2001 Toyota RAV4: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
309 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
101,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 236 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 121 of 309 complaints (39.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 196 | 63.4% |
| Braking behavior | 34 | 11.0% |
| Engine operation | 31 | 10.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 5 | 1.6% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 1.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 0.6% |
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 | 121 |
| Power Train | 63 |
| Electrical System | 57 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 21 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 13 |
| Unknown Or Other | 12 |
| Engine | 9 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 8 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 121; Power Train: 63; Electrical System: 57; Vehicle Speed Control: 21; Engine And Engine Cooling: 13; Unknown Or Other: 12; Engine: 9; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 13 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 5 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 29 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 68 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 93 |
| 150,000 and above | 28 |
Under 25,000: 13; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 29; 75,000 to 99,999: 68; 100,000 to 149,999: 93; 150,000 and above: 28
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (93). 73 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 |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 23 |
| 2002 | 17 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 10 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 22 |
| 2009 | 56 |
| 2010 | 70 |
| 2011 | 32 |
| 2012 | 11 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2000: 1; 2001: 23; 2002: 17; 2003: 6; 2004: 10; 2005: 3; 2006: 4; 2007: 7; 2008: 22; 2009: 56; 2010: 70; 2011: 32; 2012: 11; 2013: 10; 2014: 9; 2015: 8; 2016: 6; 2017: 7; 2018: 1; 2019: 3; 2021: 1; 2023: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 196 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 34 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 31 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10001678 · 2002-12-30 (December 30, 2002)
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND WILL STAY ON THE REMAINDER OF THE TIME THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001678 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008698 · 2003-02-19 (February 19, 2003)
BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED.*JB,...*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008698 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020768 · 2003-05-30 (May 30, 2003)
SQUEALING, HOWLING BRAKES. SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE "NEW" IN NOV, 2000, AND IT IS THE 2001 RAV4 L MODEL, I HAVE GONE BACK 3-4 TIMES, AND NOTHING THEY DO HELPS THE PROBLEM. THEY TELL ME THE CAR IS SAFE AND THAT SQUEALING IS NORMAL. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL SQUEAL, OR SCREECH, ITS MORE LIKE "HOWLING". *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10020768 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10028625 · 2003-07-19 (July 19, 2003)
THE VEHICLE HAS A HESITATION DURING ACCELERATION MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE IF I CAN SAFELY MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ,AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD TO CLEAR THE ONBOARD COMPUTER'S MEMORY, AND THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE CLEARED UP. NOTHING WAS SAID ON HOW OR WHY THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM BUT IT DID NOT. THE DAY AFTER THE CLEARING OF THE MEMORY THE VEHICLE DID THIS AGAIN. I WAS TOLD TO BRING IT INTO THE DEALER AGAIN FOR ANOTHER CLEARING OF MEMORY. WHAT MEASURES CAN I TAKE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE? I CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO …
Owner-reported narrative. 20,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028625 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10031808 · 2003-08-26 (August 26, 2003)
THE CUSTOMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE DRIVER. THE DRIVER HIT HIS HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND SUSTAINED MULTIPLE INJURIES. *AK *SCC *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10031808 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10039760 · 2003-09-11 (September 11, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10039760 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10045833 · 2003-11-09 (November 9, 2003)
A CONSTANT RATTLE/SQUEAK IN FRONT DASH. THE REAR TIRE MOUNT RATTLES/SQUEAKS TO THE POINT THAT I HAVE TO REMOVE THE TIRE MOUNT. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 10,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10045833 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10052375 · 2004-01-05 (January 5, 2004)
I HAVE A 2001 TOYOTA RAV 4 THAT CHUGS AND SINCE THE CHANGING OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR IS GETTING BETWEEN 12 AND 14 MPG. IT IS GOING IN TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON 010504 FOR THE 4TH TIME. IN NOV. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THAT IS WHEN THEY REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR AND SOME SENSORS. SINCE THE REPLACING OF THE ITEMS IS WHEN THE GAS MILEAGE HAS DECREASED. THE PREVIOUS OWNER ALSO HAD THE CHUGGING PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 30,749 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052375 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.