IllustrationI HAVE A 2002 TACOMA AND FOUND THE FRAME WHERE THE FRONT PART OF THE REAR LEAF SPRING HAS RUSTED THROUGH. THE OVER LOAD SPRING IS HOLDING THE DRIVER SIDE REAR OF THE VEHICLE UP. THIS VEHICLE HAD 50,000 ACTUAL MILES ON IT AND THERE IS NOWAY THAT THIS SHOULD BE HAPPENING.
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
What owners actually said
333 reportsVEHICLES FRAME IS RUSTING THROUGH. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A FRAME RUST THROUGH TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN POKE HOLES THROUGH IT WITH A FINGER, THIS IS HAPPENING WITH MY TACOMA AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. I PURCHASED THIS LAST APRIL, AND DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE FRAME ISSUES TOYOTA'S HAVE UNTIL THEY RECALLED THE 05-15 MODELS FOR THE SAME…
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VEHICLES FRAME IS RUSTING THROUGH. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A FRAME RUST THROUGH TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN POKE HOLES THROUGH IT WITH A FINGER, THIS IS HAPPENING WITH MY TACOMA AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. I PURCHASED THIS LAST APRIL, AND DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE FRAME ISSUES TOYOTA'S HAVE UNTIL THEY RECALLED THE 05-15 MODELS FOR THE SAME EXACT ISSUE, I HEARD THEY ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF RECALLING 95-00. TOYOTA WILL NOT ASSIST ME BECAUSE THEIR CUSTOMER FRAME ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ENDED LAST MONTH. EVEN THOUGH I JUST PURCHASED 3 MONTHS AGO AND THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE A VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE, TOYOTA IS GOING TO GET SOMEONE KILLED. THE NUMEROUS TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVES I TALKED TO TOLD ME THEY KNOW THEIR FRAMES ARE FAULTY AND THAT THIS WAS TOYOTA'S FAULT, YET HE COULD NOT ASSIST ME DUE TO COMPANY POLICY OF THEIR FRAME REPLACEMENT PROGRAM ENDING A MONTH PRIOR, EVEN THOUGH ALMOST ALL THE YEARS AROUND MY 02 TACOMA HAVE BEEN RECALLED. TOYOTA NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO AN ACTUAL RECALL, NOT JUST A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM THAT THEY CONVENIENTLY WONT ASSIST ME WITH, BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. I CANT AFFORD TO GET RID OF THIS TACOMA NIGHTMARE. THERE ISNT EVEN A SPECK OF RUST ON THE BODY, LOOK UNDERNEATH HOWEVER AND THE FRAME IS RUSTED OUT.
TODAY I SAW THE TRUCK FOR SALE ON CRAIGSLIST AND WHEN I CALLED THE OWNER HE SAID IT HAS 132000 MILES BUT WHEN I GOT CARFAX THE CAR HAVE OVER 250000. THE IS CURRENTLY LISTED ON CRAIGS LIST HTTPS://SFBAY.CRAIGSLIST.ORG/SBY/CTO/6184326088.HTML
AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILURE BROKEN LEAF SPRINGS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (GERARD TOYOTA LOCATED ON 543 COLMAN ST, NEW LONDON, CT 06320) FOR SERVICE, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED CORROSION ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE FRAME AND A CRACK IN THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL. THE SHOCKS COULD BE SEEN AND NEEDED TO …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (GERARD TOYOTA LOCATED ON 543 COLMAN ST, NEW LONDON, CT 06320) FOR SERVICE, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED CORROSION ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE FRAME AND A CRACK IN THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL. THE SHOCKS COULD BE SEEN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 193,672.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC TO BE SERVICED DUE TO EXCESSIVE SWAYING WHEN DRIVING. THE CERTIFIED MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRAME UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WAS CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS CLOSED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE MANU…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC TO BE SERVICED DUE TO EXCESSIVE SWAYING WHEN DRIVING. THE CERTIFIED MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRAME UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WAS CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS CLOSED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER OPENED CASE NUMBER: 1705200515. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 183,000.
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 3 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL DISCONNECTED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND A CLAIM WAS OPENED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,250.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND SEVERELY CORRODED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE HOLES IN THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000. THE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND SEVERELY CORRODED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE HOLES IN THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING FRONTAL IMPACT WITH EMBANKMENT AT SPEED IN ACCESS OF 40 MPH. VEHICLE LEFT THE ROADWAY, TRAVELING STRAIGHT, UNDER HARD BREAKING CONDITIONS AND STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT. UPON HITTING THE EMBANKMENT, THE TRUCK BECAME AIRBORNE AND MADE IMPACT WITH A TELEPHONE POLE, BEFORE LANDING ON ITS WHEELS.
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.