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Dreaded Transmission/ECM Problem

3K views 9 replies 3 participants last post by  1.8TTony  
#1 ·
2001 Rav4
67,500 miles

I bought this garaged, dealer-maintained Rav a year ago, and have had no problems. Shifted smoothly through all gears.

Yesterday, I put it into REVERSE and it banged hard into gear. I tried it a couple more times, same thing. Oh s**t. Fortunately, the DRIVE gears still shifted fine, so I got it home.

Today, I resoldered all the suspect resistors that we know about.

It now shifts into REVERSE ok, but when I started driving, the shift from 2nd to 3rd was all f**ked up.

I'm not sure what to do, as I don't know if resoldering all the resistors again will help.

Could it be one or more of the resistors are bad?

Can someone recommend a reputable business to send it to to have all the resistors replaced with fresh solder?

Or, any other ideas?

This is my only vehicle, and I've already missed a day of work/pay because if it.
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
Thank you, eelee!

Was it an exchange or repair? The link you sent was for a repair, and the exchange is $100 more.

Also, I forgot to disconnect the negative battery cable when I removed the ECM box. Can that be a problem?
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
UPDATE:
Pulled the PCM out, carefully resoldered the suspect resistors on the circuit board (used a tutorial I found on YouTube), reinstalled it...and the shifting problems were worse, and now included triple shifts from 2nd to 3rd. Incredibly dismayed.

However, I did some more research and discovered that you must drive the vehicle for a while to let the computer readjust to all the engine and transmission input signals. Drove it around town at 3am for about 45 minutes. Stop and go. Stop and go. Got on the interstate and used passing gear. Now shifts fine.

What an ordeal!