602 distinct owner reports with a transmission-specific component in this snapshot.
General power-train reports are not automatically counted as transmission problems. Related recalls and investigations must also name this component; they are not linked by narrative keyword alone.
Reports by model year
Recall and investigation columns show each year’s full history. A report naming several years can appear in more than one row.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
546 reports with mileage · 56 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 owners actually said
602 reportsElectrical SystemPower Train
CAR SHUTTERED AND STOPPED ROLLING IN AN INTERSECTION, THEN ABRUPTLY WENT INTO GEAR AGAIN WITH A LURCH. TRANSMISSION SHOP REPLACED VALVE ASSEMBLY. PROBLEM RETURNED AND CAR WAS RETURNED TO SHOP. NEW VALVE ASSEMBLY INSTALLED, PROBLEM CAME BACK. RETURNED TO SHOP, TRANSMISSION REMOVED, REPLACED, 3 TIMES. SEALS REPLACED. SAME PROBLEM.…
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CAR SHUTTERED AND STOPPED ROLLING IN AN INTERSECTION, THEN ABRUPTLY WENT INTO GEAR AGAIN WITH A LURCH. TRANSMISSION SHOP REPLACED VALVE ASSEMBLY. PROBLEM RETURNED AND CAR WAS RETURNED TO SHOP. NEW VALVE ASSEMBLY INSTALLED, PROBLEM CAME BACK. RETURNED TO SHOP, TRANSMISSION REMOVED, REPLACED, 3 TIMES. SEALS REPLACED. SAME PROBLEM.ECM WAS SUSPECT. CAR WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER, WAS TOLD ECM WAS FINE, ECM WAS RE-PROGRAMMED AND WE WERE CHARGED $275.00. PROBLEM CONTINUED. LONG STORY SHORT-ECM WAS REPLACED, PROGRAMMED, AND PAID ANOTHER $1200. WORKS FINE. TOYOTA OWES ME BIG TIME. THEY KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM, AND IGNORE. I HAVE OWNED 5 TOYOTAS IN MY LIFE, AND HAVE AN FJ CRUISER AS WELL. WILL NOT CONSIDER TOYOTA IN THE FUTURE UNLESS THEY ADMIT THE PROBLEM, AND ASSIST IN REPAIRS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10265227
Power Train
AROUND EARLY MARCH AFTER SEVERAL PRIOR REPAIRS FROM DEC. 08-FEB. 09 MY TOYOTA RAV 4 STARTS DRIVING REALLY ROUGH, WON'T ACCELERATE, THEN LURCHES YOU FORWARD, ETC. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. YOU GO TO ACCELERATE AND SOMEONE IS BEHIND YOU AND YOU LITERALLY CANNOT GET THE CAR TO GO, THEN IT FINALLY SHOOTS YOU FORWARD. I IMMEDIATELY CALLE…
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AROUND EARLY MARCH AFTER SEVERAL PRIOR REPAIRS FROM DEC. 08-FEB. 09 MY TOYOTA RAV 4 STARTS DRIVING REALLY ROUGH, WON'T ACCELERATE, THEN LURCHES YOU FORWARD, ETC. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. YOU GO TO ACCELERATE AND SOMEONE IS BEHIND YOU AND YOU LITERALLY CANNOT GET THE CAR TO GO, THEN IT FINALLY SHOOTS YOU FORWARD. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEM. I CALLED TO GET AN ESTIMATE AND MAD HATTERS HAD THE BEST PRICE. MAD HATTERS DID REPAIR AND CLEARED OFF CODES AND CAR DROVE FINE FOR 48 HOURS. ON WAY HOME FROM WORK THAT MONDAY EVENING IT DROVE THE WORST IT EVER HAS, WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO ACCELERATE THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, THEN SHOT ME FORWARD, THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING. I ALMOST GOT HIT BY ANOTHER CAR WAITING TO TURN AFTER ME AND A WOMAN BEHIND ME. I PRAYED I WOULD MAKE IT HOME. CALLED TOYOTA TOOK IT BACK TO MAD HATTERS AT THEIR SUGGESTION. MAD HATTERS CHECKED AND INDICATED IT WAS A TRANSMISSION CODE. WE CALLED TOYOTA TO IMMEDIATELY TOW IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. TOYOTA CALLED AND INDICATE IT IS THE EMC AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY, CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. $1300. I RESEARCHED AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AS WELL AS A OLD TOYOTA SERVICE BULLETIN SO THEY KNOW THIS PROBLEM EXISTED. TWO WEEKS LATER AFTER I GOT THE MONEY TOGETHER I WAS ABLE TO PICK UP MY CAR. THEY REPLACED THE COMPUTER MODULE AND THE CAR SEEMS TO DRIVE FINE, ALTHOUGH AFTER PICKING IT UP I DROVE FOR 10 MILES AND NOW THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM AND I PRAY IT HAS NOT DESTROYED MY TRANSMISSION. THANK GOD THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS INVOLVED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10263885
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentPower TrainCrashInjury
I HAVE A TOYOTA RAV4 2002-IN MAY 2006 I WENT TO MILITARY TRAINING SCHOOL, I GOT BACK OCT 2006 WHILE DRIVING MY ENGINE FAILED ON THE HWY. I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS 420 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY AND IT WAS NOT COVERED. I DID ALL MY REQUIRED UPKEEP AND MAINTENANCE AND TO MY SURPRISE IT HAD OIL SLUDGE. HE CLAIMS ITS …
