2003 Toyota RAV4

VEHICLE DRIVEN BY ELDERLY WIDOWED MOTHER (JOSEPHINE BEASLEY, AGE 70) NO MORE THAN 6,200 MILES PER YEAR AND BEGAN EXPERIENCING HARSH SHIFT IN TRANSMISSION IN MARCH 2014. AAMCO INFORMED US THAT A MALFUNCTIONING ELECTRONIC COMPUTER MODULE (ECM) CAUSED THE DAMAGE TO TRANSMISSION. AAMCO TECHNICIAN NOTIFIED US THAT THE ECM REPAIR CLAIMS ARE COVERED UNDER A TOYOTA SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT (WWW.RAV4ECMSETTLEMENT.COM). REPAIR COST FOR TRANSMISSION $2,890 AND ECM PART $1,227.91 PAID FOR OUT OF POCKET. THE RAV4 WAS PURCHASED FROM CARMAX ON APRIL 18, 2009; ELDERLY MOTHER DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS OR UNDERSTANDING OF INTERNET. SHE DID NOT REALIZE THAT SHE HAD TO REGISTER THE VEHICLE WITH TOYOTA IN ORDER TO RECEIVE RECALL NOTICES OR ANY OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION PERTAINING TO HER VEHICLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY REFUSED TO REIMBURSE THE COST OF REPAIR AS THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED THE 10 YEAR IN SERVICE WARRANTY PERIOD EVEN THOUGH IT IS WITHIN 150,000 MILES LIMIT. WHEN SHE DROVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE CARMAX LOT IT HAD 44,213 MILES ON ODOMETER AND ON AUGUST 7, 2014, ODOMETER READING IS 75,374. SAD THAT THE ELDERLY ARE BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BECAUSE OF THEIR LACK OF TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE AND THE CAME TO A SUDDEN HALT. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE K-FRAME AND THE CONTROL ARM WAS FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE K-FRAME AND CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

THE VEHICLE WITH 71,000 MILES AND PERFECT SERVICE RECORD HAD A ENGINE FAILURE, WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND BEFORE I HAD TIME TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER TO INSPECT THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING BADLY. I BARELY MADE IT TO THE SHOULDER BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLED. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY CAME OUT WITH THE DIAGNOSE THAT THE "ENGINE THREW A ROD" FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THERE WAS SUFFICIENT ENGINE OIL AND LAST OIL CHANGE WAS DONE 4500 MILES BEFORE. BASICALLY, ENGINE AT THIS POINT IS BEYOND REPAIR AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. BESIDE THE FINANCIAL LOSE, NOW I EXTREMELY CONCERN ABOUT THE SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF THE VEHICLE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE ENGINE OR ANY OTHER PART THAT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE FACT THAT I HAD 10 YEARS OLD BOY IN THE CAR WITH ME WHO THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GOING TO DIE THAT DAY AND CRYING HYSTERICALLY MAKE IT ALL THE MORE BOTHERSOME. WHEN I CALLED TOYOTA HEADQUARTER TO REPORT THE PROBLEM, THEY BASICALLY DISMISSED ME AS ROUTINE PROBLEM AND NOT TOYOTA'S PROBLEM. THEY SEEM DISINTERESTED TO FIND OUT WHY ENGINE WITH SO FEW MILES GOT BUSTED FOR NO REASON AND PERFECT MAINTENANCE RECORD. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE RELIABILITY AND SAFETY OF THE ENGINE IN THE VEHICLE (1AZ-FE). I HOPE GOVT INVESTIGATE THIS CASE AND I AM WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN WHICHEVER WAY I CAN TO MAKE IT SAFE FOR MY FELLOW RIDERS. *TR

MY 2003 RAV4 DEVELOPED A VERY HARSH SHIFT TAKING OFF BETWEEN FIRST AND 2ND GEAR. I TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER (BERGLUND OAK RIDGE TOYOTA> LYNCHBURG, VA) AND THEY CONFIRMED A DIAGNOSED STORED TROUBLE CODE P0755-SHIFT "B" MALFUNCTION. THEY QUOTED ABOUT $4700.00 TO REPLACE THE ECM AND PUT IN A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. NO FINANCIAL HELP FROM THE DEALER, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE AWARE THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR THE 2001-2003 RAV4'S. TOYOTA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY A FEW YEARS AGO TO 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES, WHICH EVER CAME FIRST. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE LESS THAN A YEAR AGO, NOT AWARE THAT THIS WAS A DOCUMENTED AND EXPECTED PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE DEALER SUGGESTED I CONTACT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AT 1-800-331-4331 AND ASK THEM TO CONSIDER COVERING ALL OR PART OF THE COST. THE VEHICLE HAS A VALUE OF $7500.00 PER KBB. I CALLED AND GOT CASE # 1403130959. I SPOKE TO RASHINE . IT TOOK A FEW DAYS BUT THEY GOT BACK TO ME AND SAID BECAUSE IT EXCEEDED THE 10 YEAR WINDOW (2003-2013) THEY WOULD NOT COVER ANY OF THE COSTS. I PLEADED THAT I HAVE WELL UNDER THE 150,000 MILE MARK AND THAT THEY READILY SAY 80% OF ALL TOYOTA'S ARE ON THE ROAD FOR 20 YEARS. THIS HAS ANOTHER 10 YEARS TO GO. THEY KNOW THIS IS AND HAS BEEN A FACTORY DESIGN FAULT PER ALL THE RECORDED PROBLEMS. I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY $4700.00 IN REPAIRS FOR THEIR DESIGN FAILURE. IN THEIR 1.2 BILLION $ RECENT SETTLEMENT,THEY SAID" PUTTING CUSTOMERS FIRST", "WANT TO EARN OUR TRUST", "SERVE CUSTOMERS" "TAKE RESPONSIBILITIES SERIOUSLY". WOW, WHAT A LIE AND LET DOWN. HOW CAN THEY GET AWAY WITH THIS? IT HAS HAPPENED TO COUNTLESS 1000'S OF PEOPLE. TOYOTA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO MAKE THIS A RECALL AND FIX FOR 0$. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS IS AND WILL STALL IN TRAFFIC AND CAUSE ACCIDENTS. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. PLEASE HELP ME AND HOLD TOYOTA RESPONSIBLE FOR A TERRIBLE DESIGN FLAW. *TR

