2002 Toyota RAV4 Recalls, Problems & Safety Rating

2002 Toyota RAV4 recalls

No safety recalls on file for the 2002 Toyota RAV4.

Most common 2002 Toyota RAV4 problems

Problem areas named in the 527 complaints owners filed with NHTSA.

Problem area	Reports
Power Train	379
Electrical System	93
Engine And Engine Cooling	41
Vehicle Speed Control	36
Air Bags	23
Unknown Or Other	23
Engine	22
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)	16
Steering	8
Latches/Locks/Linkages	5

What owners report

2024-05-24, Engine
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.

2023-10-03, Power Train
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, she heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure had since become a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnostic result. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000.

2022-05-05, Power Train
2002 Toyota RAV4 AWD transmission problems and will be available upon request. Transmission caused vehicle to disengaged , jerks, stalls with severed engine braking while driving creating a safety performance and hazard on the roads to myself and other unexpected drivers. Upon reading similar complaints of other owners reported similar transmission problems. This was believed to be a reproduced problem and should be investigated for Safety-Related defects. The vehicle was inspected by manufacture according to previous owner. Manufacturer recently replaced transmission and updated ECM per previous owner. The vehicle appeared in working order for 3-4 months then the transmission problems occ

2022-01-07, Power Train
The contact owned a 2002 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, an abnormal noise was heard. The brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle spun 360 degrees and stopped on the opposite side of the road. No warning light illuminated. The contact called the independent mechanic who advised her to turn off the vehicle. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and drove the vehicle approximately 3-feet before the rear wheels locked up. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic and diagnosed with rear differential failure. The contact was informed that the rear differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because the contact took th

2021-03-03, Power Train
2002 TOYOTA RAV. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *LD *JS

2002 Toyota RAV4 questions

Does the 2002 Toyota RAV4 have any recalls?

No. NHTSA has no safety recalls on file for the 2002 Toyota RAV4 at this time.

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Toyota RAV4?

Based on 527 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are Power Train (379), Electrical System (93), Engine And Engine Cooling (41).

How do I check if a recall on my 2002 Toyota RAV4 has been fixed?

Enter your 17-character VIN in our VIN recall check. It shows open recalls that have not been repaired on your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.