2002 Toyota Tacoma
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Structure is the leading concern among 360 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 9th highest complaint count among 26 Tacoma model years with reports.
Of the 2002 reports, 30 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 23 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Tires, temporary/emergency spare tireNov 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.
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.
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.
Campaign 12V542000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lightingJul 17, 2006
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.
LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
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.
Campaign 06E065000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lightingMar 23, 2006
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.
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
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.
Campaign 06E026000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, front, control arm, lower ball jointMay 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.
THE LOWER BALL JOINT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
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.
Campaign 05V225000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsMay 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.
THIS DAMAGE COULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE IF IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE.
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.
Campaign 03V189000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
28 reports, newest first. Show all
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Oct 19, 2013
DEAR [XXX], I SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOUR EMAIL BUT I AM COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH MY 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA PICK UP TRUCK AT THE MOMENT WITH 134,000 MILES AS OF TODAY. THE PROBLEM LIES WITH THE ?DEFECTIVE AIR BAGS AND DEFECTIVE COMPUTER AIR BAG.? OVER A YEAR AGO, THIS WAS ACCESSED FROM HALEY LOCATED OFF RT 288 AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS COMING ON AT THAT TIME. I PAID FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED THEN, NOT TO REOCCUR A YEAR LATER. IN ANY CASE, IF A TOYOTA VEHICLE HAS DEFECTIVE PARTS SUCH AS THE AIR BAG AND ITS COMPUTER THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER TO REPLACE THE PART AND ABSORB THE LABOR AND COSTS INVOLVED TO DO SO NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE CLIENT. THE CLIENT DID NOT CAUSE THE PROBLEM, IT IS A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM I AM NOW FACING IS THAT HALEY TOYOTA WANTS ME TO ABSORB THIS COST OF PARTS AND LABOR TO THE TUNE OF $711.00 FOR A DEFECTIVE AIR BAG. I HAVE NOT BEEN IN CONTACT WITH AN ATTORNEY SPECIALIZING IN AUTO INJURY, BUT WITH SOME RESEARCH AND TAKING WITH A FRIEND OF MINE WHO IS A LAWYER; HE HIGHLY SUGGESTS THAT UNLESS TOYOTA REPLACES THE PARTS AND LABOR AT THEIR EXPENSE THAT I SHOULD PROCEED WITH HIRING AN ATTORNEY AND EXPLAIN WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE AIR BAG AND WHAT HALEY HAS SAID. FOR HALEY TO DISMISS THIS DEFECTIVE PART AND SAY THAT THEY CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE IS IN ITSELF AN ?EGREGIOUS? REMARK FOR WHICH THEY CAN BE LIABLE FOR IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN WHILE THE PASSENGER IS DRIVING THE CAR/TRUCK IN QUESTIONED. INFACT, THEY SHOULD NEVER HAVE ALLOWED ME TO LEAVE THE PREMISE THIS PAST FRIDAY KNOWING ALL OF THIS, BECAUSE IF A MAJOR ACCIDENT WERE TO HAPPEN THEY WOULD BE TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE AS WELL AS TOYOTA ITSELF. THANK YOU. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Other or unspecified, Sep 2, 2003
CONSUMER STATED WATER LEAKED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THE FLOOR TO BE WET. THERE WAS A MILDEW SMELL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH
Fuel system, Gasoline, Electrical system, Visibility, Other or unspecified, Feb 13, 2003
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS INOPERATIVE, THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO READ THE VARIOUS FEATURES THAT WERE DISPLAYED ON THE UNIT. THE BATTERY HAD GONE DEAD, AND THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED. THE FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS ABNORMAL AND THE AIR HANDLING SYSTEM DID NOT PERMIT OUTSIDE AIR. *SCC *JB