2003 Toyota RAV4 Engine Problems

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.

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT STARTED BLINKING, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. AND SMELLED BAD ODOR. MY FIRST COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH NHTSA 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

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT STARTED BLINKING, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SMELLED BAD ODOR. MY FIRST COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH NHTSA 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

THE VEHICLE WITH 71,000 MILES AND PERFECT SERVICE RECORD HAD A ENGINE FAILURE, WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND BEFORE I HAD TIME TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER TO INSPECT THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING BADLY. I BARELY MADE IT TO THE SHOULDER BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLED. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY CAME OUT WITH THE DIAGNOSE THAT THE "ENGINE THREW A ROD" FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THERE WAS SUFFICIENT ENGINE OIL AND LAST OIL CHANGE WAS DONE 4500 MILES BEFORE. BASICALLY, ENGINE AT THIS POINT IS BEYOND REPAIR AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. BESIDE THE FINANCIAL LOSE, NOW I EXTREMELY CONCERN ABOUT THE SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF THE VEHICLE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE ENGINE OR ANY OTHER PART THAT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE FACT THAT I HAD 10 YEARS OLD BOY IN THE CAR WITH ME WHO THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GOING TO DIE THAT DAY AND CRYING HYSTERICALLY MAKE IT ALL THE MORE BOTHERSOME. WHEN I CALLED TOYOTA HEADQUARTER TO REPORT THE PROBLEM, THEY BASICALLY DISMISSED ME AS ROUTINE PROBLEM AND NOT TOYOTA'S PROBLEM. THEY SEEM DISINTERESTED TO FIND OUT WHY ENGINE WITH SO FEW MILES GOT BUSTED FOR NO REASON AND PERFECT MAINTENANCE RECORD. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE RELIABILITY AND SAFETY OF THE ENGINE IN THE VEHICLE (1AZ-FE). I HOPE GOVT INVESTIGATE THIS CASE AND I AM WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN WHICHEVER WAY I CAN TO MAKE IT SAFE FOR MY FELLOW RIDERS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR FILTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE HAD SURPASSED THE STATUE OF LIMITATIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,700.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, SHE NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEAD BOLTS WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO ASSIST WITH THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN INCREAMS IN THE ENGINE RPMS AND THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE BEFORE ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH A DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT WAS FAILING AND WOULD CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 215,000.

CHECK OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD GO OUT, AFTER CHECKING THE OIL LEVEL ALL APPEAR FINE, THE CAR WOULD BURN 1 QUART EVERY TWO MONTHS. AFTER DRIVING ALONG THE EXPRESS WAY FOR 30 MILES AND USING A TWO LANE ROAD FOR ABOUT 3 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL LIGHT ALL CAME ON AT A STOP LIGHT AND THEN THE ENGINE MAKE NOISE AND QUIT RUNNING, AFTER TOWING THE CAR TO A AUTO REPAIR SHOP WE WERE TOLD THE CAR NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THE CAR IS A RAV 4 2003 WITH ABOUT 89,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, MY 2003 TOYOTA RAV4'S ENGINE LIGHT STARTS FLICKERING. THE CAR STARTS HESITATING, EVEN WITH APPLYING MORE GAS. THE CAR THEN LOSES POWER AND CUTS OUT. THE CAR WILL THEN RESTART, BUT CONTINUE TO HESITATE AND CUT OUT THE ISSUE HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES OVER THE PAST MONTH. THE DEALER COULD NOT ISOLATE THE PROBLEM AND SIMPLY RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE SPARK PLUGS. MY WIFE HAPPENED TO BE DRIVING THE CAR ON THE INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR YESTERDAY WITH MY TWO TODDLERS IN THE CAR WHEN IT CUT OUT AGAIN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP LIGHT THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 115000.

