Problems with 2003 Toyota RAV4 POWER TRAIN

I own a rav4 toyota. last thursday my ar started having problems with the transmission, was rough shifting and stalling from in first and second. i took the vehicle in to the dealership, 45 km from home, crossing a major highway the vehicle "kangaroo jumped" over the intersection. the dealership had the vehicle for 3 hours and found nothing wrong with it so i returning home the problem started happening again. when i phoned the dealership back they said they had been calling me to say they had found information that there was a problem etc. and they had ordered the part which would take 2/3 days, then i will have to drive my vehicle back out there on a busy highway. i just wanted to add my concerns to the may you have received regarding the 2003 rav4. i feel that the rav4 should be recalled to correct the problem. on reading all the complaints on the e-mail i was surprised that the dealership were not aware of the problem and had to research it. *tr

I own a toyota rav 4 2003. in a matter of days, my car started slipping gears while accelerating. my car was unable to accelerate safely in 45 mph bumper to bumper traffic. i took my car into the dealer to find out that there is a faulty ecm that affects transmissions that toyota has known about. i think it is unethical practice for a car maker to know that there is a faulty design in a car that can affect something as an important and as expensive as a transmission. what would have happened if i was merging on to the highway, and it did not accelerate? *tr

After accelerating from a stop the vehicle hesitated and then sped up quickly and i almost hit another vehicle. it did that about 4-8 times before i did some research and found it was out of warranty and that toyota wouldn't fix it, according to my research and toyota's reluctancy to recall the vehicle. *tr

My 2003 toyota rav4 had a very harsh shift into reverse, hesitant shift or no shift into 1st. if it did shift into 1st, there was a ramp up in rpm to 4000+ and shaking to get from 2nd to 3rd. i took it to a certified mechanic who did a full diagnostic and informed me that there were no problem codes, however i should flush the tranny fluids to begin with. after a complete flush, the problems didn't go away so i did some research on rav4 transmission problems and discovered the ecm issue with my model. i had the ecm serviced and a vast majority of the issued were solved, however the faulty ecu had already done permanent damage to the transmission where it had a horrible shift from 2nd to 3rd (a horribly harsh shift into 3rd gear with rpm ramp up to 5000+ rps) requiring additional work from a certified mechanic to replace solenoids and transmission work. *tr

Transmission problems on 2003 toyota rav 4. *tr

No prior notice of any problems. all of a sudden vehicle will barely start from stopped position. i drive a 2003 toyota rav4. all indication is that the ecm is faulty causing the transmission not to shift correctly. pulling into or out of traffic with the said vehicle is extremely dangerous. *tr

My 2003 toyota rav4 sometimes stalls in traffic, due to what seems like the transmission slipping. the engine races for a while, then the transmission will catch and the car will surge forward. there is no pattern to when this happens. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav 4. the contact stated that intermittently the transmission slipped out of gear and the engine stalled without any prior warnings. as a consequence, her risk for a vehicle crash was increased. an authorized technician advised her that there was a technical service bulletin for the transmission. since the contact was ineligible for a free remedy, the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage and current mileages were 91,000.

I have a 2003 toyota rav 4 that began shifting hard in the lower gears and the transmission was skipping. i took my vehicle to the shop that i normally use and was told that i would need to take it to the dealership since there was a bulletin out about a possible computer problem. a month before the problem, my car was serviced at my normal shop and a transmission flush was performed. i picked my car up from the shop and took it to the toyota dealership in duluth, ga the following morning for a diagnostic test. within 2 hours the dealership called me and told me that i would need a transmission flush but no computer problems were found. i was told various other recommendations that needed to be done as well, such as changing the belt, 90k service, and a few bulb replacements. i told the dealership that i had the transmission flushed a month prior and they said that the wrong fluid was probably used since i did not have it done at a dealer. i opted for only the transmission flush and bulb replacement at this time. a couple hours later, the dealership called me back and told me that i did need to have the computer replaced and possibly a new transmission. i was told that there was a bulletin out concerning the computer but i am over the warranty and the cost would be $1,286. i have done some research on the internet and found several other people that have had the same problem. had i known about the bulletin, i could have had the computer replaced while still under warranty. *tr

