RecallMyCar

2002 Toyota Tacoma Recalls, Complaints & Specs

3 safety recalls list the 2002 Toyota Tacoma, and owners have filed 333 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

3
safety recalls
333
owner complaints to NHTSA
26 / 3
complaints citing a crash / fire
16–22
MPG combined (EPA)

3 safety recalls for the 2002 Toyota Tacoma

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Temporary/emergency spare tire (tires)

    NHTSA 12V542000 Reported 150,000 vehicles potentially affected Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

    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,…

    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…

  2. Suspension: lower ball joint

    NHTSA 05V225000 Reported 768,379 vehicles potentially affected TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    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.

  3. Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)

    NHTSA 03V189000 Reported 123,360 vehicles potentially affected TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    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…

333 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2002 Toyota Tacoma have filed 333 complaints with NHTSA; 26 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Reports cite 21 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 120,899 miles. Complaints peaked in 2014 with 42 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“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 contro”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 14, 2025 · Suspension

“I recently lost both front wheels in two different incidents within a month. Early August drivers side ball joint failed on me. And on September 25th the passenger side failed on me on the freeway alm”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 26, 2024 · Suspension

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2002 Toyota Tacoma (Tacoma 2WD, Tacoma 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined16–22 mpg
City / Highway15–19 / 17–25
FuelRegular
EPA classStandard Pickup Trucks 2WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD
Engine4/6 cyl, 2.4/2.7/3.4 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Toyota Tacoma model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Toyota Tacoma model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1995 Toyota Tacoma2177
1996 Toyota Tacoma1253
1997 Toyota Tacoma0131
1998 Toyota Tacoma1300
1999 Toyota Tacoma0249
2000 Toyota Tacoma0211
2001 Toyota Tacoma4396
2002 Toyota Tacoma3333
2003 Toyota Tacoma3360
2004 Toyota Tacoma3414
2005 Toyota Tacoma10707
2006 Toyota Tacoma11782
2007 Toyota Tacoma10541
2008 Toyota Tacoma11446
2009 Toyota Tacoma13519
2010 Toyota Tacoma13294
2011 Toyota Tacoma9186
2012 Toyota Tacoma7295
2013 Toyota Tacoma6125
2014 Toyota Tacoma493
2015 Toyota Tacoma4101
2016 Toyota Tacoma4323
2017 Toyota Tacoma5239
2018 Toyota Tacoma3207
2019 Toyota Tacoma4218
2020 Toyota Tacoma188
2021 Toyota Tacoma080
2022 Toyota Tacoma359
2023 Toyota Tacoma454
2024 Toyota Tacoma5152
2025 Toyota Tacoma5101
2026 Toyota Tacoma06

Checking a specific 2002 Toyota Tacoma

How do I know if my 2002 Toyota Tacoma has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 2002 Toyota Tacoma; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Toyota dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 03V189000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Toyota models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.