shift properly in lower gears leading to near rearenders. Looked on a car complaint site and found numerous people with the same problem. The ecm needs to be reflashed at the service centers to prevent transmission failure. Not listed as a recall but a technical problem. I am now having to have both the ecm replaced and the transmission rebuilt. 125000 miles which is better than most reported. Everyone having trouble with Toyota. Seems to have cropped up in the 2002 models first.