The first thing i noticed was a hard shift into reverse. like a lurch. about 2 days later i noticed the shift from 2nd to 3rd was taking longer than it should. on about the 4th day, at a light when stopped, i hit the gas and didn't move. there was a notable hesitation and i nearly was rearended. finally on about the 5th day, i had the pedal to the floor and was crawling along the road basically. we turned around and parked it, and it has sat ever since, for about 6 months now. we can't afford to fix it and we only half own it. *tr

I have a 2003 toyota rav 4 with an automatic transmission. while driving on the highway the car slipped out of gear and hesitated and the car sputtered losing speed and nearly causing me to be rear ended by a tractor trailer. i am being told that it is a ecm module control problem that you may be aware of. i spoke to a representative at toyota and the told basically "to bad for me". i would like to file a formal complaint with your organization. *tr

Toyota 2003 rav4- car started bucking when accelerating after traffic light. did not accelerate evenly into traffic. had to pull over and let cars pass. onboard computer (ecm) had failed and was not communicating with the transmission. toyota had not informed consumers of this known defect. *tr

My toyota rav4 2003 had the same transmission problem that i know you have received complaints about. toyota never recalled or informed any owners of these vehicles and now what i'm reading has happened to my car. this is dangerous and toyota should be made to notify all owners. all of a sudden my car started to not accelerate and buck forward. i almost got into an accident, almost rear ended because the car was not accelerating. we took it to our mechanic and were told we needed a transmission, had the transmission replaced and then it was doing the same thing. upon further investigation the mechanic found out that it was the ecm and that was replaced and now is fine. toyota should be notifying all customers, if you were on the highway you would be killed if this started to act up!!! they should be made to be responsible for the cost everyone has encountered. if notified i would have been on the lookout for this and probably would have only had to pay for the ecm. i was without my car for over 3 weeks. this should be a safety recall. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav 4. the contact noticed that the vehicle skipped gears when she attempted to shift from 1 to 2 or 3 to 4. the gear slippage increased the risk of a vehicle crash. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and a technician concluded that there were no problems with the transmission. no repairs have been made. the current and failure mileages were 98800.

In 2009, without notice my 2003 toyota rav 4 was "jerking and going". then it would barely move once stopped. then when it would move, it would drag. in august of 2009, the transmission was replaced by palmer's toyota superstore. this cost $1,721.93. *tr

Transmission is hesitating, jerking, stalling, loss of power, and rpm's racing in lower gears of my 2003 rav4 - automatic transmission. *tr

From a complete stop, harsh shift/jerk from park to reverse, hesitation and jerking changing gears, most times consistent during entire ride, then ok for a while after adding fluid or flushing tranny fluid. starts about 10-15 minutes into ride. started when getting off highway ramp during rush hour. came to a stop, and gears were not engaging properly on take off, lots of jerking. car shaking and felt like it was going to stall and would not switch gears without hitting gas pedal hard. car tested with 3 computers and no codes. transmission flushed 2x, pan dropped, no evidence of metal or gunk. after research found bulletins had been posted (by toyota) for these concerns several times. ecm/transmission will need to be replaced. cost will be between $3k-5k! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav 4. while traveling 10 mph, the contact attempted to accelerate yet the vehicle would not respond. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact had the transmission and engine control module was replaced, however the failure persisted. there were no prior warnings of the failure. the failure mileage was 126,000 and the current mileage was 146,000.

2003 toyota rav4. consumer requests ramification to unsuccessful attempts to fix the manufacturer's defect in workmanship *tgw the consumer stated the check engine light illuminated. prior to the engine light illuminating, the consumer noticed the vehicle would stall as she applied the accelerator pedal after a red light and it would surge with force once it accelerated. the consumer was charged $664.87 for a sensor and v-ripped belt. on march 24, 2010, the check engine light illuminated again. upon researching on the internet, the consumer discovered a tsb for the pcm and ecm. the consumer also complained of a squeaking noise coming from the front of the vehicle at the slightest road bump and hearing a thump when turning the wheels to the far right. the consumer stated the dealer never mentioned the tsb's regarding the ecm/pcm. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav4. the contact stated that the computer module for the transmission failed. while driving approximately 45 mph. the vehicle began shaking excessively. there were no related recalls. the warranty expired at 80,000 miles; although, the failure and current mileage was 83,000 the manufacturer agreed to repair the vehicle.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav4. while driving approximately 30 mph he engaged the accelerator pedal and it took a few seconds before the vehicle would accelerate. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who advised him that the transmission needed to be replaced and that the ecm card needed reprogramming. the failure started in june 2009. the vehicle was not repaired and the vehicle was not drivable. the failure and current mileages were 73,000. updated 2/28/11 *cn updated 03/07/11

