========== ORIGINAL POSTING ==========
"TOYOTA RAV4 2001: TRANSMISSION FAILS ON 6 YEAR OLD CAR - After 6 years, and 90,000 kilometres of having my 2001 RAV4 regularly serviced by the dealer at considerable expense, the ECU (transmission computer) has faulted and caused "transmission burning clutches and contaminating internals". The repair has been quoted at $7000.00.
I would like to know if this is a problem others have encountered and to warn others considering a RAV4 of this possible issue. The car has only been driven on the road under normal conditions."
POSTED BY: CORRINE MARSHALL - MELBOURNE, VIC - AUS 27 SEP 2007
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Just went through exactly the same problem. Our repair bill was just under $8000. I have a five door 2002 RAV4 automatic cruiser.
First the car was slipping in gears. It was not a gradual thing eihter ... it just suddenly failed. Upon inspection the clutches were burnt out. The gear box was repaired and it flamed another box. I had the computer checked by Toyota and an independent specialist and no fault codes etc. indicated a problem. In the end a new computer was put in, problem solved!
Basically the ECU malfunctioned causing the gear box clutches to burn out. The ECU didn't even indicate any fault codes or go into the safe mode like they are suppose to. Gear box had to come out twice and so did the engine. I got a 24 month warranty on repairs ... make sure you do as well. Will be selling **** before that though! I was lucky that the workshop I go through is owned by a friend and was not charged for the engine coming out 2 and a half times
POSTED BY: SCOTT - BRISBANE, QLD - AUS 24 DEC 2007
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I have a 2001 Rav4. I took my car to the dealer for the required maintenance as I always do. I asked them to check my transmission because my car was slipping into 2nd gear. I was told that I now need an ECU because the computer is not telling the car to change gears the way it is supposed to. I see that this is a common problem, I was quoted $1500.00 for the replacement. It sounds like I need to get rid of my car.
OSTED BY: ADRIAN - GA, USA 20 FEB 2008
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I have a 2002 Rav4. Same problem. The gearbox started slipping due to the computer failure, and I have been told the repair bill will be $6500. I am not sure what to do, as I will not be getting the money back when I try to sell the car.
POSTED BY: PAUL GRUNDY - SYDNEY, NSW - AUS 4 MAR 2008
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Me Too! Same thing just happened to our 2002 Rav4, 5 door. I got up one morning, started to drive to work and the gears started slipping. I took it Straight to the garage and they said the ECU needed replacing... $4000! This has to be some kind of design fault. We simply don't have the money to repair it! I can't tell you how angry I feel about this!
POSTED BY: LYNN MORESI - MELBOURNE, VIC - AUS 1 SEP 2008
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I have just bought a 2001 Rav cruiser auto and the gears were also slipping. This is after 2 **** days of owning it. I took it back to car yard yesterday and it is at the mechanics now while I wait for an answer. I was issued a 3 month warranty but after reading all these comments I now feel like **** and can see it is obviously a common problem! I will keep you posted to see what it ends up being. It has really **** me off.
POSTED BY: JODIE B - NOWRA, NSW - AUS 19 SEP 2008
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TOYOTA RAV 4 2001 1007,000 KM. ECU - TRANSMISSION ISSUES - I have had the same issues with the ECU as you all manifesting with the transmission suddenly slipping, literally an overnight phenomenon. I had the car checked by usual mechanic whith handheld computer diagnostics, no fault codes; however symptoms still there so stopped driving the car and started to ring around to inform myself.
The answers came back thick and fast, it was as if every one could diagnose the problem without even seeing the car. They literally told me what year and model car I had after briefly describing the problems.
"Change the ECU ($1700- $2100) and if you are lucky that may fix the problem, if unlucky and you drove the car without noticing in time the transmission will need replacing ($3500 -7500)" was the standard reply.
