2001 Toyota RAV4 Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: January 29, 2024 · Filed: January 30, 2024

My Rav4 is 23 years old and has 76K miles on it. Does it have Takata airbags? If so, I want them replaced. I plan on driving my car until I die and I don't want the airbags to take me out. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident: August 5, 2023 · Filed: November 5, 2023

2001 Toyota Rav4 was sold at Auction, to a used car dealership. I purchased this car from the used car dealer on August 5, 2023. Unfortunately, the dealer tampered with the brakes. I witnessed their mechanic working on the rear brake system in person on August 4, 2023. The owner told me that because there was a noise coming from the rear, they were "fixing it". Upon buying this car and driving it to a gas station, filled it up, much to my horror, gas spilled out. The gas tank has a leak in it. Also, upon driving it home the engine warning light suddenly illuminated. I promptly brought it to a Toyota Dealership in Wooster, Ohio and requested a complete examination. I have their full report, and they have determined this car to be unsafe to drive. The brakes had been adjusted when in fact, the brakes and brake lines need to be replaced, this was the used car dealer at fault. I feel the used car dealership bought car at auction and was unaware of the gas tank leak and the bearing plates being fragile, the engine cradle could break at any given moment, causing the engine to fall out. The car was purchased at and maintained by an Akron Toyota Dealership since it was brand new in 2001. After 23 years why did this dealership allow this car to be released into the general public? Frame Damage so bad, the bearing plates that hold the engine up are beyond fragile, the cradle that holds the engine integrity is grossly compromised, and the gas tank has a hole in it. Bad brakes + leaking gas tank. One spark and = Ka Boom. I would be dead. So many things wrong in this situation. Personally, my physical and emotional health suffered. I had chronic diarrhea, headaches, and went to the Dr several times. Please let me know how this matter should be resolved. I am upset and financially compromised all from this car. Documentation available.

Incident: March 3, 2021 · Filed: March 7, 2021

MY2001RAV4 WITH 125000 STARTED JUMPING INTO GEAR ALSO THE RPM REVS UP BUT VECHICLE LOSSES POWER VERY DANGEROUS ON HIGHWAY TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND JERK INTO GEARS

Incident: December 6, 2019 · Filed: December 7, 2019

THE STRAPS THAT HOLD THE GAS TANK UP ROTTED OUT AND OFF.

Incident: February 21, 2019 · Filed: March 9, 2019

MY 2001 SILVER TOYOTA RAV 4 HAD A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION PROBLEM WHEN I WAS DECELERATING TO A COMPLETE STOP AT AN ALREADY CONGESTED INTERSECTION WITH TRAFFIC LIGHTS. I WAS APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE FROM 20 MPH, DOWN TO 15,10,5, DOWN TO 2 MPH, COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, MY RAV 4 ENGINE SUDDENLY STARTED TO REV-UP/RACE WILDLY AND VERY LOUD IN A MATTER OF 3, OR 4-5 SECONDS (THE ENGINE/RPM SOUNDED SIMILAR ONE WOULD HEAR WHEN YOU WOULD BE ACCELERATING ENTERING A FREEWAY VIA THE ENTRANCE RAMP). MY RAV 4 SHOT FORWARD SO FAST LIKE IT WAS ON SOME ROCKET LAUNCHING PAD. MY FOOT WAS ON MY BRAKE PEDAL ALMOST TO THE CAR FLOOR AND I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR FROM MOVING INTO THE BACK - AND REAR ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHICH WAS ABOUT 10-15 FEET IN FRONT OF ME, THAT WAS STOPPED WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN AT THE ALREADY CONGESTED STOP LIGHT INTERSECTION. DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE REAR END OF THE SUV DOOR HATCH AND THE ATTACHED TIRE MOUNTED ON THE BACK OF THE SUV IN FRONT OF ME. DAMAGE ON MY RAV 4 WAS CAR HOOD FOLDING BACK AND UP AND MY FRONT UPPER AND LOWER SECTION OF MY BUMPER AND PLASTIC GRILL AREA. I IMMEDIATELY REPORTED THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION PROBLEM TO T HE TOYOTA MOTOR COMPANY THE NEXT DAY AND THEY SENT A 3RD PARTY ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO EXAMINE MY CAR. THE INVESTIGATOR SPENT 4-5 HOURS EXAMINING MY CAR AND COULDN'T ELABORATE HIS FINDINGS BUT HAS SUBMITTED THE INFORMATION HE WAS ABLE TO RETRIEVE, BACK TO THE TOYOTA MOTOR CO. APPARENTLY, MY 2001 RAV 4 IS A FIRST GENERATION MODEL/VERSION AND DIDN'T HAVE THE ELABORATE DETAILED EDR DEVICES INSTALLED IN THEM, HOWEVER SOME OTHER DEVICE/DEVICES, COULD POSSIBLY BE RETRIEVED? THE FINAL REPORT BY TOYOTA TAKEN BY THE 3RD PARTY FIELD ENGINEERING ANALYSIS WILL TAKE 3-4 WEEKS FROM THIS REPORT I HAVE POSTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED (PLEASE SEE THE SCANNED INFO- FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION).

