At a glance

Reported mileage118,907 mi

LocationNc, USA

ColorBlack

Last listed price$2,600

Open recalls5

Vehicle identity & specifications

Make

Toyota

Model

Tacoma

Year

2002

Trim

Base

Body style

Pickup

Vehicle type

TRUCK

Engine

2.4L 4-cyl 142 hp

Cylinders

4

Fuel type

Gasoline

Drivetrain

4x2

Assembly plant

FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (USA)

Manufacturer

TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING, CALIFORNIA, INC.

What's a 2002 Toyota Tacoma worth?

What comparable 2002 Toyota Tacoma vehicles are listed for — a quick gut-check before you negotiate.

Low

$2,600

Typical price

$7,221

High

$12,875

Most 2002 Toyota Tacoma listings fall between $2,600 and $12,875, from 35 comparable cars.

Is the seller's price fair? Get this exact VIN's current market value — retail, trade-in & loan value — in the full report.

See this car's exact value →

Full vehicle history report

$14.99 USD · one-time

What a full report checks for VIN 5TENL42N22Z121385

⚠️ 5 open safety recalls — shown above, free 🔒 Title & brand records 🔒 Accident & damage history 🔒 Salvage, total-loss & theft 🔒 Odometer & owner count 🔒 Liens & market valuation

A full report searches national title databases (NMVTIS) and licensed history providers for this VIN and shows whatever records are on file — not every vehicle has every record type. The decode, safety recalls and owner complaints above are always free.

📜 Title status Clean, salvage, rebuilt, junk, flood or lemon

🏷️ Title brand history Every brand ever applied, by state

🧾 Number of owners How many registrations on record

🛞 Odometer readings Reported mileage over time

🔎 Rollback check Mileage inconsistency / tamper flags

💥 Accident & damage Reported collisions and damage events

🚧 Total-loss records Insurance total-loss declarations

♻️ Salvage & auction Salvage-yard and auction history

🚓 Theft records Reported / recovered theft events

🏦 Liens & impounds Outstanding liens or impound records

🏷️ Sale & listing history Past marketplace and dealer listings

💰 Market valuation Estimated value for this exact spec

Unlock full report — $14.99 → or get up to 20 reports a month for $19.99/mo → One-time purchase · permanent access · VIN 5TENL42N22Z121385

Safety recalls 5

TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE

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, Penns…

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.

NHTSA Campaign #12V542000 · 23/11/2012

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN AJ MOTORSPORT COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

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.

NHTSA Campaign #06E065000 · 17/07/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

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.

NHTSA Campaign #06E026000 · 23/03/2006

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

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.

NHTSA Campaign #05V225000 · 17/05/2005

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

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 REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

NHTSA Campaign #03V189000 · 19/05/2003

Get free recall alerts for this vehicle

We'll email you the moment a new safety recall is issued — no spam, unsubscribe any time.

Common problems & what to inspect

Based on 360 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Toyota Tacoma, here are the most-reported problem areas — and exactly what to check before you buy.

💥 1 involved a crash

Suspension 9 reports

🔍 Listen for clunks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for uneven tire wear and worn shocks or struts.

Structure 4 reports

🔍 Inspect for rust, fresh undercoating, mismatched paint, uneven panel gaps and any sign of prior collision or frame repair.

Steering 2 reports

🔍 Steering should be tight and centered — no play, clunks or wandering. Test at low and highway speed; listen for power-steering whine.

Forward Collision Avoidance 1 report

🔍 Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.

Air Bags 1 report

🔍 Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.

Electrical System 1 report

🔍 Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.

Pre-purchase checklist

Match the VIN on the dash, door jamb and title — they must be identical.
Cold-start the engine; listen for knocks and check for blue or white exhaust smoke.
Test-drive through all gears at low and highway speed — no slipping, shudder or pulling.
Confirm every warning light clears at startup (none should stay on).
Check fluids — oil, coolant, transmission — for level, color and leaks.
Look underneath for rust, fresh undercoating or signs of collision repair.
Always get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic.

Owner complaints 360

Complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of the 2002 Toyota Tacoma.

STEERING,SUSPENSION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

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 …

Crash · NHTSA ODI #11661021

SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE

Found hole in frame (chassis)

NHTSA ODI #11620763

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 almost causing a collision with a mercedes and a semi truck.

NHTSA ODI #11616743

SUSPENSION

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.

NHTSA ODI #11604407

SUSPENSION

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 n…

NHTSA ODI #11598221

AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

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.

NHTSA ODI #11588939

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

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 respon…

NHTSA ODI #11581905

SUSPENSION

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 n…

NHTSA ODI #11575856

+ 352 more complaints on record.