After reading all the posts on web about this and speaking to dozens of independent transmission workshop Experts & Mechanics, I have contacted NRMA, Dept of fair trading, and Channel Seven and Nine regarding doing a story on their "Current Affair", & "Today Tonight" programs as there are some massive safety issues related to this situation - my wife & two young children were nearly rammed by other vehicles several times at traffic lights because of transmission suddenly slipping, the media are interested in this !
I have several experts willing to go on record and speak about this issue. Let me know if you want to form a group to bring this issue into public awareness thus encouraging Toyota to take responsibility for their products and stop sweeping this under the carpet.
After my local Toyota workshop replaced the ECU ($1682) the vehicle seemed Ok, but as the transmission will not show up any fault code if it is damaged only time will tell! Confidence in the brand Toyota is now at a very low point with me.
Before paying my repair bill I contacted Toyota customer relations Sydney / Taren Point / Tel: 02 9710 3333 and made a serious complaint regarding this issue and informed them of my awareness of just how widespread this issue is and how the media is interested in doing a story on this matter (in 2006 these vehicles were recalled in the USA for software upgrade a free service). Anyway they spoke to the dealer, the dealer spoke to the warranty department and lo and behold they came to the party and reduced my repair bill by $800. This is a start however I am convinced that this should be a free recall service and if transmissions are damaged due to a faulty ECU that controls it the transmission is by definition Collateral Damage for which Toyota also should be responsible and prepared to assist their loyal (till now) customers.
If you have your car repaired by Toyota you could try to call customer service prior to paying your bill and hopefully this way you too can at least save some money and collectively we will eventually encourage Toyota to adjust their denial strategy about this matter.
Please raise awareness about this issue & tell everyone you know!
POSTED BY: RICKY STRONG - SYDNEY, NSW - AUS 28 SEP 2008
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I have just had a similar failure. Cost of repair still unknown. Is this just manifesting itself because of the age of the car and if so is this going to become a more frequent event I wonder. My local Toyota garage say that this failure is unknown by themselves and Toyota. In fact it is the first one.
POSTED BY: MAURICE LUSCOMBE - READING, UNITED KINGDOM 8 OCT 2008
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Well I got my car back after 2 weeks after a new computer was put in and a reconditioned gear box. I was so excited, but after another 2 days there was a sound like a helicopter blade going round and round in the 2 front tyres so once again back to the car yard to wait another 4 days and the wheel bearing needed replacing! I am totally over this piece of **** I have had my new car a total of 4 days out of 3 weeks and Toyota have A Lot to answer for I tell you!
My local car yard have been fantastic but they have done what needed to be done no questions asked given me a loan car when by law they don’t have to. They are also out of pocket with this being that mine is still under warranty. I also thought of contacting Today Tonight or ACA over this. Some attention has to be brought to this serious Fault with this car! So fingers crossed I get this piece of **** back tomorrow!
POSTED BY: JODIE B - NOWRA, NSW - AUS 9 OCT 2008
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Is this only a problem with automatics? I'm considering buying a manual 2001 or 2000. But the one I was going to look at this weekend ia an auto. Will steer clear. I am assuming these are all auto's having this problem. Look forward to advice.
POSTED BY: MICHELLE - MELBOURNE, VIC - AUS 13 NOV 2008
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I have just had the same problem with my 2002 RAV4 98,000kms which I have had from new. Without any warning the auto transmission started jolting badly when put into reverse and then two days later the car was slipping gears when I was driving to work. I had it towed to my auto transmission specialist and he said this is a very common problem with the RAV4 at approx 100,000kms - he has just repaired 6 in the past few months.
My ECU needs replacing and I won’t know until this is done as to whether I also will need to have the clutch replaced. Total cost $1,000 for the ECU and $2800 if it is the clutch. I hope this is the end of this! My car has always been serviced at Toyota and they never warned me about this problem. Not happy!
POSTED BY: D BOYLE - CROYDON, VIC - AUS 21 JAN 2009
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You can add another unhappy RAV4 owner to your list. Transmission completely **** on 2001 5 door Cruiser, just over $100,000kms. Quoted $7000 to repair and Toyota dealership service department said it was a common problem in the RAV. For such a common problem, why is it so expensive to repair and why hasn’t Toyota been held accountable for this debacle?
