The contact owns a 2002 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. No warning light was illuminated. The contact attempted to start the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the vehicle started after several attempts. The contact stated the vehicle sat for a while before starting the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under recall. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not officially diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was possibly caused by an unknown sensor. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that the failure started in 2013; however, the vehicle had been parked and undriveable since 2017. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 109,000.
The worst 2002 Ford F-250 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine34
- Tires22
- Brakes19
- Electrical14
- Acceleration12
- Transmission12
- Steering10
- Suspension10
- Fuel system8
- Seat belts8
- Airbags7
- Visibility6
- Body4
- Lights3
- Wheels2
- Seats1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2002 Ford F-250
Recalls 2
Exterior lighting: brake lights
- What is wrong
- Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 ranger trucks built from january 25, 2011, through april 25, 2011 at the twin cities assembly plant, and service parts distributed to dealers for certain 2004 through 2011 model year ranger trucks, 2002 through 2005 model year excursion vehicles, and 2002 through 2007 model year f-250, f-350, f-450, and f-550 trucks for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." the multi-function switch was shipped with a subcomponent (slider) that may experience deformation. A multi-function switch with a deformed slider may malfunction causing the turn signal, tail lights, hazard warning signal flashers and/or brake lights not to activate.
- Risk
- Non-functioning lights could increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the switches free of charge. The safety recall began on august 15, 2011. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1‑866‑436‑7332.
Recall number 11V352000 · Recall details
Vehicle speed control
- What is wrong
- On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.
- Risk
- Overheating could result in smoke or burn and an underhood fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control system free of charge. The recall began on august 7, 2006. Owners may contact ford at 1‑866‑436‑7332. (note: also see recalls 05v017 and 05v388)
Recall number 06V286000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 2002 Ford F-250
Defect investigations
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi?s analysis showed, it is possible for a spark plug to detach from the engine cylinder threads in the subject vehicles.however, odi?s analysis of 474 complaints describing such incidents found only a very few alleged any safety-related consequences.none of these showed any evidence of a serious safety consequence.given the large population and relatively long exposure time of the subject vehicles, the complaint analysis indicates that the risk to motor vehicle safety from the alleged defect is very low.in view of the foregoing, it is unlikely that the federal safety agency would issue an order for the notification and remedy of the alleged defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize the federal safety agency?s limited resources to best accomplish the agency?s safety mission, the petition is denied.
DP05005
Engine compartment fires
Ea05-005 is closed with ford?s actions in recalls 05v‑017, 05v‑388, and 06v‑286, recalling approximately 6.7 million vehicles equipped with texas instruments speed control deactivation switches (scds).the brake systems in these recalled vehicles generate a vacuum that can potentially cause the scds to fail and, in certain switch installation orientations, catch fire.ford is also including the entire population of 1998 explorers.ford has informed odi that testing to determine the cause of failures in the 1998 explorers will continue after this investigation is closed.odi believes that the vehicles exhibiting the factors causing scds failure described in this report correlate well with the observed failure rates on these vehicles by model and model year.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist in the non-recalled vehicles manufactured with scds that are not included in ford?s recalls.odi will continue to monitor the non-recalled population for incidence of engine compartment fires.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see attached closing report for details.
EA05005
Technical service bulletins for the 2002 Ford F-250 33
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Service tips before arc welding on the frame or body of a unit. tt
- A cold weather reverse engagement stall. tt
- Warning indicators-parking aid-reverse sensing system (rss) and forward sensing system (fss)-false...
- Memontary return to idle during aggressive acceleration - diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0123. tt
- General (PCM) power train control module programming procedures. tt
- Vehicle lean sag when observed from rear of vehicle. eh
- General power train control module (PCM) programming procedures. tt
- Multiple vehicles - fuel level indication concerns - service tip. various models including 2005 super duty...
- Vacuum pump inoperative or runs continuously - climate control defaults to defrost. oasis. to also include...
- Malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) illuminated - system lean diagnostic trouble codes (dtc's) - service...
