2002 Toyota Tacoma Problems: Body / frame (327 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2002 Toyota Tacoma is Body / frame (45% of 327 owner reports). There are 5 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Body / frame — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 327 complaints · 5 recalls

What problems show up on the 2002 Toyota Tacoma?

148 of 327 filings named Body / frame (45% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Suspension (59 reports).

There are 5 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Fuel system, Suspension, and Tires. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2001 has 390 reports on file; this year has 327. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2002 Toyota Tacoma

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 5 campaigns on file below.
  2. Body / frame. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck.
  3. Suspension. Listen for clunks over bumps and look at tire wear for alignment issues.
  4. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Body / frame. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Body / frame 148 complaints · 45.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 25
  • Fires 3
  • Injuries 20
  • Deaths 0
All Toyota Tacoma years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Body / frame (STRUCTURE) appears in 148 of 327 owner complaints (45.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 148 complaints, 45.3% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 148 · 45.3% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 59 complaints, 18.0% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 4 crash reports 59 · 18.0% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 15 complaints, 4.6% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 12 crash reports 15 · 4.6% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 14 complaints, 4.3% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 14 · 4.3% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 11 complaints, 3.4% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 11 · 3.4% Wheels (WHEELS): 11 complaints, 3.4% of reports Wheels (WHEELS) 3 crash reports 11 · 3.4% Tires (TIRES): 10 complaints, 3.1% of reports Tires (TIRES) 10 · 3.1% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 6 complaints, 1.8% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 3 crash reports 6 · 1.8% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 5 complaints, 1.5% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 2 fire reports 5 · 1.5% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 228 complaints, 69.7% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 10 crash reports 2 fire reports 228 · 69.7% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 148 45.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 59 18.0% 4 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 15 4.6% 12 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 14 4.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 11 3.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Wheels (WHEELS) 11 3.4% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Tires (TIRES) 10 3.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 6 1.8% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 5 1.5% 1 crashes · 2 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 228 69.7% 10 crashes · 2 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2001; the first recall shown was reported in May 2003. 2001-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2002-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2002-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2003-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2003-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2003-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2003-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2004-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2004-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2004-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2004-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2005-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2005-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2006-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2007-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2008-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2009-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2011-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2011-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2012-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2013-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2013-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2014-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2014-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2014-Q3: 14 owner reports 14 2014-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2015-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2015-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2015-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2015-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2016-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2016-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2016-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2016-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2017-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2017-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2017-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2017-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2018-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2019-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2019-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2019-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2024-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 2001 Apr 2025 Recall campaign 03V189000 ◆ Recall campaign 03V189000 Recall campaign 05V225000 ◆ Recall campaign 05V225000 Recall campaign 06E026000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E026000 Recall campaign 06E065000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E065000 Recall campaign 12V542000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V542000
  • Campaign 05V225000 was reported 1,210 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 12V542000 was reported 3,499 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2001-Q4 Owner reports 1
2002-Q1 Owner reports 5
2002-Q2 Owner reports 3
2002-Q3 Owner reports 1
2002-Q4 Owner reports 2
2003-Q1 Owner reports 4
2003-Q2 Owner reports 8
2003-Q3 Owner reports 9
2003-Q4 Owner reports 2
2004-Q1 Owner reports 2
2004-Q2 Owner reports 2
2004-Q3 Owner reports 2
2004-Q4 Owner reports 3
2005-Q1 Owner reports 1
2005-Q2 Owner reports 2
2005-Q3 Owner reports 1
2005-Q4 Owner reports 2
2006-Q1 Owner reports 2
2006-Q2 Owner reports 5
2006-Q3 Owner reports 5
2007-Q1 Owner reports 2
2007-Q2 Owner reports 1
2007-Q3 Owner reports 2
2007-Q4 Owner reports 3
2008-Q1 Owner reports 1
2008-Q2 Owner reports 3
2008-Q3 Owner reports 7
2008-Q4 Owner reports 2
2009-Q1 Owner reports 5
2009-Q2 Owner reports 1
2009-Q3 Owner reports 2
2009-Q4 Owner reports 3
2010-Q1 Owner reports 3
2010-Q2 Owner reports 2
2010-Q3 Owner reports 3
2010-Q4 Owner reports 6
2011-Q1 Owner reports 4
2011-Q2 Owner reports 2
2011-Q3 Owner reports 1
2011-Q4 Owner reports 1
2012-Q1 Owner reports 4
2012-Q2 Owner reports 1
2012-Q3 Owner reports 2
2012-Q4 Owner reports 3
2013-Q1 Owner reports 6
2013-Q2 Owner reports 5
2013-Q3 Owner reports 3
2013-Q4 Owner reports 7
2014-Q1 Owner reports 9
2014-Q2 Owner reports 13
2014-Q3 Owner reports 14
2014-Q4 Owner reports 6
2015-Q1 Owner reports 3
2015-Q2 Owner reports 11
2015-Q3 Owner reports 5
2015-Q4 Owner reports 9
2016-Q1 Owner reports 5
2016-Q2 Owner reports 6
2016-Q3 Owner reports 5
2016-Q4 Owner reports 8
2017-Q1 Owner reports 6
2017-Q2 Owner reports 8
2017-Q3 Owner reports 6
2017-Q4 Owner reports 3
2018-Q1 Owner reports 3
2018-Q2 Owner reports 6
2018-Q3 Owner reports 5
2018-Q4 Owner reports 7
2019-Q1 Owner reports 1
2019-Q2 Owner reports 5
2019-Q3 Owner reports 6
2019-Q4 Owner reports 1
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
2020-Q2 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 2
2020-Q4 Owner reports 4
2021-Q1 Owner reports 2
2021-Q2 Owner reports 2
2021-Q3 Owner reports 2
2021-Q4 Owner reports 1
2022-Q2 Owner reports 1
2022-Q3 Owner reports 1
2022-Q4 Owner reports 1
2023-Q1 Owner reports 1
2023-Q3 Owner reports 2
2024-Q1 Owner reports 1
2024-Q2 Owner reports 2
2024-Q3 Owner reports 3
2024-Q4 Owner reports 1
2025-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 03V189000
Recall campaign 1 05V225000
Recall campaign 1 06E026000
Recall campaign 1 06E065000
Recall campaign 1 12V542000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (5)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Fuel system, Suspension, and Tires.

