Most common 2002 Toyota Tacoma problems
Share of the 333 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Tacoma complaints by model year
Best Tacoma years: 2014, 2015, 2020. Years to avoid: 2024, 2016, 2025, 2012, 2017. Compare all years →
2002 Toyota Tacoma recalls (3)
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,…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
What 2002 Toyota Tacoma owners say
Body & structure all 180 →
The contact's daughter owns a 2002 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that several independent mechanics and an auto body repair shop had informed her that there was a hole in the subframe, and the subframe was significantly corroded. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
Truck was taken to dealer about 5 years ago or less for underbody spray and frame inspection "recall". Truck was cleared as safe. Today, Tire shop informs me frame is unsafe to lift the car by, and proceeded to put his hand through the frame to show the severity of the issue. So I take the truck to my local dealer and ask them what can be done about it. They inform me that, this "program" ended in 2016. I read that 10mm holes in frame would issue a frame/car recall. There is no way there wasn't an issue less than 5 years ago. I believe this is negligence of the dealer in keeping people safe in this vehicle and on the highway.
Suspension all 82 →
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
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the front passenger's side wheel separated from the vehicle, causing the driver to lose control of the steering and drove into the opposite lane. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the front suspension ball joint had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was also informed that the front shocks, front tires, and front brakes were also damaged during the failure, and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 443,000.
Wheels & tires all 27 →
I was driving on a highway at about 55 MPH. The right lower control ball joint broke so the entire wheel broke off the vehicle. The vehicle tried to run/jump over the wheel and caused the vehicle to slammed down on the asphalt. The truck dragged on the asphalt for about 100 to 150 yds until I managed to control and stop it.
The left rear tire (dunlop grandtrek p265) of 2002 Toyota Tacoma blew out on ca 215 freeway (with speed of 60-70 MPH). I lost control of the vehicle, it spun and collided with another vehicle which resulted to minor physical injury to the other vehicle's driver. Original tires came from the dealership, carson Toyota (california). Contacted Toyota and the dealership--they gave us the run-around. The dealership was very unresponsive stating that they are not at fault, did not know that the tire would blow up on the vehicle that during the sale--nevertheless, to cut cost on a $2ok value truck, put substandard, defective tires, least expensive in the market. I will end up putting up the costs for replacing all tires with more reliable tires (Michelin). I hope that there would be better law/legislation protecting consumers and no one would experience the same incident that occured to me.
2002 Toyota Tacoma engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 19 / 25 / 22 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 19 / 23 / 21 |
| 2.7L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 20 / 18 |
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 16 / 21 / 18 |
| 2.7L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 19 / 18 |
| 2.7L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 20 / 17 |
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 18 / 16 |
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 17 / 16 |
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 18 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Toyota Tacoma a good car?
Based on 333 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Tacoma rates average: 23% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Tacoma at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Toyota Tacoma?
The body & structure — 180 complaints, 54% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body. Next are the suspension (82) and wheels & tires (27).
How many recalls does the 2002 Toyota Tacoma have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2002 Toyota Tacoma, the most recent from November 23, 2012 (temporary/emergency spare tire). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota Tacoma?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2015 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2024, 2016, 2025, 2012 and 2017. See the full Toyota Tacoma years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Toyota Tacoma problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 120,000 miles; 15% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.