2001 Toyota RAV4: transmission slipping

Filed Mar 7, 2021 · Electrical, Transmission · 125,000 miles · AL

My2001rav4 with 125000 started jumping into gear also the RPM revs up but vechicle losses power very dangerous on highway transmission slipping and jerk into gears

Filed Apr 6, 2017 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 135,000 miles · CA

My wife was driving car and it started doing strange changes with the transmission, such as slipping between gear changes and jerking movements. At one point, she told me getting on freway on ramp was a hazard, because of irratic behavior of transmission!!

Filed Sep 19, 2016 · WA

Aquired my 2001 toyota rav4 about 4 years ago. And now I am having the same issues with the ECM as the others. In fact my toyota is currently in a automobile repair shop. After nearly 3 weeks the shop finally determined the ECM needs replacing and possibly transmission also. The repair shop informed me that toyota issued a recall for the ECM but the recall has since expired. With this imformation I called toyota motor corp and was told there is nothing they can do to assist people that are purchasing these cars that have not been taken care of. This issues I am dealing with include the transmission slipping and revving higher, or the loss of power when going from a complete stop. Toyota helped the owners, with an " extended warranty" 10 years / 150000 miles. That is all good but the warranty was from the first date. Basically from day 1. That is not fair to the people who purchase these cars second hand with no knowledge of the issues. This is a huge safety issue and could case an accident cause you don't know when it is going to happen. It is my opinion that any and all recalls should not have limitations and should never expire!!! If a toyota is "on the road" (licensing is up to date), then it should automatically qualify for all warranted recalls!!!

Filed Jan 26, 2015 · Engine, Transmission · MN

I purchased my 2001 toyota rav4 in july 2012,. Now 2 years later and still owe a good amount on my car I am having the same issues with the ECM as the others. I called toyota and there is nothing they can do to assist people that are purchasing these cars that have not been taken care of. This issues I am dealing with include the transmission slipping and revving higher, or the loss of power when going from a complete stop. Toyota helped the owners, with an " extended warranty" 10 years / 150000 miles. That is all good but the warranty was from the first date. Basically from day 1. That is not fair to the people who purchase these cars second hand with no knowledge of the issues. This is a huge safety issue and could case an accident cause you don't know when it is going to happen.

Filed Aug 17, 2014 · Electrical, Transmission · 175,000 miles · CO

Ecm was replaced in 2007. No problems at that time. In may 2014 brakes plus misdiagnosed problem and fixed almost everything possible. Check engine light never went on until the day before the problem. Transmission started acting up and when I went to pass a person on a bicycle slipped into neutral. Then it jumped back and forth like trying to go from one gear to another, with nothing happening. I could have been hit by a truck at this point, but avoided. Took the rav back to brakes plus. They said it was the transmission. Would cost $4500-5000 repair. They never even checked the diagnosis - which when we took to auto zone (which will read the problem as ECM). Then towed the car to the dealer. They said the transmission is "smoke." called the toyota rep and only got a case number. Of course the car is 13 years old and we have had it 12. It is at 175,000 miles. We can't put another $4,500 in this car. The ECM should not have gone out again. The check engine light should have gone on in may from what we assess considering the problems we experienced at that time. I would not advise anyone to purchase a 2001-2003 rav4. I am not sure I'd every purchase another toyota. It looks like toyota has stuck us with a nearly $5000 repair if we want a new trans. And we just put $2,700 into it in may.

Filed Mar 20, 2014 · Electrical, Transmission · 95,000 miles · NJ

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota rav4. The contact stated while driving various speeds on an icy and snow covered road, the transmission slipped gears without any warning. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. The technician informed that the electronic control module was faulty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.

Filed Sep 11, 2013 · Electrical, Transmission · 193,000 miles · NC

I am newly employed with the post office so I need my car. I was out driving my route when all of a sudden it was lagging a little when I went to take off. Then when I was able to get some speed between boxes it was like it slipped into neutral and then jerked really hard and kicked into gear, I took it to a mechanic and also the dealership. After I took it to the mechanic I found out that there was a bulletin put out in 2010 about the same exact issue, so I called the dealership and made an appointment. They told me the same thing the mechanic did and that my car wasn't covered under the bulletin because it was outside the 10 year or 150,000 mile range. I cannot afford to have to pay this out of pocket and I need my car. The estimate that I got was $1536 from toyota and then there is the possibility that I might have to have the transmission changed too. This is crazy especially seeing as toyota knows about the issue and notified some people but not all rav4 owners. I am out there driving my car and could pull out at the wrong time and get hit because of the fact that there is no pick up and go in this car anymore. I love my car and need my car.

