← New search

2002 Toyota RAV4

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most RAV4 years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Toyota RAV4 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 258.5.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

478 reports with mileage · 49 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 376 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 92 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

36 crash reports15 fire reports26 injury reports

What owners actually said

527 reports
Mileage unknown · Apr 9, 2010
Latches/locks/linkages

THE ACTUATOR IN LEFT & RIGHT FRONT DOOR FOR 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 NOT WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10324625

120,000 miles · Apr 8, 2010
Power Train

RAV 4 2002 OWNER. I STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WITH SHIFTING ON MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION RAV 4. WHEN STARTING OUT TO DRIVE, IT DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY. IT FEELS LIKE THE EMERGENCY BREAK IS ON (IT ISN'T) THEN IT "JUMPS" OR SURGES FORWARD. FINALLY, AFTER A WEEK OR TWO OF THIS THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" CAME ON AND THE CAR WILL L NOT …

Read full complaint

RAV 4 2002 OWNER. I STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WITH SHIFTING ON MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION RAV 4. WHEN STARTING OUT TO DRIVE, IT DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY. IT FEELS LIKE THE EMERGENCY BREAK IS ON (IT ISN'T) THEN IT "JUMPS" OR SURGES FORWARD. FINALLY, AFTER A WEEK OR TWO OF THIS THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" CAME ON AND THE CAR WILL L NOT SHIFT THRU ALL THE GEARS. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THOUSANDS OF OTHER OWNERS OF RAV 4'S (2001 THRU 2003, BUT APPARENTLY ESPECIALLY 2002) HAVE DESCRIBED MY EXACT EXPERIENCE. THE PART REQUIRED COSTS $1,000 ( AND THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE LABOR!). THEN, ONCE IT IS PUT IN, YOU GET TO LEARN IF YOUR GEAR BOX HAS BEEN DESTROYED! IF SO, ANOTHER $5,000 TO $7,000 REPAIR! AND TOYOTA KNEW!!!!! THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10324523

103,497 miles · Apr 6, 2010
Power Train

I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WHICH WAS BOUGHT NEW. IT HAS 103K MILES. IN THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL, 2010, AS I PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY TO VISIT A FRIEND, I NOTICED AN ABRUPT OCCURRENCE OF TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE FROM 1ST -2ND GEARS. THERE WAS A FEELING OF DOWNSHIFTING THAT EVENED OFF AT 3RD GEAR. THIS HAPPENED EVERY TIME THE CAR WAS…

Read full complaint

I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WHICH WAS BOUGHT NEW. IT HAS 103K MILES. IN THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL, 2010, AS I PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY TO VISIT A FRIEND, I NOTICED AN ABRUPT OCCURRENCE OF TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE FROM 1ST -2ND GEARS. THERE WAS A FEELING OF DOWNSHIFTING THAT EVENED OFF AT 3RD GEAR. THIS HAPPENED EVERY TIME THE CAR WAS ACCELERATED AFTER A STOP, GOING UP A HILL. THERE WAS A CLUNK SOUND WHEN THE CARE WAS PUT IN REVERSE. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING SINCE THIS CAME ABOUT OVERNIGHT. NO WARNING LIGHTS HAVE EVER COME ON, EVEN NOW. MY BOYFRIEND SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK THE CAR TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR $5100. I AM UNEMPLOYED AND THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD COME UP WITH THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MORE THAN A FEW BLOCKS, TO MY BOYFRIEND'S, AS THE CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE SLIPPAGE. I CAN NOT ACCELERATE FAST ENOUGH AFTER A STOP, AND OTHER CARS COME BOUNDING DOWN ON ME, HONKING AND SWITCHING LANES AT THE LAST MINUTE. I TOOK THE CAR HOME, RESEARCHED THE INTERNET, AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THE NUMBERS OF COMPLAINTS PEOPLE HAVE ON THIS ISSUE. THEN I FIND OUT ABOUT TC002-06, IN WHICH CONSUMERS WERE NOT MADE PRIVY TO. THIS IS DELIBERATE CONSUMER FRAUD, COSTING TRUSTING CONSUMERS TO PAY FOR DEFECTS THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF, BUT REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR CORRECT THEIR DEFECT. THIS SEEMS TO ME, JUST AS ILLEGAL AS INSIDER TRADING, KNOWING SOMETHING, MAKING A PROFIT, AND NOT TELLING HOW THEY KNOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10324130

