Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Toyota Tundra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
WHEN PULLING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK ON A ROADSIDE, THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER SNAPPED AND STOPPED WORKING, MAKING IT UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS INCLUDING PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK. UPON REMOVING THE COVER OVER THE STEERING WHEEL, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER HAD INDEED BROKEN COMPLETELY LOOSE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER BROKE LOOSE FROM THE COLUMN INTERNALLY AND BROKE INTO SEVERAL PIECES.. THE LEVER WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO GEAR AND THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE STEERING METAL HOUSING WAS FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,800. UPDATED 10/5/11 *CN UPDATED 10/24/11
2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COLUMN HOUSING SUPPORT. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE AND SUBSEQUENTLY ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT THE GEAR INTO REVERSE , THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER BROKE FREE AT THE STEERING COLUMN. DESPITE THE FAILURE THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER ARRIVED HOME, HE WAS ABLE TO PARK THE VEHICLE, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO ANY OTHER GEAR. THE CONSUMER STATED IT APPEARED THE CAST ALUMINUM COMPONENTS SUPPORTING THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER APPEARED TO BE FLAWED. *JB
I ENCOUNTERED THE SAME TRANSMISSION FAILURE THAT'S SIMILAR TO OTHER NHTSA ODI REPORTS. THE PROBLEM - WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS FAIRLY COMMON WITH THIS 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA - STARTED WITH ROUGH SHIFTING AND CLUNKING NOISES IN THE POWER TRAIN AT AROUND 60,000 MILES. THE ODD SOUNDS STARTED INTERMITTENTLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THEN BECAME MORE FREQUENT AND THEN FINALLY RESULTED IN FAILURE AT AROUND 111,000. THE TRANSMISSION QUIT AT A HIGHWAY INTERSECTION STOP 140 MILES FROM HOME IN JANUARY, 2010. IT WOULD NOT GO INTO PROPER GEAR AFTER STOPPING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALER IN VICTORIA, TEXAS ON SATURDAY EVENING FOR REPAIR WORK THAT WAS EVENTUALLY DONE FOUR DAYS LATER AT A TOTAL OUT-OF-POCKET COST OF NEARLY $4,000 (PARTS, LABOR, RENTAL CAR, TOWING; DOES NOT INCLUDE MISSED WORK)...THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED PROPERLY BY MY TOYOTA DEALER. SO THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED SO SOON, AS MY OTHER TRUCKS (FORD, DODGE, AND EVEN NISSAN) NEVER REQUIRED TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENTS, LEAVING ME STRANDED IN HARM'S WAY ALONG A RURAL HIGHWAY. SO MY NEXT PICKUP TRUCK WILL MOST LIKELY NOT BE A TOYOTA. *TR
I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT MY 2002 TOYOTA MAY BE RECALLED DUE TO THE SPARE TIRE MOUNTING BEING RUSTED. I HAVE BEEN VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS TRUCK SINCE THE GAS TANK THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL COVER AND FUEL LINES HAVE RUSTED THROUGH. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE TOYOTA RELIABILITY REPUTATION. WOULD YOU PLEASE REVIEW THE FREQUENCY OF RUST ON THESE AREAS AND ISSUE WHAT EVER RECALLS APPROPRIATE. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I WOULD OCCASIONALLY HEAR A SLIGHT "CLUNK". SOUNDED LIKE IT MIGHT BE THE TRANSMISSION. THIS FIRST OCCURRED AROUND 85K MILES. THEN AGAIN ABOUT A YEAR LATER. AFTER THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME, I TOOK THE CAR A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST. THEY REPORTED THAT THE OVERDRIVE GEAR BEARING WAS FAILING AND THIS WAS COMMON ON THE EARLY TUNDRAS. APPARENTLY THE NEEDLE BEARING BEGINS TO FALL APART AND EVENTUALLY THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION GOES OUT. REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION COSTS JUST ABOUT AS MUCH AS REPLACING IT AND THERE WAS ALREADY DAMAGE TO THE GEARS. END RESULT -- I HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION AT 100K MILES. IF THIS IS TRULY A COMMON FAILURE, IT SEEMS THAT TOYOTA PUT THESE TRUCKS ON THE ROAD WITH A TRANSMISSION THAT WASN'T UP TO THE TASK. I RARELY HAUL HEAVY LOADS OR TRAILERS AND CONSIDER MY USE OF THE TRUCK TO BE VERY GENTLE. HARDLY ANYTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE THE EARLY DEMISE OF A TRANSMISSION. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY MY TRUCK MADE A BAD SOUND FROM THE TRANSMISSION A GEAR GRIND CLUNK NOISE. I PULLED OFF THE FREEWAY ASAP AND PUT IT IN PARK. THERE WAS NO FLUID DRAINING OR ANY THING. WHEN I WENT TO PUT IT IN DRIVE IT WAS HARD TO GO INTO GEAR. BUT IT DROVE OK SO I WENT TO MY APPOINTMENT LESS THAN A MILE AWAY. FROM THERE MY WIFE PICKED ME UP AND WE DID SOME CHRISTMAS STUFF AND GOT BACK TO THE CAR LATER THAN EXPECTED AND I HAD TO DRIVE IT HOME (APROX 5-7 MILES). AT FIRST IT WAS OK THEN CLUNK GRIND JUMP NEUTRAL IN A BAD SPOT ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT ABOUT ANOTHER MILE TO SAFETY IT JUMPED AGAIN AND NO GEARS. I HAD TO PUSH IT OUT OF HARMS WAY AND JACKED UP MY BACK. I WAS TRYING TO STAY OFF THE OPERATING TABLE FOR MY BACK NOW IF IM ON MY FEET MORE THAN COUPLE OF HOURS I AM BED RIDDEN FROM DAYS TO WEEKS. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY PERFECT VEHICLE WITH 34000 MILES NOW NEEDING A $4500 TRANSMISSION. I CHECKED WITH SOME SHOPS AND A COUPLE OF DEALERS AND THEY ALL SAID THE SAME THING BROKEN MAIN SHAFT, FACTORY DEFECT WEAK MAIN SHAFT. TOYOTA WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT. 2002 VEHICLE. I NOTIFIED TOYOTA THE VEHICLE WAS IN STORAGE IN CALIFORNIA AND WOULD BE STARTED FROM TIME TO TIME TO KEEP MY WARRANTY AS I AM HANDICAPPED AND COULD NOT GET BACK TO IT. NOW THEY HAD NO INFO ON THIS AND I HAD TO PAY TO FIX A 34K MILE TOYOTA FOR A DEFECT AND NOW GET A BACK OPERATION. *TR
PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON MY 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA PICKUP TRUCK. THIS VEHICLE HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND CURRENTLY HAS 67,000 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT I TOOK IT TO SAYS THIS PREMATURE FAILURE IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON 2000 TO 2002 TUNDRAS AND REQUIRES COMPLETE REBUILD OF THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE NEVER OWNED AN AMERICAN MADE VEHICLE THAT REQUIRED ANY TRANSMISSION WORK UNTIL WELL OVER 100,000 MILES. *TR
2002 TUNDRA 6 CYLINDER AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH 84,900 MILES ON IT HAD TOTAL FAILURE ON I-10 WHILE GOING 70MPH. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO WORK BUT PUSHING THE GAS PEDDLE DID NOTHING. WE SAFELY PULLED OVER, BUT THE TRUCK WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR IN REVERSE. I HAD COMPLAINED TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS OF A BUMPING FEELING AND OTHER ABNORMALITIES FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT NEITHER DEALER COULD DETECT A PROBLEM. I HAVE MAINTAINED THIS TRUCK AS DIRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND IT IS OTHERWISE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. I HAVE ONLY TOWED A TRAILER ONCE WITH THE TRAILER AND CARGO WEIGHING LESS THAN 2000 LBS. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEMS I COMPLAINED OF TO THE DEALER OCCURRED BEFORE I TOWED THE TRAILER. FORTUNATELY, I HAD THE TOYOTA EXTRACARE EXTENDED WARRANTY (7 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES) WHICH COVERED THE COST OF REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION WITH A RECONDITIONED TRANSMISSION. *TR
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE, TRUCK WAS NOT ABUSED, WELL MAINTAINED, TRANS FLUID WAS CHANGED SEVERAL TIMES AND ALWAYS CLEAN. VERY DISSAPPOINTED IN HAVING TO REPLACE. HAVE DRIVEN 3 TOYOTA'S OVER 200,000 MIILES WITH NO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. HAVE HEARD OF OTHER TRANS FAILURE IN THIS YEAR AND MODEL. ONLY 12 MONTHS WARRANTY ON REPLACEMENT.