My 2003 toyota rav 4 has had the transmission rebuilt twice, the computer replaced, and the solenoids replaced twice. my mechanic once thought the ignition switch was burning up the solenoids. i am at my wits end. i have had the vehicle in the shop six times between june 2009 and october 2009 for the same transmission problem. it shifts fine for about a week, and then the same thing: it becomes unreliable as to whether it will shift into 2nd or 3rd gear properly. it jerks, it slips, at other times it revs up to 4000 rpms before it goes into gear and then it lurches forward like a rocket. sometimes the rear wheels skip off the pavement. i haven't been involved in an accident yet, but it's a matter of time. i cannot merge into traffic like normal vehicles and i fear being rear-ended from a stopped position. i feel like putting a sign on the back of the vehicle explaining why i'm not moving. i just got the vehicle back from the transmission shop thursday. by friday, the transmission was already slipping again. i wanted to pull off the highway and cry. i paid $2400 to have the transmission rebuilt and fortunately, all of my return trips were covered by the transmission warranty. but i have also paid $1300 in rental vehicles for all the time the rav 4 was in the shop. i did find the toyota service bulletin, but the codes from my vehicle did not match the codes in the bulletin. toyota, please help us! we just want our cars fixed! what the heck is wrong with them? are they all lemons? my rav4 has 93,000 miles on it. i am the 2nd owner, it has a clean title, and was manufactured in japan. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav4. while driving 30 mph, the vehicle would not shift into gear. after a couple of seconds, the vehicle returned to the correct gear, followed by a loud banging sound. the vehicle also jerked during this time. there were no failures or warning indicators prior to the failures. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop and the mechanic stated that the transmission was failing. the vehicle was not repaired. the dealer confirmed that the transmission and tcm failed, and stated that the repair would cost $6,500. the manufacturer would not provide compensation because the vehicle was out of warranty. the contact was later informed that if she had the vehicle repaired at the cost of $6,500, the manufacturer would reimburse her in the amount of $2,500. the contact discovered a technical service bulletin for the failure with the transmission, which stated that a warranty was offered that would cover the emission failure of the transmission for up to 80,000 miles. the manufacturer stated that they will investigate and call the contact back. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 67,548 and current mileage was 68,270.

I have a 2003 rav4 brought new at 0 miles with 92,000 miles never a problem or check engine light until may 31 09 on my way home from work the transmission did not want to engage properly. the car was taken to the dealers tech the next morning. they have always serviced this car they informed me that i needed a remanufactured 3122.24 trans and a 1145.89 ecu.i was never told that there was a problem with the ecu in this model or that a tsb had been issued. they was never a issue with the car before that one day yet these repairs are what i'm told i would have to pay for an issue that toyota as it turns out is well aware of to the point of making and upgrade for the ecu but are not recalling. this is a safety is your trans just goes in traffic. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav4. the contact stated that the vehicle would not shift into first or second gear, and the vehicle would jerk. the vehicle shifts from first to third gear without incident. in addition, the vehicle loses power and jerks when driving in reverse. the check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel and the solenoid was diagnosed as the cause of the failure. the failures are identical to the ones mentioned in the service bulletin for the transmission control module. the dealer stated that the vehicle could not be repaired because it was not under warranty. the failure and current mileages were 85,000.

I had a 2003 toyota rav4. on april 24th 2009 i pulled out into traffic and my transmission made my car stall almost causing an accident. that was the first time that my transmission acted it up. the torque converter burned up in it. this is a very serious problem and many people have had the same issue. toyota needs to do something about. a company on ebay rebuilds the defective ecms told me that toyota has a real big problem on their hands and that they have rebuilt tons of the ecms. *tr the consumer stated she had to take the vehicle back 3 times, because the vehicle was not shifting properly. updated 03/24/10.*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav4. while driving between 20-30 mph, the vehicle began jerking, stalling, and slipping out of gear. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, but they could not make any repairs because the check engine light did not illuminate. the contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the spark plugs could be the cause of the failure. the spark plugs were changed at that time; however, the failure continued. the vehicle was taken back to the mechanic and the contact was informed that the transmission could be the cause of the failure. the filter and transmission fluid were changed, but the jerking worsened. the manufacturer stated that they never heard of a toyota vehicle having transmission issues. the vehicle was taken back to the transmission shop and they took apart and rebuilt the transmission. the failure recurred and the vehicle was towed back to the transmission shop. the contact discovered a tsb regarding the transmission (tc002-06), but the dealer never acknowledged a tsb for the transmission or ecm. the current and failure mileages were 68,000.

