2002 Toyota 4Runner Problems, Recalls & Reliability
306 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2002 Toyota 4Runner, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 40/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Body & structure leads the reports, typically around 140,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2002 sits among all 4Runner years
What owners report
“My 2002 toyota 4runner has excessive rust on the frame to the point that it has been deemed by my local toyota dealership as "unsafe to drive." it only has 180,000 miles on it, the rust should not be this extensive.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 4Runner
“Rear axel is rusted off the frame, and rotting, mechanic says it's unsafe to drive”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 4Runner
“Frame is perforated by rust where the rear control arm mount meets the frame rail.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 4Runner
“My frame is rotting out. I just had to replace my rear axle because it had almost rotted through. It was actually weaping gear oil out of small holes through the rot. Some of the frame had to be welded to pass inspection.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 4Runner
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 219 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 128,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 90,000 and 166,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO…
Fix: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
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…
Fix: 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.
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…
Fix: 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.
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
107 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on body & structure and electrical — are on file for the 2002 Toyota 4Runner. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2002 4Runner TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2002 Toyota 4Runner reliable?
The 2002 Toyota 4Runner drew 306 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 40/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2002 Toyota 4Runner problems?
The top reported problems for the 2002 Toyota 4Runner are body & structure (90 complaints), suspension (51), and other (37).
At what mileage do 2002 Toyota 4Runner problems show up?
Owners most often report 2002 Toyota 4Runner problems around 128,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 90,000 and 166,000 miles.
Does the 2002 Toyota 4Runner have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2002 Toyota 4Runner. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.