Problems · by component

2002 Toyota RAV4 vehicle speed control problems

36 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Toyota RAV4 cite vehicle speed control, 6% of all 555 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
36
6% of all complaints
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“My car engine light goes on and off due to transmission fault. It continuously has a hard time shifting gears in between 2500-3000 rpm and gives a jerky stop before continuing to speed up/accelerate despite when I have not let go of my foot from the pedal. After taking it to the auto shop, I was told this is the same problem other Toyota RAV 4 between 2001-2003 experiences and the mechanics told me that there was a lot of recall for the same code my car is giving (2 codes that the computer diagnosed were p0775 and p0161). While Toyota extended the warranty to 10years/150,000k and my car is 1-2 years past the warranty, it's only been barely 80,000mi and it should not be causing this problem. This transmission/ECM problem puts me and the passengers to risks because both the speed and RPM don't go past certain numbers which is low at most times, limiting myself as the driver to go even within the speed limits. All the more, with this happening more frequently these days than it had in the past, I am highly concerned for my safety and not feel safe to have someone in my car. I have been to 4 different mechanics and they have told me the same problem and that it's…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2024Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11590615
“FAULTY ECU COMPUTERS CAUSEING VARIATIONS IN SPEED AND PROBLEMS WITH HARD SHIFTING, DAMAGEING TRANSMISSONS, CAUSEING VEHICLES TO FAIL WHILE DRIVING WHILE IN MOTION VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY. MY VEHICLE STOPPED IN AN INTERSECTION AND I WAS NEARLY HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR WHILE TURNING LEFT. I FELT I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY ON COMMING TRAFFIC WITH NO ABILITY TO CONTROL MY VEHICLE. TOYOTA DEALER AND MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS IS A WELL KNOW DEFECT AND PROBLEM KNOW TO TOYOTA WITH RAV 4 2001-2003. ALSO, 02 SESSORS GO BAD EARLY LEADING TO HAZARDOUS EMISSIONS TO PUBLIC AND THIS BURNS OUT CATALITIC CONVERTERS WHICH CAN ALSO CAUSE HARMFUL EMISSIONS. RAV 4 2001 TO 2003 HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS HAVING FAULTY ECU'S, AUTO TRANSMISSIONS AND 02 SENSOR DEFICITS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BY TOYOTA TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM ACCIDENTS RELATED TO POOR SHIFTING, UNSAFE SPEED CONTROL AND HARMFUL EMISSIONS TO THE PUBLIC. I NOTIFIED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO NOTHING BECAUSE THEY OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARNETY BUT THAT EXPIRED AFTER 10 YEARS AND THEY NEVER NOTIFIED ME OF ANY PROBLEMS TO LOOK OUT FOR WITH THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 23, 2017Power train, Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11000853
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR AND LUNGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED; HOWEVER THE CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT ENDED IN 2012. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,612. UPDATED 04/25/17 LJ *CN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 2, 2017Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 10958029
“I WAS DRIVING MY RAV4 DOWN MY ROAD WHEN I SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF THE ACCELERATOR WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE NOT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL AT ALL MY VEHICLE CONTINUED SPEEDING UP. I HAD MY EMERGENCY BRAKE LOCKED WHICH SLOWED ME DOWN BUT COULDN'T STOP ME. I PLACED THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND THE CAR CAME TO A STOP BUT THE RPMS WENT UP TO 9000RPM'S IMMEDIATELY SO I TURNED THE CAR OFF IN HOPES SOMETHING WOULD RESET. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON THE PROBLEM CONTINUED UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO STOP IN MY DRIVEWAY. BOTH MY KIDS WERE IN THE CAR AND I NEARLY CRASHED INTO AN INTERSECTION WHICH IS WHY I AM REPORTING THIS. I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED AND MAINTAINED MY CAR OTHERWISE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 9, 2017Fuel system, gasoline, Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10943935
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 14, 2015Vehicle speed controlODI 10810155
“2002 TOYOTA RAV 4 ENGINE CONTROL MODULE/TRANSMISSION FAILED ON 82,264 MILES, ERRATIC DRIVING, VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT NOT DOING ANY THING TO RESOLVE. SPENT ALMOST $1000 TO REPLACE THE ECU ALONE, MAY NEED COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 20, 2015Vehicle speed control, Unknown or other, EngineODI 10726370

Showing 6 of 36 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.