2002 Toyota RAV4 review from North America
"Nice car but unpredictable"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Initially when I purchased the Rav4, the front dash vibrated all the time. I took it into the dealership 3 different times until this was taken care of. The dealership stated that the Rav4 had an issue with this model on vibrations, it was finally fixed.
In 2006 I received a recall for the ECM and was encouraged to bring it in for an "Update" to the computer. Prior to that the Chek Engine light would come on and then go off especially when I used the Cruise Control, the update fixed that.
After the ECM update there were no problems till recently. The transmission began malfunctioning. It was like stuck in 3rd gear, would not downshift would hesitate and then kick in and jerk the car. At that time I did some investigation on my own and from the information I have learned feel the real problem is related to the ECM. I called my dealership that has handled my Rav and they too agree it sounds like the ECM is Faulty. The way it was explained to me is like Windows XP getting a virus and sending bad signals to your computer. Sounds like Toyota is really at fault here and needs to step up and recall the ECMs on this model car. Apparently the ECM is the culprit and what happens is the car is driven in this condition and ruins the transmission in turn requiring a tranny needing an overhaul in addition to the ECM. Total cost is around 4500 dollars. Right now I,m out $1300 for an ECM.
General comments?
Overall I like my Rav and want to keep it but I don't have thousands of dollars to shell out for problems Toyota should step up and fix.
Right now I don't think I will buy another Toyota again.
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| OK for a small SUV, very attractive and timeless design, but even Toyota is not bulletproof |
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| Poorly built, but drives fine |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model year | 2002 |
| Year of manufacture | 2001 |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 5 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 10 miles |
| Most recent distance | 106000 miles |
| Previous car | Honda Civic |
| Date of Entry | 8th July, 2008 |