Two problems related to rear suspension springs have been reported for the 2002 Toyota Tacoma. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2002 Toyota Tacoma based on all problems reported for the 2002 Tacoma.
I drive a 2002 Toyota Tacoma. Heard a clunking noise I thought was a loose pick up bed (shortly after driving on the highway at legal but high speed coming home from work). Stopped and noted my truck frame had broken in two places over the rear axel and gas tank area. The broken side of the frame was just sitting loosely on the l rear leaf springs. Luckily I stopped to check the pickup bed. I could have been involved in a serious accident or even killed or what's worse could have lost control and hurt someone else. I know Toyota has had significant frame quality control issues with these model Tacomas in the past. I did have a frame check in Dec. 2010 on a recall notice and it was fine. Was told by the dealership no further action was needed. Now I find after talking to Toyota corporate, the frame should have been undercoated at that time. (they claim to have sent 5 letters advising me of this…. None of which I received, and I am the original owner at the same address for the past 16 years). Looking at the internet forms concerning Tacomas, I am not the only one to have been given this cock and bull story. Why would I have not taken the truck in for protective undercoating if informed by Toyota after all ready responding to a recall inspection only a few weeks earlier?. This is a potentially dangerous situation and could cause catastrophic problems. I think Toyota corp is directly responsible for this situation by originally installing defective frames then not following through on recalls or service bulletins properly and actually stone walling owners calling with complaints about the defective frames with an extended 15 year warranty.
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.