Incident: February 21, 2019 · Filed: February 22, 2019

MY 2001 RAV 4 REAR ENDED A CAR IN FRONT OF ME, AND IT WAS DUE TO A MAJOR UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF THE ENGINE. I AM AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER WITH NO PRIOR ACCIDENTS AND MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE WRONG PEDAL WHEN I WAS SLOWING DOWN - APPLYING MY BRAKE PEDAL WHEN I WAS APPROACHING A BUMPER TO BUMPER CONGESTED INTERSECTION (AROUND 5PM). ALL OF A SUDDEN AS I APPLIED MORE PRESSURE ON MY BRAKE PEDAL DE-ACCELERATING FROM 20 MPH DOWN TO 10 THEN TO 5 MPH TO 2 MPH, MY 2001 RAV 4 ENGINE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED (THE ENGINE STARTED TO RACE AND THE RPM WAS GOING CRAZY MAKING A LOUD ENGINE SOUND) I WAS ONLY 10-15 FEET FROM THE CAR IN FRONT, AND THE IMMEDIATE ACCELERATION OF THE ENGINE (IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS REV VING AROUND 80 MPH IN LESS THEN 2-3 SECONDS) SUDDENLY SHOT MY CAR FORWARD (LIKE A ROCKET)! THE ENGINE HAD FULL POSSESSION OF MY ACCELERATION. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED MORE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE FORCE OF THE INTENSE UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATION WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO COMPLETELY STOP MY CAR! MY RAV 4 REAR ENDED THE BACK OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, AND THE ENGINE WAS STILL RACING, PUSHING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME,WHEN IT FINALLY STOPPED IT'S OWN ACCELERATION AND I HAD TIME TO TURN OFF THE MOTOR. THE ENGINE HAD FULL ACCELERATION POSSESSION OF MY RAV 4! I SIGNED AND SENT BACK A TOYOTA CONSENT FORM THEY SENT ME TO EXAMINE THE EDR AND OTHER RECORDING DEVICES TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE, EXPLAIN WHAT THE HELL WENT WRONG WITH THE ECU OR WHATEVER COMPUTER SYSTEM IS IN THE RAV 4. I TRUST TOYOTA WILL PAY FOR THE DAMAGE THAT MY RAV 4 DID TO THE OTHER CAR AS WELL AS MINE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A DEATH AND/OR MASSIVE INJURY TO OTHERS AND MYSELF AS WELL AS MAJOR PROPERTY DAMAGE. I WANT FULL REIMBURSEMENT OF MY ORIGINAL FULL PURCHASE PRICE I HAD PAID FOR THIS 2001 RAV 4 I HAD BOUGHT BACK IN 2001-2002 FOR THIS DEFECTIVE RAV 4.

Incident: February 1, 2018 · Filed: March 5, 2018

MY RAV 4 2001 HAS ABOUT 140,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS DEVELOPED A SERIOUS PROBLEM. TO CLARIFY, A MASSIVE ACCELERATION PROBLEM IS OCCURRING WHEN I'VE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR FOR 15 TO 20 MINUTES, THEN SUDDENLY - WHILE I'M AT A STOP LIGHT, THE SUV'S ENGINE RACES WILDLY LOUD LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR AT THE INDY 500... IT JERKED AND FELT LIKE IT INTERNALLY CONTROLLED MY ACCELERATOR FOOT PAD! I HAD TO APPLY A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PAD BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO QUICKLY SHIFT MY CAR INTO PARK TO PREVENT RUNNING OVER PEDESTRIANS AND HITTING CARS IN FRONT OF ME AT THE STOP LIGHT! MY RAV 4 ENGINE WAS STILL RACING LOUDLY WANTING TO SHOOT FORWARD LIKE A ROCKET! I HAVE HAD THE FAULTY ECM REPLACEMENT RECALL DONE WHEN TOYOTA ISSUED A WARNING TO HAVE THE RAV4 ECU UNIT REPLACED SEVERAL YEARS AGO. NOW I'M EXPERIENCING THIS ENGINE RACING/ACCELERATION PROBLEM WITH MY RAV 4. WILL MY LOCAL TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER CHARGE ME FOR THE PARTS AND THE LABOR TO FIX THIS DEFECTIVE MECHANICAL PROBLEM?

Incident: November 21, 2017 · Filed: December 20, 2017

THE RAV4 WOULD NOT SHIFT. THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED

Incident: August 1, 2017 · Filed: August 15, 2017

ECM UNIT WENT BAD CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY TRANSMISSION

Incident: June 21, 2017 · Filed: July 2, 2017

THE ECM ON MY 2001 RAV4 WAS CALIBRATED IN 2008 BY A LOCAL DEALER. UNDER RECALL 601. IN 2008 THE CAR HAD JUST OVER 63000 MILES. IT NOW HAS 124000 AND THE TRANSMISSION IS HARD SHIFTING AGAIN.