2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WITH NO WARNING OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, CAR BEGAN BUCKING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS - BUT THEN SMOOTHED OUT IN THE HIGHER GEARS AND ALSO AS THE CAR WARMED UP. NO OTHER CARS AROUND SO NO DANGER TO MYSELF OR OTHERS. THOUGHT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED FLUID, SO I TRIED THAT. SEEMED TO IMPROVE SOMEWHAT FOR TWO DAYS - THEN THE SLIPPING BECAME VERY BAD AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THAT SAME AFTERNOON I BROUGHT CAR INTO MY MECHANIC, WHOSE COMPUTER DIAGNOSED A DEFECTIVE SOLONOID. AFTER REPLACEMENT ($117), TRANSMISSION WAS STILL SLIPPING. FOUND A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY DIAGNOSED A FAULTY ECM. COST FOR REPLACEMENT: $1450. DON'T KNOW AT THIS TIME WHETHER OR NOT TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN IRREPARABLY DAMAGED. COST TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION: $3500. *TR
2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
PURCHASED NEW TOYOTA RAV4 2010 4-CYLINDER MODEL IN FEBRUARY. WHEN AT A STOP ON MILD INCLINE (DRIVEWAY MADE OF WOODCHIPS...GOOD TRACTION), THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS WHEN FOOT IS OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL. DEALERSHIP INSISTED THIS IS NORMAL FOR THESE VEHICLES AND DEMONSTRATED THIS ANOMALY WITH ANOTHER RAV4 TO PROVE IT. THE ENGINE DOESN'T PRODUCE ENOUGH TORQUE FOR THE TRANSMISSION DURING IDLE TO ENGAGE THE CONVERTER APPARENTLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS HOT. NO ONE TOLD ME OF THIS PROBLEM DURING SALES. A 'HILL-ASSIST" OPTION IS AVAILABLE THAT I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT. THIS MERELY PROLONGS THE BRAKING WHEN SWITCHING FROM BRAKE TO ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHEN THE PRESSURE CHANGES. SINCE I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ALL OF THIS STUFF WHEN PURCHASING, THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I ALMOST RAMMED INTO THE TRUCK BEHIND ME. THEN WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS THE VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD IN RESPONSE TO THE RPM CHANGE. THIS IS A HAZARD TO THE UNWITTING BUYER AND NEEDS TO BE CLEARLY DISCUSSED WITH ALL BUYERS. THE DEALERSHIP BLOWS OFF THIS INCIDENT AS 'NORMAL' FOR THIS CAR. WHAT THEY DON'T SAY IS THAT IT IS BAD ENGINEERING...THAT THE CAR COMPUTER SHOULD RAISE RPMS UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION IS WORKING PROPERLY ON INCLINE. THE SOFTWARE CANNOT BE CHANGED SO THE CAR IS CONSIDERED 'NORMAL'. I WAS DISGUSTED WITH THE EXPLANATIONS, EVEN FROM A MECHANIC THERE I RESPECT, HE SAID THIS IS 'HOW THEY ARE'. *TR