SHIFTING LEVER BROKE OFF INSIDE COLUMN WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO PARK. I WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO SHIFT TRANSMISSIONS. *JB
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO TELL US OF YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE TRANSMISSION ON YOUR HUSBAND'S 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. I READ YOUR E-MAIL WITH GREAT INTEREST. AS YOU KNOW, MONITORING AND PROMOTING BOTH THE QUALITY AND SAFETY OF AUTOMOBILES IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR MISSION. WE VALUE YOUR HELP IN THIS EFFORT. YOU HAVE PROVIDED US WITH IMPORTANT FEEDBACK ON THE 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA, FOR WHICH I THANK YOU. BECAUSE OF THIS, I HAVE PERSONALLY FORWARDED YOUR E-MAIL TO OUR AUTO TEST AND EDITORIAL STAFF FOR THEIR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION FOR OUR FUTURE REPORTS. I AM SURE THAT THEY, TOO, WILL FIND YOUR E-MAIL TO BE OF VALUE. YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION AND/OR OFFER ASSISTANCE: CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY, 2001 S. STREET, NW, STE. 410, WASHINGTON, DC 20009-1160. THE CASE COMPILES INFORMATION ON DEFECTIVE AUTOMOBILES, RANGING FROM TRANSMISSIONS PROBLEMS TO PAINT PROBLEMS. IF YOU WISH, YOU MAY SEND THEM A LETTER SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH THEM. SHOULD THEY HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON YOUR PARTICULAR AUTOMOBILE, THEY WILL FORWARD IT TO YOU, ALONG WITH HELPFUL INFORMATION AND ADVICE WITHIN 10 DAYS FROM DATE OF RECEIPT OF THEIR LETTER. THEY ASK, BUT DO NOT REQUIRE, A $.60 SASE TO HELP KEEP THEIR COSTS DOWN. OR, YOU CAN VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.AUTOSAFETY.ORG. NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, 400 SEVENTH STREET, SW, WASHINGTON, DC 20590, 1-800-424-9393 OR 1-202-366-0123. THE NHTSA ASSURES COMPLIANCE BY DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN MOTOR VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS WITH MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS, AUTOMOBILE RECALLS, AND AIRLINE PROBLEMS. YOU MAY WISH TO VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.NHTSA.DOT.GOV THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR INTEREST IN CONSUMERREPORTS.ORG. *JB
THE SHIFT LEVER BROKE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE I WAS SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THE METAL SUPPORT SURROUNDING THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE. THE TRUCK WAS TOTALLY DISABLED AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED. THE SHAFT SUB-ASSEMBLY, THE TUBE SUB-ASSEMBLY, THE SUPPORT TILT STEERING ASSEMBLY, AND SOME SCREWS, BOLTS AND WASHERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I ASKED TO SAVE THE OLD PARTS. *NM
