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2002 Ford TaurusProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1,426 owner complaints about the 2002 Ford Taurus, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

2002 Ford Taurus
24
CarFlaw IndexYear to avoid3.2× the Taurus median · #2 of 34 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Free fix at dealersOwner complaints1,426126 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage84kSuspension, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 10, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Ford Taurus has problems

1,426 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
Suspension96210
Visibility983
Vehicle speed control7617
Structure544
Engine and engine cooling536
Air bags4742
Electrical system424
Power train394
Tires381
21 other systems18828

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

3 recalls

2002 Ford Taurus 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.

–no report yet

Brake lights: switch

Recall 04V-106 · Mar 2, 2004 · 938,789 vehicles

Risk. IN ADDITION, IF THE SWITCH AND/OR ASSOCIATED WIRING FAIL IN THE OPEN POSITION, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT ACTUATE AND THE DRIVER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SHIFT THE…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Visibility: windshield

Recall 03V-087 · Mar 10, 2003 · 67,894 vehicles

Risk. POTENTIAL LOSS OF WINDSHIELD RETENTION MAY ALSO REDUCE OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages

Recall 02V-266 · Oct 2, 2002 · 369,614 vehicles

Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CUSTOMER EXPERIENCING AN "UNINTENDED VEHICLE SPEED INCREASE" OR A PERCEIVED "UNABLE TO STOP" CONDITION.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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 suspension problems start?

84kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 886 suspension complaints. 67% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
20under 30k miles591under 100k miles295100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Suspension

117 owners mentioned a cost

$700median

Middle half: $500 – $1,000

Visibility

10 owners mentioned a cost

$400median

Middle half: $330 – $575

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2002 vs. every other Taurus 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 Taurus median. How we score

'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2002 Ford Taurus safety ratings

2002 Ford Taurus 4-DR. Wagon 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 Taurus, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Front Suspension Coil Spring FractureEA08018 · closed Jun 30, 2011
    No recall
  2. Speed control cable damagePE12033 · closed Jun 26, 2013
    No recall
  3. BRAKE/ACCELERATOR PEDAL APPLICATIONRP03001 · closed Mar 23, 2004
    No recall
  4. BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILURERQ03008 · closed Mar 5, 2004
    Led to recall 04V-106
In owners' words

What Taurus owners report

Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH WHILE DRIVING HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO BRAKE MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUBURN AUTOMOTIVE (500 S. OPDYKE RD, WATERFORD, MI 48328, [PHONE]) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE…
Complaint 11383037 · Dec 11, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO THE RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACT NOR…
Complaint 11328887 · Jun 15, 2020 · 60,000 miles
THE CAR HAS EXPERIENCED 2 FAILURES OF THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT SPRING RESULTING IN DESTRUCTION OF THE TIRE. FIRST AT 75,000 MILES SECOND AT 100000 MI. BOTH TIRES FLATTENED AT BETWEEN 30 & 50 MPH
Complaint 11033406 · Oct 15, 2017 · 100,000 miles

Own a 2002 Taurus?

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