POSTED BY: AYLEE - BELGRAVE, VIC - AUS 12 MAR 2009
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2002 Toyota Rav4 - 96,000 on the clock.
Automatic transmission **** - Have lost first and fourth completely. I have been quoted minimum charge: $3,000 to fix... could be a lot more. It appears this is a common problem amongst the 2001 and 2002 RAV4.
POSTED BY: SIMON H - MELBOURNE, VIC - AUS 24 MAR 2009
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I have a 2002 Rav4 with 116,000km regularly serviced, and have just started experiencing the same problems as others on this forum. The gearbox just started slipping intermittently with no warning or symptoms.
I took it to my mechanic who could not diagnose a problem by applying the scanner as no fault codes were present. I was advised to take the car to an auto transmission specialist. The auto transmission specialist stated that this is a common problem with the Rav 4 at this mileage. He has verified that the problem is the ECU (transmission computer) and informed me to take the car to Toyota for repair as unfortunately he can not give pass on any warranty if he installed the new ECU unit.
I have received a quote for the install of a new ECU of $1750 by Toyota. This is before any required repair work on the gearbox. I have contacted Toyota customer relations Sydney / Taren Point / Tel: 02 9710 3333 to inform them of my problem and whether a recall on this is planned. At this stage I have had no luck with their response but will continue to pursue. I will provide more feedback in the future.
POSTED BY: CLAUDE - WOLLONGONG, NSW - AUS 23 JUN 2009
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Rav4 model 2001 - Have the same problem, at 113000 km the automatic transmission failed leaving me with only the 1st and 2nd gear. Took the car to Toyota service today and received the following quote:
Gearbox 8435 Euros
ECU 1305 Euros
Converter 2800 Euros
The car is not worthy so much. The Toyota service say this is a common problem in the Rav4... so why the **** is it so expensive to fix?
POSTED BY: ANDREAS - NICOSIA, CYPRUS 9 OCT 2009
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I too have this same problem. I went to a mechanic in my local area and they could not find the issue so I went to Toyota directly and they "advised" it "could" be the ECU. So I’ve since been vesting forums looking for answers and seems I'm in a big boat with you all.
My question is - can there be something done so that the ECU thingy stops behaving unusually?
Thanks
POSTED BY: JAY KUMAR - SYDNEY - ACT - AUS 28 OCT 2009
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I am going through the same problem at the moment. Needs a new ECU and maybe gear box rebuild. But, luckily for me the dealership has advised me that they will foot the costs in total to cover this as I only had the car for 2 days. They have lent me a car while mine is off the road, they are doing all they can to fix the situation.
POSTED BY: SANDRA ALDER - ROWELLA, TAS - AUS 29 SEP 2010
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I have a 2001 Rav 4 and out of the blue I have the same problem with the transmission. Looking like the ECU needs replacing and unsure of any damage to the gear box. Surely Toyota has to put their hand up and admit to this issue.
POSTED BY: UKE THOMPSON - REEDY CREEK , QLD - AUS 26 OCT 2010
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I have a Toyota Rav 4 giving me problem with bear box. Toyota saying they not taking any responsibility for it. They advise me to change the ECU. I did but my vehicle is still the same now they advise me to change the gear box. It is costing me fortune but still not fixed.
POSTED BY: SONIA - BRISBANE, QLD - AUS 15 NOV 2010
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Have just had the same problem with my 2002 RAV4 98,000kms which I have had from new. Without any warning the auto transmission started jolting badly when put into reverse and then two days later the car was slipping gears when I was driving to work. I had it towed to my auto transmission specialist and he said this is a very common problem with the RAV4 at approx 100,000kms - After fixing all they advise me it is still a problem.
POSTED BY: SONIA - BRISBANE, QLD - AUS 15 NOV 2010 |
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