MY 2003 RAV4 HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY SLUGGISH FROM A DEAD START AND ANY KIND OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION BUT I KNEW THAT I WOULD EVENTUALLY REACH THE LEGAL SPEED LIMIT. DRIVING 1 1/2 WEEKS AGO, HOWEVER, BROUGHT MY ATTENTION TO ANOTHER, FAR MORE SERIOUS ACCELERATION PROBLEM, FAR WORSE THAN JUST SLUGGISHNESS. THE SUV WAS SHIFTING OUT OF GEAR AUTOMATICALLY AND I FEARED FOR MY SAFETY AS I WAS IN MOVING TRAFFIC AND I WAS HAVING TROUBLE MOVING. I IMMEDIATELY DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER. LUCKILY, THE DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSE TO WHERE I WAS. THEY KEPT MY CAR FROM APPROX. 3:30 PM THAT FRIDAY UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. AT FIRST, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION AND SAID THEY NEEDED UNTIL MONDAY TO KNOW FOR SURE. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE REP. TO NOT WORRY, THAT IT MAY BE FAR LESS EXPENSIVE THAN I THINK. THAT MONDAY, I GOT A CALL FROM THE SERVICED REP THAT HE HAD BOTH GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS. THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM - AN ECU PROBLEM BUT THAT I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I WOULD HAVE TO BUY A NEW ONE. I TOLD THEM TO GO AHEAD AND INSTALL IT AS I COULDN'T SEE ANY ALTERNATIVE. THE WORK WAS DONE AND THE FINAL COST FOR THE UNIT AND LABOR WAS $1,300.00. I TOLD THE SERVICE REP THAT I FELT SHAFTED BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AFTER 80,000 AND I HAD 84,000 MILES AT THE TIME. FURTHER, I HAD THE SUV FOR JUST 7 YEARS, NOT THE LIMIT OF 8 YEARS UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY FOR THE ECU. I WENT ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THE NY TIMES JULY, 2010 LETTER ANNOUNCING MANY PROBLEMS LIKE MINE WITH TRANSMISSION DAMAGE AS WELL AND TOYOTA WOULD NOW COVER IT ALL. ACCORDING TO THE LETTER, TOYOTA HAD EXTENDED ITS WARRANTY FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO 150,000 MILES AND 10 YEARS FOR THE ECU ! I CALLED THE SERVICE REP AND HE SAID TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS REP WAS THERE AND SAID I HAD NO EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE SERVICE MANAGER NEVER RETURNED MY CALL. I FINALLY CALLED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THEM. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM A TOYOTA MANAGER OFFERING ME $1,000 TO BUY A NEW TOYOTA VEHICLE. 11/03/10 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. WHEN THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO REVERSE GEAR, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS NO LONGER VALID; THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR REPAIR COST. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

TRANSMISSION PROBLEM ON A 2003 RAV4 4 WHEEL DRIVE. IT STARTED AT 100,456 MILES. NEVER HAD PROBLEM WITH THE CAR BEFORE. IT STARTED TO OCCUR ONCE IN A WHILE IN FIRST GEAR, THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, GOT IT CHECK. CAME UP CODE PO755. NOW IS OCCURRING MORE OFTEN. LIGHT GOES OFF AND AFTER A COUPLE OF DAY GOES ON AGAIN. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA. THEY SAID IT NEEDS A REMANUFACTURE TRANSMISSION AND THEY NEED TO CHANGE THE ECM. COST 5,995 THEY TOLD ME I'M BETTER OFF TRADING THE CAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND WHEN ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE TO INCREASE IN SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE SENSORS. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ADDRESSING THE FAILURE BUT WERE NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE AND REPAIRS WOULD BE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 94,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,400.

TOYOTA ISSUED A TECHNICAL ALERT IN 2006 FOR A DEFECTIVE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE IN THEIR 2201-2003 RAV4'S. THE ALERT WAS ONLY SENT TO THE DEALERSHIPS, NOT TO THE CONSUMERS. THIS DEFECT SLOWLY DESTROYS THE TRANSMISSION AND WITHOUT WARNING YOUR CAR STALLS LIKE YOUR RUNNING OUT OF GAS. A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED BUT TOYOTA REFUSES. I NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIX THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE THAT COSTS $1300 NOW I HAVE TO REPLACE THAT AND MY TRANSMISSION FOR A TOTAL COST OF $4400. PLEASE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. *TR

2003 TOYOTA RAV WAS STOP INSTEAD OF ACCELERATING ON HIGHWAY STARTING 12/17, BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP ON 12/22/09 AND THEY CHANGED SPARK PLUGS; BROUGHT BACK 12/29 THEY CHANGED WATER PUMP AND THEN TEST DROVE AND CALLED ME TO TELL ME IT COULD BE TRANSMISSION BUT TO REPLACE THE ECM FIRST SINCE THEY KNEW IT COULD CAUSE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. WHILE ENTERING A HIGHWAY BETWEEN 25-30 MPH THE TRANSMISSION DOWN-SHIFTED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. A MECHANIC WAS IN THE PROCESS OF REPAIRING THE ECM. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST REVEALED CODE PO755S (SOLENOID B FAULT). THE MECHANIC COULD NOT INTERPRET THE ERROR CODE. A TECHNICIAN FROM THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO BE RE-INSPECTED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 49,998.

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??? *TR