Filed Dec 14, 2011 · Driver assistance, Transmission · 115,807 miles · CA

The transmission suddenly began slipping and jerking when accelerating from a stop or while in low gear and shifting from a low speed. I became aware of the ECM problem known to occur in my make and model of toyota upon calling the dealership; however, I am being told that the warranty only covers ten years from the date of purchase (I purchased my car 11 years ago) despite the fact it is known that the ECM, the computer that controls the transmission, is defective and causes transmission problems. This is a dangerous problem as the car will not accelerate and the transmission slips. It is difficult to understand how toyota cannot ethically cover this knowing it is defective and is probable to cause owners problems in the future, regardless if it's 8, 10, or 12 years down the line.

Filed Dec 13, 2011 · Electrical, Transmission · 115,790 miles · CA

The transmission suddenly began slipping and jerking when accelerating from a stop or while in low gear and shifting from a low speed. I became aware of the ECM problem known to occur in my make and model of toyota upon calling the dealership; however, I am being told that the warranty only covers ten years from the date of purchase (I purchased my car 11 years ago) despite the fact it is known that the ECM, the computer that controls the transmission, is defective and causes transmission problems. This is a dangerous problem as the car will not accelerate and the transmission slips. It is difficult to understand how toyota cannot ethically cover this knowing it is defective and is probable to cause owners problems in the future, regardless if it's 8, 10, or 12 years down the line.

Filed Oct 18, 2011 · Transmission · 132,000 miles · TX

Transmission slippage/failure did not allow me to accelerate to highway speeds on an on-ramp.

Filed Apr 6, 2011 · Transmission · 108,000 miles · NJ

I own a regularly serviced and well maintained 108,000 mile 2001 toyota rav4 with a transmission concern. Car upon acceleration will not respond, revs, slips and lunges into gear. This occurs intermittently. Two independent transmission specialists have inspected this vehicle and stated that the problem they diagnose is a computer problem which is malfunctioning communication to the transmission. They have recommended not repairing the transmission but focus on the car's computer. Toyota dealership finds no computer codes on the diagnostic check to indicate any problem whatsoever with this vehicle. Toyota case manager and dealership service manager states to drive this vehicle with all the safety concerns mentioned until a check engine light indicates a computer problem. Toyota serviceman rode in vehicle with this owner and felt the above mentioned safety transmission problems and reported it back to the manager. No repair work was recommended because the computer codes did not communicate a problem. Other than the service tech who drove in this vehicle and felt first hand the transmission slipping and not responding, toyota refuses to acknowledges there is a problem. The computer communicating information to the transmission on many 2001 rav4 vehicles have proven to malfunction according to toyota's own service bulletin. According to my research a malfunctioning computer has LED to many transmissions being damaged in toyota vehicles. I am at a loss as to what to do. I am also very disappointed in toyota's run around and their dismissive attitude when bringing a safety concern to their attention.

Filed Aug 28, 2010 · Transmission · 154,000 miles · MD

On 06/05/10, my personal vehicle (2001 toyota rav4) began to experience transmission slippage which developed into "harsh shifting"; this problem worsened over the next several weeks but, due to the car's electronics failure (from a known malfunction which toyota was aware of but failed to ever notify me about) this was not immediately identified as a transmission-related issue. Upon finally reaching dangerous levels of jerking and decelerating on major highways, etc., I finally took the rav4 to a toyota dealership, where they informed me of an ECM "recall" related to the transmission -- of which I had never received notification. The reprogramming did not work and the harsh shifting worsened. I had to take the vehicle back about a week later, at which point the dealership told me I would have to pay to replace the computer. I did so, only to receive a notice 3 weeks later from toyota headquarters stating that they knew about a "harsh shift" malfunction related to the ECM in 2001-2003 rav4 models. However, all toyota did was extend the warranty to 150,000 (my repair was done at 154,000) rather than issue a safety recall. This is utterly ludicrous, as my car had the potential to just suddenly stop moving in the middle of heavy highway traffic, which could have resulted in my severe injury or even death. The issue apparently developed around 06/05/10 and LED to the vehicle needing transmission replacement as of 08/21/10. The harsh shifting took place over several weeks between those dates.