Transmission Not Go Into Gear Problems of Toyota RAV4

At this time there at least 24 complaint about a "lurching" problem at low speed and re acceleration. A very significant "lurching" almost"stalling" is very apparent as the complaints indicate. In addition, the transmission starts in 4th gear. . . Not 1st gear from a dead stop. I would consider this a safety issue. Has been an issue from day 1 of car purchase. Vehicle now has 5600 miles on it.

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A very significant "lurching" almost"stalling" is very apparent as the complaints indicate. In addition, the transmission starts in 4th gear. . . Not 1st gear from a dead stop. I would consider this a safety issue. Has been an issue from day 1 of car purchase. Vehicle now has 22,000 miles on it.

I purchased my Rav4 brand new mid/late year 2018. In December at app. 10000 miles I started having issues with the gears. Shifting from park to any gear I would hear a loud banging type noise and the entire car would jerk. Along with that issues I have noticed a delayed acceleration at green lights sometimes to the point where I get a traction control light once it has kicked in or even jerking while finding the correct gear to be in. Once I have accelerated and let off the gas, and then returned to the acceleration pedal after braking or just momentarily resting my ankle with the car at speed, the car will "fish for gears" like it cannot decide which gear the car should be in. When going downhill and letting off the gas it will downshift, causing the car to jerk. All these issues happen often but completely at random. I have taken it to the dealer and brought it up multiple times during oil changes and tire rotation, but they say that cannot duplicate it or that it is just how the car works.

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My 2003 rav 4 starting shifting gears erratically, starting in 3rd intead of 1st gear, very sluggish to get moving after stopping. Toyota issued a warning regarding a faulty ecm in this model and extended the warranty to 10 years/150000miles. Unfortuantetly my car is 13 years old and 95,000 miles and Toyota would not fix. On the way to the dealership to have this fixed my car was turning left into 2 lanes of traffic and stalled and would not go into gear, a car nearly t-boned me but he was able to swerve into another lane. I could have been killed because of this problem. Toyota needs to take responsibility for this issue and correct all cars on the road today.

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I was making a left hand turn on side street and I heard a loud thump (almost like I went over something) my car stopped going forward or backwards. I could not use the gears. I had no warning. The car just stopped moving in the middle of the street. This is a major safety complaint. I dont know if Toyota did not service the car correctly. I am not told the price will be anywhere between 2,500-4,500 car was towed and I was told it needs a new transmission. I have taken care of the car and serviced it mostly at the Toyota dealer.

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Tl-the contact owns a 2001 Toyota rav-4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle failed to shift gears without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it diagnosed that the ecm computer module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 147,295. Ss.

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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.

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While driving on highway at 55mph,my new 2013 Toyota Rav4 limited suddenly slowed down and would not shift into gear properly when I accelerated. I pulled off the road ASAP and had vehicle towed to dealership. They have diagnosed transmission failure. There is less than 600 miles on the odometer.

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While driving from maryland to maine for a vacation, I noticed my transmission was slipping and grinding gears frequently in the range of 20-35 mph. I noticed it happening more frequently during slowdown for making a turn and then acceleration to resume driving. I did not have any accidents, but this has been happening more frequently. I had previously reported the problem, when it happened less frequently, to my dealership (darcars of frederick) and they told me that 1)they could not duplicate the sound during their test run and 2) if such a thing had happened, my ecu would have made a note of it and recorded it. Since there was no record of it happening, it was nothing. However, upon reading several complaints about the Rav4 02-03 models, regarding transmission problems, I find that their issues of hanging before slipping into gear, grinding gear and not finding the gear at all are the same ones I have been experiencing in my '06 Rav4. Could it be that my ecu is bad? yes, but my dealer won't acknowledge that possibility. They check my floor mats, but not the ecu for faulty issues. This is my primary vehicle and I transport my daughter in it all of the time. I am worried one day I am going to be driving and get into a serious accident because of this issue. I have all of my maintenance records and recently had the transmission flushed and filled completely. I used oem fluid and am on schedule with all of my maintenance.