Around early march after several prior repairs from dec. 08-feb. 09 my toyota rav 4 starts driving really rough, won't accelerate, then lurches you forward, etc. huge safety issue. you go to accelerate and someone is behind you and you literally cannot get the car to go, then it finally shoots you forward. i immediately called the service advisor at the dealership, they thought it was a catalytic converter problem. i called to get an estimate and mad hatters had the best price. mad hatters did repair and cleared off codes and car drove fine for 48 hours. on way home from work that monday evening it drove the worst it ever has, wouldn't allow me to accelerate through an intersection, then shot me forward, the right side of the car started violently shaking. i almost got hit by another car waiting to turn after me and a woman behind me. i prayed i would make it home. called toyota took it back to mad hatters at their suggestion. mad hatters checked and indicated it was a transmission code. we called toyota to immediately tow it to the dealership. toyota called and indicate it is the emc and it needs to be replaced immediately, car is not safe to drive. $1300. i researched and there are hundreds of complaints about this problem as well as a old toyota service bulletin so they know this problem existed. two weeks later after i got the money together i was able to pick up my car. they replaced the computer module and the car seems to drive fine, although after picking it up i drove for 10 miles and now the engine light is on again. this is a huge problem and i pray it has not destroyed my transmission. thank god there were no accidents involved. *tr

I was at a stop sign no gas, turned down hill in snow car accelerated going straight into downed tree. my vehicle is not on the recall list and has had sticking accelerator, rear end clunking noise and power steering has made it where i am afraid to drive vehicle. my service animal hit the windshield that shattered when vehicle accelerated and had to slam on brakes at another time. i've had other near misses and two left of center tickets with power steering issues. i have taken into toyota for steering and check engine light and they will not even write service ticket. they filled power steering fluid said no problem. they keep resetting check engine light stating its gas cap. this car is a lemon, transmission problems, electrical system, computer. this is the first new vehicle i ever bought and wish i would have stuck with used. *tr

I became aware of your site after a reading a ny times article about rav4 transmission problems. hard shifting and lurching began in my 2003 rav 4 when it was at around 93,000 miles. when i took it in for service, my mechanic informed me that the computer code that was diagnosed indicated serious transmission problems. i researched it on the web and discovered that this was a problem for many rav owners. since it was out of warranty, i had the work done by a transmission specialist that my mechanic recommended. i paid $1100 for the new ecu and $2400 for a transmission rebuild. toyota has refused to compensate me for any of the repair work that was done. *tr

Toyota rav4 2003, two weeks ago i notice a shifting problem with the car, more so from a stop and go motion. i took the car to transmission expert, he said the transmission oil filter needs changing. a day later i noticed the same problem, took the car back. they told me they could not duplicate the problem. a week later i noticed the same problem, i took it back. now they told me the toyota rav4 have a known issue with the computer, that may at this point contributed to problem with the transmission, and if i wanted to fix the problem, i need to replaced the transmission and computer, which can run to thousand of dollars, i don't have that kind of money at this time. my question is if toyota know this to be an issue why not recall the cars and fix the problem? i have gone to carcomplaint.com and read many other car owners with the same problems. those owners paid alot money up front to try to get the problem fix, unfortunately, their cars had high mileage, and out warranty. something needs to be done, i am for whatever actions needs to be taken against toyota to fix the problem. daniel *tr

Toyota rav 4, 2003, failed to shift properly in lower gears leading to near rearenders. looked on a car complaint site and found numerous people with the same problem. the ecm needs to be reflashed at the service centers to prevent transmission failure. not listed as a recall but a technical problem. i am now having to have both the ecm replaced and the transmission rebuilt. 125000 miles which is better than most reported. everyone having trouble with toyota. seems to have cropped up in the 2002 models first. *tr

Jerking and shifting to the wrong gear. dealer found out bad transmission . need to spend $5000. i'm surprise for toyota product. *tr

