Like everyone else on this site, I had the exact same problem. My 2002 Rav4 would not shift properly. After transmission flush, talking to dealer (4500.00 quote), and searching the net for solutions, I found the answer. The website is http://www.rav4ecm.net and they are located in New York. They have figured out that it is a design flaw. (Toyota knows this and that is why they only warranty it up to 80,000 miles). I was skeptical to say the least, but I figured the $250 they required would be a drop in the bucket compared to $4500++ from the dealer. I just put the repaired ECM in and it WORKS!! I am very pleased. It shifts like it is brand new. Their site shows you how to take out the ECM. It was very simple. I strongly suggest you all do the same as I did. You will not be disappointed. Good Luck, and feel free to contact me regarding questions, comments, concerns.

Just like everyone else that has a Rav 4, transmission problems and my dealer would not help me. I took it in when I started having the jerking, stalling out ( almost got rear-ended ) not shifting. I had no idea what the heck was going on. It was going to cost me over $4000 with the dealer and they did not tell me anything about having problems and tried to blame it on where I have my oil change. Still cost me $3000.00 to get it fixed.

Took it to a transmission shop and still had to fork out $3,000. As of 9/8/09 I am having to spend another $200 on sensor my check engine light came on. Took it to Advanged Auto Parts where they didn't charge me to check it. But with Toyota I had to make an appointment and I forget how much they were going to charge me. Will not ever buy another Toyota anything. If they won't stand behind there vechicle when they know that they have a problem, lets get the word out. There will be on sign on my rav 4 soon.

DON'T BUY A TOYOTA !!!

Add me to the list of 2002 transmission problems with the Toyota Rav 4. I had 104,000 miles when mine started acting up & not wanting to shift...as if the emergency brake was on. Sometimes it run smooth & other times not. When I had it looked at, nothing showed up on the diagnostic test. I had the throttle positioning sensor changed & it still didn't fix the problem. This is my 3rd Toyota and my family have had several so we are very loyal customers. Not now though. I did contact Toyota's 800 number along with emailing them but that was no help. I got referred back to the dealer where I bought it. That did me no good since I don't live in the same town anymore. Luckily too I found this website with all the complaints so it's a good thing the internet gives us options like this now to find things out. I ended up trading the vehicle in and didn't get a good trade in because of the situation. It was very upsetting. You'd think a company like Toyota would do something. They lost a good customer...

I traded it in on a Honda CRV.

I have been a loyal Toyota owner for 29 years because I have never had a problem with my cars until now. I bought my RAV4 new in January 2002 and have always done regular maintenance. 110,000 miles and I still loved this car until now. My RAV started to have the same problems complained of- shifting from first to second with the engine revving. Check engine light coming on. The transmission shop said they rebuilt the transmission but the problem continues. I had the diagnostic test done and it said to replace solenoid B. Transmission shop said they replaced it but I took it back the 4th time when it still wasn't fixed. Then they said it needed a new computer and that Toyota had done a recall on this because of the problem but that my car would not be covered because it had so many miles on it. WTF?

Still not fixed and my repair guy (who I trust) said will need to replace solenoid A too. I am now out $1425 and my car still does not run right and I can't afford any more repairs. I love my Toyotas but will never buy another one if the Company does not step up to the plate, do a recall and reimburse me for the unneceesary expenses that I would not have incurred had they done the recall in the first place!

My 02 rav4 was the perfect buy until this problem occurred. The transmission acts like it does not want to shift between first and second gear. When it finally does engage in 2nd gear, the engine has revved to 5000RPM and then clunks hard into 2nd gear.

The check engine light registers a problem with the transmission solenoids A & B.(where the shifting is controlled between 1st and 2nd gear). The dealership service manager said the tranny replacement would be $4000; and the ECM would be $1500. Needless to say this was way too costly and my rav4 had well passed the 80k mile warranty threshhold. I had the the guys at AAMCO check it out and said they could replace the transmission and the ECM for about &1000 cheaper than the dealer quoted.

