2002 Toyota Tacoma Reviews

Driver's seat belt occasionally doesn't go up or down very easy.

Squeak in the tailgate from the shell.

Randomly didn't start once, but haven't had a problem with it since.

Overall I've been very pleased with my Tacoma so far. The truck seems a little underpowered, but I don't tow anything bigger than a small trailer, so hasn't been a problem yet.

Clock placement in the cabin doesn't make any sense though. You have to move your hand or look around the steering wheel to just check the time. They could have put it in the CD player, but that's just me.

Also a smaller thing, but a light on the back of the truck over the truck bed would be nice to have for outdoor activities. Just a convenience feature though.

Headlight burnt out. It was a $25 fix. Easiest lightbulb replacement ever. Don't even have to take out the headlamp assembly. Enough room under the hood to get two hands down there. Very pleased.

Front right (passenger side) wheel bearing has blown. $600 fix from the dealer or $250 do-it-yourself.

There was a major recall on this vehicle. Some were effected, some weren't. Mine was. The recall was: frame rot. Toyota fixed it with care though. According to them, it was about $2000 worth of work per truck. They sandblasted the entire undercarriage, sealed and rubberized the frame. So if you buy one with a rubber coating on it, it has been done.

Very solid truck. Perfect for those who want a smaller truck with lots of ground clearance, great fuel economy, amazing offroad capability without any modifications. Pulls 5000 pounds.

With the automatic 4 speed with OD, you can turn off the overdrive and activate the ECT, which changes gears at higher rpms.

Toyota thought of everything for this little truck. Lots of power from the V6. No passing lag. Front brakes are 4 piston calipers - great for towing.

With good maintenance, these trucks will go for 500 000kms, if not more.

Great stock stereo too! 6x9 speakers front and back in case you're wondering.

At 37,000 miles, the factory tires crapped out.

At 37,800 miles, the check engine light came on and stayed on.

At 41,000 miles, the factory exhaust rotted off.

At 38,000 miles, the rear chrome bumper rotted ugly.

At 40,000 miles, it started developing bad axle noises.

At 36,560 miles, the factory brakes gave out.

At 56,000 miles, the frame rotted through.

At 42,000 miles, the engine started leaking oil.

I paid extra over and above a better equipped Ranger, strictly for Toyota's then stellar reputation.

The hype over Toyota quality mystifies me.

There's a very good reason why Toyota only warranties its vehicles for 3 years/36,000 miles.