I own a 2003 toyota rav4, 138000 miles. i purchased this vehicle new in 2003. this car jerks, jumps gears, and suddenly slows which has caused me to come close to having an accident. now it won't go over 40 and it won't go in reverse. i called continental transmission and have been told they have repaired many toyota rav4's for this same problem and it is going to cost me approx $3500.00. it seems the defective ecu burns up the clutch and other parts of the transmission. also, when searching on line their are many complaints from other rav4 owners who are having the same issues so obviously it is not a random problem. this is a safety issue and one of these times someone is going to have a car accident and/or get hurt and hopefully not killed. toyota has known about this problem and has failed to do a recall. my husband has called toyota and they have refused to take any responsibility or help compensate in any way. we had believed in toyota for quality, after this i will not ever consider buying another toyota. with today's economy in such a financial disaster it is a shame they can get away with this. *tr

In september 2008, my rav4 suddenly began having shifting problems. i pulled out of a shopping center and in the middle of street the car would not accelerate. it was a very frightening experience as other vehicles ware approaching and as i pressed on the gas peddle nothing happened. the car just idled high then it jolted into gear. i took it to aamco the next day. after further investigation by aamco, they provided me with the tsb tc002-06 issued by toyota. aamco advised me that the transmission needed to be replaced before they could determine if it was in fact the computer system that caused the transmission failure, which it did need a new ecm computer as per tc002-06. also in feb 2009 i needed to replace the ecm coolant temp sensor. my rav4 at the time had 80,300 miles on it and the slone toyota that i purchased it from would not honor the 80/8 warranty. they did however give me 50/50 goodwill assistance (if you can even call it that since it still cost over $900 for the computers.) the new transmission cost $3,750 due to the malfunctioned computer. now in april 2010, 18 months and 16,000 miles later, i am going through this all over again. i was driving on the pa turnpike and all of a sudden my vehicle would not go over 60 mph and then it went to 40 mph. i could not get it accelerate. i had 3 children in the car and was very scary for us as other vehicles were quickly approaching behind us and i could not get the vehicle to drive. the location were i was driving did not have anywhere for me to pull over. again the car jolted into gear and the check engine light came on. once again my car is at the aamco. at this time we are unsure if the computer failed again or if there is an issue with the new transmission i had installed. regardless i need another transmission. i would like to know how toyota claimed in 2006 steps were taken to prevent this from happening again. once i receive a diagnosis for this latest incident i will post a complaint. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav4. while driving 55 mph, the transmission suddenly began to downshift and upshift on its own. the contact did not notice any differences in the vehicle prior to the failure. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the current and failure mileages were 130,000.

Car wouldn't shift properly. toyota dealer said i needed a new transmission due to a problem with the solenoid. after internet searching the problem, i asked that the local repair shop replace the computer (much less costly) and the car started working again. an internal memo to dealers stated that this was a common problem on the make/model but the local dealer did not mention such a memo. i only found it after searching online. *tr

My 2003 toyota rav-4 with 103,000 miles on it is having severe transmission problems. the car will not shift from 1st to 2nd without lunging, clunking, and hesitating to the point where it hardly moves. just had the 90,000 mile tune up done and the dealer could not id the problem. after getting the car home it is undrivable-we did not think we would make it to the auto repair shop. they tell me it is a transmission problem-very expensive to fix. i have read that many others are having this same problem. it is dangerous and a clear manuf. defect that needs to be fixed. my car is now sitting in the shop with no hope of a solution. *tr

Toyota rav-4 has serious transmission problems leading to failure of the transmission. will not shift from first gear to second in heavy traffic, at intersections etc. have come close to being hit by on coming traffic on two occasions. toyota will acknowledge this problem. *tr

I have a 2003 toyota rav4, at 86600 miles it appeared my transmission was slipping, when i would pull out in front of anyone it was stall and slip while going into 1st and 2nd gear. (automatic transmission), the dealership (toyota) said it was internal in the transmission so i took it to a transmission place, they said they could not find anything wrong with it. after review the complaints on the internet it seems that this is happening with toyota's 2001 thru 2003 and it is the ecm that goes bad and if you drive your car it will tare up the transmission. i went back to toyota and showed them the bulletin put out by toyota and after some back and forth with them they installed me a new ecm, this was just 2 days ago, they are not sure if this will fix the problem or not, but i believe toyota should recall these vehicles before someone get killed, this is a real expense to the car owners. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav4. whenever the vehicle is at a complete stop, it lost power. if the air conditioning were to be on, the vehicle would not lose power. while driving when the vehicle changed gears there wasn't a smooth transition and the vehicle would jerk. he took the vehicle to aamco transmission and the mechanic stated that the vehicle has a worn clutch. also, the second and third gears failed. the contact was informed that the cause for the transmission failure was due to a faulty power train control module. the dealer stated that there was no recall; therefore, they were not liable for the repairs. the dealer also stated that the vehicle would have to have less than 80,000 miles for the warranty to be in effect. the current mileage was 106,000 and failure mileage was 70,000.

