Toyota RAV4 is still on top

Glendale Toyota did mine changed the ECU under a recall, it runs pretty good? My concern now is they did not replace the transmission yet and my recall end up on March 2011.

By the way those who have problem with Hollywood Toyota in California. Report them to Toyota 1-800-331-4331. They tried to rob me $100. to put my car under the computer? What a bunch of thieves... it was a recall and yet they want to ripoff people?

Well my turn came here too. Noticed sluggish shifting ... then the clunking and reving w/o shifting. Took it into a tranny shop for rebuilding ... and it's still messed up. Took it into Toyota Dealer with my recall letter ... they are saying they will only replace the ECM if it reports the codes in that letter. Waiting to hear back from them, but am furious!! Been without my 2001 Rav4 for about a month now.

DSM wrote:

We have a 2001 Rav 4 Auto AWD exhibiting the same transmission problem as indicated in TSB TC002-06. I am taking it
to the dealer tomorrow. Our problem comes and goes, so I don't think our transmission is bad yet due to the ECM problem. We are not driving it until the dealer takes a look at it. I spoke to Toyota Customer affairs and expressed my concerns. Basically they said that not enough people have complained yet to make this a re-call. So if anybody hasn't posted regarding this problem please do.
I will let you know if we detected this earlier enough and saved our transmission. If so, and changing the ECU was the fix, it would be a travesty for Toyota to let 2001-2003 Rav4 users wait until the ECM goes bad and breaks the transmission, and not claim any responsibility. If Toyota issued a simple recall of the ECM that would save the Toyota faithful 3000-4000 dollars.
Unfortunately this ECM cannot be flash upgraded, because that is all it needs. Toyota should definitley assist their customers, unless they are willing to risk their loyalty and reputation. We'll see.
Will keep u posted.
DM

We had this issue a while back and we're submitting for a reimbursement for troubleshooting service. We posted everything about our story here:
http://mikebeach.org/2010/10/toyota-technical...

RE: Toyota Rav4 2002
It sounds more like the Catalytic converter. I had mine changed by an auto shop because I was not about to let Toyota touch my car.
My cars catalytic convector was under warranty when the 02 sensor went bad. But Toyota dealer refused to replace it. So I had pay for the 02 sensor. Then a year later another 02 sensor went out again. And again I had to pay to replace. I kept telling them it was the Catalytic and it was under warranty And Toyota dealer told me that it was not the catalytic convector. 1 & half years later just last Nov, the 02 sensor was out again. I had flyer that was sent to me and Catalytic Convertor was under warranty (extended warranty from Toyota). Dealer told me they would not honor warranty. So I called the main Toyota Company at their 800 number. They first were telling me oh yes Dealer will replace Catalytic Converter. After dealer told me no, I called the 800 number again, and was told that Toyota dealers are independent dealers and can honor warranties or not as they see fit. If anyone hears of a lawsuit for this problem I would love to know about it. I bought my car when it had 34.000 miles on it. And it never really had the gusto to go up hills or take off from bottom of hill. I thought it was a 4 cylinder so they have no gusto. BOY was I wrong. Now that I had to pay to replace the Catalytic I notice that it runs better than it ever has. I always joked that if you do not drive a Toyota you crazy. Now I feel like I am wearing egg on my head. Do not know if I will buy a Toyota again.

Boils down to dealers not honoring the warranties if they choose not to.
Advice is to keep all paper work for all repairs.

By the way, all those times. I took my car to get computer diagnoses. And it always showed that it was Catalytic convector. 1st time around even a will known around the USA auto shop would not touch it because they said it is under warranty and if we handle it Toyota will not honor warranty. The thing is Toyota dealer did not honor warranty anyway.

I finally received my refund from Toyota. They sent out a recall notice, 1 year after my issues with my Rav4 and I turned in my receipts and they paid all but 400.00 of it. I am glad I at least got most of my money back. But NO MORE toyota's for my family!!!
I will be selling mine soon. It now has 147,000 miles on it. It's been a good car minus the ECU issue.