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I HAVE A TOYOTA RAV4 2002-IN MAY 2006 I WENT TO MILITARY TRAINING SCHOOL, I GOT BACK OCT 2006 WHILE DRIVING MY ENGINE FAILED ON THE HWY. I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS 420 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY AND IT WAS NOT COVERED. I DID ALL MY REQUIRED UPKEEP AND MAINTENANCE AND TO MY SURPRISE IT HAD OIL SLUDGE. HE CLAIMS ITS FROM SITTING BUT ALOT OF VEHICLES SIT AND DO NOT HAVE PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY MILITARY MEMBERS THAT ARE DEPLOYED. I HAD TO PAY 3989.00 FOR A USED ENGINE. AFTER RESEARCHING AND FINDING OUT 2001 -03 CAMRY AND LEXUS HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AND WERE RECALLED. I FOUGHT GOT AND ATTORNEY AND STILL NO RECALL. I HOPE TO HAVE A CIVIL LAWSUIT WITH TOYOTA BECAUSE OF THIS BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED. MARCH 2007 MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WHILE ON THE HWY. I WAS DRIVING AND NOTICE IT KEPT JERKING. THEN IT WOULD HESITATE GETTING INTO GEAR AND REVERSE. I TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME MY TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT AND IT WOULD COST 4980.00. OK LET ME BREAK DOWN THE EXISTING PROBLEMS UP UNTIL THIS POINT. THE DRIVERS DOOR ELECTRIC LOCKING SYSTEM WENT OUT IT WAS REPAIRED 4 TIMES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER GOES OFF SAID ITS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THE ALARMS COMES ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF EVEN WHEN DOOR KEY OR KEY PAD IS INDICATED. SO I HAD TO UNHOOK. YESTERDAY MARCH 31ST I WAS DONE WITH THE RAV 4. I HAVE NOTICE THAT MORE THAN 35 % OF OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEMS AND TOYOTA REFUSES TO RECALL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10263840
Power Train
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 AB…
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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 . *TR MARY A. BROWN CHICAGO, IL
NHTSA ODI #10263344
Power Train
THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE UNTIL ONE DAY WHEN IT STARTED "BUCKING" AND I EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF POWER ACCELERATING. THIS OCCURRED WHEN I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND RESULTED IN THE OTHER CAR BEING FORCED TO STOP TO LET ME PASS. FROM A STOP, CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS STARTING IN SECOND OR THIRD GEAR INSTE…
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THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE UNTIL ONE DAY WHEN IT STARTED "BUCKING" AND I EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF POWER ACCELERATING. THIS OCCURRED WHEN I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND RESULTED IN THE OTHER CAR BEING FORCED TO STOP TO LET ME PASS. FROM A STOP, CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS STARTING IN SECOND OR THIRD GEAR INSTEAD OF FIRST GEAR. VERY DANGEROUS! LIMPED TO LOCAL SHOP AND CAR WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BAD SOLENOID IN TRANSMISSION. THIS WAS REPLACED, DROVE THREE MILES HOME AND THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED THE NEXT DAY. SAME CODE APPEARED DURING DIAGNOSIS AND THIS INDICATED THAT THE MAIN COMPUTER (ECM) WAS DEFECTIVE. THIS WILL COST $1200 TO REPLACE. POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION MAY BE NEEDED AS WELL AT A COST OF $3500. AFTER A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN EXPERIENCED BY HUNDREDS OF OTHER RAV OWNERS. MY CAR HAS 86K MILES AND WAS JUST OVER THE 80K MILE WINDOW FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE 2006, ACCORDING TO TSB ISSUED. THE CAR HAS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10263162
Power Train
I AM ONE OF THE MANY UNLUCKY PEOPLE WHO OWN A 2001 TOYOTA RAV-4 WHICH HAS HAD CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ISSUE FOR YEARS. AFTER BRINING TO TOYOTA MORE THAN ONCE TO HAVE THEM NOT BE ABLE TO TURN OFF I AM NOW FACING A FAILED TRANSMISSION- OVER $2,500 TO FIX. AS I SEE ALL THESE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE FAULTY ECM AND TOYOTA'S LACK OF ACKNO…
