2002 Toyota RAV4 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
527 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
94,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 478 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 255 of 527 complaints (48.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 383 | 72.7% |
| Engine operation | 56 | 10.6% |
| Braking behavior | 27 | 5.1% |
| Steering behavior | 12 | 2.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 1.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 255 |
| Power Train | 118 |
| Electrical System | 88 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 34 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 23 |
| Unknown Or Other | 23 |
| Engine | 22 |
| Air Bags | 17 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 255; Power Train: 118; Electrical System: 88; Vehicle Speed Control: 34; Engine And Engine Cooling: 23; Unknown Or Other: 23; Engine: 22; Air Bags: 17
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 14 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 34 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 75 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 154 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 157 |
| 150,000 and above | 44 |
Under 25,000: 14; 25,000 to 49,999: 34; 50,000 to 74,999: 75; 75,000 to 99,999: 154; 100,000 to 149,999: 157; 150,000 and above: 44
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (157). 49 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2003 | 11 |
| 2004 | 7 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 13 |
| 2008 | 76 |
| 2009 | 124 |
| 2010 | 146 |
| 2011 | 15 |
| 2012 | 17 |
| 2013 | 23 |
| 2014 | 18 |
| 2015 | 24 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2002: 9; 2003: 11; 2004: 7; 2005: 4; 2006: 7; 2007: 13; 2008: 76; 2009: 124; 2010: 146; 2011: 15; 2012: 17; 2013: 23; 2014: 18; 2015: 24; 2016: 8; 2017: 9; 2018: 5; 2019: 4; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 2; 2023: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 383 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 56 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 27 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10056813 · 2004-02-09 (February 9, 2004)
I DRIVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I WENT BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE WOMAN IN FRONT OF ME (2000 DODGE NEON) DIDN'T SO I REAR-ENDED HER. HER CAR WAS UNSCRATCHED, MY FRONT BUMPER PLATE WAS SMUSHED. AS A RESULT OF THIS COLLISION...I WAS, MAYBE, GOING 10 MPH...MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS. APPARENTLY THERE ARE WEAK SEALS AND CONNECTIONS IN THE RAV, CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND OIL LEAKAGE (AS YOU CAN GUESS, 3 HOURS AFTER THE FENDER BENDER, WHEN I WENT OUT TO LUNCH, THE CAR W…
Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056813 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10064052 · 2004-03-28 (March 28, 2004)
WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE AND VICE VERSA A CLANGING SOUND IS HEARD FROM THE FRONT. I TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD FRONT BRAKE PADS NEED REPLACING AND ROTORS NEED TO BE RESURFACED AT A COST OF $250.00.+ TAX. CAR HAD ONLY 10,250 MILES. THE PROBLEM IS STILL PRESENT. I WAS FINALLY TOLD THIS IS NORMAL. PROBLEM WAS NOT THERE UNTIL THE CAR REACHED 7500 AND THE FIRST TIRE ROTATION WAS PERFORMED BY THE TOYOTA DEALER. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 7,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10064052 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10042377 · 2003-10-06 (October 6, 2003)
WHEN DRIVING UP A HILL VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10042377 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10141472 · 2005-11-01 (November 1, 2005)
I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV 4. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALER FOR THE CHANGES OF OIL AND FILTER. TWICE THEY SUGGESTED A WYNNS SYSTEM ENGINE CLEANING WHICH WE PAID FOR. THE LAST ONE WAS DONE ON APRIL 2005. LAST OCTOBER 7, 2005 I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE OIL LIGHT LIT UP AND THE CAR STOPPED. THE CAR WAS TOWED FROM THE HIGHWAY TO OUR HOUSE AND THE NEXT DAY WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER ADRIEL TOYOTA IN RIO GRANDE, PUERTO RICO. ABOUT TWO HOURS LATER THEY CALLED ME AND STATED THAT THE MOTOR STALLED AND THE WARRANTY …
Owner-reported narrative. 45,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10141472 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008712 · 2003-02-19 (February 19, 2003)
WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE SURGED FOWARD DUE TO FUEL THROTTLE LEAKAGE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008712 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10057725 · 2004-02-26 (February 26, 2004)
WHILE STOPPING DOWN A HILL, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUED TO TRAVEL TO FLOORBOARD. DEALER SERVICED VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. *AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10057725 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10028517 · 2003-07-17 (July 17, 2003)
ON JULY 7, 2003 I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN THE BATTERY DISCHARGE LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD NO STEERING CAPABILITY. I WAS TRAVELLING ABOUT SIXTY MILES PER HOUR ON THE INTERSTATE. I ALMOST HIT THE MEDIAN DIVIDER BEFORE I COULD STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I CALLED THE DEARLERSHIP AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY TOLD ME TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED IN, THEY DIDN'T EVEN OFFER TO HAVE IT TOWED. INCIDENTALLY THIS IS A NEW VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 1100 MILES ON IT AND I HAD ONLY DRIVEN THE VEHICLE ABOUT ONE WEEK BEFORE THE ABOVE HAP…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,189 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028517 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10114400 · 2005-03-21 (March 21, 2005)
I HAD DRIVEN ABOUT 3 MILES THEN GOT STUCK IN A TRAFFIC JAM. AT THAT TIME, I COULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNING BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. FINALLY, I GOT OFF THAT ROAD AND DROVE ANOTHER 10 MILES BUT I AGAIN NOTICED THE BURNING SMELL. I CHECKED THE PANEL AND THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING HOT. NEXT, A SMALL CURL OF SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER HOOD ON PASSENGER SIDE. THEN SUDDENLY SMOKE BEGAN BILLOWING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND INTO THE CAR THROUGH THE VENT. I LOST STEERING AND BRAKING. I REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, BUT THE CAR CONTINU…
Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10114400 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10263840 · 2009-04-01 (April 1, 2009)
I HAVE A TOYOTA RAV4 2002-IN MAY 2006 I WENT TO MILITARY TRAINING SCHOOL, I GOT BACK OCT 2006 WHILE DRIVING MY ENGINE FAILED ON THE HWY. I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS 420 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY AND IT WAS NOT COVERED. I DID ALL MY REQUIRED UPKEEP AND MAINTENANCE AND TO MY SURPRISE IT HAD OIL SLUDGE. HE CLAIMS ITS FROM SITTING BUT ALOT OF VEHICLES SIT AND DO NOT HAVE PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY MILITARY MEMBERS THAT ARE DEPLOYED. I HAD TO PAY 3989.00 FOR A USED ENGINE. AFTER RESEARCHING AND FINDING OUT 2001 -03 CAMRY AND LEXUS HAD THE SAM…
Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10263840 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10290899 · 2009-11-04 (November 4, 2009)
APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS AGO I BEGAN NOTICING HESITATION, JERKING, AND SLIPPING COMING FROM WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE PROBLEM CONTINUED, I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL BIG TEN TIRES TO SEE WHAT THEY THOUGHT. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE ENGINE MOUNT. THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. I REALIZED THEN IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THAT SOLD ME THE VEHICLE,AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, BUT THEY TOLD ME TO LIVE WITH IT BECAUSE IT WAS INTERMITTENT! THEY DID NOT TELL ME IT WAS THE SAME…
Owner-reported narrative. 96,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10290899 at NHTSA ↗