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When attempting to accelerate from a stop, the car stalls. Automatic transmission does not hold on to a gear and when a gear is finally engaged, the car jerks violently forward. This is extremely frightening; I thought I was going to be hit because I stall in dangerous situations. Trying to enter a fast paced road is highly risking the chance of being read ended, and at times I would attempt to accelerate from a stop light only to crawl into the intersection and sit in horror. Sometimes higher gear would judder the car. Apparently Toyota knows the ecm is faulty and damages the transmission, but the actions they took on this matter were too late and barely caring. I was not notified of the danger. I had to come into the dealership to learn and by then my car is already out of warranty and my car is in no working order. No proper steps were taken to warn drivers of this hazard. The warranty they provide is incapable and restrictive of addressing the faulty ecm that will inevitably put unwary drivers in danger. I am still trying to learn more about this matter but Toyota representatives insist I pay out of pocket for a defect that would have been solved by a recall years ago.

The contact owns a 2001 Toyota rav 4. The contact stated that the vehicle would not shift gears while driving. Once she was able to get the vehicle to shift, the vehicle began jerking abnormally. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where the failure was diagnosed as an electrical failure within the computer. The manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 158,000.

I bought a used Toyota Rav4 in 2007. Last week my ecm (transmission) computer malfunctioned. I got the car fixed by my Toyota dealer, but found out that this is the 3rd ecm computer replaced. My car did not accelerate. It would not move. And if the shift is bumped the shifter will move to another rgear. I am scared to drive it now. What if it completely stalls. I could see one computer but 3!!! I will not buy Toyota again. After finding articles on this on the internet-seems like Toyota still has not figured out how to fix it. And now the question remains-how good is my transmission at this point?.

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Rav4. While entering a busy highway at speeds of less than 5 mph, the vehicle would not accelerate. The vehicle would not shift gears and within moments, the failure seemed to correct itself but became progressively worse as he continued to drive. The manufacturer advised the contact that there was a technical service bulletin that addressed the failure and would not provide any further assistance (NHTSA item number 10019667). The dealer had not yet been contacted nor had the vehicle been repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure and current mileages were 91,000.

While trying to merge on an interstate, the Rav4 would not shift gears and would hang for a moment. Emergency maneuvers had to be made to avoid getting rammed by a semi-truck. After pulling over and checking the car, although there was now a cel, it did not seem like anything was wrong until I shifted from park to drive. The transmission made a clunking noise. Driving home, the car would not shift properly. Without a properly shifting car, I had to get the vehicle towed to a shop. That is when my mechanic pulled up TSB number: tc002-06 from Toyota which states the exact problem that I have. I have never received this TSB or any other notices from Toyota about this problem. Even though my 2002 Rav4 is under the "age limit" for the warranty, I am over the mileage limit which means that Toyota has denied my claim. It currently sits unfixed until I can come up with the money to get it repaired according to the TSB.

The contact owns a 2001 Toyota rav-4. The contact was driving 10 mph when he discovered that the vehicle would not shift into gear. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where they suggested that the transmission computer would need replacing. The vehicle was repaired yet the failure persisted. The contact was advised by an authorized dealer that the entire transmission would need replacing. The dealer reprogrammed the ecm in 2007 but that did not remedy the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer should be liable for the vehicle failure. The failure mileage was 180,000. Updated 12/21/bf updated 12/29/10.

I purchased my Toyota rav 4 2003 on October 2007 with about 58,000 miles. About 3 weeks ago my car started jerking while changing gears. I had my car parked and when I wanted to move it was making a weird noise and making a jump. At red lights or stop signs car would not move if I press the gas. Noise began to be louder and when driving in highway it was not changing gears. Car would not move at times even if it was on driving. Problems became more severe. I took it to service and was informed that I need a new computer transmission and the cost will be around $1400+tax+part and labor. I had bought an extended warranty that is not covering any costs at all. I had never had a problem with the car for the past 3 years.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota rav 4. The contact was driving approximately 25 mph when the accelerator pedal was engaged without a power response. The vehicle began to accelerate normally after a few moments; however, when the gear was shifted into another gear position the vehicle surged forward. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic which stated that the transmission required replacement. The contact had concern of the safety issue. The failure mileage was 132,000.

We have a 2002 Toyota Rav4 . The transmission started acting up due to the ecm valve not allowing gears to change . Slipping gears & no power at take off from stops. It has 103000 miles on it. We bought this car used at a Toyota dealership in 2004. We have not repaired it yet. It is to costly and the car isn't paid off yet. Something needs to be done. Car has been parked we are afraid to let our daughter drive it.

