Most common 2002 Ford F-150 problems
Share of the 821 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford F-150 complaints by model year
Best F-150 years: 1996, 2009, 2008. Years to avoid: 2018, 2013, 2016, 2012, 2021. Compare all years →
2002 Ford F-150 recalls (2)
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly › Mounting
Ford is recalling certain 1997 through 2003 model year Ford f-150, 2004 model year Ford f-150 heritage, 1997 through 1999 model year f-250 less than 8,500 lbs. Gross vehicle weight rating (gvwr), and 2002 and 2003 Lincoln blackwood vehicles manufactured from June 20, 1995, through August 4, 2004, originally sold, or currently…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicles to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the fuel tank straps replaced with straps that have increased corrosion protection.
Vehicle speed control
On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control, the speed control deactivation switch May overheat, smoke, or burn.
Remedy: By letter dated September 12, 2005, owners were instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2002 Ford F-150:
Fuel Tank Strap Failure Due to Corrosion
One or both of the steel straps holding up the fuel tank and attaching it to the truck frame can corrode and fail (break or separate).If one strap fails, the tank may tilt and drop and possibly contact the road surface.If both straps break, the entire tank may drop to the road.If either failure occurs while the vehicle is being driven, contact with the road can abrade the tank and create a hole from which gasoline…
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…
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 F-150 owners say
Engine & cooling all 262 →
The contact owns a 2002 Ford F-150. The contact stated that she observed smoke emanating from under the vehicle near the engine compartment. The contact stated that she opened the hood and flames erupted from the engine compartment near the battery. The contact threw dirt on the engine to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
The contact owns a 2002 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made a loud sound. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed and determined that cylinder #3 spark plug had blown out, but no repair was recommended at the time. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
Electrical system all 106 →
Unknown cause of incident. Vehicle is available for inspection. Vehicle spontaneously burst into flames. No reproduction due to incident happening on 09/02/2022. Vehicle inspected by Fire Department and California Highway Patrol. No warnings or symptoms leading up to incident. On 09/02/2022 I attempted to help my wife that was stranded out State Route Highway 36 in her 2009 BMW 750 LI at the Van Duzen Grange. I had been hooked up to her car for approximately 10 to 15 minutes with my truck idling when she screamed, " Your truck's on FIRE!" I barely got myself out of the cab when a ball of flames shot through the dashboard. 3/4ths of the truck was consumed in fire in less than 5 minutes. Fire Department arrived approximately 10 minutes later and doused the fire. Everything in my truck was destroyed. My wife's BMW suffered severe damage to the front end.
When it rains the rain is somehow getting into the fuse box under the steering column and causing it to drain the battery, short out some of the instrument cluster, make noise, blow fuses, and rust up. It is a fire hazard and it puts all inside the truck in danger. I have not yet had a fire but if I keep the truck as is it will eventually.
Fuel & propulsion system all 86 →
Unknown cause of incident. Vehicle is available for inspection. Vehicle spontaneously burst into flames. No reproduction due to incident happening on 09/02/2022. Vehicle inspected by Fire Department and California Highway Patrol. No warnings or symptoms leading up to incident. On 09/02/2022 I attempted to help my wife that was stranded out State Route Highway 36 in her 2009 BMW 750 LI at the Van Duzen Grange. I had been hooked up to her car for approximately 10 to 15 minutes with my truck idling when she screamed, " Your truck's on FIRE!" I barely got myself out of the cab when a ball of flames shot through the dashboard. 3/4ths of the truck was consumed in fire in less than 5 minutes. Fire Department arrived approximately 10 minutes later and doused the fire. Everything in my truck was destroyed. My wife's BMW suffered severe damage to the front end.
My 2002 f150 truck dropped the fuel tank on 5/26/2017. Miraculously, my wife and daughter weren't killed. My wife and daughter were using the truck, helping a friend move. Luckily, they just left mcdonalds restaurant when it broke. They were on a side street and were forced to stay where they were. The eastpoint fire-department were called on scene due to gasoline leaking out of the tank into the street. They stayed with the vehicle until aaa was called. They towed the truck on a flatbed truck and delivered it to my guys auto repair, gratiot, roseville, mi. My truck had a recall on it for safety straps, which were the cause by breaking. I tried to get it fixed at dorian Ford, clinton twp.,mi. 2 years prior, but was given a 'runaround' by dorian Ford, telling me to bring it in for repair in 2 months time. I forgot when the 2 months were up and dorian Ford didn't try to contact me. …
2002 Ford F-150 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 19 / 17 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 5.4L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
| 5.4L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 16 / 14 |
| 5.4L 8-cyl supercharged | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 11 / 15 / 12 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Ford F-150 a good car?
Based on 821 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 F-150 rates average: 35% fewer complaints than a typical year of the F-150 at the same age. 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 F-150?
The engine & cooling — 262 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the electrical system (106) and fuel & propulsion system (86).
How many recalls does the 2002 Ford F-150 have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2002 Ford F-150, the most recent from July 29, 2011 (mounting). 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 F-150?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1996, 2009 and 2008. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2018, 2013, 2016, 2012 and 2021. See the full Ford F-150 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Ford F-150 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 90,000 miles; 21% 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.