What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2002 Toyota Tacoma

Typical pattern

2.3% of complaints about the 2002 Toyota Tacoma came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2002 vehicle — around the middle of the 230 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 12.2 yr in service. The most-reported system is structure (183 complaints), typically at 12.9 yr or about 120,500 miles.

Complaints
428
Median age at failure
12.2 yr
Median mileage
120,000 n=319
Crash / fire / tow
11.7% of reports
Safety recalls
5

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Structure
183 reports · 120,500 mi
12.9 yr
1.6%
Suspension
88 reports · 128,500 mi
12.8 yr
13.6%
Other
26 reports · 134,000 mi
15.8 yr
0%
Power train
19 reports · 61,923 mi
3.4 yr
5.3%
Air bags
19 reports · 140,000 mi
8.8 yr
68.4%
Wheels
15 reports · 150,000 mi
11.3 yr
33.3%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

12V542000 2012-11-23
Tires:temporary/emergency spare tire

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2001 through 2004 Tacoma light trucks manufactured from August 28, 2000, through August 27, 2004, and originally sold, or currently registered, in the following cold climate states with high road salt usage: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. The spare tire in the subject vehicles is located underneath the rear of the vehicle and held by a sp

Corrosion of the plate could cause it to break, which could result in detachment of the spare tire from the vehicle. Detachment of the spare tire could result in a road hazard which may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

06E065000 2006-07-17
Exterior lighting

CERTAIN AJ MOTORSPORT COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

06E026000 2006-03-23
Exterior lighting

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

05V225000 2005-05-17
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ISSUE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SURFACE OF THE BALL OF THE JOINT MAY HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED. THE BALL JOINT MAY EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND LOOSENESS, RESULTING IN INCREASED STEERING EFFORT.

THE LOWER BALL JOINT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

03V189000 2003-05-19
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, DURING SIDE IMPACT NCAP TEST (I.E. LINCAP TEST), A FLANGE AT THE REAR END OF THE DOUBLE CAB BODY DEFORMED AND INTERFERED WITH THE FUEL INLET HOSE THAT CONNECTS THE FUEL FILLER PIPE AND FUEL TANK, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE FUEL INLET HOSE.

THIS DAMAGE COULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE IF IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE.

In owners’ own words

Power train mileage not reported 2 mo in service
TRANSMISSION LINE BLEW OFF, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STOP ACCELERATING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. MECHANIC REPLACED HOSES AND ADDED A CLAMP.*AK
Power train 5,009 mi 1.3 yr in service
BROUGHT TRUCK TO TOYOTA SERVICE FOR 5000 MILE SERVICE REPORTED AUTO TRANS JUMP IN GEAR SHIFT FROM 1ST TO SECOND (MECHANIC SAID NEEDED NEW TRANSMISSION, AFTER LEAVING SERVICE STATION NOTICED TRUCK WASN'T DRIVING PROPERLY BROUGHT TRUCK BACK MECHANIC SAID NEEDS NEW FRONT SHOCK AND REAR SHOCK. NOW IT DID NOT NEED NEW TRANSMISSION EVEN THOUGH IT STILL JUMPS FROM GEAR TO GEAR.
Power train mileage not reported 1.3 yr in service
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS TOO SOON, MAKING THE ENGINE STRUGGLE AND VIBRATE AT LOW RPMS. WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID ALL THE NEW 4 CYLINDER TRUCKS WERE LIKE THIS. AT 12000 MILES, THE VALVES ARE TAPPING AT IDLE, AND THE HOOD VIBRATES. SEEING THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS FORUM, I NOW REMEMBER HOW SQUIRLY THE TRUCK GETS AFTER GOING OVER BUMPS. THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE BAD FRONT SHOCKS. I HOPE I DON'T GET INTO A BAD ACCIDENT KNOWING THE AIR BAGS ARE NOT GOING TO WORK.
Suspension mileage not reported 4 mo in service crash / fire / tow
THE TRUCK HAS ALWAYS WALKED ALL OVER THE ROAD WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP .. THIS TIME IT WAS RAINING OUR SON HIT A BUMP AND LOST CONTROL ON THE WET ROAD BECAUSE OF THE TRUCKS... GOIN ALL OVER ROAD WHEN HIT A BUMP HE COULDNT HOLD IT ON THE ROAD WHEN IT WAS WET GOIN 65 MILES HR.. WE THINK THE SHOCKS ARE THE FRONT END THERE A DEFECT IN. *AK

Other Tacoma model years

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