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Rav4. While at a stop sign, upon accelerating the rpm's increased rapidly; yet, the vehicle did not move. The contact noticed that the vehicle was not accelerating up to its normal speed which forced the contact to drive the vehicle to his residence between 15 and 20 mph. The contact wanted a local mechanic to drain the transmission fluid to confirm if the fluid was the cause of the transmission not shifting gears. Removing the transmission fluid did not remedy the failure. The mechanic informed the contact that the transmission was defective. The contact has not had the vehicle repaired at this time; therefore, she was unable to drive the vehicle. The failure mileage was 90,000.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Rav4. She noticed that when she stopped the gear will fail it will stay in drive. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the diagnosis indicated that the failure was caused by the electronic control unit. The dealer replaced the ecu and the failure was corrected. The failure mileage was 102,000 and the current mileage was 104,236. Updated 03/30/10. The consumer stated when she made a stop, the vehicle would not go into gear and the engine revved, then slipped into gear and lurched forward. The consumer was told it was a computer problem and sending faulty signals to the transmission. The consumer stated there have been no other problems since. Updated 07/15/jb.

Car jerks; hesitates; does not go into gear properly; revs loudly but starts like it's being moved off in third gear. Told it's the computer that is bad but if it does not get fixed after replacement of the computer, it could be the transmission. I am ordering a replacement computer but cannot afford to do it via the dealer because the initial cost is $1300. Problem is similar to many listed on various websites - spoke to Toyota 800-number: they can only take the complaint and give a reference number but nobody will contact me. No suggestion of a recall despite hundreds of complaints about cars with exact problems. I'm frustrated because there is no consideration of a discount being offered, knowing that so many cars have had this exact problem. I feel the cars should be recalled and Toyota should offer a good-faith discount, even if it's not the full amount being refunded because cars are over the 80,000 mile threshold, for such safety concerns as this.

Toyota rav 4 design defect complaint: 1. Front passenger may accidentally shift the gear stick causes it to move to neutral position, such result in the car lose of power. If a passenger accidentally push the stick and cause it to reverse position, the car get go out of control and spin into accident. 2. The accidentally shifting happened once for me in the first 3 month I own the car. 3. Educate passenger not to touch the gear stick.

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2001 Toyota Rav4. While driving on the interstate vehicle suddenly lurched and jerked, coasted then lurched again, suddenly losing speed, then stalled. Engine revved and transmission kept jerking, would not engage fully. Traffic was heavy and was nearly run over by truck. Extremely dangerous! managed to pull over to shoulder. Eventually, managed to drive home at reduced speed on back roads. Dealer replaced computer chip, $1,000 bill. Toyota notified dealers in 2006 of faulty chip, not me. Now, 12-11-09, transmission will not go into gear at all. Began hesitating in traffic, as if cutting out.

I took my 2002 Rav4 in for the recall two months later I have spent $380. 00 at elmhurst Toyota for flushing the transmission and cleaning the fuel injection system. $2,700 for a rebuilt transmission and I am still experiencing the same problem. Car will not shift and gears. I call the Toyota customer service and spoke to them about the issue and all I received was an apology. I agree with all of you Toyota should upgrade this recall from placing a bandage on the festering ecm problem and just replace the ecm. This problem happen 60 days to the date after taking my Rav4 in for the check engine light recall . Mary a. Brown chicago, IL.

Car not shifting into gear (slipping) and then banging and jerking into gear at first told by the dealer that I needed a new transmission. Later after I saw the technical service bulletin and with many calls to Toyota corporate they performed further test and determined that it was the ecm they are replacing it but only paying for half of the cost current mileage 89,000 they are saying it is out of warranty by 9,000 miles even though it was reprogrammed last year (April 07) at 72,000 miles I have noticed many complaints on the 2002 rav 4 and truly believe they should be forced to do a recall and pay the total amount.

Transmission problems (shifting) with my 2002 Toyota rav-4, although it has auto transmission it wont go into gear after a stop and I have safety concerns since I drive mostly on the freeway and for long distances and traffic is always and issue to and from work.

Transmission has gone up. No excessively hard driving in the past. Apparently transaxle shift not shifting into gear.