Okay so I researched the problem with ECM for the 2002 Rav4. It looks like it's a big problem. I did the research because I purchased a 02 rav4 thinking that they were reliable. I have sold my 1990 Toyota pickup that ran fantastic for and completely regret it. They just don't make Toyota's like they used to. Well, I am currently looking to get my ECM module refurbished from a company that has a lot of great feedback to doing it right. I have yet to send it (tomorrow) but I hear they are fantastic. Hopefully this will fix the problem and my tranny isn't to messed up from the faulty computer. My 02 rav has 127,000 miles on it. I noticed that it would go into high rpm's when it was cold before it would shift into 3rd gear and than yesterday it wouldn't even shift into a gear when i hit the gas to get on the freeway. hopefully the tranny wasn't damaged and replacing the ECM will fix it. I did take it to a transmission repair shop to get a diagnostic test and they said the tranny was probably bad and that they need to fix. They said "we can't find an electronic problem". Weird, the computer doesn't say it's bad when it's bad?! From what I've read that's not the issue so I'm getting the ECM sent to be fixed tomorrow. It should cost $250. That beats the thousands of dollars people are spending to get this issue resolved. "Oh it's not my tranny I spent $4,000 dollars on? It turns out to be the comp?" Yeah, don't want to go through that. I'll post an update on how refurbishing the ECM to work correctly will help. Hopefully this will help everyone else who's been screwed over by now shaddy Toyota..

liner wrote:

<quoted text>
I have 127,000 miles on my Toyota and no, I haven't had any problems to speak of. But, if my ECU or my transmission were to go south, I certainly wouldn't expect Toyota to fix it for me. By now, I think I've gotten my money's worth out of it. That was my point. I didn't mean any disrespect towards you and certainly not your children.

Toyota has a reputation to run a lot longer than over 127,000 miles so when people purchase a used Toyota over 100,000 miles at over 9,000 dollars than run into a lame computer problem that can cost them 4500 dollars to fix than no they don't feel they've gotten their money's worth. Complete deception. That's not right. Guess what? what. My ECU went out at 127,000 miles. I just bought it 3 months ago. Should I have to pay 4,500 dollars for something so silly?! The ECU!? NO way. Especially since they knew about it and didn't at least inform their customers before it became a bigger issue before it became a big problem (tranny and clutch). Everyone would be happy to get cheated and pay for a new ECM before big problems arrised and not that they have they don't care to take responsibility. Not cool.

Ricky wrote:

<quoted text>
Toyota has a reputation to run a lot longer than over 127,000 miles so when people purchase a used Toyota over 100,000 miles at over 9,000 dollars than run into a lame computer problem that can cost them 4500 dollars to fix than no they don't feel they've gotten their money's worth. Complete deception. That's not right. Guess what? what. My ECU went out at 127,000 miles. I just bought it 3 months ago. Should I have to pay 4,500 dollars for something so silly?! The ECU!? NO way. Especially since they knew about it and didn't at least inform their customers before it became a bigger issue before it became a big problem (tranny and clutch). Everyone would be happy to get cheated and pay for a new ECM before big problems arrised and not that they have they don't care to take responsibility. Not cool.

You should be able to take your Rav to the dealer and they will fix it for free. It is under a recall now and they HAVE to fix the problem. Contact TOYOTA business office and see what they say!!! Good Luck!

My 2001 RAV4 ECU has gone out at just over 80,000 miles. Of course based on Toyota's "in-service" date it is 90 days out of the extended warranty. The dealership quoted me $1000 for the ECU and $4000 for the transmission. What? Pay Toyota for transmission damages due to their defect?

Toyota should have been honest about this defect and many people could have avoided the accident risk they put us through. The national helpline was not helpful nor was writing to them. They commit to responding in 2 business days but this didn't happen.

What is so sad it this car has been almost perfect in the years we have owned it. Toyota is good at selling cars but dishonest in their "service".

My 2003 Rav4 is in the shop needing a new transmission. My mechanic says the part alone is $2400 and the labor another $400. He also says the computer is fine. Toyota dealership is saying $1600 for transmission repair including labor. They also say if its the ECM it will be another $1000. I bought the car new and have less that 70k miles. I'm out of warranty for the ECM repair because I've had the car more than 8 years. Do I trust the dealership and have the car towed there for the repair at $1600 (maybe $2600) or leave it with my trusted mechanic and pay $2800 for the repair? Appreciate your advice.

Brenda wrote:

My 2003 Rav4 is in the shop needing a new transmission. My mechanic says the part alone is $2400 and the labor another $400. He also says the computer is fine. Toyota dealership is saying $1600 for transmission repair including labor. They also say if its the ECM it will be another $1000. I bought the car new and have less that 70k miles. I'm out of warranty for the ECM repair because I've had the car more than 8 years. Do I trust the dealership and have the car towed there for the repair at $1600 (maybe $2600) or leave it with my trusted mechanic and pay $2800 for the repair? Appreciate your advice.

Hard to say, but there's a reason you trust your mechanic, isn't there?