I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH MY 2002 TUNDRA TRD 4WD. I HAVE HAD IT IN MORE THAN 4 TIMES FOR THE BRAKES VIBRATING/PULSATING AND LOOKS LIKE I WILL BE TAKING IT IN AGAIN AS THEY ARE STARTING TO VIBRATE AGAIN!! RENO TOYOTA HAS ALWAYS DONE ALL THE MAINTENANCE ON IT AND KEEP TRYING TO SAY IT IS MY FAULT THE BRAKES ARE BAD AND THE ROTORS ARE WARPING. THEY REPLACED THE REAR AXLES A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO BUT I HAD TO PAY THE $50 DEDUCTIBLE. THEY ALSO HAD TO INSTALL A GASKET ON THE CROSSOVER FOR THE ENGINE COOLANT AS THE FACTORY NEVER INSTALLED IT. THE AC DOESN'T GET COOL ENOUGH TO COOL THE INTERIOR. WHISTLING NOISE BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS COMING FROM...SOUNDS LIKE COMING FROM SIDE MIRRORS??? I REPLACE THE WHEELS RECENTLY BECAUSE OF VIBRATION BECAUSE THE WHEELS WERE WARPED. ALWAYS HAVE EXCESSIVE BRAKE DUST ON FRONT WHEELS. TRANSMISSION FEELS AND SOUNDS LIKE IT IS SLIPPING ALL THE TIME. ROUGH IDLE AFTER WARM UP. I BOUGHT IT NEW IN JULY 2002 AND NOW HAVE 69400 MILES ON IT. MOST OF WHICH ARE HIGHWAY MILES WITH NO TOWING EVER...NO HEAVY HAULING EVER. AM TOO AFRAID TO DRIVE IT OFF-ROAD BECAUSE OF ALL THE BRAKE PROBLEMS...NEVADA=MOUNTAINS=CLIFFS=DEATH...I AM NOT READY TO RISK MY LIFE OR MY GRANDCHILDREN SO WILL NOT EVEN LET ME RIDE WITH ME ANYWHERE. *NM
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. *AK THE DRIVER HEARD AND FELT A LOUD BUMP IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE GAS PEDAL. THERE WAS REAR END GREASE LEAKING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE REAR SHOWING ON THE WHEEL AND TIRE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN THE REAR BRAKE, REAR END LEAKING GREASE, THE DRIVE SHAFT AND THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE BRAKES WERE A MAJOR PROBLEM, THE CRUISE CONTROL NEVER KEPT SPEED OR SMOOTH, THE LEFT LOWER FRONT BALL JOINT HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THAT CAUSED THE ENTIRE WHEEL, BRAKE LINE AND ALL ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE TO COME LOOSE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC THE BRAKES WERE A PROBLEM ON THE VEHICLE, AND THE DRUMS WERE REPLACED. *JB
2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA 4X2 SR5 WITH UNDER 18,000 MILES, AT 45 DEGREE ANGLE WHILE IN DRIVE AND NO LOAD, VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACKWARDS AND WILL CONTINUE TO ROLL UNTIL THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. WHILE ROLLING A LOUD CONSTANT CLICKING NOISE EMINATES FROM THE REAR END AS IF GEARS WERE SLIPPING. VEHICLE SELDOMLY DRIVEN AND ALMOST NEVER PULLS ANY LOADS, NEVER ABUSED OR WRECKED AND MAINTAINED REGULARLY. THIS HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN MAY OF 2002. LAKESIDE TOYOTA INFORMED ME TODAY 9-20-04, THIS WAS NORMAL FOR THE TRUCK AND THAT THEY SIMULATED IT WITH ANOTHER TRUCK.*AK
AT 20,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SHIFT VERY HARD AND THE CEL CAME ON. DEALER SAID THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ERROR CODE FROM THE OBD II STATED "MIS SHIFT". IT TOOK 7 WEEKS TO GET THE PART.*AK
WHEN VEHICLE IS FULLY LOADED BRAKES WILL OVERHEAT WHEN APPLIED WHILE GOING DOWN A HILL.ALSO, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO INTO CORRECT GEAR, RESULTING IN MORE EXCESSIVE BRAKE APPLICATION.*AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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