Rav4 Loosing Power, Engine Shuddering

May 5, 2015

This is an update to the problems we had with our RAV4 (2003), back in March 2015. 2 garages looked at the problem and could not get any EMU warning light up, (nothing on the diagnostics). We continued to use it, (or scrap it and buy another). After a few days the EMU light started flashing - I got it home ...... think it went into 'limp' or 'protect' mode. It was shuddering ..... almost as if it was firing on 2 cylinders or fuel starvation.

Arranged a tow to a Toyota garage .... when the car was started to position for the lift ... it started fine ... with no EMU light!

Toyota had it for a few days before they managed to replicate the problem, and a few more days to solve it. THIS WAS APPARENTLY A CONNECTION ISSUE IN THE LOOM. THEY CLEAN UP THE CONNECTORS. With the price of an ignition coil added ... I got the car back (<£220). When I picked it up it was mentioned that the catalytic converter could be an issue, (apparently Cats. produced at this time were apparently not all that ... really!)

The car drove fine ... I received a call from Toyota (after about a week), asking if everything was okay; and all was well, driving as new. A few days later, the EMU light came up again ... this time clear and constant. So off back to Toyota ....and yes it was the Cat. (Labour and Toyota parts .... >£1600).

Decided to keep the car (<78K), rightly or wrongly, and had a local garage to do the cat for <£800.

A week later all is still well and RAV running well ..... fingers crossed.

Hope that this is useful to

May 6, 2015

Great news Russ and thanks for sharing the info on how it was resolved.

It's posts like this that often help others

I had the same problem on my Mk 2 when it went for an MOT. My son now has this motor and is running fine so maybe time to make it easier to drive by uncrossing those fingers :driving: