2002 Toyota 4RUNNER Transmission & Power Train Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · data through 07/12/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How power train ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 224 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Toyota 4RUNNER overview page.
What owners report
“I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE RECENTLY AND THE TECHNICIAN SAID THAT I HAVE SOME MAJOR RUST ISSUES ON MY REAR…”NHTSA complaint 10826027 — filed 02/14/2016
“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…”NHTSA complaint 10777896 — filed 09/27/2015
“THE FRAME IS RUSTING ALMOST IN TWO. LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BREAK ANY TIME. REAR AXEL IS ALSO VERY RUSTED WITH PIECES FALLING OFF.”NHTSA complaint 10701395 — filed 03/24/2015
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2002 Toyota 4RUNNER have transmission & power train problems?
Power Train is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2002 Toyota 4RUNNER: 25 of 224 complaints on file (11.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2002 Toyota 4RUNNER have in total?
224 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 19 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, 20 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train category include?
NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.
