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2002 Ford ThunderbirdProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 93 owner complaints about the 2002 Ford Thunderbird, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

2002 Ford Thunderbird
63
CarFlaw IndexSolid year41% below the Thunderbird median · #12 of 18 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints938 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage42kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 5, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Ford Thunderbird has problems

93 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 cooling240
Electrical system210
Air bags133
Engine120
Vehicle speed control112
Exterior lighting40
Structure42
Steering40
Seat belts30
13 other systems171

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

1 recall

2002 Ford Thunderbird 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?

42kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 20 engine and engine cooling complaints. 100% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
8under 30k miles20under 100k miles0100k 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.

Electrical system

10 owners mentioned a cost

$2,500median

Middle half: $1,500 – $2,500

Engine and engine cooling

8 owners mentioned a cost

$2,250median

Middle half: $1,377 – $2,500

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 Thunderbird 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 Thunderbird median. How we score

'67'70'71'72'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'02'03'04'05
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2002 Ford Thunderbird safety ratings

2002 Ford Thunderbird 2-DR Convertible w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2002 Ford Thunderbird frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2002 Ford Thunderbird side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What Thunderbird owners report

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

HAD NUMBER 8 IGNITION COIL REPLACED AUGUST 1ST 2011,OTHER PARTS AND LABOR ($1007.02). SEVEN DAYS LATER,AUGUST 8TH 2011 HAD NUMBER 2 IGNITION COIL REPLACED ($210.91). BECAUSE THIS IS A 2002 THUNDERBIRD THESE REPAIRS WERE NOT UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THEY ARE FOR 2003 UP. WHY? THIS MAKES ME THINK ABOUT…
Complaint 10452291 · Mar 19, 2012 · 71,092 miles
THIS IS A COPY OF A THUNDERBIRDNEST.COM FORUM MEMBERS COMPLAINT, WHICH THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHERS REPORTING THE SAME CONDITION. I COULD NOT SAY IT BETTER SO IM USING IT. THIS COULD BE REAL SCARY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAYS. I AM WRITING TO HOPEFULLY PREVENT A DANGEROUS AND SERIOUS…
Complaint 10449151 · Feb 23, 2012 · 4,500 miles
I'VE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE AND I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON IT. MY 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD BEGAN HAVING THIS PROBLEM AT 43,700 MILES. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE WAS AND IT WAS INTERMITTENT. WITHIN THE PAST MONTH (SEPTEMBER, 2011), I HAVE PERSONALLY REPLACED ALL EIGHT…
Complaint 10428109 · Oct 1, 2011 · 43,700 miles

Own a 2002 Thunderbird?

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