2002 Toyota RAV4

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. A FEW SECONDS LATER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE SHIFTED COMPLETELY OUT OF GEAR AND THEN WENT SHIFTED BACK ON ITS OWN. THE FAILURE CONTINUED DURING THE DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE ECM AND IT WAS REPROGRAMMED. THE FAILURE RECURRED THE FOLLOWING DAY WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY RECHECKED THE ECM. THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT THE ECM WAS FAULTY, WHICH CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE WHEN THE CONTACT RETRIEVED IT FROM THE MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE ECM WAS FAULTY AND MADE THE REPLACEMENT. THERE IS A TSB FOR THE ECM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,800 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,059. UPDATED 02-13-08 *BF UPDATED 02/13/08 *TR

REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION, ECM THAT HAVE COST IN EXCESS OF $4000 AND STILL THE CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT SOMEONE WILL SOON BE KILLED FROM THIS PROBLEM. WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC AND THEY SHOULD BE ACCELERATING, THESE CARS STALL. THIS IS MY SECOND REPORT AND NO ONE RESPONDS FROM HERE OR FROM TOYOTA!!! *TR

I STARTED TO HAVE INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH MY TOYOTA 2002 RAV4 TRANSMISSION; CONCERNING HARD SHIFTING AND LOSE OF POWER DURING ACCELERATION. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT I REQUIRE A NEW TRANSMISSION. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET (WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM, WWW.TUNDRASOLUTIONS.COM, & RAV4WORLD.COM) I WAS ABLE TO FIND QUITE A FEW INSTANCES OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THEIR 2002 RAV4. EACH STORY ENDS UP WITH THE INDIVIDUALS PAYING AN AVERAGE OF $4500 TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED THEN HAVING TO GO BACK AND HAVE THE ECU REPLACED ($1000). AFTER ALL WAS SAID AND DONE, THE PROBLEMS STILL EXISTED. AFTER SPEAKING WITH TOYOTA THEY FEEL THERE IS NO ISSUE AND DO NOT PLAN ON INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE TO DETERMINE IF A RECALL IS REQUIRED. I JUST HAD MY TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND THE ISSUE IS STILL THERE. I AM IN THE PROCESS WITH MY LOCAL AMOCO TRANSMISSION CO. TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM CAN OCCUR AT ANYTIME WITHOUT NOTICE DURING ACCELERATION FROM A STOPPED CONDITION OR DURING NORMAL DRIVING CAUSING THE CAR ABRUPTLY SLOW DOWN IN TRAFFIC, WHICH COULD PUT THE DRIVER IN A LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION. *TR

THIS IS MY THIRD TOYOTA. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A TOYOTA THAT SMOKES. I PARK MY TOYOTA RAV 4 FOR A WHILE, AND CRANK IT UP IT AND SMOKE COMES OUT OF THE EXHAUST. THIS PROBLEM STARTED WITH ONLY 61, 000 MILES. I AM TOTALLY DISSATISFIED WITH THIS TOYOTA, AND DISGRUNTLED WITH THE POOR QUALITY OF MANUFACTURING OF TOYOTA'S VEHICLES. UNFORTUNATELY THIS WILL POSSIBLY BE MY LAST. *TR

OIL WAS CHANGED REGULARLY ON THE CAR. OIL AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM AND STATED THERE WAS PLENTY OF OIL IN THE CAR. DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY. THE ENGINE, THEN OIL LIGHTS CAME ON, AS I PULLED OVER THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE, AND EVERY THING FROZE. I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED (FOR $6000). *NM

NOVEMBER 17, 2006 - AFTER BEING PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE RAV4 ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND ENTIRE INTERIOR WAS DEMOLISHED, TIRES EXPLODED, GLASS EXPLODED OVER AT LEAST A 20 FOOT RADIUS. TWO ENGINE TRUCKS AND 10 RESPONDERS LATER THE FIRE WAS OUT. 63,000 MILES, NO PRIOR PROBLEMS, 50K MAINTENANCE COMPLETED BY DEALER JAN 2006. VIN HAS ZEROS AND LETTER O WHICH ARE INDISTINGUISHABLE. TRY BOTH. *JB