2003 Toyota RAV4 Electrical System Problems
- 39
- 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 39 stored complaint records:
- 0 indicate a crash
- 0 indicate injury
- 3 indicate fire
What owners report
- engine light · 6 records
- accelerator pedal · 4 records
- harsh shift · 4 records
- check engine · 4 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 60–100k mi | 16 |
| 100–150k mi | 11 |
| 150–400k mi | 5 |
| 30–60k mi | 2 |
| 1–30k mi | 1 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Automatic Transmission · Electrical System
I bought a brandnew 2003 rav4 6 years ago and already have 95,000 miles on it. The transmission starts to slipped and drag a couple of days ago. It almost caused an accident on my way home because the transmission slowly shifts gear on 2nd and 3rd with a high idling. I have read some forums about the rav4 2001-2003 ecm issues. I would like to complaint that toyota would not do a recall to the faulty part that can…
ODI 10294204
Electrical System
Toyota 2003 rav4 has a malfunctioning ecm. It has caused the car to speed up and slow down almost causing accidents 2 times while driving on the road. Please take action. I have found that toyota knew about this defect in 2006 and will not fix the problem. I think that toyota should give a 100% refund to everyone who bought this car because they knew that this defect might kill people and they did nothing. So i have…
ODI 10287314
Electrical System
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav 4. The contact stated that when attempting to accelerate, the accelerator pedal resists application, which caused the vehicle to hesitate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and a technician concluded that the ecm needed to be replaced. No repairs were made. The failure mileage was 142,700 and the current mileage was 142,882. Updated 10/22/09 *bf
ODI 10283714
Electrical System
Long hesitation in changing gears. Jerking when accelerating. Lack of acceleration. *tr
ODI 10297225
Control Module (Tcm, Pcm) · Electrical System · Suspension
2003 toyota rav4. Consumer requests ramification to unsuccessful attempts to fix the manufacturer's defect in workmanship *tgw the consumer stated the check engine light illuminated. Prior to the engine light illuminating, the consumer noticed the vehicle would stall as she applied the accelerator pedal after a red light and it would surge with force once it accelerated. The consumer was charged $664.87 for a sensor…
ODI 10327428
Automatic Transmission · Electrical System
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav4. While driving approximately 30 mph he engaged the accelerator pedal and it took a few seconds before the vehicle would accelerate. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who advised him that the transmission needed to be replaced and that the ecm card needed reprogramming. The failure started in june 2009. The vehicle was not repaired and the vehicle was not drivable.…
ODI 10365264
Electrical System
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav4. While driving approximately 10 mph on normal road conditions, the gear shifter failed to function properly. The warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel and remained lit until the engine was turned off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing and it was discovered that the main brain of the computerized system was the cause of the…
ODI 10257420
Automatic Transmission · Electrical System
I have a 2003 toyota rav4, at 86600 miles it appeared my transmission was slipping, when i would pull out in front of anyone it was stall and slip while going into 1st and 2nd gear. (automatic transmission), the dealership (toyota) said it was internal in the transmission so i took it to a transmission place, they said they could not find anything wrong with it. After review the complaints on the internet it seems…
ODI 10229889
Electrical System · Power Train
I have a 2003 toyota rav4- seems to be exact same problem everyone else is having--no problems until early this year 2008, transmission was skipping gear 2 to 3, took to mechanic then to transmission specialist, where the same procedure occurred. Computer chip replaced, few days later, same problem occurred. Transmission replaced at 89,000 miles, 3400 dollars total. Otherwise, the car is great. No accident, just too…
ODI 10231204
Electrical System
After sitting in garage for a few days, rav4 would not start. Checked battery, but it was working. Also tried to jump-start car, but this did not work. Car was towed to dealer who determined that a computer failed.*ak
ODI 10185743
Electrical System
The consumer 2004 toyota rav4 burst into flames after having oil changed, destroying vehicle. *ts the consumer had several problems with the dealer's service prior to this fire. She contacted the dealer and the told the that it was not their problem. The consumer spoke to another dealer who indicated that several rav4's were catching on fir due to a faulty remote start and alarm, which the consumer had installed in…
Fire reported
ODI 10146410
Electrical System
As my husband and i drove we smelled a strange odor we thought it was the air outside. My husband noticed there was smoke rising from the hood. He drove to the shoulder and got out of the vehicle. Sparks began to appear and very quickly the entire car became engulfed. We were very luckily not to be injured. We lost a significant amount of our belongings. We were going away for the weekend to our home in pa. And were…
Fire reported
ODI 10093847
Electrical System
I am writing to let you know about my 2003 rav4 ecm/transmission problem. I brought our rav4 into our local toyota dealership two times earlier this year, complaining of a lurching issue. After my third attempt to bring it in at 68,827 miles, mind you i had the platinum warranty which covers up to 75,000 miles, on june 9, 2009. After only being gone for 20 minutes after dropping it off, i got a phone call stating…
ODI 10288719
Electrical System · Power Train
S10 appropriate handling-letter to the secretary from re toyota problems *tgw 2003 toyota rav4. The consumer stated when plugged into the electric charging system, the vehicle rolled away. The consumer stated it can happen if the gear is inadvertently shifted out of park and into neutral if the vehicle is parked on a slight slope. *jb
ODI 10332774