To date July 2009, the problem still occurs, since I dont just have $5k under my pillow to throw at the problem.

I just want Toyota to reinstill in me and other owners the reason why we bought Toyota in the first place....the renowned quality and reliability. We all know that this is obviously a manufactering problem, since Toyota transmissions are supposed to be good for 200k miles without any issues(pending proper service intervals). They should issue a recall on all these malfunctioning lemon transmissions.

I am experiencing the same problems the other 91 people complained about. It's poor design and poor engineering that has resulted in this issue. Lets step up to the plate toyota and "make a diffrence" because this individual will not purchase another vehicle from you. I truley hope that if you own a Toyota your transmission does not fail you while your family is in the car and a Semi runs you over. That vwould be a shame. Lets not let this happen. Lets be accountable and fix waht is clearly wrong..

This is a problem that the 2002 Toyota RAV4 have with the transmission and Toyota knows of the problem, but refuses to have a recall. The car is in a Toyota dealership and they have no idea what the problem is. We searched the internet and found that thousands of people have had the same problem. Toyota sent a technical notice to the dealers about the problem, but will not cover the problem. Many have spent thousands of dollars on repairs that were not necessary and did not fix the problem. If you have had the same problem, please contact Toyota in California to report the problem. The problem starts around 80000 miles.

I have the same problem as all these other victim here, I don't know why people don't know much about this site, it would have saved me a lot of problems with the car. I've been having problems with this car since I got it, I keep the car very clean, it looks like a 2005 or 2006 that's how clean I keep it but it's been giving me problems all the time on the transmission with shifting and speed.

Why do we keep buying Toyota crap, F@#$#$ those people, not under warranty either.

I am very frustrated with this car. Why didn't I get that Honda CRV I was looking at? man, too bad

I have a 2002 Rav4 with 110 K miles and a few weeks ago the car started hesitating when stepping on the gas and the transmission revved really high before shifting from gear 2-3. I took it to the mechanic and he states it may be the ECM or transmission. He said I might need to replace the ECM first and see if that takes care of problem. After reading all the problems people have been having it's definitely a manufacturing defect and I think toyota needs to take some responsibility. I bought the car bring new and just got done paying for it. Now I expect a $25K car to have better quality than this. I am calling the customer service hotline to complain. 1-800-331-4331... I'll see what they have to say.

Update from Aug 19, 2009: Finally replace the ECM $900 and now the car doesnt even go into gear 1 anymore. The car still jerks when putting transmission into reverse. Engine light is still on. I think the transmission may need replacement too. Wow never thought a 6 year old car with only 115K would have this kind of problem. My 15 year old 94 Honda civic transimission is still going over 180K miles with no problems. Will not consider rebuying Toyota again....................

Went packing to the TOYOTA dealer nearest me and was told that they could not do anything unless the check engine light came on. So I decided to leave the car with them and they would drive it around until the check engine light came on and plug their electronic reader and check the code. Went home and checked the Internet and discovered the horrors of other owners who spent thousands more and had their transmissions changed but came across a helpful person who suggested to replace the ECM and fixed all his problems. Went and picked the RAV4(baby) up from the dealers on the weekend and my husband removed and cleaned the ECM. Seemed to work a bit better but still revving and no Over Drive. He ordered the ECM and replaced it AHHHHH!

Purrs like a kitten.

Thanks for the ear or eyes in this case.

Marina from Montreal

Issue # 2 check engine light came on and transmission guy said replace the solenoid according to the code from electronic reader. Changed the solenoid but problem was worse he mentioned that there may be a problem with the mechanical parts of the transmission. When I went to pick up the car and refused to pay for solenoid that did not correct the problem, he charged me for labour and sent me packing to the Toyota dealer down the street and mentioned thet it was most likely the ECM that needed replacing according to the Toyota dealer he spoke to that morning.

