2001 Toyota RAV4 Automatic Transmission Problems
- 121
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 121 stored complaint records:
- 1 indicate a crash
- 0 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
What owners report
- check engine · 20 records
- engine light · 20 records
- control module · 10 records
- transmission started · 10 records
- light came · 8 records
- service bulletin · 7 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 60–100k mi | 54 |
| 100–150k mi | 42 |
| 150–400k mi | 12 |
| 30–60k mi | 4 |
| 1–30k mi | 3 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Automatic Transmission · Electrical System
I bought my 2001 toyota rav 4 in 2004. In july 2009, my transmission started slipping and bucking. I have done some research and it seems that this has been an issue for many others with a 2001-2003 rav4. It is terrifying to drive this vehicle but it's all i have. It would cost me more to replace the transmission than it would to just pay it off. I am concerned that i will have an accident, as i do a lot of…
ODI 10303145
Automatic Transmission · Electrical System
Faulty computer. I am the original owner. The computer caused the transmission to engage into wrong gears,resulting in transmission failure. Cost to me of $4,847.00. I was never notified by toyota of this problem. Technical bulletin #1046. *tr
ODI 10317519
Automatic Transmission
Tl*the contact owns a 2001 toyota rav4. When attempting to accelerate, he experienced gear failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the transmission module was replaced. The failure mileage was 85000 and the current mileage was 97335.
ODI 10285926
Automatic Transmission · Electrical System
Our toyota rav 4 is having electronic control module is a bust. It controls among other things our transmission, and the shifting of gears. The ecm has pretty much ruined our transmission. There has been many rav 4 owners with this same problem. And toyota is (was) a reputable company. One would think they would make this right. Our warranty was up last year. And there was recalls on different computer things from…
ODI 10277659
Automatic Transmission
Entering highway and the vehicle would not shift. The vehicle would not go over 30 mph and had to pull over to avoid being hit. *tr
ODI 10362607
Automatic Transmission · Engine And Engine Cooling
Somewhere around the later part of june, 2009 my car began hesitating. I took it to the dealer and they could not find what was wrong with it. I took it back and then was informed the it was my ecm. I contacted toyota to have this problem fixed since it was a manufacturing problem during production. They informed me that it was my responsibility to get it fixed. My vehicle has around 97,000 miles on it. This is…
ODI 10279553
Automatic Transmission · Electrical System
Faulty ecu in 2001 rav4 automatic causes internal transmission failure. Slipping & double-shifting between 2nd & 3rd gear, longer ecu is used the worse the slipping occurs. Resetting ecu fixes problem for several hours and tranny will work perfect, then it starts acting up again. *tr
ODI 10278393
Automatic Transmission
All of a sudden out of the blue my transmission started slipping and hard shifting. We drove it home to park it until we could figure out the problem. $1000 later and no thanks to toyota it is fixed. It was the computer that needed reprogrammed. Thankfully the transmission wasn't shot b/c we didn't drive it after it started to hard shift and slip. Took it to toyota and they were going to charge us $5000 for a new…
ODI 10279311
Automatic Transmission
I also had to shell out $3000 to replace a faulty ecm for the toyota rav4 2001. The car had low mileage and just past the 7 year warranty. The car's transmission is not shifting and the car almost died on the way to the dealership. I found thousands of reported cases of people sharing the same grief and apparently this problem with the ecm extends to 2002-2003 rav4 and corollas as well. Toyota knows about this…
ODI 10306661
Automatic Transmission · Electrical System
2001 toyota rav4 ecm and transmission replaced in may of 2009. Paid out of pocket. Replacement was a rebuilt transmission installed by dealer (victory toyota in canton, mi) second transmission failed after 17,000 miles. Paid out of pocket again. No help from dealer or toyota corporate. Found out that dealer just swapped trans, did not actually rebuild trans. Took it to an independent trans shop. Independent…
ODI 10359074
Automatic Transmission
My toyota rav 4 (2001) suddenly started sliding, jerking, motor racing in may of 2009. It had just passed the 80,000 mi mark, and the shifting of the transmission nearly stopped. I had bought it used, and when we checked with the local dealership, found that the 2006 bulletin on the problems with the ecu which controls the transmission had resulted in the ecu being 'flashed'. So it had the work done which would…