: the vehicle had an acceleration lag issue causing the transmission to not switch gears in a timely manner. The service dealer could not duplicate the problem.

On February 19, 2004, I took my 2002 Toyota Rav4 to the dealership for a problem that involved the vehicle unexpectedly surging forward. And failing to shift gears. I was told that the speed sensor was replaced and the vehicle was released to me. The problem continued that day and I returned the vehicle to the dealership on February 20, 2004. I was told that a part had to be ordered and that they would call me when the part was in. I was told that in the meantime, the vehicle was safe to drive. On February 23, 2004, my husband drove the vehicle and was stopped at an intersection when the vehicle surged forward into the intersection. We immediately phoned Toyota, telling them that vehicle was not safe to drive and requested that they tow the vehicle to the dealership. The vehicle was towed and has been at the dealership since February 23, 2004. Principle complaint: my vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly surges or accelerates and fails to shift gears.

I purchased my Toyota Rav4 in August, 2002. Eleven months later while driving by the state capital I was going to make a left hand turn and when I did, I almost hit three parked cars because the main drive belt had broken. This drive belt controls about everything to do with steering, air conditioning and etc. I had to have my car towed back to the dealership where I had purchased the vehicle. I had to pay for the labor and new belt because I was told by the dealership that my warranty did not cover this. Then I started having problems with the Rav4 transmission. It started to make a growling sounds and would not shift gears correctly. Some times I had to completely stop, because the transmission was not working. This almost caused other cars to hit me or me to hit other cars. I made several attempts to get the dealership to fix my transmission and they would not. I called Toyota motors corp. Usa and tried to explain my problems with the Toyota people. They totally blowed me off and they have done nothing to fix my transmission problems. I quit driving the Rav4 for three years because it was untrustworthy and Toyota would not fix the transmission. My brother-in-law said that he could probably find a used transmission from a vehicle parts place and that he would install it for me at no charge. I ended up paying $1200. 00 for a used transmission that was from a wrecked 2005 Toyota Rav4. After the transission was put in I have had no problem with the used transmission. I understand that there is a lawsuit against Toyota over transmission problems in their 2001, 2002 and 2003 Rav4 SUV's. I feel that Toyota should reimburse me for the out of pocket expenses that I have incurred.

I purchased the 2002 Toyota Rav4 new from the dealership. One day while I was on my way to work I almost wrecked because the drive belt got hung up on something and it chewed up my drive belt. Also, I started noticing every time that I wanted to speed up my Rav4 would hesitate and not go in gear. If it did go in gear it made a noise like a grinding type of noise. I called the Toyota dealership and they did nothing. I called the Toyota motor USA and told them about my problem and I was told that Toyota does not manufacture any defective vehicles and they refused to do anything. The I read where there had been a recall on all 2001, 2002 and 2003 Rav4 Toyota vehicles because of faulty transmissions. I then sent a letter to Toyota motor corporation USA and again they refused to do anything. The Rav4 has been parked in my garage and it has only 35,000 miles on it and everyone in my family is afraid to drive it. I thought that when a car manufacturer has a recall that the manufacturer has a responsibility to fix the defect. In my case Toyota has refused to do anything. Can you agency ask Toyota why they have never offered to do anything for a legitimate recall which involes the problems that I am having. Thank you.

When I was driving down the highway, my friend (who was sitting in the passenger seat and likes to sit with his knees up) accidentally bumped the gear shift into neutral. I was in the passing lane on a busy highway and found that all of the sudden I had no power to the wheels. It was very frightening. I pulled over as soon as I could. I feared that if I put the gear shifter back into drive, the car would drastically lurch (faster or slower). After this happened, I noticed that the gear shift is actually located closer to the passenger side than the driver side and easily bumped into neutral. I called a local Toyota dealer and asked that they fix the problem. I was told that all cars are designed to be able to switch into neutral should you be sliding on a slippery road. And that they therefore could and would do nothing about this problem. I have read only great things about Toyotas but after this experience, I plan to sell this car and never get another Toyota. This, I think, is a very, very serious safety design flaw. People with kids in the passenger seat must have this happen to them all the time. I think these cars should be recalled. No automatic gear shift should be easily accidently tapped into neutral while driving on the highway.

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