← New search

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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Tires complaints

14 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jun 4, 2003
TiresWheels

SEVERAL REPAIRS TO WHEELS AND TIRES. RE:STEVE & KATHY MITTMAN *MR THE CONSUMER HAD BEEN TO THREE TOYOTA DEALERS IN PERFORMING REPAIRS TO THE WHEELS AND TIRES. BEAVER TOYOTA PERFORMED TWO COMPLETE ALIGNMENTS AND REPLACED THREE WHEELS THAT WERE OUT OF SPECIFICATIONS. AMERICAN TOYOTA HAS PERFORMED A COMPLETE ALIGNMENT, MOUNTED…

Read full complaint

SEVERAL REPAIRS TO WHEELS AND TIRES. RE:STEVE & KATHY MITTMAN *MR THE CONSUMER HAD BEEN TO THREE TOYOTA DEALERS IN PERFORMING REPAIRS TO THE WHEELS AND TIRES. BEAVER TOYOTA PERFORMED TWO COMPLETE ALIGNMENTS AND REPLACED THREE WHEELS THAT WERE OUT OF SPECIFICATIONS. AMERICAN TOYOTA HAS PERFORMED A COMPLETE ALIGNMENT, MOUNTED AND BALANCED ALL THE TIRES ON THE WHEELS, PRIOR TO REPLACEMENT BY BEAVER TOYOTA. KARL MALONE HAD REPLACED TWO TIRES THAT WERE FOUND TO HAVE EXCESSIVE RUN OUT, AS WELL AS MOUNT AND BALANCED ALL FOUR TIRES ON THE NEW WHEELS. THE MANUFACTURER AGREED THAT THIS WAS A DEFECT BUT DECLINED TO REPLACE ALL FIVE TIRES AND THE RIMS DUE TO SOURCES WHO STATED THE TIRES WERE WITHIN SPECIFICATION. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10022510

8,200 miles · May 20, 2003
TiresWheels

DEFECTIVE RIMS AND TIRES.

NHTSA ODI #10022347

27,053 miles · Apr 26, 2003
Tires

DUNLOP GRAND TREK TIRE P256 /70/ R16 THE REAR RIGHT BLOWOUT @ 72 MPH ON I-75 IN MIAMI, FLA. PARTIALLY LOSE CONTROL. 90% OF THE ENTIRE TIRE SEPARATED BELT/THREAD/STEEL. IT WAS THE ORIGINAL TIRE ON A 2002 TACOMA WITH 27053 MILES. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10016543

Mileage unknown · Dec 9, 2001
Tires

TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2UL AWN TIRESIZE: P205/75R15)

NHTSA ODI #755445

Official recalls

3

12V542000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.