  1. Recall campaign 03V189000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 05V225000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (SUSPENSION)
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 06E026000

    Safety recall 06E026000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 06E065000

    Safety recall 06E065000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 12V542000

    Tires

    Report date
    Component:
    Tires (TIRES)
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 327 complaints · page 1 of 14
2025-05-14FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCEUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11661021
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
2024-10-19Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11620763
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Found hole in frame (chassis)
2024-09-26Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11616743
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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 almost causing a collision with a mercedes and a semi truck.
2024-07-25Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11604407
CrashFireInjuryDeath
As I was pulling out from being parked the truck just dropped to the floor on the drivers side. When I got out to see what happened? My wheel broke off at the lower ball joint yesterday evening. I had to wait 2 hours for a tow. I had no warning or symptoms prior.
2024-07-02Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11598221
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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.
2024-05-15Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11588939
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My air conditioning is not working right blowing hot air. Had it charged and no change, I believe that I have the same issue as others, My air bags light keeps going off and on when driving. I see where there was a recall on other Toyota vehicles that had the same problem as me.
2024-04-09Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11581905
CrashFireInjuryDeath
We heard they issued a recall for faulty frames. When someone told us this we contacted Toyota. They said it had expired. I never received a recall of any kind.i take excellent care of my vehicles and this Tacoma only roughly 98,000 miles. The body is great shape, it runs great. My question is if the frame should break and we're going 65mph, who is responsible if someone is killed. We did not know about the recall and we certainly would have had them fix it. Is there any way you can help us resolve this issue with Toyota? Thank you in advance.
2024-03-06Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11575856
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while an independent mechanic was servicing the vehicle, the contact was informed that the rear sub frame was severely rusted at the spring shackle on the driver's side. The vehicle was then taken to an auto body shop, where it was determined that the sub frame needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 225,000.
2023-09-05Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11542694
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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.
2023-08-07Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11536923
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I went to get my 02 tacoma tires balanced and was called and told that where the frame was cracked. Upon inspecting it myself the crack is where the manufacturer welded the frame together. I'm the 3rd owner of this vehicle and there original owner didn't get frame warranty recall done. Which led to it running out. Now Toyota corporate has a frame case number ([XXX]) and was told that there's nothing that could be done until enough complaints about this case number reaches a certain number then they'll look into it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Toyota Tacoma Complaints and Recalls by Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2002 Toyota Tacoma?

Owners named Body / frame most often — 148 of 327 reports (45%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2002 Toyota Tacoma?

NHTSA lists 5 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Fuel system, Suspension, and Tires. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2002 Toyota Tacoma?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources