2002 Toyota RAV4

My car engine light goes on and off due to transmission fault. It continuously has a hard time shifting gears in between 2500-3000 rpm and gives a jerky stop before continuing to speed up/accelerate despite when I have not let go of my foot from the pedal. After taking it to the auto shop, I was told this is the same problem other Toyota RAV 4 between 2001-2003 experiences and the mechanics told me that there was a lot of recall for the same code my car is giving (2 codes that the computer diagnosed were p0775 and p0161). While Toyota extended the warranty to 10years/150,000k and my car is 1-2 years past the warranty, it's only been barely 80,000mi and it should not be causing this problem. This transmission/ECM problem puts me and the passengers to risks because both the speed and RPM don't go past certain numbers which is low at most times, limiting myself as the driver to go even within the speed limits. All the more, with this happening more frequently these days than it had in the past, I am highly concerned for my safety and not feel safe to have someone in my car. I have been to 4 different mechanics and they have told me the same problem and that it's the same case as they saw from different RAV4's recall problem. This car was handled very carefully and this is the only occurring problem. With engine light being on and off, it is my concern that I need to have this car inspected, related to Toyota RAV4 recalls.

NHTSA ID

11590615

Incident

May 9, 2024

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, she heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure had since become a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnostic result. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000.

NHTSA ID

11547973

Incident

Sep 26, 2023

Mileage

130,000 mi

2002 Toyota RAV4 AWD transmission problems and will be available upon request. Transmission caused vehicle to disengaged , jerks, stalls with severed engine braking while driving creating a safety performance and hazard on the roads to myself and other unexpected drivers. Upon reading similar complaints of other owners reported similar transmission problems. This was believed to be a reproduced problem and should be investigated for Safety-Related defects. The vehicle was inspected by manufacture according to previous owner. Manufacturer recently replaced transmission and updated ECM per previous owner. The vehicle appeared in working order for 3-4 months then the transmission problems occurred again as mentioned above. There was no warning lights while I experienced this transmission problem.

NHTSA ID

11463498

Incident

May 1, 2022

The contact owned a 2002 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, an abnormal noise was heard. The brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle spun 360 degrees and stopped on the opposite side of the road. No warning light illuminated. The contact called the independent mechanic who advised her to turn off the vehicle. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and drove the vehicle approximately 3-feet before the rear wheels locked up. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic and diagnosed with rear differential failure. The contact was informed that the rear differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because the contact took the vehicle back to the used car dealer. The contact stated that the used car dealer stated that the mechanic did not diagnose the correct failure. The dealer's independent mechanic diagnosed the failure as a transmission transfer case failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 123,000.

NHTSA ID

11446602

Incident

Aug 7, 2021

Mileage

123,000 mi

2002 TOYOTA RAV. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *LD *JS

NHTSA ID

11399415

Incident

Mar 3, 2021

ERRATIC SHIFTING ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEEDS. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. CAR MAY LOCK IN HIGH GEAR (4 SPEED AUTOMATIC) OR SEEM TO BE STUCK IN 2 GEARS AT ONCE AND REFUSE TO MOVE AT ALL. CAN BANG HARSHLY WHEN SHIFTING. LOCKED UP AT A BUSY INTERSECTION NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AT OTHER TIMES IT WORKS PERFECTLY. HAS NOT OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM JUST BEGAN A FEW DAYS AGO. BEFORE THAT THERE WAS NO HINT OF A PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11348557

Incident

Aug 8, 2020

Mileage

104,000 mi

VEHICLE STALLS AND JERKS CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING; UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AFTER STOPLIGHT. VERY UNPREDICTABLE.THIS IS DUE TO DEFECTIVE ECM WHICH TOYOTA HAS BEEN AWARE OF BUT REFUSES TO LIST AS A RECALL.I PURCHASED THE USED CAR 1 MONTH AGO --- HAD NO IDEA IT HAD THIS SERIOUS, DANGEROUS PROBLEM. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA DEALER WHICH IS SAYING IT WILL COST $5K TO FIX !! CAR ONLY HAS 77K MILES.

NHTSA ID

11341007

Incident

Jun 22, 2020

Mileage

77,010 mi

2002 RAV4 ECU SHIFTING PROBLEM (DTC CODE P0755). THE CAR JITTERS WHEN SWITCHING FROM GEAR 1 TO 2 AS WELL ON REVERSE. IT ALSO JITTERS WHEN IT DRIVES ON LOW GEAR. THERE IS AN WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH RAV4 2001-2003 BUT TOYOTA HAS FAILED TO RECALL IT, DESPITE BEING A SAFETY HAZARD AS IT HAS CAUSED ACCIDENTS AND BODILY INJURY. IT HAS THE HIGH LIKELIHOOD TO DESTROY THE TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ID

11244996

Incident

Aug 12, 2019

Mileage

129,000 mi

To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer. Consequently, the film should remain on the wheel for as long as possible.

The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage can occur. This damage is the result of actual etching of the paint and appears as pitting or water spots. As acid rain droplets on the vehicle surface evaporate, the concentration strength of the acid increases, causing deeper and more rapid damage. This evaporation and corrosive action also occur more rapidly on dark colored cars as direct sun heat increases. It is the dealer’s responsibility to protect and maintain the quality of the vehicle’s paint finish after receipt at the dealership prior to the first sale. In areas known for high frequency and/or concentration of acid rain, frequent vehicle washing during high heat or humidity periods will minimize the potential for paint damage caused by acid rain. It is further recommended that either reverse osmosis or deionized water be used to prevent water spotting.

Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfaces can occur. Acid rain damage can typically be identified on vehicles by the presence of stains on the paint surface that resemble hard water spots. Unlike water spots however, acid rain damage cannot be removed by regular washing procedures. Also, because acid rain can etch and soften the paint, normal buffing or polishing repair procedures should not be attempted. This can cause further damage and result in visible depressions in the paint surface. The following are the three major categories of acid rain damage: •Minor damage: requires only buffing to repair. •Moderate damage: usually requires neutralizing, color sanding, and buffing. •Severe damage: extending beyond 1/2 mil of clearcoat on a pearl, metallic, or solid color, requires neutralization, sanding, and repainting. In cases where acid rain damage is minor, neutralization and buffing with a liquid-type paint finessing product may provide an adequate repair. Only specially formulated products outlined in this bulletin should be used for that purpose. Unfortunately, other than minor damage, there is no simple method of determining the actual extent (depth) of acid penetration other than color sanding a representative affected area until there is no visible etching or depressions, followed by measuring the amount of paint removed with either a magnetic or digital-type film thickness gauge. The procedures in this bulletin are intended for use by qualified body/paint technicians and should not be attempted by inexperienced personnel. It is the dealer’s responsibility to protect and maintain the quality of the vehicle’s paint finish after receipt at the dealership prior to the first sale. Perform frequent vehicle washing, as often as daily, during high heat and humidity periods to minimize the potential for paint damage due to acid rain exposure. This is especially important in geographical areas known for high frequency and concentration of acid rain and industrial fallout.

Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure in this bulletin to remove the RapgardTM protective film within 90 days from initial application.

Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the presence of small, red or brown particles on the paint surface. These particles are often difficult to see on dark color paints but can be easily felt when brushing a hand across horizontal body surfaces such as the hood, roof, or deck lid. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to clean vehicles that may have been subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles such as rail dust during rail transportation or extended storage near industrial areas.

To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer. Consequently, the film should remain on the wheel for as long as possible.