2002 Toyota Tundra Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Tundra years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 28 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 482 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Toyota Tundra. That ranks 3rd out of 28 Tundra model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (154 complaints, 32%), typically at around 121,000 miles. Complaints mention 30 crashes, 1 fire, 20 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 482owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 30complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Toyota Tundra problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure problems | 154 | 32% | 121,000 | “spare tire” (16%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 97 | 20% | 29,517 | “front brakes” (12%) | $3,100 |
| Suspension problems | 81 | 17% | 110,000 | “lower ball” (33%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 51 | 11% | 89,000 | “rear differential” (16%) | — |
| Steering | 38 | 8% | 115,729 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 30 | 6% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 21 | 4% | 126,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 16 | 3% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 3% | 99,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 13 | 3% | 149,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 13 | 3% | 61,500 | — | — |
| Wheels | 11 | 2% | 104,731 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 2% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 1% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 1% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 6 | 1% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 5 | 1% | 59,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 1% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 4 | 1% | 83,834 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 1% | 3,600 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 1% | 47,500 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 1% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 0% | 37,561 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | 208,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Toyota Tundra recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Structure:frame and members:underbody shields
Problem: 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 virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia. Excessive corrosion of the rear cross member may cause the separation of the spare tire stowed under the truck bed which would present a road hazard that could cause a crash. Also, corrosion of the rear cross member could affect the rear brake lines and the proportioning valve resulting in diminished braking capability.
Risk: Separation of the spare tire and diminished brake capacity could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota is asking owners of the affected vehicles to remove the spare tire from under the vehicle until a remedy can be obtained. Dealers will inspect the rear cross member and related components, including the brake lines, and replace them if necessary. If the cross member does not need to be replaced, it will be sprayed with a corrosion protection compound. These services will be performed free of charge, however multiple visits to the dealer may be required. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about april 30, 2010. Owner may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: 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.
Risk: The lower ball joint may separate from the knuckle causing loss of steering control and a crash could occur.
Fix: 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
Problem: 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. The upgrade includes 4 larger size tires with alloy wheels. The original spare tire/steel wheel is not part of the upgrade and was not changed.
Risk: Different operating characteristics can be experienced when the spare tire is installed on the vehicle.
Fix: Owners will be provided with a caution label and an insert for their owner's manual. Owner notification began july 15, 2002. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact southeast toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Frame corrosion (PE09049) — opened Oct 6, 2009, closed Jan 26, 2010, led to recall 09V444000.
- Ball joint separation (EA04024) — opened Aug 20, 2004, closed Jul 8, 2005, led to recall 05V225000.
- Front suspension ball joint breakage (PE04040) — opened Apr 13, 2004, closed Aug 20, 2004.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The dealership and Toyota Engagement Center refused to service the 2 recalls that was critical for the truck since October 2025. It was supposed to be including frame replacement and other parts but Toyota Engagement decided to active buy back option and took advantage of low offer to solve the…
Frame and crossmember is rusting. Has one hole on each side of the frame where the cross member is attached inside the frame.
Frame failed inspection for holes in frame. Had part of frame welded and got inspected.11/01/2022. Had been turned down by Toyota dealer previously. Now with less than 10,000 miles added, has another location where frame has rusted thru , making inspection passing impossible. And driving dangerous…
Toyota wonât cover the safety recalls on my truck
Excessive frame corrosion and corrosion holes involving even rear subframe
Other Toyota Tundra years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Tundra | 32 | 1 |
| 2025 Tundra | 139 | 5 |
| 2024 Tundra | 345 | 10 |
| 2023 Tundra | 410 | 13 |
| 2022 Tundra | 431 | 13 |
| 2021 Tundra | 24 | 2 |
| 2020 Tundra | 46 | 4 |
| 2019 Tundra | 74 | 9 |
| 2018 Tundra | 100 | 8 |
| 2017 Tundra | 78 | 5 |
| 2016 Tundra | 120 | 5 |
| 2015 Tundra | 51 | 4 |
| 2014 Tundra | 93 | 4 |
| 2013 Tundra | 85 | 5 |
| 2012 Tundra | 156 | 3 |
| 2011 Tundra | 134 | 10 |
| 2010 Tundra | 163 | 15 |
| 2009 Tundra | 38 | 12 |
| 2008 Tundra | 327 | 12 |
| 2007 Tundra | 390 | 12 |
| 2006 Tundra | 545 | 10 |
| 2005 Tundra | 377 | 12 |
| 2004 Tundra | 466 | 8 |
| 2003 Tundra | 399 | 7 |
| 2002 | 482 | 3 |
| 2001 Tundra | 415 | 2 |
| 2000 Tundra | 1,011 | 3 |
| 1999 Tundra | 1 | 0 |
See all Toyota Tundra problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Toyota Tundra?
Owners most often report structure, service brakes, hydraulic, suspension problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 154 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Toyota Tundra?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Toyota Tundra a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Tundra model years, the 2002 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.