52,000 miles · Apr 6, 2010
Power Train

2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED WITH 20,000 MILES ON IT IN SEPT. 2006. NOTICED SOMETIMES A SLIPPAGE BUT IT DID NOT OCCUR REGULARLY SO I IGNORED IT. WENT TO GET INSPECTION THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE AND I TOOK IT TO TOY…

Read full complaint

2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED WITH 20,000 MILES ON IT IN SEPT. 2006. NOTICED SOMETIMES A SLIPPAGE BUT IT DID NOT OCCUR REGULARLY SO I IGNORED IT. WENT TO GET INSPECTION THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE AND I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA AND THEY FIXED THE ECM OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT BECAUSE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. NOW THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INOPERABLE SINCE MARCH 2009 BECAUSE I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I AM STILL PAYING $380 A MONTH PLUS INSURANCE ON THIS VEHICLE THAT I CANNOT DRIVE AND I SEE WHERE HUNDREDS OF OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THE VERY SAME COMPLAINT WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THEIR 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4. WHY IS TOYOTA NOT LIABLE FOR THIS DEFECT? I NEED MY VEHICLE FIXED AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO CONTINUE PAYING $500 A MONTH FOR A CAR I CANNOT DRIVE AND DEFINITELY CANNOT HAVE REPAIRED AT A COST OF $5000!!! PLEASE HELP! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10323945

101,000 miles · Apr 3, 2010
Power Train

HAVING ISSUES WITH TOYOTA RAV 4 GEAR SHIFTING TRANSMISSION ISSUE VEHICLE DIAGNOSTICS REPORT INDICATES P0750 FAILURE TOYOTA RELEASE A TSB IN MARCH 06 AND YET MY DEALER DID NOTHING TO REPLACE THE ECM EVEN IN MY SERVICE DONE IN 2008 I AM NOW AT 101K MILES

NHTSA ODI #10323638

67,000 miles · Apr 3, 2010
Power Train

MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 BEGAN SUDDENLY JERKING WHEN I SLOWED DOWN THEN WOULD LAG WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. IT HAD LESS THAN 67,000 MILES ON IT. THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER TOLD ME I WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT THE COST OF $4800. I CALLED TOYOTA NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ASKED FOR AN EXTENTION OF THE WARRANTY,…

Read full complaint

MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 BEGAN SUDDENLY JERKING WHEN I SLOWED DOWN THEN WOULD LAG WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. IT HAD LESS THAN 67,000 MILES ON IT. THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER TOLD ME I WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT THE COST OF $4800. I CALLED TOYOTA NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ASKED FOR AN EXTENTION OF THE WARRANTY, HAVING BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED BY MY WARRANTY ANY LONGER. I GOT ABSOLUTELY NO HELP. I AM ASTOUNDED THAT AT 67,000 MILES THIS WAS NOT COVERED. I HAD TO GET RID OF THE CAR WHEN I DIDN'T WANT TO AND AM ASKING FOR RESTITUTION.

NHTSA ODI #10323569

145,000 miles · Apr 1, 2010
Power Train

IN 2006 MY TRANSMISSION JUST DISINTERGRATED WITH 103000 MILES, HAD IT REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION SHOP SAID THAT THE COMPUTER WAS NOT DOING IT'S JOB THAN COME TO FIND OUT THAT TOYOTA HAD A TSB ON IT AND NEVER NOTIFIED ANYONE. NOW ABOUT IN MARCH OF 2009 AT ABOUT 145000 MILES 2ND TO 3RD GEAR STARTED TO SLIP AGAIN. NOW SO THIS IS MY…

Read full complaint

IN 2006 MY TRANSMISSION JUST DISINTERGRATED WITH 103000 MILES, HAD IT REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION SHOP SAID THAT THE COMPUTER WAS NOT DOING IT'S JOB THAN COME TO FIND OUT THAT TOYOTA HAD A TSB ON IT AND NEVER NOTIFIED ANYONE. NOW ABOUT IN MARCH OF 2009 AT ABOUT 145000 MILES 2ND TO 3RD GEAR STARTED TO SLIP AGAIN. NOW SO THIS IS MY SECOND TIME I'M HAVING THIS PROBLEM IT SEEMS I CAN'T GET MORE THAN 100,000. SAD THESE SHOULD LAST LONGER, AT THIS RATE $3500.00 EACH FOUR YEARS, SOMEONE IS MAKING $$$$$. THANKS