ODI 10282180
Automatic Transmission · Electrical System
Engine control module and auto transmission failure. Bought rav used july 2007 with 109,230 mi. Check engine light was on (has remained on) but was diagnosed as o2 sensor & rav operated perfectly (live where emissions check not required). May 2009 tranny started alternating between working good, shifting rough, slipping between gears, and not downshifting at slow down or stop. Had mechanic with over 15 yrs…
ODI 10303397
Automatic Transmission
The computer in my rav4 failed. It was giving my transmission intermittent commands to drive in the wrong gear. For example, my mechanic said there were times the car was essentially in 2 gears at the same time. I was nearly in an accident because the car bucked and almost stalled as i tried to move forward from a stop. Once it started happening i drove to the nearest mechanic i could find and only made right turns…
ODI 10292029
Automatic Transmission
Toyota rav4 transmission problem, hard to shift the transmission when acceleration. This problem puts myself and my family on risk of being hit by other cars. *tr
ODI 10343162
Automatic Transmission
Transmission slipping, unable to accelerate. Severe jerking, bone rattling and very jarring, loss of power and vehicle stalling. Occurred several times, had repaired immediately and a high cost to me. Transmission hasn't felt right since. Stopped driving vehicle to replacement of ecm was replaced. I'm not confident that the transmission didn't suffer damage during this limited time it was driven and until the repair…
ODI 10312294
Automatic Transmission
2001 toyota rav4. While driving on the interstate vehicle suddenly lurched and jerked, coasted then lurched again, suddenly losing speed, then stalled. Engine revved and transmission kept jerking, would not engage fully. Traffic was heavy and was nearly run over by truck. Extremely dangerous! Managed to pull over to shoulder. Eventually, managed to drive home at reduced speed on back roads. Dealer replaced computer…
ODI 10295238
Automatic Transmission · Electrical System
March 2009 vehicle check engine light came on and i took vehicle to autozone for a diagnostic check. Check indicated that the shift solenoid was bad. I took vehicle to toyota of bedford and was told i had to get another diagnostic because they don't take diagnostic from other places, so that cost me $100. After their diagnostic check was performed, they claimed it was just the gas cap and turned the light off.…
ODI 10344668
Automatic Transmission
Toyota 2001 rav4 transmission shift problem since march 2009. Approx miles to date 95,750. When i first took it in, i checked with autozone for diagnostic check which was free because the check engine light came on. I then took the readings to toyota who told me they wouldn't accept autozone's diagnostic and i had to get another one from them which cost $100. Then they told me it was just the gas cap and turned the…
ODI 10316443
Automatic Transmission
The ecu computer on a 2001 toyota rav4 caused the automatic trans to not shift like it should. It got so bad that it felt like it went into park coming to a red light. Computer ecu had to be repaired and the trans rebuilt and the trans shop that did the work was not so good. Toyota wants $4200 to fix. *tr
ODI 10281760
Automatic Transmission
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…
ODI 10262456
Automatic Transmission
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…
ODI 10261612
Automatic Transmission
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…
ODI 10284500
Automatic Transmission
My 2001 toyota rav 4 started experiencing hard shifting late last year. The shifts became harder early this year particularly between 2nd and 3rd gear. I've never had any serious problems with my vehicle and at that time i had probably 78000 miles. When the hard shifting occurred, my vehicle would almost stall completely while driving. I started doing some research and discovered a known transmission trouble…
ODI 10282013
Automatic Transmission
My 2001 rav4 developed a shifting issue, and eventually produced a check engine code, which indicated an issue with the transmission solenoid. The transmission shop tells me that i need a new transmission at the cost of $3200. They also tell me that this is a common issue with the 2001-2003 rav4s, and that toyota is aware of it. A techinical service bulletin was issued in 2006, indicating that there was an issue…
ODI 10254066
Automatic Transmission
My 2001 toyota rav4 began acting up and would not shift correctly. It would shift very hard, and would often hesitate before shifting into gear. The check engine light came on, and the vehicle was taken to a transmission shop. The shop recommended replacing the transmission and ecm monitor to correct the issue, as they were very aware of the issue with the rav4's and also because metal shavings were found in the…
ODI 10282245