2001 Toyota RAV4 Transmission & Power Train Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · data through 07/14/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How power train ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 309 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2001 Toyota RAV4 overview page.
What owners report
“MY CAR IS TOYOTA RAV4 2001 2WD AUTOMATIC. RECENTLY, THE CAR ON ACCELERATION STARTED DOING HARD SHIFT. MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT. HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/RAV4/2001/TRANSMISSION/PROBLEMS_SHIFTING.SHTML. WHEN…”NHTSA complaint 10273565 — filed 06/11/2009
“MY 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 IS A VICTIM OF THE ECM FAILURE THAT CAUSES TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2001 AND 2002…”NHTSA complaint 10265336 — filed 04/14/2009
“2001 TOYOTA RAV 4 STARTED WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON AND OFF THEN TOYOTA SENT SSC-601 IN MARCH OF 08 THAT I NEEDED TO…”NHTSA complaint 10241993 — filed 09/12/2008
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2001 Toyota RAV4 have transmission & power train problems?
Power Train is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2001 Toyota RAV4: 63 of 309 complaints on file (20.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2001 Toyota RAV4 have in total?
309 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 18 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 12 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train category include?
NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.
