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2002 Ford F SeriesProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 34 owner complaints about the 2002 Ford F Series, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

61
CarFlaw IndexSolid year36% below the F Series median · #5 of 8 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints342 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage77kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 26, 2022. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Ford F Series has problems

34 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 cooling101
Engine60
Fuel system, gasoline40
Power train40
Electrical system30
Vehicle speed control31
Steering20
Fuel/propulsion system20
Service brakes10
5 other systems50

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

1 recall

2002 Ford F Series 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.

Best & worst years

2002 vs. every other F Series 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 F Series median. How we score

'71'72'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'84'85'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

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

  1. SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADDP05005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
    No recall
In owners' words

What F Series owners report

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

BLEW SPARK PLUG OUT OF HEAD WHILE ACCELERATING TO GET ON HIGHWAY. HAD GAS SPILL ON MOTOR. IT HAS THE 5.4 TRITON MOTOR. *TR
Complaint 10441566 · Dec 28, 2011 · 163,000 miles
MY TRUCK THREW A SPARK PLUG WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS DONE THIS AND THE SAME EXACT ONE AS BEFORE. *TR
Complaint 10440589 · Dec 20, 2011 · 122,580 miles
I BOUGHT MY TRUCK UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT I WOULDN'T NEED TO DO A MAJOR TUNEUP UNTIL 100,000 MILES. PRIOR TO THAT, I HAD TO GET ONE AT 60,000 MILES, 3-5 MONTHS AFTER THAT ONE OF MY SPARK PLUGS SHOT OUT OF THE MOTOR, LEADING TO HAVING TO HAVE THE HEAD REPLACE. I RECEIVED NO REASONABLE EXPLANATION…
Complaint 10211075 · Dec 6, 2007 · 65,000 miles

Own a 2002 F Series?

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