We purchased a car from nab autos in fredericksburg, va. After the 7th day of driving it, the motor blew up. Wrong spark plugs were installed by dealer. Also the truck had been raced with nitrous which we were unaware of until we tried to find out what happened to motor. I have documentation from the repair shop. My 18 year old son drives this vehicle which began losing power and shaking before he was able to pull off to the side of the highway.
The worst 2002 Ford F Series (Light) problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Engine10
- Fuel system2
- Body1
- Brakes1
- Electrical1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine10
- Fuel system2
- Body1
- Brakes1
- Electrical1
- Suspension1
- Transmission1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 2002 Ford F Series (Light) 2
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
What 2002 Ford F Series (Light) owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Cross frame member which contains the transmission mount was extremely rusted out and cracked. State safety inspection rep indicated it would not pass inspection in the near future. Ford no longer manufactures the frame member. I was lucky after a long search to find a dealer which still had the part available. Part # is: xl3z6a023ca. The vehicle has been operated in warwick ny since new and in northeastern pa since 2007. I believe if the frame member would fail the transmission would drop down. I have photos of the rusted unit. If you care to see them please send an e-mail address and I'll attach them to a e-mail. Something must be done to require manufactures to use better material for pickup truck frames and brake lines. I have also reported problems with brake lines on this truck rusting out. One incident, I reported, occurred after backing up a rv in a campsite after just driving over 150 miles on the interstate highway. Providence protected me as I could have lost the brakes while traveling on the interstate! *js .
Spark plug failure as accelerating from a stop light, and engine problem resulting from 7 cylinder operation. Got it to a mechanic and he was able to sleeve the spark plug thread and install a new plug. Now the same is starting again. I am taking the vehicle to the mechanic to make permanent repairs for all the spark plug. This may end up with the engine heads being removed in order to make complete repairs, and the cost for that will be thousands of dollars. This is a ford engine design problem that ford has been aware of, yet they continue to deny any responsibility.
Oil leaking passenger side rear on to the starter and exhaust system.
A spark plug worked loose from the head and blew out causing damage to the head and the ignition coil. All 8 plugs had to be replaced, two damaged spark plug holes repaired and two ignition coils replaced.
Checked the condition of this trucks radiator core support after another truck bought the same year had one that rotted away and failed. This part supports the radiator, A/C and provides an attachment for the front fenders. This vehicle's radiator core support is rusted completely through in spots and large flakes of rust fall off when it is disturbed. It will need repaired and 3 others bought the same year have the same issue.
Checked the condition of this trucks radiator core support after another truck bought the same year had one that rotted away and failed. This part supports the radiator, A/C and provides an attachment for the front fenders. This vehicle's radiator core support is rusted completely through in spots and large flakes of rust fall off when it is disturbed. It will need to be repaired and 3 others bought the same year have the same issue.
Checked the condition of this trucks radiator core support after another truck bought the same year had one that rotted away and failed. This part supports the radiator, A/C and provides an attachment for the front fenders. This vehicle's radiator core support is rusted completely through in spots and large flakes of rust fall off when it is disturbed. It will need to be repaired and 3 others bought the same year have the same issue.
Truck started making noise every time there was a bump. Handling felt loose. Discovered that the radiator core support had rusted completely away on the passenger side. The mechanic referred to the condition as "rot". This supports the radiator, A/C and provides an attachment for the front fenders. I bought 4 vehicles the same year. Checked the other 3 and they have the same issue. I will be filing reports on them too.
Spark plug blew out of plug hole, stripping threads of intake cylinder head. Plug was found laying between valve cover and intake manifold.
Compare the 2002 Ford F Series (Light)
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Questions about the 2002 Ford F Series (Light)
Is the 2002 Ford F Series (Light) reliable?
Owners have filed 13 complaints about the 2002 Ford F Series (Light), close to a typical F Series (Light) model year.
What is the 2002 Ford F Series (Light) year score?
The 2002 Ford F Series (Light) scores 75 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Ford F Series (Light): 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 Series (Light)?
Engine and cooling, with 10 complaints, typically around 150,000 miles. Next is fuel system (2).
How many recalls does the 2002 Ford F Series (Light) have?
No recalls on record.
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