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2002 Ford ExcursionProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 129 owner complaints about the 2002 Ford Excursion, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 4 safety recalls.

2002 Ford Excursion
47
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.1× the Excursion median · #3 of 6 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Free fix at dealersOwner complaints12927 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage71kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 26, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Ford Excursion has problems

129 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling312
Tires271
Vehicle speed control169
Service brakes, hydraulic152
Electrical system102
Structure61
Engine60
Steering51
Suspension50
13 other systems2710

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

2002 Ford Excursion recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Mileage at failure

When do engine and engine cooling problems start?

71kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 26 engine and engine cooling complaints. 69% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
1under 30k miles18under 100k miles8100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2002 vs. every other Excursion year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Excursion median. How we score

'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'10
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2002 Ford Excursion safety ratings

2002 Ford Excursion 4-DR in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2002 Ford Excursion, and the recalls they led to.

  1. SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADDP05005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
    No recall
  2. ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR (ETC)EA04006 · closed Feb 10, 2005
    No recall
  3. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESEA05005 · closed Aug 2, 2006
    Led to recall 05V-388
  4. ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR FAILURE (ETC)PE03044 · closed Feb 18, 2004
    No recall
In owners' words

What Excursion owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXCURSION. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V553000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL) AND WAS REPAIRED. AFTER THE REPAIR WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE…
Complaint 10446030 · Jan 31, 2012 · 100,000 miles
#4 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF ENGINE HEAD, THREADS DESTROYED. FORD DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE FORD 5.4 TRITON ENGINE HEAD AND THAT FORD IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. *TR
Complaint 10444725 · Jan 21, 2012 · 146,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXCURSION. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AFTER THE FAILURE AND TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND…
Complaint 10444345 · Jan 18, 2012 · 62,550 miles

Own a 2002 Excursion?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.