For a few months now the problem has progressively gotten worse. it is a constant issue. when in park or stopped the car idles high. when driving the car (automatic transmission) the shift of gears is not smooth, it is jumpy and jerky. also when switching to drive, reverse etc, its not a smooth transition. i feel like the transmission is not safe and could fail while im driving. my passengers often tell me i am a crazy driver as of late, because the car is jerking them around, although i haven't changed my way of driving. i have done some research online and feel that this is a common problem among 2003 toyota rav4's. *tr

i own a 2003 toyota rav 4, at 140,000 miles the check engine light came on. was told by toyota dealership, the car needed a new exhaust system. had repairs done, light came back on at 160,00 . dealer says needs need transmission. started doing more research and found this forum at www.carcomplains.com and discovered there are a lot of rav 4 owners that are having the same problem and toyota is ignoring our cry for help. *tr

I have a 2003 toyota rav4- seems to be exact same problem everyone else is having--no problems until early this year 2008, transmission was skipping gear 2 to 3, took to mechanic then to transmission specialist, where the same procedure occurred. computer chip replaced, few days later, same problem occurred. transmission replaced at 89,000 miles, 3400 dollars total. otherwise, the car is great. no accident, just too much hassle, money, and several stressful, scary rides home. *tr

My toyota rav4 wd, 2003, transmission failed in a major intersection and again traveling up a hill. *jb

I have toyota rav 4 2003 and the transmission is damage. *tr

The following are the events leading up to the failure of my '03 toyota rav4: - current mileage: 93k miles - after coming to a full stop at a street light i started to accelerate and noticed my car started to stall. i figured my foot may have slipped off the gas pedal and didn't think much of it. - later that week the stalling worsened and my car would then start to shutter uncontrollably. - this led me to take notice that the stalling/shuttering occurred after my car was warmed up and i had driven about 20 mins. - i brought my car to the toyota dealership where i purchased this car. - diagnostics tests were performed and i was told my transmission was the cause of the stalling/shuttering. - the technician recommended to replace the entire transmission because "toyota" recommends to do so instead of finding out what the true cause is. - they proceeded to tell me it would cost me $4,000 to replace which has led me to this point in posting this complaint. - i am not pleased with the service options i was given and was under the impression that toyota is a dependable car. i've only had this car for 3 years and am very disappointed. *jb

My wife's 2003 toyota rav4 has 85000 miles. several weeks ago it started shifting poorly and eventually would not move easily from rest. we took it to the dealer and were told that the transmission was bad. we could not believe this and took it to a local cottman transmission shop for repair. after 2 weeks and the replacement of many internal parts, mechanical and electrical, we paid $4000 for our car and drove it away. within 100 miles the same symptoms returned. we had it towed to the cottman transmission shop and were told that the engine control module was defective and they wanted another $1100 to replace it. whether cottman transmission is being honest or not remains to be seen but we feel that toyota should have some responsibility in this matter. so far toyota usa has been unhelpful or unresponsive. i discovered a tsb (tc002-06) that discusses the engine control module. the tsb states that it is part of the emission control system and that replacement will be covered by warranty up until 96 months or 80000 miles. leaves us out but others may be interested. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota rav4. the contact has experienced multiple failures with the vehicle ever since it was purchased. while driving at any speed, the transmission stalls and prevents the vehicle from accelerating. the computer was removed from the vehicle and sent to the manufacturer to be serviced. the vehicle is currently being repaired at the cost of $400. the contact is in the process of notifying the manufacturer. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 100 and current mileage was 111,000.

I had my hand resting on the gear shift (automatic on the floor) and bumped it from drive into neutral. i did not push the button designed for shifting. i was stopped on a hill; when i took my foot off the brake to start, i drifted backward toward another car. *nm