Most common 2002 Toyota Tundra problems
Share of the 482 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Tundra complaints by model year
Best Tundra years: 2015, 2021, 2020. Years to avoid: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2025, 2000. Compare all years →
2002 Toyota Tundra recalls (3)
Structure › Frame and members › Underbody shields
Toyota is recalling model year 2000-2003 tundra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the following states: connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west…
Remedy: Toyota is asking owners of the affected vehicles to remove the spare tire from under the vehicle until a remedy can be obtained.
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.
Wheels
On certain 4x2 vehicles equipped with an alloy wheel tire upgrade (options wm4, wm8, zl1-zl4, dh4, or dh5) installed by the processing centers in jacksonville, florida or commerce, georgia, a label identifying the spare tire as a temporary use spare tire was not installed.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with a caution label and an insert for their owner's manual. Owner notification began July 15, 2002.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2002 Toyota Tundra:
Frame corrosion
This investigation was opened based on 20 reports of model year (my) 2000 and 2001 vehicles experiencing severe corrosion of the frame, resulting in either under-body mounted spare tire separation or rear brake failure.the failure report counts shown above are for my 2000 and 2001 vehicles only.by letter of November 16, 2009 Toyota has notified the agency that it will conduct a safety recall (09v-444) of…
Front suspension ball joint breakage
Odi opened pe04-040 based on three consumer reports of alleged ball joint failure.the complaints allege that a front suspension ball joint separated while driving, which caused the suspension to collapse and resulted in a loss of vehicle control.all of these complaints involved the failure of a lower ball joint.during the investigation, Toyota identified a total of 15 complaints of lower ball joint separation, one…
Ball joint separation
Odi received 3 consumer reports of alleged ball joint separation on my 2002 tundra vehicles.the complaints allege that a front suspension ball joint separated while driving, which caused the suspension to collapse and resulted in a loss of vehicle control.based on these complaints, odi opened pe02-040 and later upgraded to ea04-024 for my 2002 tundra vehicles.during ea04-024, additional failure data was identified…
What 2002 Toyota Tundra owners say
Body & structure all 154 →
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that he previously received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V444000 (Structure). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and repaired under the recall. Recently, the contact was informed by an independent mechanic that cracks had formed on the rear suspension due to severe corrosion. The contact then took the vehicle to another dealer, Kelly Toyota of Hamburg (1 Industrial Dr, Hamburg, PA 19526), and was informed that the recall was a one-time free repair and the dealer offered no additional assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed him that the recall was too old. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 81,324.
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in for routine maintenance, the mechanic discovered severe rusting and corrosion on the subframe of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the severe rusting of the subframe. The contact was informed that the subframe needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.
Brakes all 117 →
The Toyota Tundra 2002 truck did NOT deploy driver's side and passenger's side airbags in a collision consisting of frontal and left-sided collision with immobile objects, with frontal/top profound impact from standing tree. The car was up to date on its inspections and maintenance. The breaks, though appropriately checked and tested, would take longer than normal to break the vehicle. The seatbelt, if pulled hard enough, would easily dislodge from buckle, coming undone. The driver of this vehicle collided as described above and due to the failure(s) of the safety mechanisms in place, resulted in the death of the driver. The driver was restrained with seatbelt, however dislodged from buckle upon impact and NO airbags deployed. The issue(s) have been confirmed by the police report, the county police documented. …
Sudden maximum acceleration accompanied by brake failure, without warnings, occurred on my 2002 Toyota Tundra 4.7L V8 causing loss of control of the vehicle, which ended in a rollover crash, resulting in total loss of the vehicle and injury to me. While departing a 25 mph zone (sign read "END 25 SPEED LIMIT") on a relatively straight section of the road, I very gently accelerated from 20 mph to 30 mph. As soon as the vehicle reached 30 mph, sudden maximum acceleration occurred. Taking my foot off of the gas pedal, first I verified that the gas pedal was not stuck or blocked, but the gas pedal was in the fully up position. I then pressed the brake pedal very hard, but it was locked in the fully up position and the brakes would not engage. I then verified that nothing was blocking the brake pedal underneath it. …
Suspension all 81 →
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that he previously received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V444000 (Structure). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and repaired under the recall. Recently, the contact was informed by an independent mechanic that cracks had formed on the rear suspension due to severe corrosion. The contact then took the vehicle to another dealer, Kelly Toyota of Hamburg (1 Industrial Dr, Hamburg, PA 19526), and was informed that the recall was a one-time free repair and the dealer offered no additional assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed him that the recall was too old. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 81,324.
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to vibrate, prompting the contact to maintain low speeds. After a visual inspection, the contact observed that the front passenger wheels had a negative toe. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the lower ball joint had separated from the knuckle. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number: 05V225000 (Suspension), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 249,000.
2002 Toyota Tundra engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 18 / 16 |
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 18 / 16 |
| 4.7L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 17 / 15 |
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 16 / 15 |
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 16 / 15 |
| 4.7L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 16 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Toyota Tundra a good car?
Based on 482 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Tundra rates use caution: 2.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Tundra at the same age. It is one of the Tundra years we suggest avoiding. 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 Tundra?
The body & structure — 154 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body. Next are the brakes (117) and suspension (81).
How many recalls does the 2002 Toyota Tundra have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2002 Toyota Tundra, the most recent from November 18, 2009 (underbody shields). 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 Tundra?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2015, 2021 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2025 and 2000. See the full Toyota Tundra years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Toyota Tundra problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 91,000 miles; 26% 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.