2003 Toyota RAV4 engine problems

Filed Mar 16, 2023 · Acceleration, Engine · MO

The vehicle is very delayed shifting and will slow down without pushing the breaks

Filed Feb 15, 2020 · Engine · 84,100 miles · CA

This car has been maintained and preserved and only 84000 miles on it. And the car wont shift. It jolts me or revs extremely high and also almost caused me an accident as it almost shut down on power while making a left turn in intersection. The check engine light comes on and off. It's only while going from 2nd to 3rd or shifting down from 2 to 1st. I had my mechanic look at it and he said it's a common issue with the ecu to take it to dealership to replace for free and they want to charge me 150 just to examine it.

Filed Sep 14, 2016 · Engine, Transmission · 74,650 miles · WI

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav4. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle suddenly decelerated when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine warning indicator illuminated. The contact attempted to accelerate again and the vehicle responded very slowly to approximately 15 MPH. The vehicle was driven to the contact's residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine control unit failed or there was possible transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,650.

Filed Aug 21, 2016 · Engine · 90,831 miles · MN

While driving engine light started blinking, the vehicle lost power. And smelled bad odor. My first complaint was filed with the federal safety agency in 2012, and I took my vehicle to maplewood toyota, mn 55109, in 2012 and they did not fix it. It is serious issue of safety with the engine / transmission

Filed Aug 21, 2016 · Engine · MN

While driving engine light started blinking, the vehicle lost power and smelled bad odor. My first complaint was filed with the federal safety agency in 2012, and I took my vehicle to maplewood toyoa, mn 55109, in 2012 and they did not fix it. It is serious issue of safety with the engine / transmission

Filed Sep 1, 2015 · Engine, Transmission · 71,537 miles · PA

My vehicle began to "buck" and then shortly thereafter the check engine light came on. I initially took it to the closest mechanic and was told I needed a new transmission and that they couldn't replace it. Told them to take it to krause toyota. Was then told by krause it needed a new ECM but they were too busy and couldn't look at the vehicle for 2 weeks since I wasn't a "regular" customer. I then took the car to bennett toyota - class outfit. They replaced the ECM immediately - which wasn't cheap. Cost me $1200. I have since heard that there was a recall on the ECM on my year rav4 which I wasn't ever notified of. I feel toyota should pick up this tab. I have low mileage for a 2003 car, and have always maintained it properly.

Filed Nov 24, 2014 · Engine, Transmission · 128,677 miles · NC

I purchased a 2003 toyota rav4 from the toyota dealership that only had 13 miles on it in august 2003. In august of 2014, I started having trouble with the automatic transmission shifting harsh when changing. The car would strain to change gears, then all of a sudden it would jerk into gear. No lights came on at all. I took it to the toyota dealership to have the problem inspected and they told me about an extended warranty of 10 years or 150,000 miles. This was the first that I had heard about this warranty. Toyota never contacted me to let me know about the warranty. After inspecting my rav4, they told me that I needed to replace the ECM and if that didn't solve the problem, I would need a transmission. I feel like toyota should have informed me of the problem sooner. (before all that time had gone by.) I was very disappointed with the outcome. I see from this website that I am not the only one with this same problem and feel that toyota should be held responsible for the repair.

Filed Sep 18, 2014 · Engine · LA

This is a general concern question re the ethics of the toyota corporation. I have had continuous trouble with engine lights coming on with the result being o2 sensor problems. This continued to happen with approximately 8 changes (I have the majority of the records. In 2010, I received notice of problems with "harsh shifting". I called toyota to inquire about this, and I was assured I was not having a problem or I "would know it". At this same time, I was having yet another engine light problem with o2 sensor codes and brought my car in.. The o2 sensor replacements went on continuously for quite some time without any explanation of the cause...even to the point that they were sending the sensor in to the "main office". Unfortunately, last week my car totally failed, and they are now telling me it is failure of the ECM and/or the transmission as well! I recently reviewed complaints about the ECM and that toyota actually extended the warranty because of the numerous complaints. It was then I learned that the o2 sensors have a definite impact on the ECM, etc. At no time whatsoever did they ever check this or inform me. That these may be related,so I am wondering if they "put off" checking this possibility until my car passed the 10yr/150,000 mile extension of the warranty on this component so that I would then not be eligible???

Filed Sep 5, 2014 · Engine, Transmission · 130,000 miles · GA

I'm the owner of a 2003 rav4, purchased from a toyota dealer in 2011. Last week, I experienced a time lapse of my car shifting into first gear, in my opinion, a safety hazard. This morning I took the car to a mechanic and began searching the web for any recalls for a 2003 rav4, there are none. However, on this site, I discovered that I am one of many who have this complaint, and that we ,the consumer, all share the same results from toyota. You missed the deadline. It was on this website that I learned of a class action lawsuit about the ECM defect with my rav4 (see www.rv4ecmsettlement.com), the letter was supposedly sent to all who own a 2003 rav4. I never received this letter. Nor did I receive any type of notification from toyota re: an extended warranty,or for that matter any type of time sensitive dates to capture any type of recovery from toyota. Toyota claims they work with a company who gathers owners information from the dmv. Toyota calls this issue with the transmission not shifting properly into gear, a "customer malfunction support program"...and the catch is that you only have 10 years from the date of first use to notify them of your "malfunction"...my car missed the deadline by 6 months and again, let me reiterate that I was never notified by anyone about this issue, nor is this issue termed a recall item. My question is why not? Why is this not a recall, when this situation is clearly a safety issue. If you are in a car that will not move into first gear, and then the car unexpectedly jerks into acceleration, is that not a safety concern?? Toyota's term "harsh shift of auto trans axle" " my complaint and opinion is that toyota has been deceptive with their consumers. And these attorneys? Why did I not hear from them?? And furthermore, will I hear back from the federal safety agency ??? How can the consumer make a deadline, if they are not notified???

Filed Aug 7, 2014 · Engine, Transmission · 75,249 miles · MD

Vehicle driven by elderly widowed mother (josephine beasley, age 70) no more than 6,200 miles per year and began experiencing harsh shift in transmission in march 2014. Aamco informed us that a malfunctioning electronic computer module (ECM) caused the damage to transmission. Aamco technician notified us that the ECM repair claims are covered under a toyota settlement agreement (www.rav4ecmsettlement.com). Repair cost for transmission $2,890 and ECM part $1,227.91 paid for out of pocket. The rav4 was purchased from carmax on april 18, 2009; elderly mother does not have access or understanding of internet. She did not realize that she had to register the vehicle with toyota in order to receive recall notices or any other important information pertaining to her vehicle from the manufacturer. Contacted toyota customer service and they refused to reimburse the cost of repair as the vehicle exceeded the 10 year in service warranty period even though it is within 150,000 miles limit. When she drove the vehicle off the carmax lot it had 44,213 miles on odometer and on august 7, 2014, odometer reading is 75,374. Sad that the elderly are being taken advantage of because of their lack of technical knowledge.