2001 Toyota RAV4

I OWN A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING FUNNY THIS MORNING. IN REVERSE IT STARTED JERKING. I ALSO NOTICED SOME HESITATION IN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS. I DECIDED TO LEAVE THE CAR AT HOME AND TOOK A RIDE TO WORK. MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO SCHOOL TO PICK UP THE KIDS AND IT WAS DRIVING FINE. WHEN SHE PICKED UP THE KIDS FROM SCHOOL AND SHE GOT ON THE FREEWAY ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED JERKING MY WIFE ALMOST GOT HIT BY A SUV. SHE MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE CAR OFF. WHEN SHE TURNED IT BACK ON AFTER 2 MINUTES AND STARTED DRIVING IT WAS FINE. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND COME TO FIND OUT THIS IS BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK. I JUST LIKE TO KNOW HOW COME SOME ONE NEVER TOOK ANY ACTION INCLUDING TOYOTA. WHEN I CALLED THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER THEY ADVISE ME TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED AND THE ECU NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE APPARENTLY THERE HAS BEEN 14 CARS IN THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHICH HAD THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

2001 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN RAPIDLY IN TRAFFIC CAUSING SERIOUS HEALTH RISKS TO ALL PERSONS NEARBY. TOYOTA ISSUED A BULLETIN TO ALL SERVICE INSTRUCTING THEM TO REPLACE THE TCM TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM FROM TAKING PLACE. TOYOTA DOES NOT WARN THEIR CUSTOMERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND SIMPLY WAITS FOR THE PROBLEM TO HAPPEN AND BY THEN THE TCM CAUSES DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF CONSUMERS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEMS AND TOYOTA WILL NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLES UNDER WARRANTY. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A COMPANY LIKE TOYOTA WOULD OPERATE THIS WAY AFTER BUILDING A REPUTATION OF BEING A QUALITY AUTO MAKER. I HAVE BEEN QUOTED A DISCOUNTED RATE OF $ 3500.00 TO REPAIR MY CAR BY THE DEALERSHIP. THIS IS ROBBERY. *TR

MY 2001 RAV4 HAD BEEN EXHIBITING A HARSH SHIFT WHEN PUT IN REVERSE,VERY POOR ACCELERATION FROM A STOPPED POSITION,LOSS OF POWER,UNUSUAL SOUNDS AND FINALLY A P0758 TROUBLE CODE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO STONECREST TOYOTA 3 TIMES AND WAS TOLD ON 9/28/09 THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE SOLVED. BEFORE TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, I'VE HAD A TUNE UP,OIL CHANGE,A NEW BATTERY AND A COMPUTERIZED ENGINE DIAGNOSIS. THE PROBLEMS OCCUR QUITE OFTEN AND IN HEAVY TRAFFIC POSES AN INJURY RISK AS THEY ARE UNPREDICTABLE,CANNOT BE CONTROLLED AND OTHER MOTORISTS ARE UNAWARE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM VEHICLE BESIDE,IN BACK OF OR IN FRONT OF THEM. SINCE THE REQUIRED REPAIRS ARE SO EXPENSIVE, I HAVE STOPPED DRIVING THIS VEHICLE UNTIL I CAN HAVE IT FIXED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT TYPICAL CITY SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION MADE A LOUD CLANKING SOUND AND THE CAR STATED STUTTERING INTERMITTENTLY. OFTEN WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP, THE CAR HAD TROUBLE FINDING A GEAR AND DID NOT MOVE FORWARD. WHILE DRIVING, SOMETIMES THERE WAS LITTLE OR NO ACCELERATION. THIS CAUSED A PROBLEM FOR DRIVERS BEHIND ME. THE FIX WAS A NEW ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM). FORTUNATELY, THE MECHANIC KNEW ABOUT TOYOTA'S TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON THIS MATTER. *TR

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. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 UTILITY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE WOULD DOWN SHIFT. AS A CONSEQUENCE HIS RISK FOR VEHICLE CRASH WAS INCREASED. HE HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO MULTIPLE DEALERS, IN WHICH THE TECHNICIAN HAVE REPROGRAMMED THE ECU, REPLACED THE COMPUTER MODULE AND TRANSMISSION. NONE OF THE REPAIRS HAVE REMEDIED THE FAILURE. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ONLY OFFERED A $300.00 DISCOUNT TOWARD FUTURE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,473. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,426. BL