NHTSA ODI #10323303

Mileage unknown · Mar 30, 2010
Electrical SystemService Brakes, ElectricVehicle Speed ControlCrash

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAVE 4, I HAVE EVEN COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. I COMPLAINED ABOUT IT SPEEDING OUT OF CONTROL WHEN I USED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND IT STILL DOES AND I CAN REPRODUCE IT EVERY TIME ON THE SAME ROAD. I ALSO HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT STEPING ON THE BREAKES AND THE CAR NOT WANTING TO STOP. …

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAVE 4, I HAVE EVEN COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. I COMPLAINED ABOUT IT SPEEDING OUT OF CONTROL WHEN I USED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND IT STILL DOES AND I CAN REPRODUCE IT EVERY TIME ON THE SAME ROAD. I ALSO HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT STEPING ON THE BREAKES AND THE CAR NOT WANTING TO STOP. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME "IT WAS IN MY HEAD, AND THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT." I WAS ACTUALLY IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON MY WAY INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM CHECK THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. I REPORTED IT SEVERAL TIMES TO THEM AN I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE 2005.

NHTSA ODI #10322909

73,747 miles · Mar 29, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. ON MARCH 14, 2010, THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20-25 MPH WHEN SHE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO REV. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. SHE NOTICED THE PROBLEM STARTED TO OCCUR ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS FOLLOWING THE INITIAL FAILURE.…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. ON MARCH 14, 2010, THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20-25 MPH WHEN SHE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO REV. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. SHE NOTICED THE PROBLEM STARTED TO OCCUR ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS FOLLOWING THE INITIAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THAT TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,747. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 73,800.

NHTSA ODI #10322706

77,000 miles · Mar 26, 2010
Power Train

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH ONLY 77,000 MILES. IT WAS MONDAY LAST WEEK (MARCH 15) WHEN I NOTICED MY CAR KIND OF LOST IT'S ACCELERATING POWER WHEN I CRUISED UP THE CORONADO BRIDGE (SAN DIEGO, CA) BUT IT WAS WEDNESDAY THAT SAME WEEK WHEN I EXPERIENCED THIS SLIPPING/ JERKING/ HARSH SHIFTING MOVEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION WHILE ACC…

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH ONLY 77,000 MILES. IT WAS MONDAY LAST WEEK (MARCH 15) WHEN I NOTICED MY CAR KIND OF LOST IT'S ACCELERATING POWER WHEN I CRUISED UP THE CORONADO BRIDGE (SAN DIEGO, CA) BUT IT WAS WEDNESDAY THAT SAME WEEK WHEN I EXPERIENCED THIS SLIPPING/ JERKING/ HARSH SHIFTING MOVEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION WHILE ACCELERATING EVEN ON A REGULAR HIGHWAY. I THOUGHT AT FIRST IT WAS THE ENGINE BUT TO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK THE CAR TO TOYOTA THAT FRIDAY MORNING WHICH THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER AND MAYBE THE TRANSMISSION BUT FEW DAYS LATER I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS STILL GOOD. (DON'T KNOW HOW TRUE THAT IS AND HOW THOROUGH THEY'VE CONDUCTED THEIR INSPECTION). WITH THIS INCIDENT AT 77,000 MILES, TOYOTA SHOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE OF THEIR COMPUTER AND TRANSMISSIONS GIVEN THE FACT THAT THEY HAD A TSB RELEASED MARCH 2006 WHICH I JUST FOUND OUT RESEARCHING FOR MY CAR'S POSSIBLE DEFECT. NOW I'M WORRIED THAT SINCE MY TRANSMISSION WAS ALREADY SUBJECTED TO THIS HARSH PROBLEM, IT'LL NO LONGER LAST... AND WITH JUST 6K MILES WARRANTY FOR THE NEW COMPUTER, I'M NOT FINANCIALLY READY TO BUY ANOTHER TRANSMISSION OR YET, ANOTHER CAR. I'VE READ SO MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING COMPUTER PROBLEMS WITH 01-03 RAV4 (WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM) THAT I AM HOPING NHTSA CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING DEMANDING TOYOTA TO EXTEND ITS WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10322420

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Toyota RAV4 problems