Most common 2002 Ford E-250 problems
Share of the 17 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford E-250 complaints by model year
Best E-250 years: 2009, 2007, 2008. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003. Compare all years →
2002 Ford E-250 recalls (4)
Vehicle speed control
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 Mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair…
Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Ford is recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 Mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 Lincoln town car vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. The recall began on February 18, 2008. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle speed control
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch May, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected…
Equipment › Other › Labels
Certain vans and wagons fail to conform to the requirements of part 567, "certification." for certain 2003 e250 vans built with lt225/75r16e tires, the rear axle rating is incorrectly listed on the label.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with supplementary tire labels containing correct information and installation instructions. If an owner so desires, their dealer can install the label for them. The recall began on July 8, 2004.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2002 Ford E-250:
HVAC Switch Failures
This investigation was opened based on one complaint and reports from four transportation fleets alleging 182 blower motor control switch failures.ODI was concerned that these melting and burning switches could lead to an open flame that could spread throughout the vehicle.After a comprehensive review of all data related to overheating blower motor control switches in the subject vehicles, ODI did not identify the…
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…
What 2002 Ford E-250 owners say
Wheels & tires
Both front tires merely developed tread bulges , less than 15K miles, never had a flat, been overloaded ,overinflated , ect.. They just became very poor driving and vibrated badly to find they both have bulges in the tread. They seemed fine about two weeks ago and when I went to drive it a couple days ago the problem became apparent.
My son was driving home when the back wheels locked-up and started to skid. He called the police and the officer said he could see where it look like that's what happened and there were three other witnesses to what had happened. My husband feels this is what happened to him a couple of months ago. I am waiting to see if you are willing to pay for me to take my vehicle to a dealership to be checked out.
Brakes
While driving 35 MPH, the brakes failed. The consumer's vehicle hit several other vehicles and then ran into a taxi cab head on. Upon impact, the frontal air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was driven with no problem. There was no coolant in the engine and front end damage.
When braking at 25 MPH the brakes had gone to the floor. The consumer had to pump the brakes in order to stop the vehicle. The dealer stated that electronic hydraulic control unit for the ABS needed to be replaced.
2002 Ford E-250 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
| 5.4L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 17 / 13 |
EPA ratings. Class: Van.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Ford E-250 a good car?
Based on 17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 E-250 rates use caution: 1.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the E-250 at the same age. It is one of the E-250 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Ford E-250?
The wheels & tires — 5 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year, most often about tread/belt. Next are the brakes (4) and fuel & propulsion system (2).
How many recalls does the 2002 Ford E-250 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2002 Ford E-250, the most recent from October 13, 2009 (vehicle speed control). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford E-250?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2007 and 2008. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. See the full Ford E-250 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Ford E-250 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 40,000 miles; 54% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.