2002 Toyota Tacoma Powertrain (other) Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE BALL JOINT FRACTURED AND CAME APART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS LATER TOWED TO MIKE ERDMAN TOYOTA (1545 E MERRITT ISLAND CAUSEWAY, MERRITT ISLAND, FL 32952) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALL JOINT SEPARATED AND DAMAGED THE AXLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 334,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

11064474

Incident

Jan 17, 2018

Mileage

334,000 mi

THE RUST ON THE REAR END ASSEMBLY IS SO SEVERE THAT THE BRAKES ARE COMPROMISED, AND THE BACK UP EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM HAS FAILED. THE RUST ON THE DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING IS SO SEVERE THAT THE FLUID HAS LEAKED OUT AND THE GEARS ARE AT RISK FOR CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THE SPRING MOUNTS TO THE AXLES ARE ALSO RUSTING SEVERELY, CREATING A RISK OF LOST CONTROL SHOULD EITHER SIDE BREAK AWAY. IT TAKES GREAT EFFORT WHEN BRAKING, AND THE VEHICLE PULLS SEVERELY DUE TO RUST CAUSING THE LOSS OF INTEGRITY OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE BRAKES, ONCE APPLIED, DO NOT RELEASE EVENLY, CREATING UNEVEN BRAKE WEAR, SHUDDERING AND SHAKING, RESULTING IN POOR CONTROL, EXCESSIVE AND UNEVEN TIRE WEAR, I.E., TIRES LOCKED AND DRAGGING, SCALLOPING. ON WET, AND I FEAR, ICEY, SURFACES, THE TRUCK HAS SLID SIDEWAYS DUE TO ONE OR MORE WHEELS NOT RELEASING.

NHTSA ID

10914401

Incident

Oct 6, 2016

Mileage

165,000 mi

I TOOK IN MY 2002 TACOMA FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT PUT IT UP ON THE LIFT DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION ON THE FRAME. I ONLY RECENTLY BOUGHT THE TRUCK IN OCT. 2013 WITH 65K MILES ON IT. ALL ELSE WORKS FINE. AFTER EXPLAINING THE ISSUE TO TOYOTA THEY ADVISED ME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALERSHIP THEN TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE ONLY COVERING THE RUSTED SPARE WHEEL CASING IN THE RECALL, NOT THE ENTIRE FRAME, AND ADVISED ME TO TAKE IT UP WITH TOYOTA CORPORATE. THE MODEL BEFORE THE '02 WAS RECALLED DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION ON THE FRAME (IN COLD WEATHER STATES) HOWEVER THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO PERSIST IN LATER MODELS. HAS ANYONE HAD LUCK CALLING TOYOTA ABOUT THIS? I'M IN A TOUGH SPOT AS I PURCHASED THE TRUCK RECENTLY (ALTHOUGH THE RUST DAMAGE DID NOT APPEAR AS BAD THEN AND I'M WONDERING IF SOME COATING WAS APPLIED AT THE DEALER) AND WOULD HAVE MISSED ANY RECALL ON THE FRAME IF THERE HAD BEEN ONE. *JS

NHTSA ID

10617130

Incident

Jun 2, 2014

Mileage

65,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME STARTED TO DETERIORATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN APPLIED AN UNDER COATING TO THE FRAME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COATING EVENTUALLY WORE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. UPDATED 04/21/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED HE MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE CORROSION FRAME RECALL. BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT, HE NOTICED A LOT OF OIL DROPLETS ON THE TAIL GATE OF THE TRUCK, AS HE DROVE OFF, HE NOTICED A PUDDLE OF OIL. AN INSPECTION REVEALED, THE DIFFERENTIAL CASE WAS LEAKING AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS EXTREMELY RUSTY. ALSO, THE FRAME WAS RUSTED, AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 04/24/14

NHTSA ID

10564944

Incident

Jan 19, 2014

2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. CONSUMER STATES IN 2010 WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE BACKYARD, THE LEFT WHEEL AXLE BROKE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED ON JULY 1, 2011, ONLY IT HAPPENED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIRE TWISTED AND THE TRUCK SKIDDED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *JB

NHTSA ID

10415925

Incident

Jul 1, 2011

GAS TANK SHIELD SEVERELY RUSTED. UNDER SIDE OF GASTANK IS PROTECTED BY A SHIELD/SKID PLATE. IT IS RUSTED SO BADLY THAT WHEN HIT WITH A HAMMER THE HAMMER GOES RIGHT THROUGH. PRESUMABLY THIS SHIELD IS TO PROTECT THE GAS TANK FROM DEBRIS AND STONES ESPECIALLY IF THE TRUCK IS USED OFF ROAD. I DISCOVERED THIS AS I WAS INSPECTING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRUCK BEFORE DROPPING THE TRUCK OFF AT THE DEALER TO HAVE THE FRAME REPLACED. IN ADDITION TO THIS, IT IS APPARENT THAT THE DRIVE AXLE AND DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING ALSO HAVE SEVERE RUST. IF TAPPED WITH A HAMMER THE RUST COMES OF IN SHEETS. THE PARKING BRAKES ACTUATING LEVERS HAVE RUSTED IN PLACE AND CAN NO LONGER BE USED. THERE APPEARS TO BE MORE TO THIS RUST THAN SIMPLE FRAME RUST. THE RUST IS PERVASIVE THROUGH OUT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRUCK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10297145

Incident

Dec 28, 2009

Mileage

42,000 mi

THE TOYOTA TACOMA HAD A REAR AXLE WRAP UP, THIS WAS WHERE THE TWO PIECE DRIVESHAFT BECOMES LOOSE AT THE SPLEEN AND CAUSED A CLUNG OR LOOSENESS IN THE DRIVE LINE, WHICH CAUSED UNDUE STRESS ON THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE DRIVESHAFT TO BREAK AT THE YOKE AND FALL TO GROUND, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE ON THE TRUCK. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR UNDER WARRANTY TO THE DEALER. THEY DISMISSED IT AS NORMAL. THIS WAS NOT NORMAL. IT WAS A FLAW IN THE SPRINGS THEY USED ON THE TRUCK.*AK

NHTSA ID

10191604

Incident

May 23, 2007

Mileage

61,923 mi

MY TOYOTA TACOMA HAS WHAT TOYOTA REFERS TO AS REAR AXLE WRAP UP, WHERE THE TWO PIECE DRIVE SHAFT BECOMES LOOSE AT THE SPLINE AND CAUSES A CLUNK OR LOOSENESS IN THE DRIVELINE WHICH CAUSE UNDUE STRESS ON THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE DRIVE SHAFT TO BREAK AT THE YOKE AND FALL TO GROUND CAUSING ACCIDENT.*JB

NHTSA ID

10147232

Incident

Feb 25, 2005

Mileage

30,000 mi