WE RECENTLY ENCOUNTERED A PROBLEM WITH OUR 2003 TOYOTA RAV4 WHERE THE TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY SEEMED TO SLIP WHEN ENGAGING FIRST GEAR FROM A STOPPED POSITION, SHIFTED HARSHLY BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS, OR AT TIMES SEEMED TO SLIP BETWEEN SHIFTING FROM FIRST AND SECOND GEAR. THE RESULT OF THE HESITATION TO SHIFT GEARS REPRESENTS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE IN TRAFFIC, AND WE FEARED THIS ISSUE WOULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. WE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP (APPLE VALLEY TOYOTA IN MARTINSBURG, WV) TO LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM. WE DROPPED OFF THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT, AND RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY INFORMING US THAT WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION (QUOTED $3800). RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET, WE FOUND THE KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE ECM FOR THIS MODEL YEAR VEHICLE, AND THE FACT THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE ISSUE SINCE AT LEAST 2006- ALTHOUGH THEY DID NOT INFORM THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES, NOR DID THE MECHANICS AT THE DEALERSHIP SEEM TO KNOW THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE- DESPITE A 2006 TSB ON THE SUBJECT. UNFORTUNATELY WE DID NOT FIND THIS OUT UNTIL AFTER WE HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER SHOP AND HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AND THE SOLENOID BOX REPLACED. NOW, AFTER ALMOST $4000, WE ARE STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHICH HAS LEFT THE VEHICLE UNDRIVABLE. WE FEEL THAT TOYOTA HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THAT THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT WARRANTS A RECALL. AND THAT EVEN IF A RECALL IS NOT ORDERED, THEY SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST ALERTED THEIR CUSTOMERS TO THIS ISSUE AND PREPARED THEIR DEALERSHIPS ON HOW TO IDENTIFY AND RESOLVE THE ISSUE CORRECTLY. PLEASE BE PROACTIVE AND INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST. THIS PROBLEM MAKES OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE UNSAFE! *TR
1999
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WITHOUT WARNING, CAR POPS INTO NEUTRAL FROM FIFTH GEAR. THIS INADVERTENT ACTION IS STARTLING, AND, IN MY OPINION, DANGEROUS. I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF CAR, BUT ONLY BECAUSE I WAS ALERT AT THE TIME. *NM
