Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Toyota RAV4 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My wife drove the 2001 Toyota rav 4 to work this morning. It was a 5 mile drive. After parking the car a fellow employee told her the car was on fire. The fire department responded and put the fire out. But the car was a total loss. The fire inspector located the origin of the fire, along the firewall directly in the middle of the wall, but said he was unable to determine the cause. He said no accelerant was used, and that the fire was probably the result of a cracked fuel-line or some other fluid leaking onto the engine. We noticed no fluids leaked onto the driveway at home. I am posting this in case any one else had a similar situation.
My wife was driving car and it started doing strange changes with the transmission, such as slipping between gear changes and jerking movements. At one point, she told me getting on freway on ramp was a hazard, because of irratic behavior of transmission!!
When I change gear or press accelerator to give gas, my car doesn't pick up race and doesn't shift the gear. It will do on its own. The engine light keeps coming turned on, even though thisngs have been replaced.
March 2009 vehicle check engine light came on and I took vehicle to autozone for a diagnostic check. Check indicated that the shift solenoid was bad. I took vehicle to Toyota of bedford and was told I had to get another diagnostic because they don't take diagnostic from other places, so that cost me $100. After their diagnostic check was performed, they claimed it was just the gas cap and turned the light off. Within a couple of weeks the light can back on while I was driving on the freeway. In June 2009, the car started having shifting difficulty, getting stuck in a gear then jerking out of it. I took it to a foreign car specialist shop and they changed the transmission fluid, I drove it for a few weeks again, then it shifted hard while driving and the check engine light came on again. I have to get off the freeway sometimes when the car gets stuck in a gear and won't accelerate!!! …
We received a letter last year from Toyota notifying us about an extended warranty on a part that they expected to malfunction, the ECM - something to do with transaxle and a harsh shift condition. We were not currently experiencing the problem, so we did as the document recommended and filed it. Last week out of no where, we started experiencing this harsh shift condition. The car stalled out when we attempt to accelerate and then jerks into gear quickly and on traffic filled roads, dangerously. We promptly took it to the dealership and they diagnosed the car as needing that part replaced. Then they told us sorry, the extended warranty expired December 2010. Two months after we'd received the notification. …
ECM was replaced in 2007. No problems at that time. In May 2014 brakes plus misdiagnosed problem and fixed almost everything possible. Check engine light never went on until the day before the problem. Transmission started acting up and when I went to pass a person on a bicycle slipped into neutral. Then it jumped back and forth like trying to go from one gear to another, with nothing happening. I could have been hit by a truck at this point, but avoided. Took the rav back to brakes plus. They said it was the transmission. Would cost $4500-5000 repair. They never even checked the diagnosis - which when we took to auto zone (which will read the problem as ECM). Then towed the car to the dealer. They said the transmission is "smoke." called the Toyota rep and only got a case number. Of course the car is 13 years old and we have had it 12. It is at 175,000 miles. …
I am newly employed with the post office so I need my car. I was out driving my route when all of a sudden it was lagging a little when I went to take off. Then when I was able to get some speed between boxes it was like it slipped into neutral and then jerked really hard and kicked into gear, I took it to a mechanic and also the dealership. After I took it to the mechanic I found out that there was a bulletin put out in 2010 about the same exact issue, so I called the dealership and made an appointment. They told me the same thing the mechanic did and that my car wasn't covered under the bulletin because it was outside the 10 year or 150,000 mile range. I cannot afford to have to pay this out of pocket and I need my car. The estimate that I got was $1536 from Toyota and then there is the possibility that I might have to have the transmission changed too. …
2001 Toyota RAV4 ECM and transmission replaced in May of 2009. Paid out of pocket. Replacement was a rebuilt transmission installed by dealer (victory Toyota in canton, mi) second transmission failed after 17,000 miles. Paid out of pocket again. No help from dealer or Toyota corporate. Found out that dealer just swapped trans, did not actually rebuild trans. Took it to an independent trans shop. Independent discovered a washer missing that caused third gear to strip (defect in second trans). Trans repaired, but then got a hard downshift into first gear when stopping, check engine light and p0420 p0430 codes. Independent trans shop cleared codes, and told me that if it happened again to have dealer re-flash ECM. Worked OK for about five days, then got the hard downshift into 1st gear again. Took it to dealer. Now they say the charcoal cannister needs to be replaced. …
My 2001 Toyota RAV4 had the same problem that was covered in Toyota's extended warranty and recall for this make and model. According to a July 10, 2010 article online at thecarconnection.com it is an issue with the automatic transmission and electronic control module. The issue, which affects around 235,500 vehicles, can lead to a damaged, rough-shifting transmission. While the RAV4 for those model years was originally covered for five years or 60,000 miles on power train components, Toyota is extending coverage to ten years or 150,000 miles. The auto maker is also offering to reimburse current or former owners for repairs already made. For me, the problem did not appear until near the very end of the coverage date. It was mis-diagnosed and when problem was finally identified, I was told it was outside the warranty window and Toyota would not cover the repair. …
October 11, 2012. On or about October 8 2012 I began having hesitation and jumping into gear as I am driving my 2001 RAV4. This happens mainly when accelerating from a stop sign/light. I am aware there has been a recall on many 2001 RAV4 vehicles. I bought my RAV4 from carmax in north attleboro mass on April 19 2012. So, I have not even had my vehicle for 5 months yet. On Thursday October 11 2012 I took my RAV4 back to carmax in attleboro with my complaint--I will be leaving the vehicle with them on Friday October 12 2012 so they can diagnose the transmission and the TCM (the transmission module which has had the recall). If it is found that my RAV4 is one of many under this recall, I will hope that Toyota will honor its' commitment and fix my rav. …
Electrical complaints in other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2001 Toyota RAV4?
NHTSA has 60 complaints about the electrical system of the 2001 Toyota RAV4, 19% of the model year's 309 complaints. The component named most often is wiring › front underhood (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Toyota RAV4 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2001 Toyota RAV4. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Toyota RAV4 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 105,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.