IllustrationDRIVER SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT AFTER RELEASE. CONCERNED THE SEAT BELT MAY BE DEFECTIVE DURING AN ACCIDENT.
2002 Toyota Tacoma
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Toyota Tacoma do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 228.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Tacoma years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
150–25K
2125–50K
3250–75K
3175–100K
65100–150K
81150K+
245 reports with mileage · 88 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Structure. Review the 180 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 82 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
26 crash reports3 fire reports16 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
4 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RETRACT INTERMITTENTLY AND THE THREAD UNRAVELED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 227,000.
I OWN AN "02" TOYOTA TACOMA THAT WAS BUILT AND SENT TO ME IN THAT SAME YEAR. THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED IS THAT THE A/C WENT OUT. I RARELY USE THE A/C IN THE SUMMER TIME, BUT I DO GET A LOT OF USE OUT OF THE HEATER IN THE WINTER. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT NOTICEABLE UNTIL I HAD THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR YEARS. I BEGA…
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I OWN AN "02" TOYOTA TACOMA THAT WAS BUILT AND SENT TO ME IN THAT SAME YEAR. THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED IS THAT THE A/C WENT OUT. I RARELY USE THE A/C IN THE SUMMER TIME, BUT I DO GET A LOT OF USE OUT OF THE HEATER IN THE WINTER. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT NOTICEABLE UNTIL I HAD THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR YEARS. I BEGAN TO SMELL A BURNING SMELL. ONCE SMOKE ACTUALLY CAME OUT OF THE VENTS. EVENTUALLY THE FUSE BURNT. I REPLACED IT AND THE A/C WORKED FOR A SHORT WHILE THEN THE FUSE BURNED AGAIN. I BEGAN USING THE A/C TO ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM WITH THE A/C. IT RECENTLY STOPPED COMPLETELY AND I CAN HEAR THE FAN TICKING AS IT ROTATES. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND I DID NOTHING TO AGGRAVATE THIS SITUATION. I HAVE AND CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVERS' SIDE SHOULDER HARNESS. I CAN'T MOVE FREELY ONCE IT'S LOCKED IN. IT CATCHES AND KEEPS ME FROM MOVING FREELY. I JUST LOCKS ME DOWN AND I CAN'T REACH FOR ANY CONTROLS UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY RELEASES ME SO I CAN MOVE. IT SEEMS THAT ALL OF THIS OCCURRED AT DIFFERENT INTERVALS. I NEVER EXPECTED SUCH POOR QUALITY OF WORKMANSHIP FROM SUCH A TRUSTED AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER. HAD I KNOWN OR HAD ANY IDEA THAT THIS WOULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN NO A/C, I WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT IN DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD. NOW I HAVE NO A/C AND AM NOT FINANCIALLY PREPARED TO PAY THE COST INVOLVED IN REPAIRING IT. I WILL THINK TWICE BEFORE I EVEN CONSIDER PURCHASING ANOTHER TOYOTA PRODUCT. I ALSO HAD ONE OF MY TAILGATE WIRE ROPE SUPPORTS JUST CORRODE AND BREAK. HOW THIS HAPPENED I DON'T KNOW. IT IS INSULATED WITH A THICK PLASTIC, THE ENTIRE LENGTH. THIS IS PENDING AS IS THE A/C. I WENT TO THE TOYOTA PRODUCT FOR THE QUALITY AND ENDED UP REGRETTING THAT I THOUGHT THAT TOYOTA WAS A MARQUE FOR QUALITY. *TR
THE LEFT FRONT SEAT BELT LOCKED UP AND FAILED TO RELEASE WHEN APPLIED. DRIVER BROUGHT VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR AND OTHER PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Official recalls
312V542000 · Tires:temporary/emergency Spare Tire
Nov 23, 2012
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 spare tire carrier. A lift plate on the carrier is used to help raise, lower and retain the tire. During its manufacture, the lift plate may not have been sufficiently coated with anti-corrosion materials. If the plate is insufficiently coated and the vehicle is operated in cold climate regions where road salts are frequently used, road spray can reach the carrier assembly and corrode the lift plate.
Consequence & remedy
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 at 1-800-331-4331.
05V225000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
May 17, 2005
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 & remedy
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.
03V189000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
May 19, 2003
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 & remedy
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 A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.