Shifterati2nd gen Toyota RAV4 2001–2005
This page is a draft. It has not been approved yet, so read it with care.
Bigger, with an all-aluminium 2.0L four and a 2.4L from 2004. Early years drew many complaints about shifting.
Watch out for
Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.
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Hard shifting and hesitation 2001–2003
What to check: Drive it from cold through every gear, and feel for jerks, slurred shifts and hesitation.
CarComplaints.com logs more complaints for the 2002 than for any other RAV4 year, most about shifting, jerking and hesitation, and puts the shifting problems down to a faulty engine control module.
What buyers say
Reputation: what owners and the press report
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Sought after: The 2004 2004 One source so far
SlashGear lists the 2004 among the used RAV4s to consider, the year complaints fell away after 2001 to 2003.3
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Avoid: 2001 to 2003 2001–2003 Less sought after One source so far
SlashGear says these years had a hard time, with transmission complaints at their worst in 2002.3
Before you pay
Every warning and recall for this generation, with a box to tick.