2002 TOYOTA TACOMA — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
443
Owner Complaints
5
Recalls
18
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA
The 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA has received a total of 443 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 5 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE, EXTERIOR LIGHTING. 18 technical service bulletins have been issued by Toyota Motor Corporation for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Structurebody (105 complaints), Suspension (60 complaints), and Structureframe And Membersunderbody Shields (30 complaints).
Recalls for the 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA
NHTSA has recorded 5 recalls for the 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA, potentially affecting up to 1,107,276 vehicles.
Recall 12V542000 — TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE
| 150,000 vehicles affected
Defect: 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,...
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace the spare tire carrier lift plate as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in February 2013. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center...
View full details →Recall 06E065000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
| 3,593 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: AJ MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AJ MOTORSPORT AT 626-618-2026.
View full details →Recall 06E026000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
| 61,944 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
View full details →Recall 05V225000 — SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
| 768,379 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: THE LOWER BALL JOINT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
View full details →Recall 03V189000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
| 123,360 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: THIS DAMAGE COULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE IF IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUEL HOSE PROTECTOR ON THE BODY FLANGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 3, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA
443 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
Rackandpinon replacement was also the upper and lower ball joints my steering is still giving me problems and I feel like it’s asafty concern because if I’m going down the highway I could loose control I have some receipts for what my mechanic replaced I called Toyota and they told me that it was to late to fix anything and that I would have to deal with it I never received a notice in the mail or anywhere else I feel like Toyota owes me Also what has happened is my spare tire feel off from the hanger going up my driveway I got to looking and the cable rusted away along with my rear parking brake cable up under the truck thanks for your time
Rackandpinon replacement was also the upper and lower ball joints my steering is still giving me problems and I feel like it’s asafty concern because if I’m going down the highway I could loose control I have some receipts for what my mechanic replaced I called Toyota and they told me that it was to late to fix anything and that I would have to deal with it I never received a notice in the mail or anywhere else I feel like Toyota owes me Also what has happened is my spare tire feel off from the hanger going up my driveway I got to looking and the cable rusted away along with my rear parking brake cable up under the truck thanks for your time
Rackandpinon replacement was also the upper and lower ball joints my steering is still giving me problems and I feel like it’s asafty concern because if I’m going down the highway I could loose control I have some receipts for what my mechanic replaced I called Toyota and they told me that it was to late to fix anything and that I would have to deal with it I never received a notice in the mail or anywhere else I feel like Toyota owes me Also what has happened is my spare tire feel off from the hanger going up my driveway I got to looking and the cable rusted away along with my rear parking brake cable up under the truck thanks for your time
Found hole in frame (chassis)
Found hole in frame (chassis)
Safety Rating for the 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA
Toyota Motor Corporation has issued 18 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
CSV TI Expired 0 — EQUIPMENT
Technical Instructions: This Limited Service Campaign has expired as of January 31, 2017.
POL08-04 — STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
WARRANTY POLICY BULLETIN (POL08-04): TOYOTA RECEIVED ISOLATED REPORTS REGARDING A SMALL NUMBER OF 01 THROUGH 04 MODEL YEAR TACOMA VEHICLES OPERATED IN SEVERE COLD CLIMATE AREAS WITH HIGH ROAD SALT USE. THEY WERE REPORTED TO BE EXHIBITING EXCESSIVE RUST CAUSING PERFORATION OF THE FRAME. TOYOTA INVESTIGATED THESE REPORTS AND DETERMINED...
CSV_TI_REM_Publi — STRUCTURE:BODY
TI: On 2001 - 2004 model year Tacoma vehicles, prolonged exposure to road salts and other environmental factors could cause the Spare Tire Carrier Lift Plate to corrode. In limited cases, the lift plate may excessively corrode and break resulting in detachment of the spare tire from the vehicle.
TC-15-016 — TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE
TOYOTA: TSB HAS AN OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER. SELECT DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON BELOW. DUE TO EXPOSURE AND PROLONGED USAGE OF ROAD SALTS AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, THE LIFT PLATE FOR SPARE TIRE CARRIER WILL CORRODE AND BREAK CAUSING DETACHMENT OF SPARE TIRE. MODEL 2001-04 TACOMA. *PE
CSV_LSC_Region L — STRUCTURE
RL: On 2001 - 2004 model year Tacoma vehicles, prolonged exposure to road salts and other environmental factors could cause the Spare Tire Carrier Lift Plate to corrode. In limited cases, the lift plate may excessively corrode and break resulting in detachment of the spare tire from the vehicle. This...
CSV_LSC_Dealer L — EQUIPMENT
DL: On 2001 - 2004 model year Tacoma vehicles, prolonged exposure to road salts and other environmental factors could cause the Spare Tire Carrier Lift Plate to corrode. In limited cases, the lift plate may excessively corrode and break resulting in detachment of the spare tire from the vehicle.This condition...
T-SB-0134-14 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TSB: The purpose of this bulletin is to provide precautions to follow when installing an automatic transmission/transaxle assembly to avoid MIL "ON" shifting issues and/or transmission damage. Use the information in this bulletin when installing an automatic transmission/transaxle assembly.
TC-10-049 — STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
TOYOTA: LIMITED SERVICE CAMPAIGN-90 D DEADLINE EXTENSION AND OWNER RENOTIFICATION. FRAME CORROSION-RESISTANT COMPOUND(CRC). *PE
TC-10-036 — STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
TOYOTA: FRAME CORROSION PREVENTATIVE COMPOUND. OWNERS WHOSE VEHICLES HAVE NOT YET HAD LSC 90D REPAIRS COMPLETED WILL BE NOTIFY. AFFECTS ONLY CERTAIN STATES:VT, MA AND ME. *PE
TCS-08-018 — STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
TOYOTA SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT FOR FRAME RUST PERFORATION ON MODEL TRUCKS IN SEVERE COLD CLIMATE AREAS WITH HIGH ROAD SALT USE. CSC LETTER WAS RECEIVED. *PE
Showing 10 of 18 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the TOYOTA TACOMA
- 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA — 148 complaints
- 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA — 358 complaints
- 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA — 303 complaints
- 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA — 272 complaints
- 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA — 504 complaints
- 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA (current)
- 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA — 479 complaints
- 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA — 544 complaints
- 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA — 870 complaints
- 2006 TOYOTA TACOMA — 976 complaints
- 2007 TOYOTA TACOMA — 675 complaints
Other TOYOTA Models
- TOYOTA CAMRY — 23,209 total complaints
- TOYOTA PRIUS — 15,411 total complaints
- TOYOTA COROLLA — 14,342 total complaints
- TOYOTA RAV4 — 11,737 total complaints
- TOYOTA SIENNA — 10,769 total complaints
- TOYOTA TUNDRA — 8,997 total complaints
- TOYOTA HIGHLANDER — 6,663 total complaints
- TOYOTA 4RUNNER — 6,405 total complaints