PLEASE ALL 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 OWNERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THESE ECM/SHIFTING PROBLEMS, CALL THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER LINE AT 1-800-331-4331 AND VOICE A COMPLAINT...I called them and they said they have to have a certain number of complaints before they can do a recall or the testing necessary for a recall (they wouldn't tell me how many). They need to take responsibility for this travesty.

There are too many of us experiencing the exact same problems with this car. My 2002 RAV4 started having the shifting problems last week. I had the transmission fluid flushed...I had a top engine cleaning to remove buildup in the throttle (my dumba** dealership even told me at first that my car mat was getting in the way of the accelerator and that was adding to the problem, what a joke). Then they finally came back and said that the ECM had to be replaced but it was only under warranty up to 80,000 miles and my car is at 84,000 miles. It will cost $1300 for the repairs. Then they actually told me that I should think about trading the car in. Apparently, they know how serious this problem is and that it may never be truly fixed.

How are we supposed to trade in a "lemon" and get any decent payback? I just want Toyota to reimburse me for these repairs when they recall this piece of sh**!!! (They told me they would reimburse for these repairs if this problem is recalled by them so hold on to your receipts, fellow 2002 RAV4 owners).

How come you, Atlanta Toyota Dealer Technician, are not sure about the problem. Here they said , Customer state engine seems to jitter on accel.. road test found rough shift 2nd to 3rd..needs shift ECU replacement first$1166,50 if that doesn't fix it will also need transmission.

This the second time already, and two months ago when my check engine light came on, they said Catalyst converter needed replacement for $ 960 no warranty, but after two hours the guy came back and said this is under warranty so you must pay $ 288,50 for the labor only (was real Cat Converter really bad and replaced??????or technician's diagnosis wrong and cost me $ 288,50) and now the real problem is coming???? .This toyota 2002 needs to be RECALLED.....no MORE buying toyota cars, HONDA is much better.

I want to know if there are any law suits going on with Toyota about the transmission or ECM problems on the 2002 RAV4. I'm staring to have the same jerking shifting problems with my 2002 RAV4 but I also have almost 200,000 miles on it. I want to try to get it fixed but after reading all the horror stories I don't know where to begin or who to take it to. It started last night then when I drove it this morning it seemed much better but i still know there's a problem and, by the way, my check engine light has not come on. Can anyone help me decide what to do?

I am experiencing the same problem as you guys. I took my 2002 RAV4 in for the recall. Two months later I have spent $380.00 at Elmhurst Toyota for flushing the transmission and cleaning the fuel injection system. $2,700 for a rebuilt transmission and I am still experiencing the same problem. car will not shift and gears. I called the Toyota customer service and spoke to them about the issue and all I received was an apology. I agree with all of you - Toyota should upgrade this recall from placing a bandage on the festering ECM problem and just replace the ECM. Toyota should want to become known for going the extra mile and solving our problems instead of ducking us on such a small matter. The name and integrity (TOYOTA) of the company should mean more to them than saving a few thousand dollars.

Mary A. Brown

Chicago, IL

As a customer of Toyota, my wife and I are disappointed in the vehicle we have purchased. The Toyota Rav is only 7 years old and we need a new transmission. I have had 5 brand new cars in my life so far and never needed a new transmission installed as a maintenance problem with my cars. The Toyota was not in any kind of accident. I was told by my the technician it was due to transmission fluid being low. Kindly do not call my phone number unless you will do something for me to financially compensate for my repair costs. I do not want an apologetic phone call. I'm sure you want to hear from customers input. I just think Toyota could do a better job of building their products than this. To have bought this brand new and it only has 79000 to this date, I can't believe we need to replace the transmission. After the transmission was replaced 4 days ago, driving home today, it started going thru the same thing, the gear mildly started slipping off and have to give some acceleration on gas and started jerking then drive off okay after that but hesitate to drive further so brought it back in to the Toyota dealership where they replace the transmission 4 days ago and have it check again!!!!!!!!! I can't believer I paid $3100 and problem still exists. I have to wait for their call today to see what is going on. Very frustrated and disappointed about the Toyota product. I can't believe there is no recall on the transmission for this since a lot of people have complained about the same problem.

