2007 Toyota RAV4: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Nov 16, 2016 · Transmission · 180,000 miles · NC

Transmission slips or jerks after vehicle slows down and speeds up. This is unsafe in traffic due to vehicles following behind and stops which could cause a rear end collision due to hesitation when vehicle should be excelerated but it slows then jerks back which can be felt when driving. Even felt during excelaration in normal driving conditions. This happens during pressing down on gas petal when the transmission gears should change smoother, it slips or jerks into place, then slows back down again after acceleration.

Filed Jun 7, 2015 · Electrical, Engine · 128,910 miles · FL

The car failed to start, the battery was extremely hot and had not water in it. Changed the battery, the car started properly; however, once set to drive it hesitated a bit, as if it were chocking for lack of gas but it had gas. Drove on and at about speed of 40 MPH steering became hard to handle, AC and engine cut off. Restarted it drove back home... Just made the last payment on the car, car was regularly serviced at the dealer.

Filed Jun 7, 2015 · Engine · 130,000 miles · TX

Engine hesitates/stumbles and RPM needle fluctuates at speeds under 60mph

Filed Aug 19, 2013 · Acceleration, Engine · 71,700 miles · CO · crash

I have just experienced sudden acceleration while pulling into a parking spot. I slammed on the brake and it didn't want to stop. I ended up bumping the car in front of me as I continued to brake. The engine was still surging and wouldn't go into reverse. I called mountain states toyota here in denver and explained the problems to the service manager. He told me that he had never heard of such a thing. There are numerous complaints with the same issue on the internet. The service manager, of course, is telling me that if they cannot reproduce it and it is not showing error codes(which it isn't) there isn't anything they can do. I told him I wanted the acceleration system thoroughly inspected...which he wants to charge me for unless they do find an issue. By what I have seen on the internet, it is useless to take it in as toyota is ignoring the issue, thinking they fixed it with the floor mats. I had the floor mats replaced on that recall well before this issue came up. I have also had many experiences with the engine surging and hesitating with the tach showing the surge. It is intermittent and cannot be reproduced, but it is getting worse over time. I now believe that this is related to the acceleration issue I described above. I am afraid to drive it now as it could happen on a busy street and really hurt someone and me.

Filed Apr 21, 2010 · Engine · 221 miles · NY

This is an ongoing problem that has existed since I owned the vehicle. More then half the time when I step down on the gas hard, my vehicle nearly stalls, severe hesitation, then slowly recovers and applies power. This would be when you have to pass a car on a two lane road or merge into heavy traffic. It is hard to know if it will be there when I need it or if I will have to wait for the engine to catch up. I have reported it to the toyota service department multiple times; they have test drove it, had a factory rep. Look at it and at computer printouts. They admit there is a problem but don't seem to know how or want to fix it. I thought I should report it, since the information coming out now is toyota seems to like to hide the safety problems with their vehicles. I feel this is a safety issue since I can't depend on the vehicle when I might most need it to get out of the way.

Filed Feb 15, 2010 · Acceleration, Electrical · 100 miles · NC

Complaint:second complaint I purchased my toyota rav 4 2007 in october of 2007. A few months after I had the car I started noticing that the car, for no reason would hesitate, leaving me at times in the middle of crossings an intersections with no power. After others began making comments that there was something wrong I brought it into leith toyota. The first time was april 24th 2008. I explained to the service advisor I was having intermittent problems with the car. I told him I would start across an intersection (4 lanes) and all of a sudden the car hesitated, there was no power. I would press the gas pedal to the floor and approximately 10-15 seconds later the car would lunge forward. I told them it concerned and scared me. I was told that they could not find any problems. April 28th 2008 I returned again to the dealership advising them there was a problem, I was afraid to drive the car and wanted it fixed. I again was told there was not any problem with the car. This time I refused to leave until the problem was fixed. They finally brought the car back in and told me the models have a problem with the ECM system. I was told they reflashed the ECM system with an update sent by corporate and things should be fine. Yesterday I returned to the dealership. I told them the car was ok for a number of months but again this week I was almost in an accident because the car had started to hesitate again, and I am left in the intersection without power and on-coming traffic. They took the car out and of course the problem is intermittent so they were unable to find anything abnormal. They told me they would check to see if there were any additional computer updates for the problem. The car also looses power on highway at 60 MPH, shuts down after a while. They advised me there were no additional updates. I told them the problem is putting me in danger of having an accident. They told me toyota does not feel this is a problem. *tr updated ivoq 07/15/10.

Filed Sep 15, 2009 · Engine · PA

My 2007 rav 4 hesitates when I depress gas pedal. It began happening shortly after purchase in 2007 and the problem has increased in frequency & duration. Yesterday I started a left hand turn while oncoming traffic was clear, but because of vehicle's hesitation, in mid-turn, oncoming traffic suddenly appeared and had to stop for me to complete my turn. I narrowly avoided being in an accident, for which I would have been found at fault, as I was making a left hand turn.

Filed Aug 13, 2009 · Acceleration · 21,500 miles · OR

My 2007 toyota rav4 4cyl 4 x 4 hesitates for several seconds when I depress the gas pedal. This has been going on since I bought the vehicle new in 2007, but has recently begun to get worse. Today as I attempted to pull into traffic with my wife and two small children in the vehicle, it hesitated and nearly got us into an accident.

Filed Aug 30, 2007 · Acceleration, Fuel system · 55 miles · GA

Hesitation when trying to press gas pedal usually from a stop. This could cause an accident when I believe I have enough time to get out on main highway from side street and the SUV won't go. Took to dealer, who said normal. Cruise does not work properly on inclines. It will jerk back and forth until cruise turned off. Mechanic rode with me and said this shd not be happening, but toyota has no fix for it at present; they do not know when. Called toyota call center. They said this vehicle not meant to use cruise on inclines(so why put it on the vehicle-put on on level road, take off when see hill approaching-what a joke). Never had a vehicle in my life where the cruise was not meant to be used at all points of driving. Told by dealership to wait. This vehicle is new and I do not want to wait.