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND UPON ACCELERATION MY VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY SLUGGISH. AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT SEEMED TO "JUMP" INTO GEAR. I ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN I WAS SLOWING DOWN IT WOULD ALMOST DO THE SAME THING, BEING SLUGGISH. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS INVOLVING MY VEHICLE, BUT I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY RECALL OF THE VEHICLE UNTIL I LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW SEVERAL THOUSAND OF THEM HAD BEEN RECALLED.

ECM FAIL. HEADING NORTH ON HIGHWAY 53 AND MADE A TURN TO GO SOUTH ON HIGHWAY 53 CAR SEEM TO APPLY BRAKES AND GEARS WAS HUNTING WHICH GEAR TO GO IN ALL THE TIME I GIVING IT GAS TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF ON COMING CARS,, MADE IT HOME, NEXT DAY DROVE CAR AND AS I MADE A RIGHT TURN SAME THING AGAIN WENT BACK HOME AND CALL TOYOTA DEALER THEY SAID IT SOUND LIKE THE TRANMISSION WAS FAILING, GOT ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THE ECM HAD FAIL ON THE CAR, I CALL TOYOTA AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST $1400 AND THAT TOYOTA WOULD NOT PAY OR DISCOUNT ANY OF IT EVEN THEY HAD KNOW ABOUT THE FAIL OF THE UNIT SINCE THE BEGINNING, I PULL THE ECM UNIT MYSELF SENT IT TO BE REPAIR GOT IT BACK AND REINSTALL IT AND CAR WOULD NOT CRANK HAD IT TOW TO TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY SAID A WIRE HAD TO BE REPLACE, AFTER PICKING THE CAR UP IT RUN GOOD BUT FRONT POWER DOOR LOCKS DOES NOT WORK AND THE SECURITY SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK, I CAN LIVE WITHOUT THOSE 2 SYSTEM FOR NOW SINCE I DON:T WANT TO PUT ANY MORE MONEY INTO THE CAR RIGHT NOW. I THINK TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE REPLACE THIS SINCE THEY KNEW IT WAS GOING TO FAIL AT SOME TIME WITH THE 2003 RAV4 BUT NO THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, NO HELP FORM THEM. NO MORE TOYOTAS FOR ME OR MY FAMILY, I AM GOING BACK TO A HONDA FOR SURE. TOTAL COST TO ME WAS $833.05 NOT COUNTING WITHOUT THE CAR FOR 2 WEEKS.

2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ON MAY 14, 2013, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND, WHEN SHE APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT GEARS, A LOUD NOISE EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, THE VEHICLE NEEDED A TRANSMISSION COMPUTER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ECM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 HAD A FAULTY ECM AFFECTING THE TRANSMISSION AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT VERY ERRATICALLY AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT/INJURY. TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THIS FAULTY PART AND THERE WAS NOT A PUBLIC RECALL; THEY REPLACED PARTS AS THEY FAILED AND EXTENDED THAT WARRANTY BECAUSE OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. NOW THE WARRANTY IS 10 YRS/150,000. SO I AM OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY BY MAYBE A YEAR AND NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE MILEAGE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA TO INFORM THEM THAT MY ECM HAD FAILED HOPING THEY WOULD AT LEAST APOLOGIZE (REIMBURSEMENT WOULD BE WELCOME TOO) BUT THE LADY I TALKED TO SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL RELATED TO MY VIN NUMBER, WHICH I KNOW TO BE A LIE! TOYOTA PUT OUT A FAULTY PART AND MUST BE MADE TO REPLACE ANY THAT FAIL NO MATTER THE MILEAGE OR LENGTH OF TIME! THIS FAULTY PART HAS ALSO DAMAGED SOME TRANSMISSIONS AND THEY MUST BE MADE TO REPLACE/REIMBURSE FOR THOSE AS WELL. MY ECM HAS BEEN REPLACED AND I AM NOT SURE BUT AM AFRAID I AM ONE OF THE ONES WITH A DAMAGED TRANSMISSION. PLEASE HELP! *TR

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 0 - 5 MPH, TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74500. *TR