Our 2002 Rav4 started "freewheeling" sometimes between 1-2 and 2-3 shifts, usually under normal, steady acceleration from a stop. There were no stored codes in the PCM. After proper diagnosis was made (by me), I determined that the PCM drivers for the "SL2" solenoid were not passing enough current to keep the solenoid in the correct position, therefore after one holding device (internal to transaxle) was turned off, the followup holding device wasn't engaging at the right time. Luckily this didn't go on long enough to cause any noticeable internal damage to the trans. I replaced the PCM and now the trans shifts normally. The PCM has recently changed part numbers (again) and has come down in price from about $1200 to about $750 MSRP. I would like to see this issue become involved in a recall as Toyota has a strong history of recalling known issues (unlike the Big Three); sadly I think too much time has passed to expect a helping hand, and the collateral damage done to transaxles that have been driven in this condition for too long would make this a mighty big endeavor dollarwise. Add to that the incredible number of expensive misdiagnosis that have made the mitigation of this defect much more difficult and expensive than it needs to be, and I'm quite certain Toyota will never release a recall for the 01-03 U140F shifting issues.

The overwhelming bulk of the stories here -- about 75 of them just for 2002 Rav4s -- detail incompetent diagnosis, wasted time, wrong/expensive parts thrown mindlessly at these problems until there is only one part left to throw. This is sad testament to the state of training, competence, and concern within the auto repair trade. I say this based on the fact that there could have been a large percentage of entries detailing a simple PCM replacement and the resultant complaint of how the $1200 part plus diagnosis and labor should have been covered under a recall. Instead, most of the entries start off with how much they paid for a transaxle that didn't fix the problem, or a valve body, or solenoids, or fluid flushes, or whatever. Perhaps saddest is the advice from some shops to "have the dealer reflash the PCM". Exactly how is a re-flash (updated logic or ROM) that's designed to cure one of several driveablilty issues going to fix the failed driver(s) or damaged PC board on the PCM? Further, why would a shop take in a Toyota and pretend to be able to diagnose it when they can't? If they were properly equipped, they would already own one of at least a dozen reasonably priced tools on the market to reflash Toyota PCMs, and if they had stepped up to the plate by purchasing said tooling, it stands to reason that they would be competent enough not to suggest a re-flash to fix a computer hardware issue.

People, stop going to crap shops. Get second opinions. Dealers aren't all good nor are they all bad. The same is true of independent shops. Find the shops in your area that charge on the higher side of average, then rule out the ones that aren't neat and orderly looking, then find one of the remaining ones that can prove that they buy the proper tools and employ/train good, caring techs to work on the make of car that you drive. I promise you will spend much less $ over your lifetime by using a high quality, conscientious shop verses a bottom feeder independent or a poorly run dealership.

my car started jerking in & out of gear in February. i called about my warranty & San Francisco Toyota told me to bring it in & they would check it, cost $152. when i went to pick it up, it now needed a new transmission at the cost of $4800, not covered on warranty. i remembered that there was a recall on the engine control module in 2007, which they re calibrated. they said the ecm was now working fine.

i paid my $152 bill, took the car out of there, and went to an automatic transmission shop. the owner tested it & said it was the emc. he then took it to another Toyota dealer & even took the service manager on a test drive to show him the problem. they agreed & replaced the ecm, which was covered on warranty, up to 80,000 miles.

i contacted san francisco Toyota for a refund on my bill & also money that i spent on a rental car for a week. they were extremely uncooperative until i 'yelped' them & also wrote a letter to the main office in Torrance, California. i immediately got a check for $152 & a gift certificate for the $210 i spent on a rental car.

right now my Toyota is running fine, but i'm not sure i trust it to stay that way. i also think Toyota should do a recall on this make & model.