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I AM ONE OF THE MANY UNLUCKY PEOPLE WHO OWN A 2001 TOYOTA RAV-4 WHICH HAS HAD CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ISSUE FOR YEARS. AFTER BRINING TO TOYOTA MORE THAN ONCE TO HAVE THEM NOT BE ABLE TO TURN OFF I AM NOW FACING A FAILED TRANSMISSION- OVER $2,500 TO FIX. AS I SEE ALL THESE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE FAULTY ECM AND TOYOTA'S LACK OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I AM DISGUSTED. SHAME ON TOYOTA AND AS A ONCE LOYAL OWNER I WILL NEVER BUY A TOYOTA AGAIN AND WOULD NOT RECOMMEND TO ANYONE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10262456
Power Train
DRIVING MY RAV4 SOUTH ON HAMILTON ROAD, A BUSY THRUWAY, WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT TO TURN LEFT MY TRANNY SLIPS AND HESITATES SO BAD THAT AS I PULLED INTO THE INTERSECTION IN THE WAY OF ONCOMING CARS MY CAR COULDN'T GET THROUGH THE INTERSECTION SAFELY. FORTUNATELY NO CRASHES. MAYBE NEXT TIME. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10262209
Power Train
RAV4 DO NOT SHIFT GEAR. SOME TIMES IT WAS LIKE JERKED SHIFTING AND I SEARCHED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL PROBLEM REPORTED IN CARCOMPLAINTS.COM SITE. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. "I TOOK CAR TO A DEALER - LOMBARD TOYOTA, IL, AND TOLD ABOUT GEAR SHIFTING PROBLEM. AT FIRST THEY DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT T…
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RAV4 DO NOT SHIFT GEAR. SOME TIMES IT WAS LIKE JERKED SHIFTING AND I SEARCHED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL PROBLEM REPORTED IN CARCOMPLAINTS.COM SITE. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. "I TOOK CAR TO A DEALER - LOMBARD TOYOTA, IL, AND TOLD ABOUT GEAR SHIFTING PROBLEM. AT FIRST THEY DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE KNOWN PROBLEM WITH RAV4. WHEN I SAID, I RESEARCHED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN INTERNET AND FOUND THAT RAV4 HAS A GEAR SHIFTING PROBLEM AND TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT IT, AND THERE IS A TSR-TECH SERVICE BULLETIN, AND IT NEEDS TO REPAIR FREE. THEY TOLD ME LET US TAKE A LOOK AT. AFTER HALF AN HOUR, THEY TOLD ME I AM LUCKY IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY 8YR/80000. I PURCHASED THIS ONE ON 2/??/2001. SO I AM LUCKILY COVERED. I DID A LITTLE ARGUED THAT EVEN IF I AM OUT OF WARRANTY, TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS A DEFECT. THEY DID NOT CARE MUCH. AND I DID NOT PRESS ON IT. SO HERE IS THE PROBLEM-ACCORDING TO TOYOTA SERVICE BULLETIN TC002-06 REVISED MODEL 2001-2003 RAV4 EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE MAY EXHIBIT A HARSH SHIFT AND/OR M.I.L "ON" DTC P0750, P0753, P0755, P0758, AND/OR P1760. IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) SAE TERM - POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE/PCM) MANUFACTURING PROCESS TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS CONDITION OCCURRING. USE THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THEY REPLACE A R&R ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. MY RAV4 DRIVES GOOD NOW. I STILL THINK MY RAV4 IS REALLY NOT SMOOTH. OR ATLEAST THAT IS THE WAY I FEEL. THIS IS IT FOR RIGHT NOW. IF ANYTHING COMES UP I WILL UPDATE LATER. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10261612
Power Train
WHEN I TURN MY CAR OFF, BUT LEAVE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO KEEP THE RADIO ON FOR MY PASSENGER WHILE I AM OUT OF THE CAR, SOMETIMES I FORGET TO TAKE THE CAR OUT OF DRIVE AND PUT IT INTO PARK. I DO NOT USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I HAVE DONE THIS, THE CAR HAS ROLLED BACKWARDS. USUALLY, I NOTICE IT BEFORE I STE…
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WHEN I TURN MY CAR OFF, BUT LEAVE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO KEEP THE RADIO ON FOR MY PASSENGER WHILE I AM OUT OF THE CAR, SOMETIMES I FORGET TO TAKE THE CAR OUT OF DRIVE AND PUT IT INTO PARK. I DO NOT USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I HAVE DONE THIS, THE CAR HAS ROLLED BACKWARDS. USUALLY, I NOTICE IT BEFORE I STEP OUT OF THE CAR, AND I PUT ON THE BRAKES AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK. LAST WEEK, HOWEVER, I GOT OUT OF THE CAR. LUCKILY, THE PASSENGER WAS ABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK BEFORE THE CAR ROLLED INTO SOMETHING. IF I HAD LEFT A CHILD IN THE CAR, THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10260954
Power Train
HARD SHIFTING FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND GEAR OF 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AFTER 100,000 MILES ON ODOMETER. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10259989