2001 Toyota RAV4: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Sep 27, 2013 · Acceleration, Fuel system · 104,568 miles · MD

Was entering a limited access highway and wanted to merge onto highway. When I pressed down on gas pedal to speed up, the car hesitated, lurched forward, stopped, and then shifted harshly once again. I had thought I gave myself plenty of room to enter but because of the possible transmission problem, my car almost ended in a car wreck - an approaching car had to take drastic moves in order to avoid hitting my car. I then found out that toyota knew about this problem with their ecms ruining these cars transmissions - something I was not aware, nor notified about. When I called them up - their toyota customer service line, I found out they still had my old address from 2005! Even though I've been going to my local toyota dealership for years and they had my latest data. Toyota says they can do nothing to help with a possible $6,000 bill. My car is only worth about $8k if that. Their negligence caused these problems, and almost caused a serious accident and human injury and/or death.

Filed Oct 11, 2012 · Electrical, Engine · 114,800 miles · RI

October 11, 2012. On or about october 8 2012 I began having hesitation and jumping into gear as I am driving my 2001 rav4. This happens mainly when accelerating from a stop sign/light. I am aware there has been a recall on many 2001 rav4 vehicles. I bought my rav4 from carmax in north attleboro mass on april 19 2012. So, I have not even had my vehicle for 5 months yet. On thursday october 11 2012 I took my rav4 back to carmax in attleboro with my complaint--I will be leaving the vehicle with them on friday october 12 2012 so they can diagnose the transmission and the TCM (the transmission module which has had the recall). If it is found that my rav4 is one of many under this recall, I will hope that toyota will honor its' commitment and fix my rav. I do hope that lodging this complaint with you will help me in this plight, as I do not have the money to fix this problem and nor should I have to as to the above, and due to the fact that is was a recall with toyota. Thank you.

Filed Oct 10, 2011 · Transmission · 130,000 miles · WA

Automatic transmission sometimes hesitates when shifting and sometimes starts in 3rd gear instead of 1st. Check engine light came on a week ago, similar to when shifting problems began.

Filed Aug 2, 2011 · Engine · 113,000 miles · WI

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota rav4. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle began to hesitate and the transmission would not shift into gear. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who stated that the engine control module was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance and referred the contact to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 113,000. The VIN was not available.

Filed Jun 6, 2011 · Engine, Transmission · 136,000 miles · FL

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 toyota rav4. While the contact was driving 35 MPH, the engine warning light illuminated, and the transmission began to exhibit severe hesitation in a jerking motion. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing and confirmed that the transmission, ECM module and a faulty trans axle needed to be replaced. The contact discovered there was a prior voluntary recall issued by the manufacturer pertaining to the ECM module; however, the contact did not receive notification of the recall. The manufacturer stated that the recall expired in january 2011 and they were unable to provide further assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 136,000.

Filed Feb 11, 2011 · Transmission · 112,000 miles · IL

2001 toyota rav4 transmission is shifting hard and into inappropriate gears. While accelerating, the transmission is not shifting into a higher gear as it normally did. Now it hesitates between gears (neutral) and then randomly shifts into a lower or higher gear often jumping from gear to gear until settling into the proper gear. This behavior just began with 112k miles.

Filed Jul 11, 2010 · Transmission · 71,000 miles · CA

I was driving my 2001 toyota rav4 (71k miles) with my daughter in the backseat and as I attempted to accelerate to get onto the freeway onramp the vehicle would not accelerate and the cars in back of me almost rearended me. The cars behind me begin honking and the vehicle continued to lunge, buck, and hesitate the whole way home(fortunately I was only one exit away); my daughter and I were very shaken up. I immediately took it in to my mechanic, who did a transmission service. The car drove fine for a couple days then again out of nowhere began hesitating and lunging/thudding. My mechanic recommended I take it to aamco, who rebuilt the transmission for $3129. A few days later, it displayed the same symptoms. Aamco drove it around but said it drove fine and gave it back to me. A week later, the vehicle lost acceleration again in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears, and I took it back to aamco. They opened the transmission up and said the same parts they replaced are bad again, and now I have to pay for another rebuild plus a valve body and ECM. I don't have additional $ for this so my vehicle has been sitting (not in running condition) for 3 months. I have researched this issue and found that hundreds if not thousands of 2001-2003 ravs are having similar transmission/ECM failures. This poses a serious safety issue and toyota needs to take responsibility for this alarming defect.

Filed Jun 7, 2010 · Transmission · 100,000 miles · TX

Toyota rav 4 transmission shifting problems after several thousand miles, shifting from 1-2 will hesitate and cause engine rev, will also jerk while shifting hesitation could be hazardous and cause accidents. And sometimes the vehicle will not accelerate properly due to this problem.

Filed Feb 13, 2010 · Acceleration · 129,000 miles · MD

Toyota 2001 rav4 hesitating transmission. Mechanic said the transmission could possibly be done and metal is grinding. Started all of the sudden. Does not shift out of gear from first to second, etc. Description of exact problem is here: http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/toyotas-reaction-to-transmission-woes-draws-customers-ire/#more-23445.

Filed Jan 30, 2010 · Electrical, Transmission · 140,000 miles · OH

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 experience at toyota dealership check it (after hours). He was unaware of connection to faulty ECM so we thought trany was bad & he flushed tranny. That reduced frequency of symptoms but did not stop them. We still thought problem was mechanical & tranny rebuild/replace was inevitable & I drove it longer to save up money for repairs. I live on a semi-rural ohio state route with 55mph posted limit & 65mph average speed. I had numerous near misses when the vehicle would not accelerate properly or began to accelerate normally then slipped, hesitated, or refused to shift. My 18yr old son drove the rav in dec & pulled out of our driveway in front of a semi tractor trailer rig with what would have been safe distance except that the rav decided not to accelerate. The truck was able to pass, but had there been oncoming traffic, it would not have been able to slow enough in time. Intermittent symptoms continued until 12/14/09 when 2nd & 3rd gear burned out & I drove home 20 miles in 1st. Just parts thru toyota will cost $2000 for rebuilt tranny plus $1000 for ECM. Independent repairmen can fix the ECM for $65. Had I at least known root cause of the symptoms was ECM not tranny (toyota's known since 2006 or before) I could have saved $4-5k & avoided 7 months of risky driving. I challenge anyone who thinks this is not a safety issue to drive one of these and rely on it when it fails in 65mph traffic. Or we can wait until someone is killed where there is enough evidence to show this problem was the cause of the accident and not poor driver judgment.

Filed Dec 10, 2009 · Transmission · 145,000 miles · TN

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 chip, $1,000 bill. Toyota notified dealers in 2006 of faulty chip, not me. Now, 12-11-09, transmission will not go into gear at all. Began hesitating in traffic, as if cutting out.

Filed Oct 15, 2009 · Transmission · 170,098 miles · TX

I own a 2001 toyota rav4 and the transmission started acting funny this morning. In reverse it started jerking. I also noticed some hesitation in 1st and 2nd gears. I decided to leave the car at home and took a ride to work. My wife took the car to school to pick up the kids and it was driving fine. When she picked up the kids from school and she got on the freeway all of the sudden the transmission started jerking my wife almost got hit by a SUV. She managed to pull over and turn the car off. When she turned it back on after 2 minutes and started driving it was fine. I searched online and come to find out this is been a known problem with this truck. I just like to know how come some one never took any action including toyota. When I called the local toyota dealer they advise me to have the car checked and the ecu needs to be replaced because apparently there has been 14 cars in their service department which had the same issue.