2003 Toyota RAV4: transmission slipping

Filed Oct 2, 2023 · Transmission · 103,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH and at various speeds, the transmission slipped out of the intended gear. The contact stated that after depressing the accelerator pedal, the engine would rev before the transmission would jolt into gear. The contact stated that the check engine warning was illuminated. The contact had driven the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the Electronic Control Module needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.

Filed Sep 4, 2018 · Transmission · 146,000 miles · WI

Takata recall transmission slips when put in gear and when accerating

Filed Apr 3, 2016 · Transmission · 144,540 miles · CA

Transmission slipping when shifting from first to second gear

Filed Jan 21, 2015 · Transmission · 80,880 miles · PA

I pulled onto the highway, and pushed the accelerator down to get into traffic, and the vehicle failed to accelerate instantly as it always had done. The transmission slipped, slowly getting into gear, and then only gradually caught, causing me to almost get hit in the interim by at least one car and a tractor trailer. Told by my mechanic that this was unusual for toyota transmissions, he said I should go online and see if there were any recalls for this type of problem. Sure enough, toyota had, under duress of a law suit, acknowledged the problem, and had issued an expansion of the warranty on this exact problem to 10 years or 150,000 miles. On the online description of the transmission/emc problem, it was stated that the problem usually started around 80,000 miles, which is what my 2003 rav 4 has on it. After first calling toyota headquarters (torrance, ca) to get them to include my car under that extension, they said that it was too late and there was nothing they could do. I then sent them a registered letter begging them to help me, as the car was essentially a death trap with the slippage into the first two gears, and they responded with a letter telling me to call them back. This was fruitless, as the reiterated exactly what the first customer service rep told me. I asked them to put it in writing that they would not stand behind their product failure, which the rep said he would do. I have heard nothing from them since that call last week. I told him I did not get anything from their company telling me, the owner, that this problem in the power train existed, and that it was unfair that because I babied the car over the years I have owned it, the 80,000 miles just occurred recently, past the 2013 date that was in the new warranty extension. In other words, a problem that was known by toyota to manifest itself around 80,000 miles penalized me in this case.

Filed Apr 11, 2012 · Transmission · 117,461 miles · NY

My 2003 toyota rav 4 started shifting poorly and inconsistently by not shifting to the next gear, slipping in between gears and slamming into gear. There are times when the transmission functions correctly and then there are days when it never does. I am scared to death to drive this car not knowing whether it will be a good day when my rav4 behaves as it should or if its going to leave transmission parts all over the road, get us in an accident or at the very least, leave us stranded. Nerve racking and incredibly unsafe.

Filed Aug 15, 2011 · Transmission · 93,400 miles · WI

2003 toyota rav4 - transmission slipping; ends up it is a computer (ECM) problem which is skipping 2nd gear and hesitating on acceleration and jerking into 3rd gear from 1st gear.

Filed Sep 9, 2010 · Transmission · 89,800 miles · NH

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav4. The contact stated that he experienced transmission problems; the gears would slip at times. The vehicle was inspected by a mechanic who stated that the problem was most likely the engine control module; no codes were produced. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The current and failure mileages were approximately 89,800.

Filed Jul 14, 2010 · Transmission · 89,210 miles · PA

I was about to merge with traffic on a local highway when I stepped on the gas pedal and the car did not accelerate. It terrified me because there was a tractor trailer to my left that almost hit me. As I pressed harder on the pedal to accelerate the car, the engine made a loud revving sound, and the car started to jerk forward, in the sense that there seemed to be transmission slippage: sometimes the car accelerated harshly while at other times it was like it was on neutral. This occurred with no warning at all, as something like this had never happened before, nor was there any hint that something like this would happen. This transmission slippage occurs at low speed, right at those crucial moments when you need the car to accelerate because you are merging with traffic, or are crossing an intersection after having stopped at a light or stop sign. After searching online, I found many similar complaints. People reported that the problem was the engine control module (ECM), so I had that fixed, and now the car seems to be running fine. The worst thing is that online people discovered that toyota issued an internal memo in 2006 notifying dealers of this problem, but it did not notify the owner, let alone recall the cars and have the problem fixed. Apparently, toyota did not feel the problem was serious enough, though I am convinced that it was only luck that I survived that day on the highway!

Filed Jun 23, 2010 · Transmission · 110,000 miles · PA

No warning when transmission slipped from stopped to first. Would jerk then be fine. Drove approximately 50 miles while this was happening with hazard lights on. Took to a local transmission shop & was quoted $3,200 for a new transmission. No mention of the ECM being the cause or needing repaired. Will have to trade in. Failure 110,000.

Filed Jun 16, 2010 · Transmission · 105,000 miles · GA

Rav4 transmission slips, jerks and slams into gear. Very unsettling and unsafe. No "check" light. Took it to the dealer and they gave a lame excuse about my husband driving it and confusing the computer. Symptoms never stopped so I took it to a trusted independent shop and am having to pay $4000 for repairs. Toyota should be held accountable, especially since they know about the problem and even issued a tsb on it. Unfortunately, that only covers up to 80k miles. Please lean on them to make this right!

Filed May 18, 2010 · Transmission · 60,000 miles · IL

My 2003 toyota rav4 is slipping, bucking, and dragging: transmission problems, just like all the rest! What more is there to say? Besides the fact that I don't feel safe driving it with my 6 month old daughter in there, and I have no money to have it fixed!

Filed Feb 19, 2010 · Electrical, Transmission · 102,000 miles · CA

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav4. She noticed that when she stopped the gear will fail it will stay in drive. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the diagnosis indicated that the failure was caused by the electronic control unit. The dealer replaced the ecu and the failure was corrected. The failure mileage was 102,000 and the current mileage was 104,236. Updated 03/30/10. *lj the consumer stated when she made a stop, the vehicle would not go into gear and the engine revved, then slipped into gear and lurched forward. The consumer was told it was a computer problem and sending faulty signals to the transmission. The consumer stated there have been no other problems since. Updated 07/15/10