Family: RAV4 · filed with NHTSA as RAV4
Owner report The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH and at various speeds, the transmission slipped out of the intended gear. The contact stated that after depressing the accelerator pedal, the engine would rev before the transmission would jolt into gear. The contact stated that …
Owner report I DRIVE AND THE SLEEP WHILE I'M DRIVING AND THE CAN NOT CHANGE CORRECTLY THE GEAR. *TR
Owner report THIS CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND PRESERVED AND ONLY 84000 MILES ON IT. AND THE CAR WONT SHIFT. IT JOLTS ME OR REVS EXTREMELY HIGH AND ALSO ALMOST CAUSED ME AN ACCIDENT AS IT ALMOST SHUT DOWN ON POWER WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN IN INTERSECTION. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF. IT'S ONLY WHILE GOING FROM 2ND TO 3RD…
Owner report WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT STARTED BLINKING, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. AND SMELLED BAD ODOR. MY FIRST COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH NHTSA IN 2012, AND I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO MAPLEWOOD TOYOTA, MN 55109, IN 2012 AND THEY DID NOT FIX IT. IT IS SERIOUS ISSUE OF SAFETY WITH THE ENGINE / TRANSMISSION
Owner report ELECTRIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) IS BAD, CAUSING HARSH SHIFTING, FAILURE TO ACCELERATE CORRECTLY, AND RPM'S TO JUMP. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 112,000 MILES ON IT. THE PART IS $800+ OR $1100 FROM DEALER.
Owner report TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STOP ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ECM UNIT WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,0…
3% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.
To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints.
| Model year | All complaints | First three years | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 309 | 47 | not compared |
| 2002 | 527 | 27 | not compared |
| 2003 | 315 | 18 | not compared |
| 2004 | 154 | 19 | not compared |
| 2005 | 141 | 10 | not compared |
None on file.
| Action | Component | Opened | Closed | Recall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DP22005 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2023-01-27 | 2023-08-07 | 22V063000 |
DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Combined | Fuel cost / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAV4 2WD | 2.0L 4cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 21 | 26 | 23 | $2700 |
| RAV4 2WD | 2.0L 4cyl | Manual 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 22 | 28 | 24 | $2600 |
| RAV4 4WD | 2.0L 4cyl | Automatic 4-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 20 | 25 | 22 | $2850 |
| RAV4 4WD | 2.0L 4cyl | Manual 5-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 20 | 25 | 22 | $2850 |
| RAV4 EV | Electric | 2-Wheel Drive | 87 | 69 | 78 MPGe | $950 |
Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.
| Variant | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Toyota RAV4 4-DR. | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | ★★★☆☆ |
| 2003 Toyota RAV4 EV | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated |
Toyota issued 102 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about equipment.
A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.
| Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-12-06 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood… |
| 2024-12-06 | STRUCTURE:BODY | To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in… |
| 2024-12-06 | STRUCTURE:BODY | The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicl… |
| 2024-12-05 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure … |
| 2024-12-03 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the … |
| 2024-07-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood… |
| 2024-07-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in… |
| 2024-07-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicl… |
| 2024-07-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood… |
| 2024-07-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in… |
Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.
Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.
Every model year of this RAV4, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Toyota RAV4 model page.
MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.