What 2002 Ford F-250 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2002 Ford F-250. The contact initially discovered patches of fluid on the garage floor. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed. The dealer discovered a leak in the engine oil pan due to a faulty silicone gasket. The contact stated that the oil pan was replaced by the same dealer a year prior to the recent failure. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall on the VIN related to the failure. The contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 138,683.
The contact owns a 2002 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being lifted onto a tow truck, fuel began to leak from the middle plastic made fuel tank. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the fuel tank hoses were faulty. The mechanic determined that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 108,000.
The vehicle is equipped with adjustable brake and accelerator. The pedals should move up and down together. But the brake pedal is several inches higher causing a safety issue.
Both front driver and passenger seat belts will pop out of buckle while driving. This happens at any speed.
While driving on a fairly rough highway I'm AZ, 180A, traveling about 50 mph over bumps and repaired cracks in the pavement, the steering wobbled and shook which did not seem far out of the ordinary on this particular stretch of highway. Suddenly, without warning, the steering failed causing loss of control of the vehicle, the driver was unable to steer the truck which veered off the road and sent us directly into the embankment of a dry wash. The truck hit the embankment head on 50-55 mph. I was riding as passenger of my vehicle since I was 8 months pregnant and experiencing severe heartburn all morning. My fiance drive and 3 of my children were in the back seat. After crashing head on into the dirt wall I was pinned in between the dashboard and seat. I suffered serious life changing injuries as a result. One of the firefighters who arrived in the scene inspected and confirmed the steering was broken. I was sent by helicopter to Flagstaff regional medical center where I spent 10 days. The truck was towed to an impound yard in St John's, az. I was able to retrieve my personal belongings but was not able to afford the tow truck drivers verbal quote of the charges due nor the cost to tow the totaled truck back home to snowflake. The truck had a lien and I assumed the lienholder would be notified to collect the vehicle. They were not notified and t ownership was transferred leaving me an abandoned vehicle fee and hold on my registration privileges in AZ. The truck is likely still at the tow yard which may allow an inspection if requested, however I no longer own it as a result of the circumstances. My 9 year old son was injured in the accident as well as my own informed which included a shattered patella and fractured acetabulum, after orthopedic surgery I was made to deliver my unborn son via C-section, thankfully the baby suffered no physical injuries.
As soon as the truck started, it popped out one of its spark plug. The truck started shaking and made a hollow noise and began to smoke and quickly caught on fire. The fire burned the entire truck.
The contact owns a 2002 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle experienced the death wobble. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to regain control of the vehicle and continued driving to his residence. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford f-250. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stationary at a traffic light, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was restarted and driven to his destination. The contact stated that the failure was experienced on three separate occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 300,000.
The emergency parking break does not work, I don't think it ever has. I have had it repaired twice over the years and it quickly quit both times. It feels like normal resistance when you push it in with your foot, and does a normal clunk and release when you release it, but it does not at all hold the truck in place. It is a manual transmission so it is very inconvenient for this to not work. An example, that I have to deal with regularly is hooking up to a trailer. I need to get out to see how close I am and I have to put it in gear (only reverse will hold it, the other gears will slip and the truck will roll) and turn it off to go look.
Compare the 2002 Ford F-250
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Questions about the 2002 Ford F-250
Is the 2002 Ford F-250 reliable?
Owners have filed 156 complaints about the 2002 Ford F-250, close to a typical F-250 model year.
What is the 2002 Ford F-250 year score?
The 2002 Ford F-250 scores 69 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Ford F-250: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Ford F-250?
Engine and cooling, with 34 complaints, typically around 100,000 miles. Next is tires (22).
How many recalls does the 2002 Ford F-250 have?
2 recalls, covering exterior lighting and vehicle speed control.
What year does the Ford F-250 have bad engine?
The Ford F-250 model years with the most engine complaints are 1999 (82 complaints), 2004 (63 complaints) and 2000 (44 complaints).
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